In a small kitchen, an air fryer is worth making room for if it regularly takes over cooking or reheating jobs you’d otherwise use another appliance for. If it’s simply an addition to an oven that already suits your meals, without replacing a task you do often, the space it takes up may outweigh the benefits, as Que Choisir points out. For one or two people, Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 l as a useful guide for a single-basket model. A dual-drawer model makes more sense if you often prepare two parts of a meal at the same time.
You mainly cook for one or two people and want to avoid an unnecessarily large cooking cavity. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 l as a guide for this type of portion, but you should check it against the size of your dishes.
You’d like to reheat things such as a slice of pizza, quiche or breaded food without adding an appliance that will rarely get used. The right choice depends on how often you’ll use it and how much space you can set aside.
You regularly cook two dishes that need different settings. According to Que Choisir, dual-drawer models let you cook different foods at the same time; check whether this suits your needs enough to justify the space they take up.
Consider it: for everyday portions cooked mainly in one compartment.
Bear in mind: two foods that need different settings may have to be cooked one after the other.
Consider it: if you regularly need to cook two dishes at once; Que Choisir describes this as a use for dual-drawer models.
Bear in mind: this style takes up more room than a single-basket model.
Consider it: if your dishes need a cavity or cooking surface that won’t fit in the drawer you’re considering.
Bear in mind: like any additional cooking appliance, it needs a space of its own.
Stick with it: if it suits the dishes you usually cook and there’s no regular task that would justify another appliance.
Bear in mind: you won’t have a separate, smaller cooking cavity for the foods you’d like to reheat.
| Factor | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and usable capacity | Compare the shape and internal dimensions with the dishes you plan to use. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 l as a guide for one or two people, but capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much room there is for food. | When I cook for one or two people, I want to avoid both cooking several batches and buying an appliance that’s too large for my meals. Around 36% of consumers would put getting the right fit for their portions first. |
| Space and the task it replaces | Measure the appliance, the drawer opening and the clearance specified in its instructions. Work out which job it would genuinely take over from your oven or microwave. | With limited worktop space, I don’t want to add an appliance that rarely does something my oven already handles. Space and avoiding duplication would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Reheating and results | Look at tests using the foods you cook and compare the cooking conditions, rather than relying on the programmes listed on the appliance. | If I often reheat pizza or breaded food, the texture matters just as much as the time it takes. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this kind of reheating. |
| Cleaning and noise | Check the cleaning instructions and the weight if you’ll need to put the appliance away. To compare noise levels, look for measurements taken using the same method; Que Choisir measures from a distance of 0,50 m in its testing protocol. | In a small room, I want to be able to clean and use the appliance often without the noise becoming annoying. Ease of cleaning and everyday comfort would come first for around 14% of consumers. |
An air fryer can cook foods in much the same way as an oven. Que Choisir points out that it can become cumbersome if it’s simply added to the appliances you already own.
Think about the meals you’d use it for regularly and which appliance it would replace each time. If you can’t identify a frequent use, sticking with your oven may make more sense.
The shape of the basket and the available surface area matter too. Food piled up in the basket is not the same as a portion spread out across it.
Check the internal dimensions and filling instructions, then compare them with your usual portions and dishes.
The two compartments let you cook different foods simultaneously, but take up more room than a single basket.
Choose this style for meals where you regularly need two settings or cooking zones; otherwise, base your decision on the portions you actually cook.
Sound measurements depend, among other things, on the distance used. Energy use per cooking session also won’t help you compare two appliances if the dishes and quantities are different.
For noise, look for a stated distance and method. For electricity use, compare the same dish under similar conditions.
These models are suited to cooking in a single compartment or using two cooking zones. To decide whether one deserves a place in your small kitchen, first compare your portions, meals with two dishes and available space with what your oven already offers.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for an air fryer for everyday portions. Check that its size and how it works suit the meals you cook.
Before setting aside space for it, check the instructions for the required clearances and make sure it fits your worktop.
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Consider it if you regularly prepare two parts of a meal in separate drawers.
The stated capacity is 7,6 l, and the model title lists six functions. Check the space needed to open the drawers, as well as the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Worth a look if two baskets suit the meals you usually cook, rather than choosing a large capacity for portions that are generally small.
The title lists 9 l, 2 400 W, eight preset programmes and independent temperature control. Check the amount of food suited to your recipes, the external dimensions and the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Its 4 l capacity matches Que Choisir’s guide for one or two people; still, check that your dishes will fit in the basket.
The title lists eight pre-programmed modes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C. Check the instructions for clearances and cleaning guidance before deciding where to put it.
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Consider it if you need a large-capacity air fryer for your cooking, provided that your kitchen space is justified by how you’ll use it.
The title lists a capacity of 10 l. Before buying, compare the external dimensions and the clearances specified in the instructions with the space you have available.
Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 l as a guide for everyday portions for one or two people. Check the basket’s dimensions and shape too: this guide doesn’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit.
It can handle some reheating, particularly if the texture of pizza or quiche matters to you, but it won’t necessarily replace everything you use your microwave for. Before deciding to get rid of it, list the foods you reheat or defrost in it.
Compare measurements taken at the same distance and using a stated method. Que Choisir measures noise from 0,50 m as part of its testing protocol; a figure without a stated distance can’t be directly compared with this measurement.
Check the instructions to find out which parts can be removed and how to clean them. If you plan to put the appliance away after every use, also consider its weight and the space needed to handle it.
Under the legal guarantee of conformity, consumers can take action against a professional seller if a new product does not conform, according to the French Ministry of the Economy. The DGCCRF points out that any commercial guarantee is separate and does not replace statutory guarantees.