If the smell of frying oil bothers you and you mainly cook small portions, a single-drawer air fryer could be a good choice, provided you have space for it and don’t mind the fan noise. A dual-drawer model is better suited to meals that regularly involve two separate dishes. If your oven already covers your usual cooking needs, consider whether you’d use an additional appliance often enough to justify the space it takes up. UFC-Que Choisir reports that air fryers reduce frying smells, but does not claim that they eliminate cooking smells altogether.
If you cook for one or two people and want to avoid a pan of hot oil, start by comparing single-drawer models. UFC-Que Choisir says that air fryers can reduce frying smells, but they can also be noisy, so check the space available and how loud the model you’re considering is.
Before adding another appliance to your worktop, think about which small batches you’d genuinely cook in an air fryer instead of the oven. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the overlap between the two appliances and the space an air fryer takes up.
Two cooking zones can be useful if you often cook foods that need different settings at the same time. However, check how much space the appliance takes up and how much fits in each zone: UFC-Que Choisir notes that cooking results can vary from one zone to another.
Start with the meals you cook most often, then consider how each appliance fits the space you have and the cooking your oven already handles.
| Criterion | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Frying smells | Compare hot-air cooking with deep-frying in oil. Allow for normal ventilation and cleaning; the reduction in smells described by UFC-Que Choisir does not mean they disappear altogether. | The smell of oil bothers me most when I fry food; I’m not looking for an appliance that gets rid of every cooking smell. |
| Usable capacity | Check the shape of the basket, the size of the food and how much you can cook in one batch, not just the stated capacity in litres. UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for households of over five. | I want to cook my usual portions without making several batches, but I also want to avoid an appliance that’s too large for my needs. |
| Space and noise | Measure your worktop, the clearance needed around the appliance and the space where you’ll store it. Look for a noise assessment of the specific model; UFC-Que Choisir includes this in its tests. | In a small kitchen or open-plan room, I need an appliance I can set up and use without too much disruption. |
| Cooking two things at once | Check whether the zones have independent settings and whether synchronisation would be useful to you. Also compare the capacity of each zone: UFC-Que Choisir notes that results can differ depending on the zone used. | I regularly cook two parts of a meal that need different cooking times or temperatures. |
| Using your existing oven | List the recipes you’d genuinely move to an air fryer and how often you’d cook them. Compare batch sizes with the dishes you already make in your oven, rather than assuming there’ll be a general saving on electricity. | I already have an oven; I want to know whether frequent small batches would justify adding another appliance. |
| Deep-fried chips | Decide whether you’re mainly looking for the results you get from a traditional deep fryer or an appliance for a wider range of cooking. UFC-Que Choisir says that replacing an oil fryer may not be the right choice for someone who loves deep-fried chips. | If traditional chips are my priority, I’d rather consider what I’d lose by changing my cooking method. |
UFC-Que Choisir describes reduced frying smells as a benefit of air fryers, not the elimination of all cooking smells.
Choose one if the smell of deep-frying is your main concern, but remember to ventilate the kitchen and clean the appliance after use.
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you on its own whether your food will fit in the basket in a single batch. A larger appliance also takes up more room on your worktop and in storage.
Compare the shape and dimensions of the basket with the dishes you usually cook, then measure the space you have in your kitchen.
Two zones let you cook things at the same time, but they take up space. UFC-Que Choisir also notes that results can vary between zones.
If your meals rarely involve two separate dishes, compare a single-drawer model or using your oven first.
UFC-Que Choisir found that some small recipes tested used less energy in an air fryer than in a mini oven, but the result depends on the recipe and the appliances being compared. This alone isn’t enough to justify replacing your oven.
Keep using your oven for the dishes it already cooks, and assess whether an air fryer would be useful based on the small batches you’d make regularly.
The 1000 Series includes a flexible basket that switches between one large compartment and two separate zones.
The Easy Fry range includes single-drawer models in different shapes and capacities to suit different needs.
The Ninja models featured here include a dual-drawer Dual Zone air fryer and a Crispi. Compare their size with the way you cook rather than choosing on brand name alone.
These models let you compare single- and dual-drawer designs for cooking without a pan of hot oil. Their inclusion here doesn’t decide for you whether an air fryer would duplicate what your oven does or whether you should keep a traditional deep fryer.
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Worth considering if you cook larger portions without using a pan of hot oil. Its stated capacity is 7,6 L; compare the basket size with your dishes and measure the space you’ll need before choosing this design.
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The two-drawer design suits anyone who wants to cook two parts of a meal at the same time. Its stated total capacity is 7,6 L; check the space available in each drawer, the overall size and the cooking results in each zone.
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Consider this model if you’d prefer hot-air cooking to deep-frying in oil. Compare the size of its containers with your portions, and check how much room you’ll need to use and store it.
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Its stated capacity of 4 L is worth comparing with the portions you cook each day. The model lists eight pre-set programmes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C; above all, check the basket size and how much space it’ll take up in your kitchen.
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Compare its stated capacity of 6,5 L with the amount you usually cook; the window lets you check on your food without opening the basket. Before making space for it, allow for the recommended clearances: at least 15 cm behind and 10 cm at the sides and above.
No. UFC-Que Choisir describes a reduction in the frying smells associated with cooking in oil, not the disappearance of all cooking smells. If the smell of oil is your main concern, an air fryer may suit your needs, but you’ll still need to ventilate and clean the kitchen.
Start with your portion sizes and the size of the food you need to fit in the basket. UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for households of over five. These are useful guidelines, but you should still check the basket shape and how much you can actually cook at once.
It can be if you often cook two foods at once using different settings. Otherwise, compare what you’d cook in it with what your oven already handles before adding a bulky appliance; UFC-Que Choisir highlights the risk of overlap.
If it still works, consider giving it away. Otherwise, ecosystem directs electrical kitchen appliances to collection and recycling schemes. Find out what’s available near you rather than putting it in your general rubbish.