If your oven already handles your usual portions, an air fryer may simply duplicate what you have: UFC-Que Choisir points out that these appliances offer similar cooking functions. An air fryer can be more convenient for frequent small batches without a deep-fat fryer’s oil bath, provided you’re happy to make room for it on your worktop and put up with the noise from its fan. For larger quantities, check the usable capacity before adding another appliance. And if you specifically want to deep-fry food in oil, bear in mind the handling and cleaning involved.
If you regularly cook small amounts of chips, vegetables or breaded food, compare the space actually available in the basket with your usual portions. The capacity stated in a product name isn’t enough to make a decision.
Before adding an air fryer, think about which dishes your oven doesn’t let you prepare as conveniently as you’d like. UFC-Que Choisir highlights that the functions of the two appliances can overlap.
In a small kitchen or open-plan room, the space needed to position and open the appliance matters just as much as the noise it makes while cooking. Also consider where you’ll store it if you don’t plan to leave it on the worktop.
Start with the portions and dishes you actually make, then decide whether you want to avoid a deep-fat fryer’s oil bath or still want to fry food in oil.
Consider it: for frequent crispy portions without having to manage a deep-fat fryer’s oil bath.
Bear in mind: it’s an extra appliance, so its basket, size and noise need to suit your kitchen.
Keep using it: if it already handles your usual batches and dishes without any major difficulty.
Think about: how convenient it is to preheat and cook when you’re only making a small quantity.
Consider it: if you specifically want to cook in an oil bath without taking up space on the hob.
Bear in mind: handling hot oil, possible odours and the cleaning involved.
Consider it: for occasional deep-frying, if your pan is suitable for the hob you’re using.
Bear in mind: it takes up a cooking zone, and you’ll need to take care to keep it stable and avoid splashes of hot oil.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and batches | Compare usable capacity, cooking surface and the quantities recommended in the instructions, rather than relying on the stated litre capacity alone. | If several people are eating together, having to cook a second batch may make the appliance less convenient than the oven you already have. Around 29% of consumers would put the capacity to cook their usual portions at the heart of their decision. |
| Space and noise | Measure the space with the drawer open, allowing for the clearances specified in the instructions; look for an independent measurement of its operating noise. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to use the appliance without it taking up valuable worktop space or disturbing the living area. For around 24% of consumers, space or noise would be their main concern. |
| Oil and cleaning | Check which parts can be removed, how they should be washed and how easy it is to reach the surfaces that need cleaning after cooking. | If I often cook breaded food, I’d rather avoid handling frying oil without replacing that hassle with a basket that’s difficult to clean. Avoiding an oil bath and ease of cleaning would come first for around 24% of consumers. |
| Duplication and energy use | Compare what you use the appliance for with how you use your existing oven. To assess energy use, look for measurements based on the same recipe, quantity and preparation. | Before adding an appliance alongside my oven, I want to know what different use it would offer and compare like-for-like cooking. Around 23% of consumers would prioritise this question. |
UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer can perform functions your oven already handles. If your oven works well for the small dishes you prepare, the new appliance may simply take up space.
Make a note of a few meals you cook each week, the quantities involved and how many batches your oven needs. Then work out exactly what the new appliance would do differently.
The number of litres doesn’t tell you how much space there is to spread out the food. If you add too much, you may have to cook several batches.
Check the basket dimensions and the portions specified in the instructions. If possible, look for tests using a quantity similar to yours.
The circulation of hot air creates operating noise, which can be more noticeable in an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir recommends taking this into account before you buy.
Look for an independent measurement taken while the appliance is running, and decide in advance where you’ll use and store it.
Power in watts doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much energy is used to prepare a meal. The kWh per cycle shown on an oven’s label and a measurement from an air fryer test may not be based on the same recipe or quantity.
To compare an oven and an air fryer, look for measurements taken using comparable quantities, recipes and preheating conditions.
Ninja is one of the air fryer manufacturers mentioned by UFC-Que Choisir in its review of this category.
UFC-Que Choisir includes Moulinex among air fryer manufacturers and highlights that a model described as high-capacity may not always meet your expectations in practice.
Philips is also among the air fryer manufacturers mentioned by UFC-Que Choisir.
These Joybuy models use hot air rather than an oil bath, and come in different capacities and formats. If your oven already meets your needs, or you’re looking for a deep-fat fryer, compare these options first before choosing an additional appliance.
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Worth considering if you cook several portions without an oil bath and want to see your food through a window as it cooks. This model has a stated capacity of 7 L and a digital display. Check how much usable space the basket offers, as well as how much room you’ll need for the appliance in your kitchen.
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Consider it for hot-air cooking if its size suits your portions. Before deciding, compare your usual cooking quantities with the cooking space actually available, and check where you’ll be able to use and store it.
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Worth considering if you want to cook several portions using hot air. Its stated capacity is 7.6 L. Also check the cooking surface, recommended quantities and space required before deciding whether it’s better suited to your meals than your oven.
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The two drawers may suit you if you want to keep different dishes separate. This model has a total stated capacity of 7.6 L and six functions. Check the space available in each drawer and the clearances required. Before relying on the dishwasher, check the cleaning instructions for this specific model.
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Worth considering for small dishes if the stated 2 L capacity suits your portions. The product title specifies a non-stick basket that’s dishwasher-safe and a 60-minute timer. Check the usable capacity before estimating how many portions it will hold. The stated 1150 W is its power rating, not the energy it uses per cooking cycle.
Not necessarily, but their functions can overlap: UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer uses hot air to cook dishes that an oven can also prepare. If your oven already handles small batches conveniently, weigh up what extra use the new appliance would offer against the space it would take up.
Start with the meal you want to cook in one go, then check the usable capacity and basket surface. For a family of four, UFC-Que Choisir recommends a minimum capacity of 6 L. This is only a guide: it doesn’t guarantee that all your food or portions will fit in a model with a stated capacity of 6 L.
Compare cooking tests using the same recipe and quantity, with similar preheating conditions, rather than looking at the power rating in watts alone. The European Commission says that the labels of relevant domestic ovens show kWh per cycle. These figures alone don’t provide a direct comparison with an air fryer test.
Yes, if you often use the appliance near your living area. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the noise made by the fan. Look for an operating-noise measurement for the specific model you’re considering, rather than judging by its size.