An air fryer can offer something different if you often cook small portions or want to prepare two dishes using different settings. If so, compare its size with what your oven can already do. If your current equipment meets your needs, and noise, cleaning or available space matter more, keeping your oven and not adding another appliance is still a sensible option.
You often use the oven to cook a small amount and want to know whether a separate basket would be more convenient, taking space and noise into account. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the stated capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much food will actually cook evenly.
You want to cook a main and a side at the same time using different settings. The space in each compartment matters more than the total stated capacity. UFC-Que Choisir notes that some dual-drawer appliances let you coordinate two dishes.
You prioritise freeing up space, easy cleaning and the functions your oven already provides before adding another appliance. UFC-Que Choisir warns that an air fryer can duplicate your oven’s functions and take up space if you keep both appliances in the kitchen.
Worth considering if: you regularly cook a small amount and would rather use a removable basket than your oven.
Bear in mind: the stated capacity doesn’t guarantee a particular usable quantity or even cooking when the basket is full.
Worth considering if: you want to cook two foods at once using different settings.
Bear in mind: the capacity is split between two compartments, each of which needs space and cleaning.
Worth considering if: you’d prefer an oven cavity with a rack and several shelf positions for dishes or tins that won’t fit in a basket.
Bear in mind: measure the space you’ll need. A second oven may duplicate the one you already own.
Best if: it fits the dishes you usually make and you haven’t identified a type of cooking that calls for a separate appliance.
Check: compare how convenient it is for small portions or cooking two dishes at once, without assuming you’ll always save time or electricity.
If your French household already has an oven or another cooking appliance, start by thinking about the tasks it doesn’t handle conveniently enough.
| Consideration | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday small portions | Compare your usual portions and ingredients with the basket’s surface area; look for tests at different load sizes where available. | If I often cook a small amount, I want to know whether it will fit without being piled up, and whether the basket will really make things easier than using the oven. Around 33% of consumers prioritise frequent small-batch cooking. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | Check the dimensions and permitted load for each drawer, as well as how the synchronisation feature works on the exact model. | When I want to serve a main and a side together, separate settings may matter more than the total stated capacity. Around 20% of consumers prioritise cooking two dishes at once. |
| Smells, noise and cleaning | Look for a noise measurement for the specific model and check in the manual which parts are dishwasher-safe. | In an open-plan kitchen, I don’t want an appliance in use to disrupt conversation, and I want to know what I’ll need to wash after cooking. Around 20% of consumers put these considerations first. |
| Duplication and space | List the dishes your oven can’t cook conveniently and measure both the appliance and the space available for it. | If my oven already handles the dishes I cook, I’d rather not give up space for an appliance I’ll rarely use. Around 27% of consumers prioritise avoiding redundant equipment. |
UFC-Que Choisir highlights the overlap in cooking functions with an oven and the extra space you may need if you keep both appliances.
First, identify a dish you cook often that your current equipment can’t prepare as conveniently.
Moulinex lists two drawers of 5.2 L and 3.1 L for the EZ901820. A large dish needs to fit in a single compartment.
Compare the usable dimensions of the larger drawer with those of the dish you want to cook.
You can hear the fan, and noise levels vary between models. Avoiding a deep-fat fryer doesn’t guarantee a smell-free kitchen.
If you’ll use the appliance in an open-plan kitchen, look for a noise measurement for the exact model and keep your expectations about smells realistic.
The 2000 Series includes the single-drawer 3.2 L NA210/00, worth considering for smaller portions.
The range includes the 3 L EZ145820 with one drawer and the dual-drawer EZ901820, to suit different needs.
The TO 2068 is a convection mini oven rather than a drawer-style appliance.
Ninja models feature in UFC-Que Choisir’s air fryer comparison, making the brand one to include when comparing models.
The products below include single- and dual-drawer air fryers, so you can compare cooking small portions or two dishes at once with using your existing oven.
Image unavailable
The product description recommends it for 1–2 people, so compare it with the portions you usually cook.
One 4.7 L drawer; stated power of 2,000 W. The basket is listed as dishwasher-safe. The description recommends spreading food in a single layer and turning or shaking it halfway through cooking.
Image unavailable
Two independent drawers are useful if you want to cook two dishes with separate settings.
Stated capacity of 9.5 L, split between two 4.75 L drawers; the drawers and crisper plates are listed as dishwasher-safe. The two drawers don’t form a single 9.5 L compartment.
Image unavailable
The single drawer lets you compare a compact design with the size of the dishes you usually prepare.
Stated capacity of 3.2 L; listed dimensions of 368 × 273 × 293 mm. The product description recommends leaving at least 100 mm of clearance on each side and says the drawer and removable basket are dishwasher-safe.
Image unavailable
The product description recommends this size for one or two people and smaller kitchens.
Stated capacity of 2 L, power of 1,150 W and a 60-minute timer. The non-stick basket is listed as dishwasher-safe.
Image unavailable
The two independent compartments are worth considering if you cook several dishes at once.
Stated capacity of 10.4 L, split between two 5.2 L compartments with independent settings. The product description mentions viewing windows and dishwasher-safe baskets.
No. The stated capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much food will cook evenly. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol includes cooking two batches of frozen chips, for example. Compare the amount of food actually placed in each compartment and the results for the food you want to cook. Two drawers don’t make one single cavity.
Look for a test of the exact model that specifies the measurement distance. UFC-Que Choisir says it measures noise from 50 cm away and has found differences between models. Also check the manual to see which parts are dishwasher-safe.
The DGCCRF lists domestic ovens among the categories covered by energy labelling, but that doesn’t mean you can assume an air fryer has a comparable label. Check the regulatory category of the specific mini oven before comparing appliances on this basis.
No. In France, the Ministry of the Economy and Finance confirms that, subject to its conditions, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual. A commercial warranty is optional and sits alongside your legal guarantees. Check its terms before buying an extended warranty.
When a product is covered by European regulations that require it, the CE mark indicates the manufacturer’s commitment to meeting those requirements. The DGCCRF points out that it is not an independent certification or, by itself, a safety rating that lets you compare appliances.