If you already have an oven, an air fryer is worth considering mainly if you often cook small batches and its size genuinely makes mealtimes easier. A single-basket model suits this specific need; two cooking zones make more sense if you want to prepare a main and a side dish together, while your oven remains the practical choice for large dishes or bigger quantities. Before adding another appliance, compare its usable capacity, footprint and cleaning requirements with the recipes you usually make.
You usually cook for one or two people and want to roast, reheat or crisp up a small amount of food. The capacity guide published by UFC-Que Choisir can help you narrow down the right size, but you should still check how much usable space there is in the basket.
You often prepare a main and a side dish that need different settings. Two cooking zones may suit the way you cook, as long as each one is the right size for the food you make.
You need to decide whether a small cooking chamber will be useful often enough to justify another appliance. UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer overlaps with some oven functions and can take up valuable space in a kitchen that is already equipped.
Start with the dishes you make most often: a small batch, two dishes at once, a large dish or food fried in oil. This will help you work out what capacity you need and how much space to allow.
Worth considering: for frequent small batches, especially if you cook for one or two people.
Limitation: a large dish or several portions may mean cooking in batches.
Worth considering: if you want to cook a main and a side dish separately and serve them together.
Limitation: two baskets do not combine to make one large cooking chamber for a bulky dish.
Stick with it: if your usual meals mainly involve large dishes or big quantities.
Compare: for small recipes, consider the full preparation and cleaning time, not just the cooking programme.
Worth considering: if you specifically want to fry food in oil rather than cook it with hot air.
Things to bear in mind: hot oil, splashes and cleaning require extra care, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Who should consider it? |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent small portions | Compare the portions listed in the manual with your recipes, and factor in preheating, any handling during cooking and cleaning. | If I often prepare a small amount, I want to know whether a separate appliance will genuinely make mealtimes easier. Around 33% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Two coordinated cooking tasks | Check that the cooking zones operate independently, that the finish times can be synchronised and that each drawer has enough capacity. | When my main and side dish need different settings, I want to serve them together. This would be the main priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Useful capacity and shape | Measure the dishes you use and compare them with the internal dimensions, not just the advertised total volume. | When cooking for several people, I would rather not cook multiple batches or find out that a baking tin will not fit. This would be the priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | Check the appliance’s footprint, the clearances specified in its manual and how its removable parts need to be cleaned. | As I already have an oven, I do not want another appliance that I have to put away or clean after using it only occasionally. Around 17% of consumers would put this consideration first. |
Both appliances can cook food using hot air. If your usual dishes need a large cooking area, a new air fryer may simply duplicate what your oven already does.
Make a note of the recipes you cook most often, how many portions you make and how long your current oven takes before deciding what separate use you expect an air fryer to offer.
The total volume does not tell you whether a baking tin will fit or how the space is divided between two drawers.
Compare the internal dimensions and capacity of each basket with the dishes and portion sizes you usually prepare.
UFC-Que Choisir says that results when cooking fresh chips in an air fryer can be uneven and may not taste the same as food deep-fried in oil.
If that particular result matters most to you, compare a traditional deep-fat fryer too, bearing in mind the handling of hot oil and the cleaning involved.
A spot where the appliance only just fits may not allow the clearances specified in its manual. Cleaning instructions also vary depending on the parts and coating of the model you choose.
Measure the space you have in mind, check the manual for the exact model and find out which removable parts are dishwasher-safe.
The range includes single-basket and dual-basket models, which are worth comparing based on capacity and how you organise your cooking.
The Easy Fry range includes single- and dual-basket models, making it useful to compare if you are deciding between small batches and cooking two dishes at once.
Some Ninja models have two cooking zones, allowing you to prepare different parts of a meal separately.
These models include options for small batches and, with the dual-basket Bear, for cooking two different dishes. Compare their advertised capacity with your dishes and the space you have available. This selection does not replace the decision about whether to keep using your oven.
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Worth considering for regular small batches, with its advertised capacity of 3.2 L. Check the basket’s usable dimensions against your dishes, and make sure you have enough clearance around the appliance before setting aside a spot for it.
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Worth considering if you prefer a design with glass containers to a traditional drawer. Check the containers’ usable dimensions and the clearance required in the manual for the space where you plan to use it.
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Worth comparing for modest portions and a variety of recipes. The product listing specifies eight programmes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C. Most importantly, check that the internal size suits your dishes, and review the installation and cleaning instructions.
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Worth considering if you cook very small amounts: the advertised capacity is 2 L, and the product listing mentions a 60-minute timer and a dishwasher-safe basket. Check how much food you can fit in the basket and how much clearance the appliance needs.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two different dishes separately rather than make one small batch. The product listing specifies 9 L total capacity, 2400 W, eight programmes and independent temperature control. Check the size of each basket and how much worktop space you will need.
Not for every meal. An air fryer can do some of the same things as an oven, but its cooking chamber may not be large enough for bigger quantities or wide dishes. If you mainly cook small batches, compare all the steps involved in each recipe before deciding whether it offers you a distinct use.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people and 5 to 6 L for three or four people. However, this volume does not guarantee that a baking tin or a particular quantity will fit. Check the internal dimensions and the guidance in the manual.
Follow the clearance requirements in the manual for the model you choose, as they vary from one appliance to another. For example, the Purelect manual for its AF169 model specifies 10 cm around the appliance and 15 cm above it.
Check which parts are actually removable and whether they are dishwasher-safe for the model you are considering. Follow the instructions for cooling the appliance and cleaning its coating too. Philips, for example, recommends using a non-abrasive sponge for its Airfryer models.