For one or two people, UFC-Que Choisir suggests a 3 to 4 L single-basket air fryer as a useful guide, provided your meals fit in the basket. A dual-drawer model is better suited to cooking two parts of dinner regularly; if your oven or combination microwave already meets your needs, consider what an air fryer would offer before buying one. Also compare the space it needs, how noisy it is and the cooking results of the model you’re considering.
If dinner usually consists of just one dish, it’s worth comparing a single-basket model with the space you have available. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, although the stated capacity won’t guarantee that every dish will fit.
Your main and side may need different cooking times but still need to be ready together. A dual-zone appliance could suit this need, provided its dimensions work in your kitchen.
The question is whether the small portions you want to roast or grill justify adding another appliance. If your usual meals can already be prepared with the equipment you have, consider how you’d actually use an air fryer before making room for one.
First, decide which type of cooking your current appliances don’t offer. Then compare the format you’re considering with your usual meals and the space you have available.
Consider it: for one or two portions, if you usually cook one part of dinner at a time.
The trade-off: a meal with several components may need to be cooked in batches.
Consider it: if you often cook two parts of a meal with different cooking times.
The trade-off: two cooking zones don’t automatically make an appliance easy to fit in a small kitchen.
Consider it: if you’re looking for a worktop oven and space for dishes larger than a basket.
The trade-off: a 20 L model, such as the one presented by Moulinex, is less suited to making the most of limited space.
Keep it: if it handles the dishes and reheating you actually use in the evening.
Think again: if you regularly want to cook small quantities in a way your current equipment can’t.
| Factor | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Space and portions | Measure the space, drawer clearance and usable basket area; don’t rely on the stated capacity alone. | If I’m cooking for one or two people, I want dinner to fit without leaving an overly bulky appliance on the worktop. Around 29% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Cooking two things at once | Check the settings for each zone, the synchronisation options and the appliance’s external dimensions. | When the main and side need different cooking times, I’d rather be able to serve them together. This would be a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cooking performance and ease of use | Look for a review of the exact model using recipes you make often, and consider noise if your kitchen opens onto your living space. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to judge the results with my own food without overlooking how noisy the appliance is. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this combination of factors. |
| How it works with your existing appliances | Compare your usual meals with what your oven or combination microwave can already do. | If my current appliances already make my evening meals, I want to identify a separate use for an air fryer before adding one. Around 21% of consumers would put this need first. |
A basket may suit one or two portions but still not fit the shape of your dish or both parts of a meal. On the other hand, a large appliance may take up far too much space for small portions.
Think about the dinners you make most often. Check the quantity, the width of the food and whether you might need to cook two dishes at the same time.
UFC-Que Choisir has found that air fryer performance varies, and its tests include several recipes as well as ease of use and noise.
Look for a review of the model you’re considering that tests foods similar to what you cook, rather than judging it by its preset programmes alone.
Cooking, roasting and reheating are all things your oven or combination microwave may already do. An air fryer is only a useful addition if it suits meals you actually prepare.
Make a list of your usual dinners and compare the quantity and result you want with what your current appliance can do for each one.
The fan can make a difference in a living area, while setting up the appliance may need more room than its dimensions alone suggest. The Joybuy listing for the Philips NA210/00 specifies a minimum clearance of 100 mm on each side of this model.
Measure the space and check the instructions for the exact model you’re considering. If noise is a concern, look for a review that assesses it.
The range includes the 3.2 L NA210/00 single-basket model and the NA352/00 with two baskets, according to Philips France product listings.
The Easy Fry range includes everything from a 3 L Compact model to a 20 L air fryer oven presented by Moulinex.
Joybuy describes the Ninja Double Stack SL300EU as a two-level appliance designed for cooking several dishes at once.
These Joybuy models let you compare formats for everyday portions with a dual-drawer appliance, which may be worth considering if two dishes are regularly part of your dinner.
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Worth considering for one or two portions cooked in a single basket. Check that your dishes will fit in the usable basket area.
Philips France lists a capacity of 3.2 L. For this model, the Joybuy listing gives dimensions of 368 × 273 × 293 mm and a minimum clearance of 100 mm on each side.
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Worth considering for small portions. Check that the basket has enough room for your meals before settling on this capacity.
The model name specifies a capacity of 2 L, a rated power of 1,150 W and a 60-minute timer. Check its dimensions and clearance instructions before deciding where to put it.
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For evening meals in a small kitchen, compare the space it would take up and the portions you want to cook with what your current appliances can handle.
If you need to cook two dishes at once, check the FN101EUGY instructions to see whether it can do this before choosing the model.
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Compare it with single-basket models if you regularly cook two parts of a meal separately. If you usually cook just one portion, consider whether you’ll use both drawers.
The model name specifies two drawers, a stated capacity of 7.6 L and six functions. Measure the space available and check the required clearance in the instructions.
Yes, UFC-Que Choisir gives this as a guide for a single-basket model when you mainly cook one dish at a time. However, check the basket’s surface area and shape: its capacity in litres won’t tell you whether your dish or every part of dinner will fit.
Two drawers are especially useful for meals where you regularly cook two dishes with different cooking times and want to serve them together. Compare the appliance’s footprint and available settings. If you usually cook just one dish, a single basket may be enough.
Allow for the appliance itself, room to open the drawer and the clearance specified in the instructions. For the Philips NA210/00 specifically, the Joybuy listing calls for at least 100 mm of clearance on each side. Follow the instructions for the model you choose, not those for another one.
In France, you can ask the seller to honour the statutory guarantee of conformity if the problem is due to a lack of conformity. The Ministry of the Economy states that you have two years to make a claim. Any optional commercial guarantee is additional and does not replace it.