If your oven already handles your usual meals, an air fryer could simply take up extra space: UFC-Que Choisir points out that the two appliances do the same things. A single-basket model may be worth considering for regular small portions, while a dual-drawer model is better suited to cooking a main and a side separately. Whichever you choose, check the space you have, the usable dimensions of the baskets, how easy it is to clean and how noisy it is before adding another appliance.
If you often use the oven for a single portion or a side, consider a single-basket model. Before making space for it in your kitchen, though, compare its capacity with the size of the meals you usually prepare.
Two drawers can be useful when the two dishes need different cooking times or temperatures. Check the space available in each drawer, not just the advertised total capacity.
Size and noise matter if the appliance will sit near your living space. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the space an air fryer takes up when used every day, as well as the noise from its fan in an open-plan kitchen.
Worth considering: if your oven already handles your usual meals, including larger dishes and cooking on multiple shelves.
The trade-off: your oven does not give you two independent drawers for setting different cooking programmes for two dishes.
Worth considering: if a small portion or side is something you often cook separately from what’s in the oven.
The trade-off: a single basket cannot cook a main and a side separately with different settings.
Worth considering: if you regularly cook two foods using different settings and want to serve them together.
The trade-off: two separate baskets may limit the size of a single dish, even when their combined capacity seems sufficient.
Once you know how you’ll use it, compare the format you’re considering with your cookware, your worktop space and your cleaning routine.
| Criteria | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| A different use from your oven | Think about the meals you cook each week. Check whether a single basket or two separate cooking zones would genuinely change how you prepare them. | My oven already suits larger dishes; I’d only add another appliance for portions or separate dishes that I cook regularly. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the internal dimensions with your food and cookware. For a dual-drawer model, check the capacity of each zone rather than just the total. | I want my usual portions to fit in the baskets without having to split a single dish that already fits in my oven. |
| Available space | Measure the space you have in mind and check the model’s external dimensions. Allow for the clearances specified in the manual, too. | In my kitchen, the appliance needs to fit alongside the other items on my worktop. |
| Cleaning | Check which parts are removable and which the manual says are dishwasher-safe. Follow the care instructions for your model’s coating. | If I use it often, I want to be able to clean the basket after meals without making my routine more complicated. |
| Noise | Look for an independent noise measurement taken from a similar distance. UFC-Que Choisir says it measures noise during its tests from 0.50 m away. | In an open-plan kitchen, the fan noise while cooking could matter more to me than it would in a separate kitchen. |
According to UFC-Que Choisir, an air fryer does the same things as an oven. If you don’t have a regular, separate use for it, it could become one more appliance to store and clean.
Think of a few meals you actually prepare each week, then consider whether your oven, a single basket or two drawers would suit the portions involved.
In a dual-drawer model, the capacity is split between the two zones, so a single dish may not fit in either one.
Compare the usable dimensions of each basket with the food you cook, and measure how much space the appliance will take up on your worktop.
The fan may be distracting near your living space. UFC-Que Choisir recommends taking this into account, particularly in an open-plan kitchen or a small space.
If keeping noise down is important, look for an independent measurement of the model you’re considering, taken under comparable conditions.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy says the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to second-hand or refurbished goods sold by a business to a consumer, but not to private sales.
Check who the seller is, and inspect the cord, drawers, handles and coating, along with the accessories supplied and whether the appliance works properly.
Philips offers models such as the dual-basket NA154/00, which the brand describes as having a flexible configuration.
Moulinex offers models with one or two compartments and publishes care advice for its air fryers.
Ninja models are among the air fryers compared by UFC-Que Choisir in France.
These models show two ways to add an air fryer to a kitchen that already has an oven: two zones for cooking separate dishes, or a single basket for portions that suit its capacity. Their inclusion here doesn’t mean you can skip checking whether you’ll use the appliance regularly.
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The two drawers are suited to preparing a main and a side separately. The advertised total capacity is 7,6 L, and the model name indicates six functions; check the usable space in each drawer to see if your dishes will fit. Consult the DZ300EU manual to confirm which parts are dishwasher-safe, and look for a noise measurement if you plan to use it in an open-plan kitchen.
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This dual-basket model is worth considering if you often cook two foods at the same time. The product name indicates a total capacity of 9 L, a power rating of 2400 W and eight programmes; check the usable capacity of each basket to see if it suits your portions. Measure the space you have in mind, too, and check the cleaning instructions in the manual.
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The two chambers are designed for separate dishes rather than one large meal. The 9 L refers to the advertised total capacity, and the product name mentions ten functions; check the usable dimensions of each chamber before planning to cook your usual foods in them. Also check the overall size and the model’s care instructions.
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The 2 L basket is worth considering for a small portion rather than a large family meal. The product name indicates a power rating of 1150 W and a 60-minute timer; make sure your portions will fit in the basket. Check the external dimensions and, for cleaning, the manual’s guidance on which parts are dishwasher-safe.
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The single 7 L basket is worth considering if your portions fit in one cooking zone; it is not a substitute for two drawers with separate settings. The product is described as having a digital display and a cooking window. Before making space for it next to your oven, check its external dimensions and the basket-cleaning instructions.
It can be if you regularly cook small portions or two separate dishes. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer does the same things as an oven. If your oven already suits your larger dishes and everyday cooking, adding an air fryer could be duplicating what you have.
Start with the size of the food you prepare, then check the basket’s internal dimensions. In its advice published in November 2025, UFC-Que Choisir suggests a model of at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for households of over five; these capacities don’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit in a drawer.
Two drawers are useful if you often cook a main and a side at the same time and they need different settings. Still, check the capacity of each zone and the external dimensions: a high total capacity doesn’t necessarily mean a large single dish will fit.
Unplug it, let it cool completely and follow the instructions for your model. Moulinex advises against using metal scourers and hard brushes; check separately which parts of your appliance are dishwasher-safe.
Yes, if a consumer buys the appliance second-hand or refurbished from a business: the Ministry of the Economy confirms that this statutory guarantee applies to these goods. It does not apply to a private sale, so check who the seller is before buying, and inspect the appliance and its accessories.