For small portions you cook often that fit in a basket, an air fryer could be a good choice. For quiches, bakes and moulded cakes, a mini oven may be more suitable. If you only make these dishes occasionally, or your dishes are too large for a countertop appliance, sticking with your existing oven means you won’t need to buy another one. Before deciding, compare the space required, cleaning needs and energy consumption measurements for the recipes you make.
If you regularly cook one or two portions, start with the ingredients and dishes you actually use. A basket may be enough for some meals, while a recipe that needs a tin or that you only make occasionally might be a reason to keep your oven.
A countertop appliance takes up space even when you’re not using it. Check where it will go, how its door or drawer opens, and the clearances specified in the instruction manual.
For these recipes, the size of the tin, the available height and the cooking settings matter more than the stated capacity alone. A mini oven’s cavity may fit the dishes you usually use better than a compact basket.
First choose based on the shape and frequency of the dishes you make, then check the installation requirements and cleaning needs of the appliance you’re considering.
Worth considering: for small portions you cook often that can be prepared in a hot-air circulation basket.
Limitation: the shape of the basket may rule out some tins and dishes, even if the stated capacity seems sufficient.
Worth considering: if you often use tins, a wire rack or different cooking settings for small dishes.
Limitation: you’ll need to make room for it on a stable surface, with the ventilation clearance specified in its instruction manual.
Keep using it: if you rarely make small dishes or if they won’t fit in a countertop appliance.
Worth weighing up: you can’t work out its energy consumption for a small recipe from its size alone; you’ll need measurements taken under comparable conditions.
| Criterion | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size and shape | Measure your tins and dishes, then compare them with the usable dimensions of the basket, rack or cavity. Check the available height too. | I cook small amounts, but my usual dishes need to fit without being replaced. |
| Cooking methods | Identify the settings your recipes need and, where available, check tests of the exact model for the dishes you’re interested in making. | A basket may suit me for roasting or grilling small quantities; for tarts or bakes in a tin, I need a suitably sized cavity. |
| Electricity | Compare measured consumption for the same recipe and quantity, using a clearly identified reference appliance. The stated power rating doesn’t tell you how much energy each cooking session uses. | If I often make the same small recipe, I want a comparison that reflects how I use the appliance. In 2024, UFC-Que Choisir measured an average 36% lower energy consumption for the air fryers it tested than for the mini oven in its test, when cooking a small quiche in the same quantity. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe. |
| Installation | Check the dimensions, how the appliance opens and the clearances specified in the instruction manual. For a mini oven, check the surface it will stand on and the ventilation requirements. | I need to be able to cook and handle the appliance without cluttering my worktop. |
| Cleaning | Identify the removable parts and check the instruction manual to see which are dishwasher-safe. Consider how you’ll clean the basket or the inside walls after splashes. | After a typical meal, I’d rather know what cleaning involves before choosing between a basket and a cavity. |
The power rating in watts doesn’t tell you how much energy your recipe will use. The results measured by UFC-Que Choisir vary depending on the dishes and appliances compared.
To assess how an appliance will perform when used regularly, look for measurements in kWh for comparable recipes and quantities, rather than a percentage quoted without equivalent test conditions.
A stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that your tin will fit in the basket or that the food will fit the way you want it to.
Measure the dishes you usually use and check the usable dimensions and available height before choosing.
The SEB Delice Turbo instruction manual calls for a stable surface and free air circulation around the appliance. Check the installation instructions for the model you buy.
Allow space for the appliance, access to the plug socket, and room to open and handle the door.
An additional appliance can take up worktop space without changing how you cook the rest of the time. The ministry responsible for ecological transition recommends thinking about how you’ll actually use an electrical appliance before buying it.
If you rarely make these dishes, try cooking them in your existing oven using your usual recipes and dishes first.
The brand offers both Easy Fry air fryers and Optimo mini ovens, giving you two formats to consider for your recipes.
Philips offers the HD9252/90, a 4.1 L air fryer designed for smaller meals.
The Delice Turbo 30 L is an example of a mini oven for dishes cooked in an ovenproof dish.
These models are countertop air fryer options. Compare their size with your usual small portions. For recipes cooked in a tin or occasional use, a mini oven or your existing oven may still be worth considering.
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Its 2 L basket could be a good option for small quantities. The title states that it has a 60-minute timer and a non-stick, dishwasher-safe basket. Check the basket dimensions and how much worktop space you’ll need.
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If you cook different quantities, check which containers come with this variant and their usable dimensions. Also check where you’ll put it and how much clearance it needs before setting it up.
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It’s worth comparing the stated 7.6 L capacity with the small quantities you usually cook. Check the usable dimensions of the baskets or trays and the appliance’s overall size: capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much room your food will take up.
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The two drawers may suit a household that wants to cook two different foods at once. The stated total capacity is 7.6 L and it has six functions. Check the usable space in each drawer and the clearance required around the appliance.
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This two-drawer model has a stated total capacity of 9.5 L and six functions. If you mainly cook one small portion at a time, compare this capacity with the quantities you actually make and check how much installation space it needs.
No. First check that the food or dish will fit in the basket. In a test published in 2024, UFC-Que Choisir measured average energy consumption that was 36% lower for the air fryers it tested than for the mini oven it compared them with, when cooking a small quiche in the same quantity. This measurement doesn’t predict the result for every model or recipe.
Measure the space, then check the model’s instruction manual for requirements relating to the surface, door opening and ventilation. The SEB Delice Turbo manual calls for a stable surface that can withstand at least 90 °C, and free air circulation around the appliance.
Unplug it and follow the instruction manual before cleaning. UFC-Que Choisir advises against abrasive sponges. For racks and trays, check the manufacturer’s guidance before putting them in the dishwasher.
No. It doesn’t replace a consumption measurement for the same recipe and quantity. In France, the Ministry of the Economy lists ovens among the appliances covered by the energy label. To compare an oven with an air fryer, look for tests that specify the appliances and cooking conditions.