If you often cook small portions in the evening, an air fryer can complement your oven without necessarily replacing it. A single basket suits food that fits inside it; two drawers make it easier to cook a main and a side dish that need different cooking times, while a mini-oven style model is worth considering for larger dishes or cooking on several levels. Check the portions you actually cook, the space available and how easy the appliance is to clean before adding another one.
If your main and side dish need different cooking times but you want to serve them together, compare independent drawers with a single basket that can be divided. Philips, for example, describes a synchronisation function on its NA352/24; check that the model you’re considering has this feature.
If worktop space is limited or close to your living area, measure the space available and consider how noisy the fan is. UFC-Que Choisir notes that noise levels vary between models.
If your oven is already working well, start with the small meals you actually cook regularly during the week. Whether a second appliance is worthwhile depends on your portions and recipes, rather than simply on being able to cook the same foods another way.
Consider it: for portions and foods that fit in one basket; UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide for one or two people, but advises checking the internal dimensions too.
Drawback: two foods needing separate settings may have to be cooked one after the other.
Consider it: if your main and side dish need different settings and each drawer can hold your portion.
Drawback: the total capacity is split between the compartments, so there may not be enough room for one large dish.
Consider it: if your meals need a large dish or several cooking levels, as advertised for the Moulinex Easy Fry AL605820.
Drawback: check how much space it will take up and how many trays you’ll need to clean after your meal.
Keep it as your main appliance: if you mostly cook large dishes or can’t make room for another appliance.
Bear in mind: for a small meal you cook regularly, whether an air fryer is worthwhile depends on your recipes and comparable tests. Don’t assume it will always save energy.
| Consideration | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount cooked at once | Compare usable capacity, basket surface area and the dimensions of your food, rather than relying on the “XXL” label alone. | If you need dinner ready without cooking in batches, usable space matters more than the stated capacity. Around 27% of consumers prioritise how much they can cook at once. |
| Cooking two dishes | Check the size of each compartment and, if necessary, whether the cooking times can be synchronised. | To serve a main and a side together when they need different cooking times, you need to be able to manage both cooking programmes. This is the main concern for around 27% of consumers. |
| Cleaning | Count the parts you’ll need to wash and check that they’re dishwasher-safe for the specific model you’re choosing. | When I’ve cooked dinner several evenings a week, I want cleaning up to be manageable. Around 20% of consumers put ease of cleaning first. |
| Noise and size | Measure the space, allowing for the clearances stated in the instruction manual; look for an independent noise measurement for the exact model. | In a small or open-plan kitchen, running and storing another appliance can get in the way of mealtimes. Around 13% of consumers prioritise keeping their space quiet and uncluttered. |
| Complementing your oven | Make a note of the small meals you cook regularly and, if possible, compare energy-use figures for similar portions. | If my oven already handles larger dishes, I mainly want to know whether my smaller meals justify another appliance. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this complementary use. |
A basket advertised as large won’t necessarily fit your food in the arrangement you want. UFC-Que Choisir recommends looking at the cooking surface and usable capacity too, to avoid having to cook in extra batches.
Compare the internal dimensions with the portions and dishes you use most often.
Separate compartments are useful for cooking different foods, but they reduce the space available in each one.
Think about the dinners you usually cook: if you mostly make one large dish, also compare a model with a flexible basket or a mini-oven style model.
Convection cooking uses a fan, and noise levels vary between models, as UFC-Que Choisir points out. This may be more noticeable in an open-plan kitchen.
If keeping noise to a minimum matters to you, look for an independent measurement of the exact model and allow for the clearances specified in its manual.
UFC-Que Choisir’s tests show that results vary depending on the recipe and appliance. A result for a small meal won’t apply to every dinner.
Compare quantities and recipes similar to your own rather than basing your purchase on a general promise.
The range includes both single- and dual-basket models. The NA352/24 is an example of how to cook a main and a side in two drawers of different sizes.
The range lets you compare both a flexible basket and a mini-oven style appliance.
UFC-Que Choisir lists Ninja among the manufacturers in the air fryer market.
These models are mainly suited to dinners cooked in two drawers; the selection also includes a single-basket model. If you cook larger dishes or use several levels, compare mini-oven style models separately with your current oven.
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Worth considering if you cook a main and a side separately. The title lists two baskets and a total capacity of 9 L; check that the dimensions of each basket suit your portions and confirm that this model has the features you want.
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Worth comparing if your two dishes need separate cooking zones. This model is listed with two drawers and a total capacity of 9.5 L; if both dishes need to finish at exactly the same time, check which function the DZ400EU offers for this.
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Another two-drawer option for cooking a main and a side separately. The title lists a total capacity of 7.6 L; check the space in each drawer and whether the cooking times can be synchronised if that matters for your dinner.
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Worth considering for cooking two components with different settings. The title lists a total capacity of 9 L, a power rating of 2,400 W and independent temperature control; check the basket sizes and exactly what the “Sync” function does before relying on both dishes finishing at the same time.
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Worth comparing for a meal that fits in one basket. The title lists a 7 L capacity, digital display and viewing window; if your main and side need separate settings, compare models with two cooking zones instead.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four, and 7 to 9 L or more for five people or more. These capacities don’t guarantee that a dish will fit, so check the basket’s surface area and the dimensions of your food too.
No. Two drawers are most useful if your main and side dish need different settings. A single basket may suit a meal that fits inside it; for a large dish or cooking on several levels, consider a mini-oven style model or your existing oven instead.
No. In a test using a small quiche, UFC-Que Choisir measured average energy use for air fryers that was 36% lower than for a mini-oven, for the same quantity. Results varied by recipe and model; this figure doesn’t predict how much energy your dinners will use, or how much another oven will use.
If you buy from a professional seller in France, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods, according to the French Ministry of the Economy. If the appliance doesn’t conform to its description, contact the seller with your proof of purchase; any commercial warranty is separate.