In a small kitchen, a single-drawer air fryer is best suited to making one portion or cooking one item at a time. A dual-drawer model makes more sense if you regularly cook a main and a side dish at the same time, provided you have enough space to position it with the required clearance. If you often cook food in a tin or on a rack, compare a compact oven too: the stated capacity in litres alone won’t tell you what you can cook in one batch.
If you mainly cook one portion or side dish at a time, start by looking at a single-drawer model. Check that it fits on your worktop, allow for the clearance specified in the instructions, and make sure the basket can hold the amount you need without being overloaded.
A dual-drawer model lets you cook a main and a side dish separately. If you’re relying on both dishes finishing at the same time, check that this feature is available on the specific model. Also measure the space available for the appliance and its ventilation.
If you regularly make quiches, cakes, pizzas or gratins, compare the space available for your dishes in a compact oven and in the air fryer you’re considering. An oven-style design may be better suited to dishes that need a tray or rack.
Choose this if: you usually cook one dish at a time and have limited worktop space.
The trade-off: a larger portion may need to be cooked in several batches rather than overfilling the basket.
Choose this if: you often cook two foods with different cooking times or settings.
The trade-off: two baskets don’t create one large, continuous cooking area for a single dish.
Consider this if: your usual recipes need a tin, tray or rack.
The trade-off: compare its footprint and energy use for the smaller dishes you actually make.
| Factor | What to check | How you’ll use it |
|---|---|---|
| Space and usable capacity | Measure the appliance’s external dimensions and check the ventilation clearance specified in the instructions. Compare the basket’s surface area with your usual portions, not just its stated capacity in litres: UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes usable capacity from the advertised volume. | I want to keep the appliance within easy reach without needing several batches for my usual meal. |
| Recipes and cooking | Look for tests covering the recipes you make. If you’ll cook two foods at once, check the settings for each zone and, if it matters to you, whether the cooking times can be synchronised. | I cook a mix of foods in a basket and dishes in a tin, so I want a format that can genuinely accommodate the dishes I make most often. |
| Noise | Look for measurements taken using a stated method. UFC-Que Choisir measures air fryer noise at 0.50 m, among other tests; listening impressions gathered in different conditions can’t help you compare models reliably. | In my small kitchen or open-plan room, fan noise while cooking matters as much as the space the appliance takes up. |
| Cleaning | Check how to remove and wash the basket, trays and accessories. Confirm dishwasher compatibility for each part of the specific model you’re considering. | If I use the appliance often, I want to be able to clean the parts I’ve used after a meal. |
| Making room for the oven | List the recipes your air fryer would genuinely replace, as well as those that still need an oven. In a test involving a small quiche, UFC-Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used 36% less electricity on average than the mini oven tested; this result doesn’t apply to every recipe. | I’d rather know which dishes I can really cook in the new appliance before giving it a permanent place in my kitchen. |
The total capacity doesn’t tell you how much room the food has in the basket. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between advertised volume and usable capacity, which determines how much you can actually cook.
Start with your usual portion, then check the basket’s surface area, the appliance’s external dimensions and the ventilation clearance.
Two cooking zones are useful for separate foods, but they may not meet your need for a tray, rack or tin for the recipes you make regularly.
Make a note of the quiches, bakes and gratins you usually cook, then check whether they’ll fit in the air fryer you’re considering and in a compact oven.
If the air fryer can’t replace these oven-cooked dishes, you’ll also need to find space for it alongside your oven.
UFC-Que Choisir notes that fan noise is worth considering before you buy, particularly if the appliance will be used near your living space.
Compare measurements taken using a clearly stated method rather than relying on the appliance when it’s switched off or a quick listen in a shop.
For a small quiche, UFC-Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used 36% less electricity on average than the mini oven tested. This comparison applies only to the recipe and appliances included in the test.
Assess your purchase based on the quantities and dishes you’ll actually cook in each appliance, rather than applying this percentage to every meal.
These examples from each brand’s range can help you compare formats; they don’t indicate how a specific model performs or whether it appears among the products below.
The brand offers both dual-drawer air fryers and the Optimo 19 L mini oven. Compare the two formats against your recipes and the space you have available.
Philips offers, among other options, a model with two side-by-side baskets and another with stacked baskets.
Frandroid includes the Ninja Crispi in its selection of air fryers; the Ninja models listed below also include single-drawer and dual-drawer formats.
Frandroid includes the Iconic Single and Turbo Tower Pro Smart among the air fryers in its selection.
This selection includes air fryers for cooking one dish at a time and dual-drawer models for cooking two items separately. Compare their format with the space you have and the recipes you make. A compact oven is another option if your dishes often need a tin or rack.
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If you’re considering this format for everyday portions, check how much space you’ll need to set it up and what quantity suits your recipes. Compare its cleaning requirements and noise with your other options too.
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Consider the two drawers if you regularly cook two separate foods. This model is listed with 6 functions and dishwasher-safe baskets; check the ventilation clearance it needs and whether it has a synchronisation feature if you need one.
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This single-basket model suits cooking one dish at a time. The product title lists a 4,7 L capacity, 2000 W and a non-stick basket. Measure the space you have and check what portion you can cook without overfilling the basket.
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Compare the stated 4 L capacity with your usual portions. The product title lists 8 pre-set modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a reminder to shake the food. Check the dimensions, required clearance and how to clean the parts before choosing.
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Consider this dual-drawer model if you often cook two dishes at once and have enough space for it. It’s listed with 6 functions and dishwasher-safe baskets; check its footprint, including the ventilation clearance, and confirm it has a synchronisation feature if you need one for your meals.
Start with the portion you cook most often, then check the basket’s usable surface area and how much space the appliance takes up. As UFC-Que Choisir points out, usable capacity determines how much you can actually cook, so the stated capacity in litres isn’t enough to predict how many batches you’ll need.
Not necessarily: it’s most useful if you often cook two different foods at the same time. If you need both to finish together, check that the model you’re considering can synchronise their cooking times. If you usually cook one dish at a time, compare the space and usable capacity of a single-drawer model instead.
Look for a test that explains how the noise was measured. UFC-Que Choisir measures it at 0,50 m and has three experts assess it. For a fair comparison, look at results obtained in similar conditions, especially if you’ll use the appliance in an open-plan room.
Check the specific model and each part separately: the basket, tray, rack and accessories may all have different care instructions. Some Philips and Moulinex product listings say that certain parts are dishwasher-safe, but this doesn’t apply to every model from these brands.