If you often cook small or medium-sized portions and also want to roast or reheat food, consider an air fryer. If deep-frying is your priority, compare deep fryers instead. Before adding another appliance, check how much you can actually cook, how easy it is to clean and how much space it needs, alongside what your oven can already do.
If you regularly cook one or two portions, an air fryer could be worth considering, so you don’t have to use the full-sized oven or heat a pan of oil. Look at the usable basket surface, how easy it is to clean and where you’ll keep the appliance between meals.
If you’re serving several people or cooking two foods at the same time, check how much you can cook in each batch rather than relying on an ‘XL’ label. Drawer size and overall dimensions matter just as much as the stated capacity.
If traditional deep-frying is your main use, compare an electric deep fryer or a hob-top fryer with an air fryer. This also means being prepared to handle hot oil and deal with possible smells and cleaning the bowl.
Worth considering: for mostly small or medium-sized portions and a range of uses, such as roasting or reheating.
Bear in mind: the usable basket capacity may limit the amount you can cook in one batch, and you’ll need somewhere to put or store another appliance.
Worth considering: if you regularly deep-fry food and would rather not use up space on the hob.
Bear in mind: handling the oil and cleaning the bowl; filtration depends on the model you choose.
Worth considering: for occasional deep-frying, if your hob is suitable for the pan and you can handle hot oil safely.
Bear in mind: it takes up a cooking zone and may cause splashes, steam and smells, as Que Choisir points out.
Keep using it: if you mostly cook larger dishes or its features already meet your usual needs.
Compare: for frequent small batches, the convenience of a smaller cooking space doesn’t guarantee energy savings in every household.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity and batches | Compare the shape of the basket or bowl and the recommended load in the instructions, not just the stated capacity in litres. | I serve several people and want to avoid running several cycles for one meal. This would be a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| How it complements your oven | Compare the portions you usually cook and how often you make small dishes with your oven’s features and the space you have available. | Before adding another appliance, I want to know whether it will make small meals easier or simply duplicate what I already have. Around 31% of consumers would put this question first. |
| Smells and cleaning | Check which parts can be removed and how they should be washed; for deep-frying, also look at the filtration system. | If I cook often, emptying and cleaning the appliance, as well as dealing with smells, will affect how much I want to use it. For around 23% of consumers, this would be their main concern. |
| Deep-frying | Decide whether this cooking method is your priority, then check the model’s stability, capacity and safety features. | I’m mainly looking for food cooked submerged in oil, rather than the other uses of an air fryer. This would be a priority for around 15% of consumers. |
The stated capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much food can cook without being packed in too tightly. Que Choisir highlights the importance of usable capacity for family meals.
Compare the recommended load in the instructions with your usual portions. If you’re cooking two different foods, also check the size of each compartment.
An air fryer uses circulating hot air and may duplicate functions your oven already offers. How useful it is depends in part on how often you cook and the size of the dishes you make.
Think about the meals you cook each week and the space you have available. A second appliance makes more sense if you can identify a distinct, practical use for it.
Deep-frying means cleaning the bowl and handling hot oil. Que Choisir also notes that a traditional deep fryer can cause splashes, steam and smells.
Compare the bowl and removable parts, and, on electric models that have them, the cool zone and filtration system. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for handling the appliance and letting it cool.
Depending on how you use it, you’ll also need to filter, store and eventually replace the frying oil.
In a test using a small quiche, Que Choisir measured lower average energy consumption for the air fryers tested than for a mini oven. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe, quantity or oven size.
Prioritise the type of cooking and capacity you need over general claims about savings. Only compare energy use when the dish and quantity are similar.
These ranges offer a basis for comparing different sizes and cooking methods. The features mentioned apply to the specific models listed, not every appliance from each brand.
The Easy Fry range includes air fryers in different sizes and formats.
The 3000 Series lets you compare a single-basket air fryer with a model featuring two baskets.
SEB offers electric deep fryers, among other products. Compare them with hot-air appliances based on the cooking method you’re looking for.
These Joybuy appliances let you compare air fryers with two baskets and single- or dual-bowl electric deep fryers. To choose, start with the cooking method you want, then check the usable capacity and cleaning requirements of each model.
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Worth considering if you’d like to cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers, without deep-frying.
The model name indicates a total capacity of 7,6 L and six functions. Check the recommended load for each drawer to see if it suits your portions.
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Worth looking at if you want an electric fryer for deep-frying rather than a hot-air appliance.
The model is shown with an anti-mist viewing window. The bowl has a capacity of 3,5 L. Take care when handling hot oil, and clean the appliance once it has cooled.
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The two-basket design may suit you if your meal includes two dishes that need to cook separately.
The model name indicates a total capacity of 9 L, a power rating of 2 400 W and eight programmes. Check its dimensions and the recommended load for each basket before choosing this format.
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Worth considering if you want to deep-fry two foods separately.
The model is listed with two 3 L bowls and a power rating of 3 300 W. Make sure you have space for the appliance and for handling the bowls once they’ve cooled.
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This design is for people who want to deep-fry two foods using separate settings.
The model is listed with two 3 L baskets, two independent thermostats and a power rating of 3 600 W. It has odour filters, although this doesn’t mean it will eliminate smells. Also check how much space you’ll need to set it up.
Not necessarily. An air fryer uses circulating hot air and may duplicate some of your oven’s functions. It can be convenient for frequent small portions; for larger dishes or several preparations, compare the usable capacities first.
The capacity in litres gives you a starting point, but the usable load determines how many batches you’ll need. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people and 5 to 6 L for three or four. Also check the basket shape and the quantities recommended in the model’s instructions.
Check whether the bowl is removable, which parts can be washed and the model-specific instructions. Also look at the filtration system if you plan to reuse the oil. For the SEB Filtra Pro FR518100, SEB says the removable parts are dishwasher-safe, except for the heating unit. Don’t assume the same applies to another model.
Take it to an electrical equipment collection point rather than putting it in your household rubbish. The French Ministry for the Ecological Transition lists options including a collection point or recycling centre, returning it to a shop, or donating it to a social and solidarity economy organisation.