A single-drawer air fryer is worth considering if you often cook small portions and can make room for it without adding to the clutter in your kitchen. If you regularly cook two things at once, look at a dual-drawer model; for recipes that need an oven-style format, compare a mini oven with the appliances you already have. Before buying, check how much space it needs, the usable capacity of the basket and which cooking tasks it would genuinely replace.
If you mainly use your oven to cook small meals, a dedicated appliance could suit the way you cook. Moulinex markets one model for one or two people, while Philips lists a 3.2 L model. Even so, check that the basket fits the foods you usually cook without requiring several batches.
An air fryer only helps you organise your kitchen if you can set it up and open the drawer without getting in the way of your other kitchen tasks, or put it away easily after use. In an open-plan kitchen, consider the fan noise too, which UFC-Que Choisir has highlighted.
If you often cook two things separately, a model with two cooking zones may be useful. If your recipes need a rack or oven-style cooking functions, compare it with a mini oven. Neither need, on its own, is reason enough to make room for another appliance.
Start with the recipes you actually cook, then compare each format with the space available and the portions you usually make.
Worth considering: if you regularly cook a small amount in a dedicated basket.
Bear in mind: the basket may limit some recipes, and the appliance will still need space and make fan noise.
Worth considering: if you often cook two separate dishes as part of a meal; the Joybuy product page for the Ninja Double Stack SL300EU describes simultaneous cooking on two levels.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to justify the space it takes up if you only cook a small portion at a time.
Worth considering: if you cook more gratins, bakes and dishes that need a rack than recipes suited to a basket. Moulinex describes the Optimo 19 L as a freestanding oven with several cooking modes.
Bear in mind: it’s another appliance to fit on the worktop, and its capacity will need to suit your dishes too.
Stick with these: if they cover the recipes you cook regularly and there’s no convenient space for another appliance.
Bear in mind: you’ll keep your current routine rather than add an appliance designed for small portions.
| Feature | What to check before buying | Who should consider it? |
|---|---|---|
| Space it takes up | Measure the space you have in mind with the drawer open, and work out which cooking tasks the appliance would replace. | When every bit of worktop space is already in use, I want to avoid buying an appliance that ends up unused. For around 36% of consumers, avoiding unnecessary kitchen appliances matters more than other considerations. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the basket’s dimensions and how your portions will fit, rather than looking only at the stated capacity in litres. | For meals for one or two, I need the basket to fit the food without having to cook several batches. The right capacity would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Recipes it can handle | Identify recipes that need a rack, a dish or two separate cooking zones. | If I often cook two things together or make oven-style dishes, I want a format that works for those recipes. Around 21% of consumers would put this versatility first. |
| Everyday comfort | Look for comparable noise measurements and check the instructions for cleaning the parts; also consider odours from the foods you cook. | In an open-plan kitchen, the fan and cleaning matter every time I use the appliance; I don’t want to find out about them after buying. Around 14% of consumers would put this comfort first. |
A capacity of 3 L or 3.2 L tells you the size of the basket, not how much room each food has inside it. A claim that a model is for “one or two people” also depends on the portions and recipes.
Compare the basket’s internal dimensions and shape with your usual quantities and the dishes you plan to use.
Being able to separate foods is of little use if you almost always cook a single small portion. You’ll still need to make room for the appliance.
Make a note of the meals where you’d genuinely use two zones, then compare this format with a single drawer and the appliances you already own.
ADEME’s annual figures for an electric oven don’t show whether cooking a small portion in an air fryer uses less electricity than cooking it in an oven or mini oven.
If electricity use will influence your choice, compare the consumption for the same recipes and portions, taking preheating and any extra batches into account.
UFC-Que Choisir has drawn attention to the noise made by air fryer fans. This can be an issue when your kitchen opens onto your living space.
Look for a noise measurement that explains how it was taken, and compare it with tests carried out in similar conditions.
The range includes an air fryer designed for one or two people, 3 L models and the 19 L Optimo mini oven.
The Series 2000 NA210/00 is a useful point of comparison among single-drawer air fryers.
The Double Stack SL300EU is an example of a two-level format to consider if cooking two things at once matters more to you than choosing the smallest appliance.
These two air fryers are worth considering if you want to cook small portions using a worktop appliance. To decide whether either one suits your kitchen, compare the basket and set-up with your recipes and the space you have available.
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Worth considering for meals for one or two, provided the basket fits the portions you usually cook.
The title lists a capacity of 2 L, a power rating of 1 150 W, a 60-minute timer and a dishwasher-safe non-stick basket.
Before making room for it, check the basket’s dimensions, how much space you’ll need to use it and how noisy it is in the conditions that matter to you.
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Worth considering if you want to cook small quantities, after checking that the supplied container suits your portions and that the appliance will fit in your kitchen.
Check how much clearance you’ll need while it’s in use and follow the instructions for handling hot containers.
It can replace some of the cooking you do regularly if your portions fit in the basket and the recipes suit its functions. For gratins, bakes or dishes that need a rack, compare the functions and size of a mini oven, such as the 19 L Optimo presented by Moulinex, with your current oven.
Choose based on your portions and the usable space inside the basket, not just the number of litres. The stated capacities of compact models, such as 3 L for Moulinex or 3.2 L for Philips, give you an initial guide. Then check the internal dimensions and how much room your recipes’ ingredients need.
Look for a noise measurement that explains the conditions it was taken in, then check the instructions to see which parts can be removed and how to clean them. UFC-Que Choisir considers noise in its air fryer tests; a promise of easy cleaning across a range doesn’t necessarily describe every part of the model you choose.
For a new or second-hand appliance bought from a professional seller in France, you may be able to claim under the legal guarantee of conformity for two years, according to the French Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control. A commercial warranty offered by the seller or manufacturer is separate and doesn’t replace this legal protection.