An air fryer could suit you if you often cook small batches of roasted or crispy food with little oil, provided its basket, cleaning requirements and worktop footprint meet your needs. It won’t automatically replace an oven that’s suitable for larger dishes. Two drawers are most worthwhile if you regularly cook two things that you want to serve together. A traditional deep fryer is designed for a different purpose: deep-frying in hot oil, with all the precautions that involves.
If you regularly roast or crisp up portions with little oil, compare the basket’s surface area and recommended load with the foods you usually cook. Also make sure the appliance will fit without getting in the way when you’re preparing meals.
Two drawers can be useful when your main dish and side need different settings. Whether they’re worth it depends on how often you’ll use them this way and how much space each drawer offers.
If your oven works well for the portions you usually cook, consider whether a second appliance would genuinely make smaller batches easier. Its footprint, fan noise and cleaning requirements matter just as much as the programmes it offers.
Start with the dishes you cook most often. They’ll help you decide which type of appliance to choose, as well as what size and practical compromises will work for you.
Worth considering: for regular portions cooked in one basket, with little added oil.
Bear in mind: its functions overlap with those of an oven, and the basket’s recommended load may limit batch size.
Worth considering: if you often need two foods with different settings to be ready at the same time.
Bear in mind: each drawer needs to suit the food you plan to cook, and two compartments mean more parts to clean.
Worth keeping: if it already suits your larger dishes, trays or usual batch sizes.
Consider: if you often cook small portions, think about whether you’re happy using your oven before adding another appliance.
Worth considering: if you prefer deep-frying in oil to cooking with hot air.
Bear in mind: hot oil requires care and comes with cleaning and odour issues.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Small, crispy batches | Look for tests using the foods you usually cook, and check the recommended load in the manual. | For my regular small portions, I want to roast or crisp food without adding much oil. Around 36% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Cooking two things at once | Compare the size of each drawer and check whether the appliance has a sync function. | When my main dish and side need different settings, I want to serve them together. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise this coordination. |
| Available space and overlap with your oven | Measure the space, drawer clearance and appliance dimensions. Also compare its uses with those of your oven. | If my oven already meets my needs, I don’t want to clutter the kitchen for occasional use. Around 21% of consumers would put avoiding this overlap first. |
| Cleaning and noise | Check which parts are dishwasher-safe and, if possible, look for an independent noise measurement. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to clean the appliance regularly without its fan becoming a nuisance. Around 14% of consumers would prioritise these practical considerations. |
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you everything about the available cooking surface or the load needed for even cooking. In its chip-testing procedure, Que Choisir Ensemble also assesses a maximum load with the basket filled to two-thirds.
Check the shape, usable height and recommended load for the basket or each drawer, based on the foods you cook.
Que Choisir Ensemble’s comparison found that cooking results vary between models, with some chips more cooked on top than at the bottom, for example.
Look for tests involving the foods you usually cook, and follow the manual’s instructions if it says to shake or turn the food.
An air fryer may take over some of your oven’s tasks while also occupying worktop space. Que Choisir Ensemble also recommends considering fan noise, which can be particularly noticeable in an open-plan kitchen.
Measure the space needed for the appliance and to pull out its drawer. If available, check an independent noise measurement.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy explains that the legal guarantee of conformity applies to eligible goods sold by a business to an individual. A commercial warranty does not replace it.
Before taking out an extended warranty, compare its exclusions and whether it covers transport or labour with the legal rights that apply to your purchase.
Philips offers air fryers with one or two baskets, including the HD9270/90 and NA352/24 models.
The Easy Fry range includes several sizes to compare based on the space you have and how easy you want cleaning to be.
Ninja is one of the brands included in Que Choisir Ensemble’s air fryer comparison.
These models suit a range of needs covered here: a single basket for one dish, two-zone designs for coordinated cooking, and other types of container. Compare their size with your portions and the space you have, rather than assuming the usable load from the stated capacity alone.
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Worth considering if you often cook two foods for the same meal. Check that each drawer can hold your usual portions.
The product name lists two drawers, six functions and a stated capacity of 7,6 L. Capacity alone doesn’t guarantee the right load for even cooking.
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For small batches in a single basket, compare its size with your portions and the space you have available.
The stated capacity is 3,2 L. Check the recommended load and the clearance needed around the appliance in its manual.
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If you want to use different containers for different portion sizes, check which ones come with this model and their usable dimensions.
Don’t assume that having several containers means you can cook two things at once. Check this and the available settings in the manual before buying.
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If you switch between cooking a larger dish and preparing two separate foods, check how the basket can be configured and how much space each zone offers.
The product name lists a 12QT size, Sync and Dual modes, and a pack of 50 cooking paper liners. Check the external dimensions and recommended load before choosing this size.
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Compare this vertical design with two cooking chambers against the meals you want to cook at the same time and the available height in your kitchen.
The product name lists a total capacity of 12 L and 10 pre-set programmes. Check the usable space in each chamber. For cleaning, confirm whether each part is dishwasher-safe.
Not for every use. Both appliances can cook, roast or grill, but an oven is still worth considering for larger dishes, trays and sizeable baking tins. An air fryer is most worth considering if you often cook small batches and have enough space for it.
The pan’s capacity doesn’t tell you the cooking surface area or the recommended load for the foods you plan to cook. For its chip-testing procedure, Que Choisir Ensemble, for example, uses a basket filled to no more than two-thirds. So check the basket’s shape and the model’s manual too.
Yes, if you regularly prepare two foods with different settings that you want to serve together. If you only cook one thing at a time, compare the extra space and cleaning involved with two drawers against the simplicity of a single basket.
Follow the instructions for your model and let it cool before cleaning. Philips Assistance France advises waiting around 30 minutes for the relevant appliances and avoiding metal utensils and abrasive products. Check separately which parts are dishwasher-safe.