An air fryer can be a useful choice for everyday portions if its basket suits the dishes you cook and you use it often enough to justify the space it takes up in your kitchen. For larger dishes or bigger batches, keep your oven as a point of comparison. And if you’re mainly looking for the results of deep-fat frying, don’t assume an air fryer will replace your fryer. Whether to choose one or two drawers then depends on how many dishes you want to cook at the same time.
If you usually prepare one or two portions, compare the basket size with the dishes you normally use before adding another appliance to your worktop. A single drawer may be enough if you don’t need to cook two dishes separately.
A dual-drawer model lets you separate, for example, a side dish from another food. Check how much space the appliance takes up and the size of each drawer: the total capacity won’t tell you whether either of your dishes will fit.
To avoid cooking in repeated batches, start by checking the shape and dimensions of the cooking cavity. UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 litres for a family of four. That’s a useful guide, but it doesn’t guarantee that a large dish or a particular quantity of chips will cook in one go.
Start with the portions and dishes you cook, then compare what a new appliance would genuinely change compared with your oven or fryer.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and format | Compare the internal dimensions with your dishes and portions. With a dual-drawer model, check each compartment separately rather than looking only at the total capacity. | I want to prepare my meal without cooking in multiple batches, while still leaving enough space on the worktop. |
| How it cooks your recipes | Look for tests using the foods and quantities you prepare. For chips and other loose foods, also check whether you need to shake the basket. | How it performs with my usual recipes matters more than the number of programmes listed. UFC-Que Choisir reports that cooking results vary between air fryers. |
| Appliances you already use | Compare the size of your dishes with that of a drawer or mini oven. If you use a deep-fat fryer, remember that hot-air cooking is different from the results you get from deep-fat frying. | My oven already fits my larger dishes, so an air fryer needs to serve a more specific purpose to avoid duplicating what I have, as UFC-Que Choisir cautions. If I want the flavour and crispness of traditional fried food, I’ll keep my fryer as a point of comparison too. |
| Cooking two things at once | Check the size of both drawers, their settings and the synchronisation features on the model you’re considering. | I sometimes prepare two foods with different cooking times and want them to be ready for the same meal. |
| Everyday use | Check the external dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual. Read the cleaning instructions and, if noise matters to you, look for a measurement taken under clearly stated conditions. | In a small kitchen or open-plan room, I want to be able to leave the appliance in place, clean it easily and live with the noise from its fan. |
A stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that a large dish will fit in the cavity or that all your portions can be arranged without overcrowding.
Compare the width, height and cooking surface with your dishes. For a dual-drawer model, check each compartment separately.
UFC-Que Choisir points out that traditional deep-fat fryers are still hard to beat for the characteristic flavour, texture and crispness of deep-fried food.
If chips are your main reason for buying one, look for tests focused on cooking chips and compare the results you want with those from your current fryer.
Energy-use comparisons depend on the recipe, quantity and appliances being compared. Results from a small portion won’t apply to every type of cooking.
Compare tests using recipes and quantities similar to yours rather than choosing based on a general promise of savings.
You may notice the fan in an open-plan kitchen, while an appliance added alongside your oven will take up worktop space permanently. UFC-Que Choisir highlights both of these considerations.
Check the dimensions and clearances in the manual, then look for noise measurements and cleaning instructions before you choose.
These single- and dual-drawer models are designed for everyday portions, whether you’re cooking one dish or two at once. For larger dishes or deep-fat frying, compare them with your oven or fryer too.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to prepare two parts of a meal in separate drawers. The listing states a total capacity of 7.6 L and six functions; the baskets are described as dishwasher-safe. Check the usable dimensions of each drawer against your dishes.
Image unavailable
The single basket is suited to preparing a meal in one cooking area. The product details state a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the internal dimensions against your portions before settling on the 4 L capacity.
Image unavailable
Its two baskets let you cook separate dishes at the same time, with independent temperature control stated in the product title. The title also lists eight programmes. Check the overall size and the space available in each basket for the meals you prepare.
Image unavailable
This dual-drawer format is designed for meals with separate dishes. The title lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Before choosing the total 9.5 L capacity, compare the space it takes up and the usable size of each drawer with your usual needs.
Image unavailable
The single basket is suited to cooking one dish in one area. The title lists a viewing window and a non-stick basket. Check the basket’s usable surface, the worktop space required and the cleaning instructions.
Not for every meal. A drawer may suit smaller dishes, while your oven offers more space for larger dishes and bigger batches. UFC-Que Choisir warns that the two appliances can duplicate each other’s role, so compare how you regularly use them before adding an air fryer.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 litres for a family of four. Then check the usable dimensions of the cooking cavity and how your food will fit inside: the stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that a large dish or all your portions will fit in one batch.
No. It lets you cook two dishes separately, but each drawer needs to be large enough for the quantity you have in mind. Compare their sizes individually, especially if one of the foods takes up a lot of space.
Compare the space available inside the cooking cavity and on your worktop, the cleaning instructions and the results for your usual recipes. If you’ll be using the appliance in an open-plan room, consider its noise level too: UFC-Que Choisir assesses this as part of its testing.