If you mainly make traditionally fried recipes and are happy to handle the oil, consider a deep-fat fryer. If you’d also like to cook or reheat food using hot air, look at an air fryer. Then compare the portions each appliance can realistically handle, the space you have, how easy it is to clean and any potential drawbacks. UFC-Que Choisir found that cooking results and noise levels vary between air fryer models. If your oven already suits your usual recipes and quantities, consider what an additional appliance would offer before buying one.
If you often make chips, doughnuts or breaded food, start with these recipes to decide whether deep-fat frying is right for you. Check how much food the appliance can handle for your usual portions, and how you’ll handle and store the oil.
If you’d also use the appliance for vegetables, meat, quiches or reheating, check what each air fryer is designed to do. Basket capacity, layout and cleaning requirements matter just as much as the list of programmes.
If smells and noise are quickly noticeable in your home, assess them separately. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the nuisance that frying smells can cause and the differences in noise levels between air fryers. The cooking method alone isn’t enough to predict either issue for a particular model.
Consider this: for recipes you’d usually fry, if you’re happy to use and manage the oil.
Bear in mind: possible smells, cooling time and disposing of used oil. Filtering or storage features vary by model.
Consider this: if you want to cook a range of recipes using hot air, not just foods usually associated with frying.
Check: how it cooks the foods you make and how noisy the fan is. According to UFC-Que Choisir, both vary between models.
Stick with it: if its functions, usable capacity and your usual recipes already meet your needs.
Compare: how much space an additional appliance would take up and how many portions you’d actually make in it.
If you’re buying an appliance for recipes usually associated with frying, work out which need matters most to you, even if several factors will influence your decision.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Results for your recipes | Cooking method and tests using the foods and quantities you usually prepare. | If you’re buying it for chips or breaded food, how well it cooks those recipes matters more than the number of programmes. Around 31% of consumers put this need first. |
| Portions and space | Stated capacity for the foods you’ll cook, plus the appliance dimensions and the room needed to open it. | To prepare enough for your household without cluttering the worktop, usable capacity needs to suit the space you have. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Cleaning and smells | Parts that can be washed according to the instructions; for deep-fat fryers, how to store and dispose of used oil. | If cleaning the appliance and dealing with smells affect how often you’ll use it, ease of cleaning becomes the main consideration. It comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Noise | Noise test results for the model, including the stated measurement distance, especially for an air fryer. | In an open-plan kitchen, hearing the fan while cooking may matter more than other factors. Quiet operation is the priority for around 19% of consumers. |
This figure doesn’t tell you on its own how much room there is for food or how large the appliance is. Two baskets with a similar stated capacity can have quite different layouts.
Compare the stated capacity for the recipes you make, measure the space you have and leave enough room to open the drawer or lid.
UFC-Que Choisir found differences in noise levels between models, and a shop demonstration won’t necessarily recreate the sounds in your kitchen.
If quiet operation matters to you, look for an independent test that states the measurement distance. Check the conditions behind any decibel rating given by a brand.
UFC-Que Choisir tested a range of foods and found that air fryer results varied between models. The cooking mode’s name or the presence of a programme doesn’t guarantee the results you’ll get with your recipe.
Think about the foods you cook most often, then look for tests using those recipes and similar quantities.
With a deep-fat fryer, cleaning doesn’t end with washing the bowl. ADEME advises against pouring used oil down the sink, into the toilet or into the environment.
Let it cool, store it in a sealed container and find your nearest recycling centre or local collection point.
This routine requires a container and storage space, as well as a trip to a collection point, depending on local arrangements.
Worth considering for deep-fat fryers if handling, storing or cleaning the oil is important to you.
Worth considering for air fryers with different sizes, cleaning features or stated noise levels to suit different needs.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a single-basket air fryer with several cooking functions and removable parts to clean.
These models let you compare dual-zone air fryers with an electric deep-fat fryer, for separate portions or cooking tasks. For each one, check the dimensions and how it performs with your recipes before making your choice.
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Worth considering if you’d like to cook two things using hot air in a vertical appliance. The model name lists a 12 L capacity and 10 programmes. Check how much space you’ll need to set it up, and look for tests using your recipes and quantities.
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Worth considering if you’d like the option of cooking two things separately. The title lists an adjustable basket, viewing window, 12 functions and a pack of 50 cooking paper liners. Compare the portions it can handle for your foods rather than estimating capacity from the stated volume alone.
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Worth considering if you prefer deep-fat frying and would like two bowls for your cooking. The title lists two 3 L bowls and a power rating of 3300 W. Check the instructions for cleaning, and plan for cooling, storing and disposing of the used oil.
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Worth considering if you’d like to cook two foods in separate chambers. The title lists a 9 L capacity and 10 functions. Check how much it can handle for your portions, the appliance dimensions and the model’s cleaning instructions.
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Worth considering if two drawers suit the way you prepare meals. The title lists two drawers, six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check you have enough space, and look for a noise test if you’ll be using it in an open-plan kitchen.
Don’t assume it can. An air fryer cooks by circulating hot air, while a deep-fat fryer uses a bath of oil. UFC-Que Choisir found that results varied between air fryers and recipes, so look for tests using the foods you cook most often.
No. Also compare the stated capacity for the food in question and the shape of the basket or bowls. Manufacturers’ capacity figures don’t all represent the same quantity of food.
Yes, if you’re sensitive to noise while cooking. UFC-Que Choisir found differences between models and measures this at a distance of 50 cm in its tests. When comparing decibel ratings, check that the measurement conditions are stated.
Let it cool and store it in a sealed container, then check what local collection options are available. ADEME advises against pouring it down the sink, into the toilet or into the environment. A recycling centre is usually the recommended option, although some local authorities have dedicated collection points.
No. Check the product details and instructions for the exact model. Some manufacturers say certain parts of some models are dishwasher-safe, while the heating unit of a deep-fat fryer may not be.