For smaller portions without a bath of oil, a drawer-style air fryer can be useful. Two drawers are better suited to cooking a main and a side dish separately. Keep your oven for larger dishes or if another appliance would be redundant, and choose a deep-fat fryer if you prioritise the texture of chips cooked in oil. The differences in energy use observed by Que Choisir relate to specific recipes and appliances, not every type of cooking.
A single basket may be enough for a side dish or a small batch. Que Choisir gives 3 to 4 L as a rough guide for 1 to 2 people. Also check the basket’s usable surface and how much space you’ll need to store the appliance.
Consider two drawers if your main and side dish need different settings. Check the capacity of each drawer and, if you want both dishes to finish cooking at the same time, make sure the model has a synchronisation function.
An air fryer can be useful for small batches. Before adding another appliance, compare the portions you usually make with the size of its cooking cavity and the space it will take up. Que Choisir also advises against buying more equipment than you need if your oven already covers these uses.
Consider it: for cooking one small batch at a time, particularly in a household of one or two people.
The trade-off: an overcrowded basket may mean cooking in batches, and it won’t suit every large dish.
Consider it: when you want to serve two dishes together that need different settings.
The trade-off: the total capacity is divided between the drawers, so check their width and the space the appliance will take up.
Keep it: if you prioritise the flavour and texture of chips cooked in oil, as Que Choisir points out.
The trade-off: this option involves a bath of oil, frying smells and disposing of used oil.
Keep it: for larger quantities or dishes that won’t fit in a drawer.
Worth weighing up: for some small recipes tested by Que Choisir, air fryers used less electricity than a mini oven. The result depends on the cooking comparison.
Once you’ve chosen a cooking method, compare your portion sizes with the usable capacity, then check the space available and how easy the parts are to clean.
| Criteria | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portions | Compare each basket’s volume and usable surface with the amount you need to cook at once. Que Choisir gives 3 to 4 L for 1 to 2 people and 5 to 6 L for 3 to 4 people as rough guides. | I want to make my usual portions without cooking in multiple batches or choosing a larger appliance than I need. |
| Space and convenience | Measure the space where you’ll use and store the appliance, allowing for the clearance specified in the instructions. If noise matters in your kitchen, look for a measurement taken under clearly stated conditions. | In a small kitchen, the appliance needs to be easy to reach without getting in the way of meal preparation. |
| Cooking and electricity | Compare the same recipe and quantity, taking account of the cooking time and appliances tested. The wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much energy is used per cooking session. | For a small batch, I want to know whether an air fryer offers an advantage over my oven, without assuming the same will apply to all my dishes. |
| Cleaning and smells | Check the instructions for the exact model to see which parts are dishwasher-safe. If you’re bothered by frying smells, remember that air frying and deep-fat frying are different cooking methods, but don’t expect cooking to be completely odour-free. | I’d rather avoid dealing with a bath of oil and be able to clean the parts easily after frequent use. |
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you whether your portion will fit in the basket in one batch. With a two-drawer appliance, it also doesn’t show how much space each drawer offers.
Think of two meals you often make, then check the shape and usable dimensions of the baskets. Que Choisir’s capacity guides should be adapted to the recipes you cook.
The difference varies depending on the recipe, quantity and appliances being compared. Que Choisir’s tests on some small recipes can’t predict the results for every model.
Compare the energy used to cook an equivalent quantity rather than looking only at the wattage. Also keep the actual size of your dishes in mind.
Two compartments let you cook dishes separately, but their combined capacity doesn’t create one large cooking cavity. A wide dish may not fit in either drawer.
Check the dimensions of each drawer. If you mostly cook wide dishes, compare them with the space available in your oven.
According to Que Choisir, a traditional deep-fat fryer is still a good option for people who prioritise the flavour and texture of chips cooked in oil. An air fryer uses a different cooking method.
Don’t automatically replace your fryer if that texture is your deciding factor. Choose based on the dishes you make most often.
Keeping a deep-fat fryer also means making sure you have enough oil and dealing with used oil.
These examples relate to specific models: a feature of one model won’t necessarily apply to other appliances from the same brand.
The range includes single- and double-drawer models to consider, depending on your portion sizes and available space.
The Series 3000 NA352/24 shows how two differently sized drawers can be useful for cooking a main and a side dish separately.
The brand offers compact models and hybrid appliances, among others. Their uses and dimensions aren’t interchangeable.
These Joybuy models include single-basket options for cooking one dish at a time and two-compartment models for keeping foods separate. Check that each basket is big enough for your portions: total capacity alone isn’t enough to make a decision.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two dishes in separate drawers. The product listing names six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check the space available for each drawer and the clearance needed around the appliance.
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Its two drawers let you cook two dishes separately. The product listing specifies six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check the appliance’s dimensions and the usable capacity of each drawer.
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The two baskets are worth considering if you want to cook a main and a side dish separately. Before choosing this model, check the capacity of each basket and the space needed to fit the appliance.
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The single basket is designed for cooking one dish at a time. The product listing specifies 1450 W, touch controls and six automatic programmes. Check the basket’s usable surface and the space available before choosing this model.
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Its two compartments are worth considering if you want to cook foods separately. The 9 L refers to the stated total capacity, so check the space in each compartment and whether it has a synchronisation function if you plan to serve both dishes together.
No. When cooking a small quiche of the same size, the air fryers tested by Que Choisir used an average of 36 % less electricity than a mini oven. This result applies to that recipe and the appliances tested. For your own cooking, compare the energy used per session rather than just the stated wattage.
A single basket suits you if you usually cook one dish at a time. Que Choisir gives 3 to 4 L as a guide for 1 to 2 people. Two drawers are better suited to keeping foods with different settings separate. Check the capacity of each drawer and whether it has a synchronisation function, if that matters to you.
No. This needs to be checked for each model and each part. Moulinex states that the drawers and racks of the Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20 are dishwasher-safe. Don’t assume the same applies to another model without checking its instructions.
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual in France: the seller must supply goods that conform to the contract. Any commercial warranty offered does not replace this legal guarantee.