A drawer-style air fryer can be useful if you often cook small batches and have room for one. It won’t automatically replace your oven: its usable capacity and basket shape limit the dishes you can cook. If you need to coordinate two foods, consider a dual-zone model; for dishes that need a more open cavity, compare a mini oven instead, or stick with your existing oven.
You regularly prepare a single portion or side dish and are looking for another way to cook without using the full-size oven. The right choice depends on the foods and quantities you actually cook, not just the stated capacity.
You need to be able to position, open and put away the appliance without it permanently taking over your kitchen. Que Choisir notes that air fryers can be bulky and a little noisy. These drawbacks matter particularly if your oven already meets your needs.
You often cook two foods that need different cooking times. Two zones can make it easier to coordinate them, as long as each zone has enough capacity for your portions and you have room for the appliance in your kitchen.
If you already have an oven, start by considering how often you cook small batches, then think about the shape of your dishes and the space available. Choose a format that gives you a distinct use, rather than simply adding another appliance.
Consider it: for regularly cooking a small batch in a basket.
Drawback: the cavity limits the quantity and shapes of dishes you can use.
Consider it: if you often need to cook two parts of a meal separately.
Drawback: larger-capacity models take up more space, and two zones are of little use for a single, very small portion.
Consider it: for tins, trays or recipes that need a more open cavity than a drawer provides.
Drawback: in Que Choisir’s tests of some small recipes, air fryers generally used less electricity than the 19 l mini oven tested. This doesn’t apply to every recipe or appliance.
Stick with it: if you only cook small portions occasionally, or your current recipes already fit in it.
Drawback: you miss out on having a small, dedicated cavity, which can be useful for some foods you cook frequently.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent small-batch cooking | Compare tests using your usual recipes and consider how often you’d genuinely avoid using the full-size oven. | When I often cook just one small batch, I want the appliance to get enough use to justify the space it takes up; around 37% of consumers prioritise cooking small batches. |
| Capacity and dish shape | Check the internal dimensions, the space your dishes need and the recommended load, rather than looking only at the capacity in litres. | If my food or dish doesn’t fit well in a basket, a high stated capacity won’t solve the problem. Usable capacity is a priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Space, noise and cleaning | Measure the space, including room to open the appliance and clearance around it; check which parts are washable and look for comparable noise measurements. | In a kitchen where every bit of space counts, I want to use and clean the appliance without too much hassle; around 18% of consumers put these practical considerations first. |
| Cooking two foods or reheating | For two foods, check the capacity of each zone and whether it has a synchronised cooking function; for leftovers, check the reheating setting. | When my meal often includes two separate dishes, or I reheat small portions, I prioritise this kind of setup. It’s a priority for around 18% of consumers. |
An air fryer overlaps with some of your oven’s functions, while also taking up space and needing to be cleaned. Que Choisir advises considering the risk of ending up with duplicate appliances.
Think about which small batches you’d actually cook in the new appliance. If they’re few and far between, keep using your oven for now.
The basket’s shape and recommended load matter just as much as its capacity. In its tests, Que Choisir distinguishes between an optimal quantity and a maximum load.
Compare your usual portions with the instructions, particularly for foods that need to be spread out in the basket.
Que Choisir found that air fryers used less electricity than the mini oven tested for some small dishes, but the same result isn’t guaranteed for every appliance or recipe.
Base your comparison on recipes and quantities similar to the ones you cook regularly.
Cooking two foods at the same time can be useful, but larger-capacity appliances also take up more space.
If you mainly cook one batch at a time, first compare its size with a single-drawer model and measure the space you have available.
The range includes drawer-style air fryers and mini ovens, so you can compare the two formats using your own recipes.
The Airfryer range includes single-basket models and models with separate zones for meals made up of two different dishes.
The brand offers air fryers in different formats, including dual-zone models to consider if you often need to coordinate two cooking times.
These models are options for cooking small portions in an air fryer. They come in different formats, so start by choosing one that suits the quantities you usually cook, then check how much space you’ll need before adding another appliance to your kitchen.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for an air fryer for small dishes. Before choosing it, compare the space it will take up and the clearance it needs with the quantity of food you want to cook.
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The 2 L basket is worth considering for small batches; check that its shape suits the portions you cook. The product name states that it has a dishwasher-safe, non-stick basket and a 60-minute timer. Measure the space you have available, including the clearance needed.
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Compare this 4,7 L basket with your usual portions if you’re deciding between this and a smaller model. The product name states a power rating of 2 000 W; this figure alone isn’t enough to judge how much electricity your recipes will use. Also check the external dimensions and the space needed to use it.
Not always. It can be useful for frequently cooking small batches, while an oven is still handy for dishes and tins that don’t fit well in a basket. In a test published in 2024, Que Choisir found that, for a small quiche of the same size, the air fryers tested used an average of 36% less electricity than the mini oven tested. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe.
Measure your dishes and check the recommended load for the foods you prepare, rather than comparing litres alone. Que Choisir’s testing method distinguishes between the optimal quantity given in the instructions and the maximum load, so the stated capacity doesn’t tell you on its own how the basket can be used.
Check exactly which parts are removable and dishwasher-safe, then consult the instructions for cleaning the rest of the appliance. For example, Moulinex says the basket of its Easy Fry Max 5 L is dishwasher-safe; that doesn’t mean the appliance itself is.
Take it to a collection point for waste electrical and electronic equipment rather than putting it in your household rubbish. The Ministry for Ecological Transition outlines options including in-store take-back schemes. Check what arrangements are available for your old appliance when you buy or have your new one delivered.