According to UFC-Que Choisir, an air fryer can overlap with some oven functions. Buying one makes most sense if you regularly cook small portions and would use it for a distinct purpose at home. A dual-zone model is better suited to meals where two dishes with different settings need to cook at the same time, provided each compartment is large enough for the portion you have in mind. If your oven already does the job, or you’d struggle to find space for another appliance, keeping what you have avoids adding something redundant.
You often use the oven for just one small portion and want an additional appliance that’s easy to take out and clean. UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer overlaps with some oven functions, so check that these small-batch cooks really justify another appliance.
You regularly cook a main and a side dish that need different settings. UFC-Que Choisir describes models with two drawers as allowing different foods to cook at the same time. Check the capacity of each zone, not just the total volume.
Your oven already covers your usual meals, or available space and noise matter more to you than having another appliance. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests found differences in noise levels between models, so it’s worth checking this for the appliance you’re considering.
Consider it if: you often prepare one small portion at a time and can keep the appliance within easy reach.
Bear in mind: its capacity may limit portion sizes, and it won’t add a cooking function that your oven doesn’t already offer.
Consider it if: you often cook two dishes that need different settings. UFC-Que Choisir describes models with two zones, and a synchronisation function on some appliances.
Bear in mind: each compartment needs to be big enough for its portion, and the design may mean more parts to clean.
Consider it if: your usual cooking needs are already well covered, or you can’t think of small dishes you prepare often enough to justify another appliance.
Bear in mind: energy-use results depend on the appliances, recipes and quantities involved. A measurement based on one small recipe can’t predict how your household will use an air fryer.
To find out whether an air fryer will genuinely complement your oven, start with the meals you’d prepare differently, then check usable capacity, space and cleaning requirements.
| What matters | What to check | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Small-batch cooking | Compare the basket’s capacity and shape with your usual portions; check whether one batch will be enough. | When I often cook a small portion, I want to avoid heating the oven just for that. Around 27 % of consumers prioritise frequent small-batch cooking. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | Compare the capacity of each zone with the portions you have in mind; check whether the appliance has two drawers or a separate basket. | If I want to serve a main and a side dish together, each needs to fit in its zone at the setting I want. Around 20 % of consumers prioritise cooking two things at once. |
| Space and noise | Measure the space available and the clearance needed to open the drawers; look for noise measurements taken in comparable conditions. | In an open-plan or compact kitchen, I want to use the appliance without getting in the way of everyday tasks. Around 20 % of consumers put space and noise first. |
| Cleaning | Check the manual to see which parts are dishwasher-safe; note which baskets and racks need cleaning. | When I cook frequently, I want to know which parts need cleaning and how to clean them. Around 13 % of consumers prioritise easy maintenance. |
| Risk of duplication | Identify the meals that would genuinely move to a different appliance; compare the same recipe and quantity, including all batches. | If my oven already meets my needs, I want a specific reason to add another appliance, rather than a general promise of savings. Around 20 % of consumers first look to avoid redundant equipment. |
As UFC-Que Choisir points out, cooking, roasting and grilling overlap with functions already available in an oven.
Think about which small-batch dishes you’d genuinely move to the air fryer. If you rarely cook them, keep the oven as your main option.
Another appliance also needs storage space and cleaning after use.
The Moulinex Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20 has a stated capacity split between a 5,2 L drawer and a 3,1 L drawer, so its total volume isn’t the capacity of a single zone.
Check each compartment separately, as well as the shape of the dishes you plan to put in it.
If one zone is too small for the portion you have in mind, you may need to cook in several batches.
UFC-Que Choisir’s measurements depend on the appliances, recipes and quantities tested. They can’t predict how you’ll use your oven and air fryer.
Compare the same recipe and quantity in the appliances you’re considering, counting all the batches needed.
Noise levels vary between models and can be disruptive in an open-plan kitchen. You’ll also need enough room to open and remove the drawers.
Measure the space available and check the manual. To compare noise, look at tests carried out in similar conditions; UFC-Que Choisir found differences between models.
Examples from the French range include a single drawer and a flexible basket, which you can compare according to portion size and whether you need to separate two dishes.
The Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20 is an example of a model with differently sized drawers, worth considering if your two dishes don’t need the same amount of space.
The French range includes single-drawer and dual-zone appliances, including stacked drawers. Compare them according to the space available and how many dishes you prepare.
This selection brings together single-drawer and multi-compartment formats, so you can compare options for small portions, cooking two things at once and different capacity configurations.
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Its basket is listed as suitable for 1 to 2 people, making it a match for small portions prepared alongside oven cooking.
Stated capacity: 4,7 L. Listed functions: Air Fry, reheat and dehydrate. Basket stated to be dishwasher-safe.
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The two containers come in different sizes, so you can compare them with the quantities you usually prepare.
Stated glass container capacities: 1,4 L and 3,8 L. Listed functions: Air Fry, roast, keep warm and reheat. The containers and accessories are stated to be dishwasher-safe.
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Its stated configuration may suit you if you want to switch between one large compartment and two zones for separate dishes.
Stated capacity: 10 L as one compartment or two 5 L zones. Four heating elements, Wi-Fi control and a stated temperature range of 35 to 240 °C.
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The two independent chambers are worth considering if you cook two foods at once and have room for a stacked design.
Stated total capacity: 12 L; two stacked chambers with separately adjustable temperatures and cooking times. Ten preset programmes are listed.
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This single-basket design lets you compare cooking in one compartment with the portions you want to prepare.
Stated capacity: 6,5 L. The description lists a stainless steel basket, a viewing window and mechanical controls.
No. It depends on the recipe, quantity and appliances being compared. For a small quiche Lorraine, UFC-Que Choisir reported on 4 October 2024 that the air fryers it tested used less energy than a 19 L mini oven. This result can’t predict how much energy your oven will use, or the energy needed for a dish that requires several batches.
Measure the space and check the manual for the clearance needed around the appliance and to remove the drawers. Noise may also matter in an open-plan kitchen: on 2 October 2025, UFC-Que Choisir reported differences between models and noted that its measurements were taken at 50 cm.
It depends on the model and the parts, so check the manual before putting them in the dishwasher. Moulinex’s product information for the Easy Fry Dual states that its drawers and racks are dishwasher-safe, but this doesn’t automatically apply to other appliances.
Subject to certain conditions, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a private individual. For distance purchases, the Ministry of the Economy states that you have a right to cancel for at least 14 days, subject to legal exceptions. Check the seller’s information before placing an order.