An air fryer deserves a place on your worktop if you often cook portions that fit in its basket without needing several batches. A single basket suits cooking one item at a time; a dual-drawer model lets you cook two foods separately, provided each compartment is large enough. If you mostly cook large, bulky dishes or only use an air fryer occasionally, first check whether your oven already meets those needs. An air fryer also takes up space, makes some noise and needs cleaning.
If you usually cook for one or two people, start by looking at a single-basket model. Check the recommended quantity in the instruction manual and how much space it will really take up in your kitchen, rather than relying on its stated capacity alone.
A dual-drawer model can help you cook a main and a side separately. Check the size of each compartment and whether the model you’re considering has a sync function: the total capacity doesn’t tell you what will fit in each drawer.
If you mainly cook in large dishes or only expect to make small batches occasionally, your oven may still be the best fit for your routine. Que Choisir notes that air fryers are bulky and a little noisy, so how often you’ll use one matters just as much as its features.
First decide whether you need to cook one dish, two separate dishes or continue using your oven. Then compare the portions the appliance can hold with the space it needs and the cleaning it requires.
Consider this if: you mainly cook one portion or one type of food at a time.
Bear in mind: one cooking zone may mean making several batches for a meal with different dishes.
Consider this if: you regularly cook two foods with different settings.
Bear in mind: the capacity is split between two zones, and there are more parts to clean.
Stick with this if: your meals mainly need large dishes or you’d only make small batches occasionally.
Consider: if you often cook small quantities, compare the cooking results and energy measurements for similar dishes and portions.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | The maximum quantity stated in the instruction manual and the basket’s surface area; for dual-drawer models, the capacity of each drawer. | I want to cook my usual portions without making several batches; around 36% of consumers put capacity at the top of their list. |
| Space and cleaning | The dimensions, including the required clearance, plus the parts that need washing and whether they can go in the dishwasher. | In a small kitchen, I need to be able to keep the appliance accessible and clean it after use. Space and cleaning would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cooking two dishes | Independent settings, any sync function and the size of each drawer. | I cook two different foods and want to serve them together; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this way of organising a meal. |
| How useful it is alongside an oven | How often you cook small batches and the measured results for comparable dishes and quantities. | My oven already handles most of my dishes, so I want to avoid adding an appliance I’d rarely use. This would be the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
When comparing models, also look at cooking, noise and ease-of-use tests for the exact model. Que Choisir has found differences in results between air fryers, so a stated capacity or feature alone won’t tell you how it will perform in your kitchen.
The stated volume doesn’t tell you how much surface area is available for food or what quantity the instruction manual recommends. Que Choisir notes, for example, that the “XXL” label doesn’t guarantee a large usable capacity.
Compare the basket, the maximum quantity stated and the external dimensions. For a dual-drawer model, check each zone separately.
In Que Choisir’s tests, energy consumption varies depending on the food and the appliance. A result for a small portion compared with a mini oven won’t apply to every meal.
If energy use is a key reason for buying, look for independent measurements based on quantities and dishes similar to the ones you cook.
Two zones can make it easier to cook a meal with different dishes, but their combined capacity doesn’t necessarily mean you can cook a large quantity of one food in a single compartment.
If you want to cook everything in one batch, compare the dimensions of each drawer with those of a large basket, a mini oven or your oven.
An air fryer cooks by circulating hot air and overlaps with some oven functions. Even if you rarely use it, it still takes up space and needs cleaning.
Think about the dishes, containers and portions you cook most often. An air fryer is more likely to suit your needs if those meals fit the basket’s format.
The Easy Fry range includes single-basket models and dual-drawer options. Check the specific model rather than relying on the range name alone to find a suitable capacity.
The Airfryer range includes dual-basket models designed to cook two parts of a meal.
The brand offers dual-drawer appliances, including the stacked-drawer DoubleStack XL.
These Joybuy models include a dual-drawer appliance for cooking separate dishes and single-basket models with different stated capacities. Choose based on your portions and available space; none of these formats will necessarily replace the way you already use an oven.
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Worth considering if you often cook two foods separately. The model name indicates two drawers, six functions and a stated total capacity of 7.6 L.
If you want to serve both dishes at the same time, check whether this model has a sync function. Also consult the instruction manual for the amount each drawer can hold.
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This single-basket model may suit households that usually cook one dish at a time. Its stated capacity is 6.2 L.
To check whether your portions will fit in one batch, compare the basket’s surface area and the maximum quantity in the instruction manual with the dishes you usually cook.
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Consider this model if you’d like to see your food as it cooks in a single basket. It is listed with a viewing window and a stated capacity of 6.5 L.
Before deciding where to put it, check the instruction manual for the required clearance, maximum quantity and basket-cleaning instructions.
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With a stated capacity of 7.6 L, this model is worth considering if your usual batches are larger than those suited to a small basket.
Check the quantity actually recommended in the instruction manual and the external dimensions too. The stated volume doesn’t guarantee a large cooking surface or that it will fit on your worktop.
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This 4 L single basket is worth considering for modest portions rather than cooking two separate dishes. The product name lists eight pre-set modes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C.
Before choosing it for your kitchen, check the usable surface area, the quantity permitted in the instruction manual and the space it needs.
Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a starting point for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four, and 7 to 9 L for five or six. Then check the basket’s surface area and the maximum quantity in the instruction manual: two appliances with the same stated volume won’t necessarily fit your food in the same way.
A dual-drawer model is mainly useful for cooking two foods separately, possibly with their cooking times synchronised to finish together. If you’re more likely to cook a large quantity of one food, compare the space in each drawer with that of a single basket or your oven.
Check the care instructions for the exact model and find out which parts you’ll need to wash after use. Some manufacturers state that their baskets are dishwasher-safe, but this doesn’t automatically apply to the racks, other parts or other models in the range.
No. The DGCCRF explains that the CE marking is not a quality or performance certification mark. When choosing an air fryer, check its technical specifications and instruction manual separately, and look for cooking tests of the specific model.