An air fryer can be a useful addition if you often cook small portions or want to reheat food until crisp, provided its basket can hold your usual meal without requiring several batches. Keep your oven for larger dishes and quantities. Before adding another appliance, also check that you have space for it, and consider its noise and cleaning requirements. A difference in energy use for one particular recipe isn’t enough on its own to justify buying one for every use.
You regularly cook for one or two people and want to avoid using the full-size oven for every small meal. An air fryer’s usefulness will depend on how often you make these meals and how much its basket can hold.
You need to be able to keep the appliance on the worktop or put it away without getting in the way of meal preparation. In an open-plan kitchen, consider the fan noise too: UFC-Que Choisir measures it from 50 cm away during its tests.
You want to serve several people or cook a whole meal at once. Check what really fits in each basket and how many batches you’ll need, rather than choosing based solely on the stated capacity.
Worth considering: for frequent small meals or crisp reheating, if the basket can hold the portion you want and you have space for the appliance.
The trade-off: the cooking compartment may mean you need several batches. You’ll also need to put up with the fan noise and clean an extra appliance.
Best for: larger dishes or meals you can cook together, especially if there isn’t room in your kitchen for another appliance.
The trade-off: for some small recipes, tests by UFC-Que Choisir found that the oven used more electricity than the air fryers tested. The difference depends on the food and the appliances being compared.
To decide whether an air fryer would add anything to your oven, start with the recipes you make most often. Then compare the portion it can cook at once, the space the appliance takes up and what it’s like to use.
| Criteria | What to check before buying | What matters to consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Useful for small portions | Think about the small meals you cook often and check whether the basket can cook them all at once. | For my small meals, I’d like to avoid switching on the full-size oven without adding an appliance that duplicates what I already have. Around 29% of consumers would put this usefulness first. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the size of your food and dishes with the basket; if you’re considering a model with two baskets, check each compartment separately. | Being able to serve everyone matters more to me if a small load means cooking in several batches. Avoiding repeat batches would be the top priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Space and noise | Measure the available space, the clearance needed to open the drawer and the distances specified in the instructions. Look for a noise measurement taken from a stated distance. | In an open-plan or cluttered kitchen, I don’t want another appliance to get in the way of cooking or conversation. Around 18% of consumers would prioritise space and low noise. |
| Energy use per recipe | Compare tests using the same recipe and quantity, taking any additional batches into account. | If I often cook the same small meals, I want to compare the electricity used to cook the whole meal, not rely on a general claim. Around 18% of consumers would put this first. |
| Cleaning and aftercare | Check which parts can be removed and are dishwasher-safe, as well as the seller’s aftercare terms. | After frequent use, I’d prefer an easy-to-clean basket and clear aftercare terms. Around 12% of consumers would put these factors first. |
If deep-fat frying is your priority, a traditional deep-fat fryer serves a different purpose from an air fryer, and you’ll need to consider the oil, smells and cleaning the bowl. If you mainly switch between defrosting, reheating and convection cooking, compare the features of a combination microwave with those of the appliances you already own.
For a small quiche cooked in the same quantity, UFC-Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe or every oven size.
Compare tests that match the meals you usually cook, using equivalent quantities and counting all the batches needed.
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you by itself whether your dish will fit in the basket or whether you can arrange the food in a suitable quantity. UFC-Que Choisir notes, for example, that you may need to reduce the amount of fresh potatoes you cook.
Compare the model’s dimensions and capacity guidance with the dishes and food you usually cook.
An extra batch extends preparation time and means running another cooking cycle.
The fan can be disruptive when your kitchen opens onto your living space. UFC-Que Choisir takes noise during operation into account in its tests.
Look for a test that explains its method and measurement distance, rather than relying solely on a marketing claim that the appliance is quiet.
An air fryer you use often needs to be easy to reach, while how easy it is to clean depends on the parts included with each model. UFC-Que Choisir highlights how much space an appliance can take up when added to an oven or microwave.
Measure the space with the drawer open and check the instructions to see which parts are dishwasher-safe.
The Easy Fry Compact EZ866HF1 is a 7.5 L option to compare with the space you have available and the size of your meals.
The NA461/00 lets you consider whether two stacked baskets would suit two dishes you want to serve at the same time.
The Foodi Flex AF500EU features in a Les Numériques energy-use test, compared with a Tefal fryer and an Electrolux oven.
Not for every meal. An air fryer is best suited to frequent small portions that fit in its basket, while an oven is still handy for larger dishes and quantities you can cook together. Before replacing an oven for a particular use, count how many batches an air fryer would need.
Compare your food and dishes with the dimensions or load examples given for the specific model, rather than looking at the litre capacity alone. Moulinex says a 24 cm pizza fits in the 7.5 L Easy Fry Compact EZ866HF1. The Philips NA461/00 has a stated capacity of 10 L, split between two 5 L baskets.
Yes. Fan noise can matter in an open-plan kitchen and varies by model. UFC-Que Choisir measures it from 50 cm away in its tests, so look for a result measured at a stated distance before you choose.
Check the instructions to see which parts can be removed and put in the dishwasher, and how to care for their coatings. For its air fryers, Philips recommends, among other things, letting the appliance cool for around 30 minutes before cleaning and avoiding metal utensils on non-stick parts.
According to the DGCCRF, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer in France. Keep the product description and proof of purchase so you can establish the features agreed with the seller.