An air fryer is worth making room for if you often cook small portions that need roasting or crisping, and its drawer offers something your oven doesn’t. If your oven already handles the meals you usually make, stick with it rather than adding another appliance. Otherwise, choose a format based on how much you need to cook, the space you have, whether two compartments would be useful and how many parts need cleaning.
If your side dish and main course need different settings, compare a dual-compartment model with your oven. UFC-Que Choisir says two drawers let you cook different foods at the same time. Check the specific model’s features before relying on the cooking to finish at the same time.
A single drawer may be all you need for a simple meal or side dish. Choose its capacity based on how much you actually cook, and check which parts need washing rather than relying on the number of programmes.
Measure the space available, including the clearance needed to open the drawer, before choosing a large model. In an open-plan kitchen, consider the fan noise too: UFC-Que Choisir notes that it can influence your choice.
First, decide whether the appliance would do something useful that your oven can’t already do just as easily. Then compare formats, followed by the dimensions and cleaning requirements of the model you’re considering.
Worth considering: for cooking one thing at a time, when you don’t need to set two cooking programmes separately.
Bear in mind: two foods that need different cooking times or temperatures may have to be cooked in separate batches.
Worth considering: if you regularly cook two parts of a meal at the same time. UFC-Que Choisir describes this use for models with two drawers.
Bear in mind: the appliance takes up space. Check that your chosen model has independent settings and, if needed, a synchronisation function.
Worth considering: if you want a cavity that can hold racks or trays rather than a basket. Check which accessories come with the model.
Bear in mind: it may duplicate what your oven can already do, while still taking up worktop space.
Keep it if: you already use its cavity or trays for the meals you usually make, and a new appliance would see little use.
Bear in mind: you won’t have a drawer or two-zone format for portions that might suit one.
| What matters | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount per batch | Compare the basket’s shape and usable surface area with the foods you usually cook, as well as the appliance’s dimensions. UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L as a starting point for a household of four. | If I’m cooking a meal for the household in one go, I need to be able to arrange the food without routinely relying on a second batch. Around 42% of consumers rank this practical capacity as their top priority. |
| Everyday use and cleaning | Check the exact model to see which parts are removable and which are dishwasher-safe. Also read the guidance for the coating. | When I often cook a simple meal, I want preparation and washing up to fit easily into my day. Around 33% of consumers prioritise keeping this routine simple. |
| Space and overlap with your oven | Measure the space available, the drawer opening and the clearance specified by the manufacturer. Compare the recipes you have in mind with what your oven can do; if you have an open-plan kitchen, check the fan noise too. | In a kitchen where every appliance takes up space, I’d only add one if I’d use it differently from my oven. Avoiding duplication is the main priority for around 25% of consumers. |
A large capacity doesn’t necessarily tell you whether your dish or portions will fit in one batch. UFC-Que Choisir also highlights how much space larger models take up.
Start with the meals you usually cook, check the shape of the basket and measure your worktop before moving up to an XXL model or one with two drawers.
In its comparison, UFC-Que Choisir describes results where chips on top are more cooked than those at the bottom. This doesn’t predict how every model will perform.
If even cooking matters to you, look for a test of the model you’re considering and check whether the recipe calls for shaking or turning the food.
UFC-Que Choisir points to noise as a buying consideration for these fan-powered appliances. It’s particularly relevant if your kitchen opens onto your living space.
If you cook while chatting or taking calls, look for a noise measurement or demonstration of the specific model.
A model with racks or trays may be suited to recipes that are already easy to make in your kitchen oven. Without a distinct, regular use for it, it will simply take up extra space.
Make a list of the meals where a drawer, smaller cavity or two compartments would change the way you cook. If you can’t think of many, stick with your oven.
The Easy Fry range includes single-drawer models and models with two compartments. Cleaning features vary by model.
The DualZone DZ300EU is designed for people who want to cook two parts of a meal in separate compartments.
The 2000 Series includes the 3.2 L NA210/00, a single-drawer model worth considering for smaller meals.
These appliances cover everything from two-drawer cooking to single-basket meals and smaller portions. Compare each one with your oven before choosing an additional appliance.
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Worth a look if you want to cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers.
The model name lists a total capacity of 7,6 L and six functions. Check the space it needs and the coordination features if both dishes need to finish at the same time.
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Worth considering for a meal with two parts, if two baskets suit the way you like to arrange your food.
The stated total capacity is 9 L. If your dishes need different temperatures, check which settings are available for each basket, and check their usable dimensions too.
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Worth a look if you want a different format for everyday portions rather than a conventional dual-drawer model.
Compare the containers and their usable capacity with your recipes. If you want to cook two foods at the same time, check that this model can do so.
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Worth considering if you prefer a single basket for your cooking and want to be able to see the food as it cooks.
The title lists a 7 L capacity, digital display and cooking window. Check the external dimensions and cleaning instructions before setting aside space for it.
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Worth a look for smaller portions, if you don’t need to cook two separate dishes at the same time.
The title lists a removable, non-stick, dishwasher-safe basket and a 60-minute timer. Check the appliance’s dimensions too: its 2 L capacity doesn’t tell you how much space it takes up.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends a minimum of 6 L for a family of four. For a smaller household, start with the amount and shape of the meals you usually cook: the stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that all the food will fit in one batch.
Yes, if its compartments and settings can handle the two dishes you want to cook. SharkNinja says the zones on the Ninja DZ300EU can use different cooking times and temperatures. Check whether your chosen model also offers the synchronisation you need.
Check exactly which parts are dishwasher-safe, and consult the manual for the rest. Moulinex confirms that the basket of its Easy Fry Max 5 L is dishwasher-safe, but this doesn’t automatically apply to its other models or accessories.
Take the electrical appliance to a collection point that accepts electrical and electronic equipment. If you’re returning it when buying a new one, the French Ministry for Ecological Transition describes the “one-for-one” take-back scheme, which applies when you buy a product of the same type. Check the arrangements with the retailer or a collection point.