If you often cook small portions while your oven is in use, a drawer-style air fryer can be a useful addition, provided you have the space and are happy with the basket’s limited capacity and fan noise. If you mainly use tins or large dishes, a mini oven may be a better fit. If you only cook small portions occasionally and your oven is available, an additional appliance may simply duplicate what you already have.
If your oven is in use when you want to prepare a portion or a small dish, a single-basket air fryer gives you another cooking space. For one or two people, UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide. Compare this with the size of the food you cook rather than assuming it will replace your oven.
A dual-compartment model is worth considering if you regularly need to cook two items at the same time, at different temperatures or for different lengths of time. However, check the space available in each drawer: their combined capacity does not make one large cooking compartment.
If your recipes call for a baking tray, tin or multiple shelves, a mini oven may suit the shape of your dishes better than a basket. You’ll need to allow enough space for it on your worktop.
Start with the recipes your oven can’t accommodate when you need it, then compare their size with the cooking space in an air fryer or mini oven. UFC-Que Choisir also recommends considering capacity, footprint, noise and cleaning before adding another appliance.
| What matters | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| A separate use from your oven | Identify the small dishes you genuinely need to cook while your oven is in use, and the meals you would make in a second appliance. | If my oven is often in use when I want to prepare a small portion, I want another cooking option that I’ll use regularly. Around 36% of consumers would make this separate use their top priority. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the basket’s surface area or the cooking compartment’s internal dimensions with your portions and tins, rather than relying on the stated capacity alone. | When I’m cooking for several people, I want to avoid making multiple batches because everything won’t fit in the basket. Usable capacity would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | Check the size of each drawer and the separate settings, as well as whether cooking times can be synchronised if needed. | When a side dish and a main need to be ready together, I’m looking for two cooking zones that can be used separately. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this coordination. |
| Everyday considerations | Measure the space where you plan to put it and the room needed to open it. Check noise test results and the cleaning instructions for the model you’re considering. | In a small or open-plan kitchen, I want to keep the appliance accessible without its noise or cleaning becoming a nuisance. Around 14% of consumers would put these considerations first. |
A basket may hold less food than its capacity suggests, particularly when a dish needs room to cook evenly. Two drawers won’t fit a dish that needs to stay whole just because their capacities add up.
Compare the internal surface area and the shape of your dishes, and check the dimensions of each compartment separately.
An air fryer can be used for some of the same things as an oven, but its basket limits the size of dishes and portions it can handle. UFC-Que Choisir warns that adding one to a home that already has an oven may simply duplicate what you have.
Work out which recipes genuinely justify a second cooking space. If you only make them occasionally, stick with your oven. If you mainly use tins or baking trays, compare mini ovens instead.
Even an appliance you rarely use takes up space and needs to be stored and maintained.
The fan can be audible while the food is cooking. UFC-Que Choisir notes that noise levels vary between models, making this an important consideration in an open-plan kitchen.
Look for an independent noise test for the model you’re considering rather than relying on a brief demonstration.
The wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much electricity it will take to cook a recipe: cooking time, quantity and preheating all matter too. UFC-Que Choisir’s published cooking comparisons don’t guarantee the same results for every dish and appliance.
Compare tests using recipes and quantities similar to your own, and consider the oven you want to complement.
The Easy Fry range includes both single-drawer and dual-drawer models. Moulinex’s product information for the Easy Fry Dual lists two compartments of 5.2 L and 3.1 L.
The Airfryer range includes single-basket models as well as dual-basket configurations, including models NA352/24 and NA462/80, which are covered on Philips support pages.
The TO 2056 mini oven is an example of a 30 L countertop cooking space for when the shape of your dishes matters more than the shape of an air fryer basket.
These Joybuy models are suited to small portions cooked in a basket, or to two dishes split between separate drawers. Choose according to your portions and the shape of your dishes. If these formats aren’t suitable, consider a mini oven or your existing oven.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two parts of a meal while your oven is in use. The stated 7,6 L capacity is split between two drawers, rather than providing one cooking compartment. Check their internal dimensions and the noise level while in use.
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Consider this for small dishes when you’d rather not use the oven. Check the usable size of the container you choose, the space needed for the appliance and its noise level. Don’t assume that multiple containers can be used at the same time.
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With its 2 L basket, this model is better suited to small portions than to a large family meal. Its name lists a 60-minute timer and a dishwasher-safe basket. Check the internal surface area, external dimensions and noise level to make sure it suits your kitchen.
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The two baskets make this model worth considering if you want to cook two dishes at once, provided each one fits in its own compartment. The product name lists a total capacity of 9 L, 2400 W and independent temperature controls. Check each basket’s usable capacity, the overall footprint and the noise level.
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Compare it with your usual portions if you’re looking for a single-basket model to use while your oven is in use. The product name lists eight preset modes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C. Check that the basket’s usable surface area suits your dishes, and review the noise level and cleaning instructions.
No. The result depends on the recipe, the quantity and the appliances being compared. In a test published by UFC-Que Choisir, air fryers used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven to cook a small quiche of the same size. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe or to your own oven.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends a minimum capacity of 6 L for a family of four. This doesn’t guarantee that a whole meal will fit in the basket: also compare its usable surface area with the food you want to cook and the number of batches you may need.
Consider fan noise before choosing a model. UFC-Que Choisir highlights this potential nuisance and measures noise from 50 cm away in its tests. Look for results for the specific model you’re considering, and check how much room you’ll need to open the drawer.
After use, clean the basket and any other parts exposed to food residue, following your model’s instructions. For its air fryers, Moulinex recommends letting the appliance cool down and unplugging it before cleaning, avoiding hard brushes on the coating, and checking which parts are dishwasher-safe.