An air fryer can replace a deep-fat fryer if you mainly want to cook, roast or reheat food without a bath of oil. However, don’t expect exactly the same results with fresh chips: Que Choisir reports that hot-air cooking can be uneven. Choose between a single drawer, dual drawers and an oven-style model to suit your portions and the dishes you make. Then check the available space, noise levels and cleaning requirements. If deep-fried chips are your priority, keeping a traditional fryer is also worth considering.
If you mainly cook for one or two people, a single drawer may be enough for modest portions. Check how much space you need in the basket: overfilling it can make even cooking more difficult, especially for chips.
Dual drawers let you cook a main dish and a side separately. If you want to serve them together, check whether the model has a synchronisation function and whether each drawer can hold your portion.
For a quiche, pizza or several portions, check the shape of the racks and dishes that fit in a large-capacity appliance or air fryer oven. Also measure how much space it will take up in your kitchen.
Worth considering: for modest portions when you don’t need to cook two dishes separately.
Bear in mind: you may need to cook in batches if the quantity exceeds the basket’s usable capacity.
Worth considering: for a main dish and side with different settings, with synchronisation if you want to serve them together.
Bear in mind: the total capacity is split between the compartments, so a large dish may not fit in either one.
Worth considering: when the shape of your dishes and the option to use racks or trays matter more than a drawer-style design.
Bear in mind: measure the space it will occupy and allow for the accessories you’ll need to clean.
Worth keeping: if your priority is the result you get from cooking fresh chips in oil.
Bear in mind: it won’t suit you if you want to cook without a bath of oil. Que Choisir also notes that the smell of frying leads some households to consider an air fryer.
| Criteria | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Compare the shape and cooking surface, not just the stated capacity in litres. With dual drawers, check each compartment separately. Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for households of five or more. | I want to prepare our usual portions without cooking in multiple batches, while still having enough room for my dishes. |
| Cooking results | If possible, look for tests covering the foods you cook. Check the filling and shaking instructions: Que Choisir reports that chips can cook unevenly, even when you shake the basket. | If I care most about the results of fresh chips cooked in oil, I won’t assume an air fryer can replicate them. |
| Noise and space | Measure the appliance and the space for it, following the instructions in the manual. To compare noise levels, look for measurements taken from a similar distance; Que Choisir takes ventilation into account in its tests. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to be able to position the appliance without disrupting other activities in the room. |
| Cleaning | Check which parts are removable, which are dishwasher-safe and how to clean the heating element. Follow the model’s instructions for its coatings. | After cooking greasy or breaded foods, I’d prefer a basket and drawer that I can clean as the manufacturer recommends. |
Two appliances with a large stated total capacity may fit very different dishes, especially if that capacity is split between two drawers.
Start by considering how many people you cook for, then compare the dimensions of your dishes with those of each compartment. For more than five people, Que Choisir recommends looking at models with a capacity of 9 L or more.
Que Choisir points out that hot-air cooking doesn’t necessarily produce the same results, and chips can cook unevenly even if you shake the basket.
If this is your main priority, keep a traditional fryer in the running. When using an air fryer, follow the model’s instructions on quantities and shaking.
You can hear the fan while the appliance is cooking, which may matter more in an open-plan kitchen. Que Choisir measures noise from 0.50 m away as part of its testing process.
If comparable test results are available for the models you’re considering, check them before choosing and think about where you’ll actually put the appliance.
The basket, drawer and heating element may each have different cleaning instructions. Philips, for example, advises against using metal utensils and abrasive products on the parts covered by its instructions.
Check the chosen model’s manual to see which parts are removable and dishwasher-safe, then let the appliance cool before cleaning it.
These examples show configurations worth comparing; a model’s features don’t apply to every product from the same brand.
Philips France lists the NA352/04, an air fryer with two drawers of 6 L and 3 L and a synchronisation function.
Moulinex France lists, among other products, an Easy Fry Compact with a stated capacity of 7.5 L and an Easy Fry air fryer oven with a stated capacity of 20 L.
Que Choisir cites the Ninja Double Stack XL as an example of an air fryer with stacked drawers.
These hot-air appliances include four dual-basket options and one single-basket option. Compare their configurations with your portion sizes; this list isn’t a selection of deep-fat fryers or air fryer ovens.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two dishes separately: the stated total capacity is split between two drawers. The title lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check the dimensions of each drawer to make sure your dishes will fit, as well as the model’s noise levels and cooking results.
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The adjustable basket is worth considering if you switch between one large cooking space and two separate cooking areas. The title mentions a viewing window, Sync and Dual modes, and dishwasher-safe parts. Check the available dimensions in each configuration, as well as the space the appliance will take up.
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The two drawers let you cook separate dishes. Check that each one can hold the portion you need rather than relying on the total capacity of 7.6 L alone. The title lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Also compare the model’s noise levels and cooking results for the foods you usually prepare.
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This dual-basket model is worth considering if you want to serve two dishes together; its description mentions a synchronisation function. The 9 L refers to the stated total capacity. Check the capacity of each basket and the size of the dishes you need to fit inside.
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The single basket is worth considering for modest portions rather than two separate dishes. The title lists a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C, a 60-minute timer and a shake reminder. Check how much food the basket can hold and the cleaning instructions for its parts.
Yes, if you mainly want to cook, roast or reheat food without a bath of oil and are happy with different results for some fried foods. Que Choisir notes, in particular, that fresh chips cooked with hot air don’t necessarily turn out the same as deep-fried chips and may cook unevenly.
Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and suggests choosing 9 L or more for households of five or more. These are only guidelines: you should still check the cooking surface, basket shape and, with dual drawers, the capacity of each compartment.
It can hold a main dish and a side if each fits in its own drawer. Check that the cooking zones have the settings you need and that the model offers synchronisation if you want both dishes to finish at the same time.
Before buying, check the model’s manual to see which parts are removable and dishwasher-safe. For cleaning, let the appliance cool and follow the instructions for the basket, drawer and heating element. Philips advises against using metal utensils and abrasive products in its cleaning instructions.