For one or two people who usually cook one item at a time, a single-drawer air fryer is a good place to start, provided its cooking surface is large enough for your usual portions. Two drawers are better suited to cooking two items at once. If you mainly cook dishes in tins or reheat food, compare a mini oven and a combination microwave too, after measuring the available space.
If you mainly cook one item for one or two people, a single basket is worth considering. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide for this use, but the stated capacity alone does not guarantee enough room to spread your food out.
If your side and main course need different cooking times but should be served together, two cooking zones can save you from cooking in batches. Que Choisir highlights this benefit of dual-drawer models, although you’ll still need to check how much worktop space they take up.
If you often use oven dishes, make quiches or reheat meals, compare the internal dimensions and functions of an air fryer, mini oven and combination microwave. The right format also depends on your cookware and the space needed to open the door or drawer.
Start by choosing according to what you cook most often: a small portion, two dishes at once, a dish in a tin or food to reheat. Then check the usable dimensions and installation space, whatever the format.
Worth considering: for one or two people who usually cook one dish at a time.
Bear in mind: you may need to cook in batches if the food needs to be kept in a single layer.
Worth considering: when two parts of a meal need different settings or cooking times.
Bear in mind: two cooking zones take up more space than a small basket, and the capacity is split between the compartments.
Worth considering: if oven dishes, tins and cooking modes matter more to you than a basket.
Bear in mind: you’ll need room to open the door and to allow the clearances specified in the instructions.
Worth considering: if you reheat food every day and would also like convection and a grill.
Bear in mind: the cavity dimensions, compatible cookware and external footprint all need to suit the way you’ll use it.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the basket’s surface area and the recommended quantities for your food, not just its capacity in litres. | When I’m cooking one or two portions, I want to be able to spread the food out without having to cook several batches. Around 31% of consumers would prioritise a capacity suited to small portions. |
| Two cooking zones | Check whether the zones can be adjusted separately and whether they can finish cooking both dishes when you want them to. | If I want to serve two items together but they cook at different speeds, I need to prepare them side by side. Around 31% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Dishes and tins | Measure your cookware and the cavity, and check which cooking modes your recipes need. | If my usual oven isn’t readily available, I want to keep making dishes in tins without choosing a cavity that’s too small. Around 23% of consumers would put this versatility first. |
| Everyday reheating | Compare the reheating functions and how easy the appliance is to access, monitor and clean. | I often reheat leftovers and want an appliance that’s easy to use every day, even though I rarely cook two items together. For around 15% of consumers, this would be the main consideration. |
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you how much food can cook without being packed in too tightly. For some foods, such as chips, Philips recommends not filling the basket completely.
Check the interior surface area, the quantities recommended in the instructions and the dimensions of the tins you use.
Que Choisir points out that an air fryer can clutter your worktop when added to the appliances already there. You’ll also need room to open a drawer or door.
Measure the space you have in mind and check the installation clearances specified for your chosen model.
Que Choisir notes that chips can cook unevenly in an air fryer. The results depend in part on how much food is in the basket and how it has been prepared.
If chips are your main reason for buying one, look for tests of the model you’re considering and follow its instructions on quantities and shaking the food during cooking.
Two cooking zones, a grill and a microwave function each meet different needs. They won’t make up for a basket or cavity that’s the wrong size for your dishes.
Start with the food you cook most often, then check that the format and functions you need are available in the appliance you’re considering.
The range mentioned here includes a single-basket air fryer and a model with a cooking area that can be divided into two zones: two formats to compare according to the size of your meals.
The Optimo OX444810 is an example of a freestanding mini oven to consider when oven dishes and cooking modes are a priority.
The MC28H5015CK/EF is an example of a combination microwave to consider if you want to reheat food as well as use other cooking modes.
These models suit two ways of cooking with an air fryer: making a small portion in a single cooking space, or using two drawers for two parts of a meal. If oven dishes or microwave reheating are a priority, compare the other formats described above too.
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Worth considering if you usually cook one item at a time. Check that the containers are suitable for your portions and measure the space available, allowing for the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Worth a look for one or two small portions, if the basket’s surface area suits the food you cook. The product name lists a 60-minute timer and a dishwasher-safe basket. Be sure to measure the available space before choosing this format.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook two items at once rather than a single small portion. This dual-drawer model is listed with six functions; check how much space you’ll need to position the appliance and remove the drawers.
Que Choisir suggests a single basket of 3 to 4 L as a guide for one or two people. The portion you can actually cook also depends on the space in the basket and how much room you leave around the food. Compare these points with the meals you usually make.
Not for every type of food. For chips in its air fryers, for example, Philips recommends not filling the basket too full, so air can circulate. Follow the quantities and instructions for your model and the food you’re cooking.
Two drawers are useful if you often cook two foods at once, but they aren’t necessary for a single small dish. Que Choisir highlights the benefit of cooking different foods at the same time. Even so, measure the space the appliance takes up, including with its drawers open.
First compare the size of your tins with the internal dimensions of an air fryer and a mini oven. A combination microwave is also worth considering if you often reheat meals. The listed cooking modes won’t help if your dish doesn’t fit or isn’t suitable for the cooking method.