Keep your oven as your main appliance if it already handles the dishes you usually cook, especially large meals or cooking on several shelves. A drawer-style air fryer is worth considering for small, frequent batches, provided you have room for it and cleaning it won’t be a chore. A dual-drawer model only makes sense if you regularly cook two foods at the same time.
If you often cook small quantities but keep your oven for larger dishes, compare a drawer-style appliance for these specific jobs. Moulinex, for example, offers 3.5 L and 4.2 L models; check that the basket is genuinely suitable for your portions.
If space is tight, consider the basket’s shape and the room needed to open the drawer, as well as its stated capacity. For a pizza or quiche, the available surface may matter more than the number of litres.
Two compartments may suit the way you cook, but they need dedicated space. Check each drawer separately: the total capacity won’t tell you whether your widest dish will fit.
If your small kitchen already has an oven, start by thinking about which cooking jobs you want to change. Then check whether a new appliance can accommodate your dishes without making storage and cleaning more complicated.
Keep it for: large dishes or cooking on several shelves, which it already handles.
Bear in mind: frequent small batches may make you want to use a smaller cooking space.
Consider it: if you often make small dishes and would use it for jobs distinct from those you use your oven for.
Be prepared for: another appliance to keep out or store away, and a basket to clean.
Consider it: if you regularly cook two separate foods for the same meal.
Be prepared for: two drawers won’t give you one large, continuous cooking surface, and they take up space.
Choose it for: dishes where you specifically want to cook in a bath of oil.
Be prepared for: handling the oil, dealing with odours and cleaning. Que Choisir notes these as considerations that differ from air frying.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding duplication with your oven | Think about the small dishes you’d regularly cook in an air fryer, and how much space you can give it. | My oven already handles my usual meals, so I want to know whether I’d use another appliance often enough to justify the space; around 33% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Making sure your dishes fit | Compare the basket’s shape and usable surface with your dishes, then measure the space needed to open the drawer. | For a quiche or food arranged in a single layer, I need a suitable surface rather than a high stated capacity; around 25% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| Keeping everyday tasks manageable | Check which parts can be washed, how they come apart and, if noise matters, look for model-specific figures with details of how they were measured. | If cleaning is a hassle or the noise is disruptive while cooking, I may use the appliance less; around 25% of consumers would put ease of use first. |
| Choosing a specific cooking method | Decide whether you want to cook two foods separately or fry in a bath of oil: these appliances meet different needs. | My meals call for either two dishes cooked at the same time or oil frying; around 17% of consumers would put this specific need ahead of the others. |
Baskets with different capacities won’t necessarily suit the same dishes. A large total capacity split between two drawers doesn’t give you one large cooking surface.
Compare the inside shape with the food you usually cook, then measure the appliance and the space needed in front of the drawer.
Cooking times vary by portion, recipe and model. Que Choisir notes that using a smaller cooking space for a shorter time may save energy, but this shouldn’t be taken as a rule for every dish.
Base your decision on the food you cook often, rather than a result quoted for a different use.
Washable parts and noise figures depend on the specific model. Moulinex, for example, quotes 43 dB for the Easy Fry Silence 7 L; this figure doesn’t describe other models.
Check the manual for your chosen model to see how the parts come apart and how to wash them. If noise is a deciding factor, look for a measurement that includes details of the test conditions.
An oil fryer offers a different way of cooking. Que Choisir notes, for example, that some users may find frying odours unpleasant.
Choose this type of appliance only if deep-frying is something you want to do. Otherwise, compare your oven and an air fryer based on how you’d use them every day.
You’ll also need to store the oil and dispose of it properly after use.
The range includes drawer-style and dual-compartment models. Compare them based on your dishes and the space you have available.
The 2000 Series includes models listed at 3.2 L and 6.2 L, so you can compare different capacities.
Que Choisir lists Ninja among the manufacturers featured in the air fryer category in France.
These air fryers let you compare different formats for cooking jobs you’d otherwise use your oven for. Check the stated capacity against your dishes, then consider the space and cleaning each appliance would require in your kitchen.
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Worth considering if you’re planning to cook small batches regularly. It has a stated capacity of 3.2 L; check the basket’s inner surface and the space you’ll need around the appliance for the food you usually cook.
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Worth considering if you’d like to use different containers for different quantities. Compare the usable surface of each container with your dishes, and allow enough room to set up the appliance.
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Worth considering for small batches if the basket size suits your portions. The title lists a 2 L capacity, 1150 W power, a 60 min timer and a non-stick basket described as dishwasher-safe. Also check how much room you’ll need to open the drawer.
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Worth considering if you cook several portions at once. It has a stated capacity of 7.6 L; before making room for it in a small kitchen, compare its dimensions and basket surface with your dishes.
Your oven may be all you need if it already accommodates the dishes and quantities you usually cook. Make a note of the small batches you cook repeatedly: an air fryer only adds a distinct use if you’ll genuinely use it for those jobs and its space and cleaning requirements won’t become a burden.
No. Check whether the parts of the specific model are dishwasher-safe. Moulinex lists this feature for some models; consult the manual to find out which parts can be washed this way and how to remove them.
Compare figures for the exact models, along with details of how they were measured. Moulinex quotes 43 dB for the Easy Fry Silence 7 L, but you can’t use this figure to work out how noisy another model is.
In France, you can claim under the statutory guarantee of conformity for two years on new or second-hand goods bought from a professional seller, according to the Ministry of the Economy. Keep your proof of purchase and contact the seller if the appliance does not conform to the contract.