If you already have an oven in your small kitchen, an air fryer is most useful when you often cook small portions and have a suitable place to keep it. For one or two people, a single basket with a capacity of 3 to 4 l is a good starting point. Two baskets are better suited to cooking two dishes at the same time, but you’ll need to check how much space they take up. If your oven already handles your everyday meals, an extra appliance may simply duplicate what you have.
If you mainly cook small portions, start by looking at a single-basket model. UFC-Que Choisir recommends a capacity of 3 to 4 l for one or two people. Also measure the space you plan to use and allow room to open the drawer.
Two baskets can save you cooking in batches when different foods need different settings. This is most useful if you’ll use the appliance regularly, so check that it fits in your kitchen with the drawers open.
If your oven handles the dishes and quantities you usually cook, consider what specific use would justify adding a second appliance. As UFC-Que Choisir points out, some air fryer functions overlap with those of an oven.
Worth considering: for small portions, especially if you’re cooking for one or two people.
Limitation: two dishes that need different settings won’t each have their own cooking zone.
Worth considering: if you regularly cook two parts of a meal at the same time.
Limitation: weigh the extra capacity against the space the appliance takes up.
Keep it: as your main cooking appliance if it already suits your portions and the dishes you make.
Consider: before adding another appliance to your worktop, compare how you actually use your oven with the needs of smaller batches.
Once you’ve chosen the type of appliance, compare its stated capacity with your portions, then check how much space it needs and how easy it is to clean day to day.
| Criteria | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space and portions | Compare the basket capacity, external dimensions, drawer opening and clearance required in the instructions. UFC-Que Choisir recommends a 3 to 4 l single basket as a guide for one or two people. | I want to prepare my usual portions without taking up unnecessary worktop space or cooking in multiple batches. |
| How useful it is alongside your oven | Compare the dishes and quantities you already cook in your oven with what you plan to use an air fryer for. For a small quiche, UFC-Que Choisir measured average electricity consumption that was 36% lower with the air fryers it tested than with the mini oven in its test. This result won’t apply to every recipe or oven. | If my oven already handles my meals, I want to know what an extra appliance would genuinely add. |
| Noise | Check a test of the model you’re considering and how the noise was measured, especially if you have an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing method includes measuring noise at 0.50 m. | In a small room, noise while cooking matters to me as much as the space the appliance takes up. |
| Cleaning | Check the instructions for the exact model to see which parts are removable and dishwasher-safe. Also check whether the basket and its corners are easy to reach. | If I cook frequently, I’d like to clean the parts I’ve used without making the end of the meal more of a chore. |
| Cooking quantity | Don’t rely on the stated capacity in litres alone: check the shape of the basket, the quantity used in testing and the instructions for shaking the food. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing method includes assessing a maximum load of two-thirds of the basket. | I want to cook my usual portion while leaving enough room in the basket, rather than filling it to the brim. |
The stated capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much food you can cook while following the instructions. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests include a maximum load of two-thirds of the basket and take into account the need to shake chips.
Compare your portions with the basket’s shape and the cooking instructions. Don’t assume that filling the basket to the top will give you the same result.
Larger models take up more space and need clearance to release heat. They may also duplicate what you already have if your oven is suitable for the dishes you make.
Measure the space, check that the drawers can open and allow for the clearance specified in the instructions. Then compare these requirements with how you use your oven.
Ventilation is part of convection cooking. UFC-Que Choisir includes noise in its testing method and measures it at 0.50 m.
If you’ll be near the appliance while it’s cooking, look for a measurement taken on the model you’re considering rather than judging its noise from a brief demonstration.
UFC-Que Choisir’s published comparison for a small quiche covers the air fryers it tested and one mini oven. It can’t predict the energy use of every recipe in your oven.
Think about the quantities you cook. For a large meal, also consider how many batches you’d need to cook in the air fryer.
The Easy Fry range includes single-basket models. The Easy Fry Essential EZ130810, with a stated capacity of 3.5 l, is an example of a size to consider for smaller portions.
Philips offers two different formats to compare here: the NA120/00 with a 4.2 l basket, and the NA462/80 with two stacked baskets and a capacity of 5 l, according to the brand’s product information.
The Easy Fry&Grill EY5018 is an example of an appliance that combines the stated functions of an air fryer and a grill, rather than being simply a choice of capacity.
These three dual-basket models are worth considering if you often cook two parts of a meal at the same time. In a small kitchen, compare their capacity with your portions and measure the space before choosing. They don’t, on their own, remove the need to consider a single-basket model or your oven.
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Its two drawers are worth considering if you want to cook two foods for the same meal. The model name indicates a total capacity of 7.6 l and six cooking functions. Check the instructions for ventilation clearance and which parts are dishwasher-safe.
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This dual-drawer model is designed for meals where you want to cook two dishes at the same time. It has a stated total capacity of 9.5 l, with six functions indicated in its name. Measure the available space with the drawers open, and allow for the clearance specified in the instructions.
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Its two baskets and independent temperature controls are designed for cooking two foods at the same time. The model name indicates a capacity of 9 l, a power rating of 2,400 W and eight preset programmes. Check its dimensions, required clearance and cleaning instructions before deciding where to put it.
Not for every use. An air fryer can bake, roast or grill, but your oven may already do all of these things. Keep your oven as your main appliance if you often cook large dishes or use multiple shelves. An air fryer is more likely to be useful for the smaller portions you actually cook, and whether you have room for it.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends a 3 to 4 l single basket as a guide for one or two people. Then compare the basket’s shape with your usual portions and follow the model’s instructions on filling and shaking the food.
Follow the clearance instructions for the model you’ve chosen rather than using a distance from a different appliance. Also allow enough room to open the drawer, and place the appliance on a surface that meets the installation instructions.
No. You’ll need to check which parts of the specific model are dishwasher-safe. Moulinex says the removable, non-stick baskets in its Easy Fry range are dishwasher-safe, but information about a range doesn’t replace the care instructions for the appliance you’re buying.