If your oven is already working well, an air fryer is most worth considering if you often cook small portions or want to cook two parts of a meal separately. For large dishes, tins or cooking on several levels, keep your existing oven or consider a mini oven if its cooking space meets a specific need. UFC-Que Choisir notes that an air fryer’s functions overlap with those of an oven, so weigh up each option against your portion sizes, available space and the extra cleaning it involves.
You regularly prepare a side dish, vegetables or a small portion, and don’t want to use the large oven every time. Check that your food fits in the basket without needing several batches, and that the basket is easy to clean. UFC-Que Choisir lists capacity and ease of cleaning among the criteria to consider.
A main dish and its side may need different settings. A dual-drawer air fryer could suit your needs, provided each compartment can genuinely hold your portion. Models covered by Moulinex and Philips show that the baskets can be different sizes.
If your oven already handles the cooking you have in mind and you’d only use an air fryer occasionally, sticking with your current appliance saves you from finding space for another one and having more parts to clean. UFC-Que Choisir advises against over-equipping your kitchen when appliances have overlapping uses.
If your kitchen is already equipped, start with the meals you actually prepare: their size, how many things you cook at once and how much space you’re willing to set aside for another appliance.
Consider it: for frequently prepared small portions that fit in one basket.
Bear in mind: large ingredients or a complete meal may need to be cooked in several batches.
Consider it: if your main dish and side need different settings.
Bear in mind: two baskets take up space, and their combined capacity doesn’t create one large cooking compartment.
Consider it: if dishes, tins or cooking on several levels call for an oven-style cavity.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to make space for it and clean the trays, racks and interior walls.
Keep it: if you mainly use large dishes or would rarely use an additional appliance.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to use your existing oven for small portions, without having an extra cooking zone.
| What matters to you | What to check | What consumers say |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding a redundant appliance | Think about which meals your oven already handles and how often you’d use the other appliance. | My oven already covers the meals I usually cook, so I don’t want to give space to an appliance I’d rarely use; around 31% of consumers rank avoiding duplication as their top priority. |
| Small portions | Compare the basket’s internal dimensions and how many batches you’ll need. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people as a guide, which you should compare with the food you cook. | For the small meals I prepare every day, I want a suitably sized basket rather than having to switch on the large oven; this is the main priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Two different cooking tasks | Check the size of each basket and the settings available for two different recipes. | When my main dish and side need different cooking methods, I want to prepare them at the same time; around 23% of consumers prioritise this above all else. |
| Dishes and tins | Measure your dishes and compare them with the appliance’s internal width, depth and height. | My gratins, quiches and dishes cooked on several levels need an oven cavity rather than small baskets; around 15% of consumers make this capacity their priority. |
On an appliance with two drawers, the stated capacity is split between the baskets. A large piece of food or a tin won’t benefit from the combined volume. UFC-Que Choisir recommends looking at usable capacity rather than relying on an “XXL” label.
Measure the food and dishes you use regularly, then check the dimensions of each basket separately.
Baking, roasting and grilling don’t, by themselves, give you a new use for an appliance. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the overlap between the two appliances’ functions and warns against over-equipping your kitchen.
Identify meals you prepare often where a small basket or two cooking zones would make a real difference to how you cook. If you can’t, carrying on with your oven is still an option.
An annual figure for an oven won’t tell you how much electricity a particular recipe uses when cooked in two different appliances. The ADEME’s annual estimate for a 63 L electric oven isn’t a per-dish comparison with an air fryer.
For the meals you usually cook, factor in preheating, cooking time and any additional batches before comparing appliances.
The space an appliance takes up isn’t limited to its closed dimensions: you’ll also need room to open the drawers or handle the trays. UFC-Que Choisir’s air fryer testing protocol looks at cleaning and storage, among other things.
Measure the space you have in mind and check the clearances required in the instructions, as well as whether each removable part is dishwasher-safe.
The range lets you compare a dual-drawer air fryer with an appliance that combines air fryer and oven formats.
A useful point of comparison for meals made up of two portions of different sizes.
A format to consider if you want to use trays and accessories in a countertop cooking cavity.
These Joybuy models offer two ways to use an air fryer alongside an oven: cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers or prepare small portions in a single basket. First choose the format that suits the meals you cook, then check how much space you’ll need to use it.
Image unavailable
Prepare two parts of a meal in separate drawers instead of using the oven for each one.
The model name gives a total capacity of 9.5 L, six functions and baskets described as dishwasher-safe. Check how much space you’ll need around the appliance and in front of the drawers.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to cook a main dish and its side separately.
The model name gives a total capacity of 9 L. Check the usable capacity of each of the two baskets: the capacities of the Philips NA352/00 don’t tell you how much the NA351/00 holds.
Image unavailable
For two dishes you want to cook separately, provided each portion fits in its drawer.
The title gives a total capacity of 7.6 L, six functions and baskets described as dishwasher-safe. Before using it in France, check the power supply voltage for the model on offer and follow its installation instructions.
Image unavailable
Consider it for regularly prepared small portions if you don’t need to cook two dishes with different settings at the same time.
The title gives a 4.7 L basket and three functions. Check its internal dimensions against the food you cook and make sure you have enough space to open the drawer.
Image unavailable
For very small portions, if you’re happy to cook a larger meal in several batches.
The title specifies a non-stick basket, a 60-minute timer and stated dishwasher compatibility. Measure the space you have available before choosing this format.
Not for every meal. An air fryer can bake, roast and grill, but its baskets may not be suitable for large dishes, tins or cooking on several levels. If you often make these kinds of meals, your existing oven will still be useful. UFC-Que Choisir notes that the two appliances have overlapping functions.
Check the usable dimensions and volume of each basket, then work out how many batches your meals would need. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people and 5 to 6 L for three or four people as a guide, while advising you to check the capacity you can actually use.
No. It depends on the model and the part in question. Check the instructions for the drawers, racks and trays separately before buying, even if the basket is described as dishwasher-safe.
The legal guarantee of conformity applies to goods bought from a professional seller, whether they’re new or second-hand. According to the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, you have two years from delivery of the goods to bring a claim; any additional commercial warranty is separate.
An unwanted electrical appliance can be taken to an appropriate collection point instead of being put in ordinary household waste. The ministries responsible for the ecological transition list collection points, recycling centres and take-back schemes at retailers as options. Before replacing a faulty appliance, also consider whether it can be repaired.