If your priority is cooking without a vat of oil in an open-plan kitchen, consider an air fryer, but don’t expect it to cook without any smell or noise. Keep a deep fryer for recipes that need to be immersed in oil. If you mainly cook foods suited to the oven, also check whether the appliance you already own meets your needs.
You prepare chips or breaded foods close to your living area. The smell of deep-frying is a factor in your choice, but it’s also worth considering the noise from an air fryer’s fan, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
You regularly cook doughnuts, tempura or spring rolls. A deep fryer is well suited to this type of cooking, so cleaning and managing the oil become important factors in your choice.
You want to cook a main dish and a side at the same time. Look at the space available in each drawer and whether cooking times can be synchronised, rather than focusing only on the total capacity advertised.
Consider it: for foods suited to hot-air cooking, when you want to avoid using a vat of oil.
Bear in mind: the fan makes some noise and, according to UFC-Que Choisir’s tests, cooking results vary between models.
Consider it: if doughnuts, tempura or other deep-fried recipes regularly feature on your menu.
Bear in mind: managing the oil and the smell associated with this cooking method are still considerations, even with a filtration system.
Consider it: if the dishes you cook occasionally are suitable for the oven and you’d rather not add another appliance.
Bear in mind: oven cooking won’t necessarily replace deep-frying.
| Factor | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Smells and living space | First choose a cooking method that suits your recipes; don’t take a claim such as “odour control” as a guarantee. | When my kitchen opens onto the living room, I want to avoid using a vat of oil without assuming that every smell will disappear. Around 33% of consumers may put this concern first. |
| Deep-fried recipes | Think about the recipes you make often and check whether hot-air cooking would suit them. | If doughnuts or tempura regularly feature at the table, I want to keep this cooking method as my first priority; this may matter most to around 27% of consumers. |
| Capacity and cooking at the same time | Compare the capacity of each drawer and the recommended cooking quantities, not just the total in litres. | To serve a main dish and a side together, I need enough room in each compartment. This may be the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Everyday convenience | Check comparable noise measurements, care instructions and how much space to leave around the model. | In a small home, noise, cleaning or the space an appliance takes up may matter more than extra features. Around 20% of consumers may prioritise this everyday convenience. |
An air fryer avoids using a vat of oil, but that doesn’t guarantee odour-free cooking. Moulinex describes odour reduction as a feature of its range, not as a guaranteed result in every home.
Choose based on the foods you prepare, and also consider the noise and where you’ll put the appliance.
In a dual-drawer air fryer, the total capacity is split between two compartments, which may not be the same size. UFC-Que Choisir also takes how full the basket is into account in its cooking tests.
Compare the size of each drawer with your usual portions and stick to the quantity recommended in the instructions.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends taking air fryer noise into account, as it can be particularly noticeable in an open-plan room.
Look for tests that measure noise under comparable conditions rather than relying on a single marketing claim.
With a deep fryer, the work doesn’t end when the food is cooked. ADEME advises that used oil must not be poured down the sink, into the toilet or into the environment.
Let it cool, put it in a sealed container and find out about local collection points.
Filtering and storing the oil also take time and space.
Worth considering for a deep fryer if filtration and cleaning are important to you.
Worth considering if you’d like to split two dishes between an air fryer’s drawers.
Compare its dual-basket air fryers, taking into account how the capacity is divided and where you plan to put the appliance.
These five appliances cook with hot air. Compare their size with your portions and the space available if you want to avoid using a vat of oil for recipes that are suited to air frying. They don’t include deep fryers or the other cooking methods discussed above.
Image unavailable
Worth considering for cooking several items without a vat of oil; this model advertises 10 preset programmes. Check how much worktop space it needs and the capacity of each chamber.
Image unavailable
Worth comparing if you cook two foods at once; this model advertises six functions. Check that each drawer has enough space for your portions.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to split your food between two cooking zones. Compare the space needed for your food and check the instructions before choosing where to place it.
Image unavailable
Worth comparing if you want to cook a main dish and a side separately. The advertised total capacity is 9 L; check the size of each basket for your usual batches.
Image unavailable
Worth considering for smaller portions without a vat of oil. Check that its 3.2 L capacity suits your portions and allow for the clearance specified in the instructions.
Don’t expect an air fryer to make your kitchen completely odour-free. It avoids using a vat of oil for suitable foods, but Moulinex’s claims about reducing smells don’t guarantee the same results in every home. Remember to consider noise and where you’ll put it, too.
Follow the instructions for the model you choose. The instructions for the Philips NA230/NA231, reproduced by Manuals+, call for at least 10 cm of clearance behind, beside and above the appliance. Don’t automatically apply this distance to another model.
Let it cool and keep it in a sealed container before finding a local collection point. In France, ADEME advises against pouring it down the sink, into the toilet or into the environment; taking it to a recycling centre is a common option.
Not necessarily. Two drawers are useful if you often cook two foods separately, but each one needs to be big enough for your portion. For example, Moulinex lists one model with drawers of 6.5 L and 4.5 L, while the Philips NA352/04 has baskets of 6 L and 3 L. Compare the compartments, not just their combined capacity.