For small portions that you want to roast or crisp up without a bath of oil, a single-drawer air fryer is worth considering. Two compartments are more useful if you regularly cook two separate foods. Keep your oven for dishes that won’t fit in a basket. If traditional fried texture is your priority, a deep fat fryer is still an option, though you’ll need to handle hot oil and deal with the associated smells and cleaning.
If you mainly cook for one or two people, a single-drawer air fryer can handle your everyday cooking without a bath of oil. However, check the basket’s usable surface area: its capacity in litres alone won’t tell you whether your food will fit.
A two-compartment appliance is useful when different foods need different settings. If you want to serve them together, check that the model can synchronise the end of both cooking programmes, then check the size of each drawer.
If the taste and texture of food fried in oil matter more to you than cooking without a bath of oil, a traditional deep fat fryer is still worth considering. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the difference in results, though this option also involves handling and cleaning the oil.
Worth considering: for modest portions cooked without a bath of oil.
Bear in mind: a single basket may mean cooking two dishes or a larger meal in successive batches.
Worth considering: if you often cook two foods that need different settings for the same meal.
Bear in mind: the total capacity is split between the compartments, so a large dish may not fit in either one.
Worth considering: if traditional fried texture is your priority, as distinguished by UFC-Que Choisir.
Bear in mind: this option isn’t for cooking without a bath of oil, and you’ll need to handle, filter and replace the oil.
Worth considering: for large dishes, large batches or containers that are too wide for a basket.
Bear in mind: comparisons of energy use depend on factors including the recipe, quantity and oven used.
To choose between these cooking methods, start with the foods and portion sizes you usually prepare. Then consider the space available and the maintenance you’re happy to take on day to day.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and cooking at the same time | Compare the usable surface area of each basket with the foods you usually cook. For two dishes, check the model’s settings and synchronisation function. | I want to serve enough portions or prepare two parts of a meal without cooking extra batches; around 30% of consumers would make capacity and coordination their priority. |
| Cooking without a bath of oil | Look at the cooking results for the foods you prepare, rather than judging texture by the advertised programmes alone. | I want to be able to roast, grill and achieve a crisp finish without immersing food in oil; around 30% of consumers would put this range of cooking options first. |
| Fried texture | Compare the results for the chips or breaded foods you’re interested in. Hot-air cooking won’t necessarily recreate the texture of food fried in oil. | If I mainly cook chips, I want the texture of traditional fried food; around 20% of consumers would put this result first. |
| Space, noise and cleaning | Measure the space available, allowing room to remove the drawer. Check the noise information and cleaning instructions for the specific model. | In a small kitchen or open-plan room, I want an appliance that’s easy to use and clean; this would be the main concern for nearly 20% of consumers. |
Don’t choose based on a general promise of lower electricity use. UFC-Que Choisir compared energy consumption for specific dishes and appliances. Any difference found under those conditions won’t necessarily apply to your recipe, portion size or oven.
A basket may have a high stated capacity without being wide enough for a quiche or a large joint. Overfilling it can also lead to less even cooking and mean you need another batch.
Measure the foods you cook regularly and compare them with the basket’s usable dimensions. For a dual model, check each compartment separately.
Two zones let you cook separate dishes, but their combined capacity doesn’t create one continuous space for a pizza or a large dish.
If you often serve these dishes, compare their size with the space in a large single basket and your oven before choosing a two-drawer appliance.
The comparisons published by UFC-Que Choisir cover specific recipes, quantities and appliances. They don’t show that every air fryer will use less energy than every oven for every purpose.
For a useful comparison, look at cooking the same quantity and take account of the cooking time, preheating and the size of your oven.
A deep fat fryer involves handling hot oil, with a risk of splashes, smells and regular cleaning. A filter won’t eliminate smells from every part of the process.
Place it on a stable surface, follow the instructions and check locally how to dispose of used oil.
You’ll also need to filter and replace the oil as you use the appliance, following the instructions for the appliance and taking the condition of the oil into account.
The Easy Fry range includes two-drawer appliances for cooking foods separately.
The Airfryer range includes baskets in different sizes and a model with a divider that lets you adjust the cooking space.
Ninja offers air fryers with multiple cooking zones, including stacked and side-by-side compartments.
This selection includes two-compartment models for cooking foods separately, as well as a single-drawer model for small portions. For each one, compare the basket size with the dishes you cook. If you want to serve two dishes together, also check whether the model has a function designed for this.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook two parts of a meal without a bath of oil. The stated total capacity is 9,5 l, split between two drawers. The model name lists six functions, including roast and bake.
Before choosing this style, compare the usable dimensions of each drawer with your food, and check whether the cooking programmes can finish together if you need them to.
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This two-drawer model has a stated total capacity of 7,6 l, making it an option for two separate dishes. Its name lists six functions, including air frying, roasting and baking.
Check that each drawer has enough room for your portions, and whether it has a function to synchronise cooking times if that matters to you.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two foods separately. The model name states a total capacity of 9 l, 2 400 W power, eight programmes and independent temperature control.
Check the dimensions of each basket and how cooking times can be coordinated for the recipes you usually make.
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Worth considering for cooking two separate dishes without a bath of oil. The product name states a total capacity of 9 l, temperature control and ten functions.
If both foods need to be ready at the same time, check the settings available for each compartment and how the cooking times can be coordinated.
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This single-drawer model is worth considering for modest portions cooked without a bath of oil. Its name states a capacity of 4 l, eight pre-set modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer.
For larger foods, check the basket’s usable dimensions rather than relying on the stated 4 l capacity alone.
Start with your portion sizes and the size of the food you cook, rather than the stated capacity alone. UFC-Que Choisir suggests that a 6 l model is a minimum guide for a family of four. However, check the usable surface area and height of the basket, especially if you want to cook a whole dish.
Not if you regularly use your oven for large dishes or containers that won’t fit in a basket. An air fryer can handle some smaller cooking tasks. To compare electricity use, look at similar recipes and quantities, and take your type of oven into account.
Choose a model whose cleaning requirements suit the amount of work you’re prepared to do, and follow the instructions for filtering and replacing the oil. UFC-Que Choisir points out that filters don’t eliminate all smells, particularly when handling the basket, so make sure the area is well ventilated too.
Yes, the fan may be audible in an open-plan room or small space. If this matters to you, look for a noise measurement taken at a stated distance for the model you’re considering, rather than relying on a brief demonstration.