If the smell of deep-frying bothers you and you often cook small or medium-sized batches, an air fryer may suit you better than a deep fryer. UFC-Que Choisir reports that it reduces cooking smells, but doesn’t promise to eliminate them. If your oven already meets your needs, consider portion sizes, available space, noise and basket cleaning before adding another appliance.
If you like crispy food but want to avoid cooking in a bath of oil, an air fryer is worth considering. UFC-Que Choisir describes it as producing fewer smells than a deep fryer, but it can’t guarantee an odour-free kitchen.
If you already have an oven, a countertop appliance could be useful if you often brown or roast small portions. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer’s functions largely overlap with those of an oven, so how often you’ll use it matters.
To avoid cooking in multiple batches, compare the basket’s usable surface area and capacity with the meals you usually prepare. UFC-Que Choisir notes that usable capacity matters more than an “XXL” label.
Start by deciding whether you’re mainly looking for cooking without a bath of oil, a capacity that suits your meals, or a use your oven doesn’t already cover.
Consider it: if you often cook crispy or roasted food and the smell of deep-frying is your main concern.
Bear in mind: you’ll need space to store the appliance, and its fan may be audible. It won’t necessarily eliminate cooking smells.
Consider it: if you specifically want to deep-fry food.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to handle and clean the oil. UFC-Que Choisir notes that how well filters tackle smells varies between appliances.
Stick with it: if it already suits your larger batches or you’d only use an air fryer occasionally.
Bear in mind: as UFC-Que Choisir points out, an air fryer’s cooking functions largely overlap with those of an oven.
| Your concern | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking smells | Whether food is cooked with or without a bath of oil; kitchen ventilation. | If the smell of deep-frying bothers you at home, your priority may be to get golden results without cooking food in oil. Around 36% of consumers put this need first. |
| Basket capacity | Usable capacity and surface area for your food; whether you can cook more than one dish. | If you’re cooking for several people, having to start another batch can make a small basket impractical. Around 29% of consumers prioritise a capacity that suits their usual portions. |
| Overlap with your oven | How often you cook small batches; the functions and accessories your oven already has. | If you already use your oven for everyday meals, you’ll need a second appliance that you use often enough to justify it. Around 21% of consumers make this a priority. |
| Everyday use | Removable parts and cleaning; dimensions, drawer clearance and fan noise. | In a small kitchen or open-plan living space, being able to clean and store the appliance without hassle matters just as much as using it. Around 14% of consumers put these practical considerations ahead of other criteria. |
An air fryer avoids a bath of oil, but cooking can still produce smells. Changing appliances doesn’t replace good ventilation at home.
Keep your mechanical ventilation system running, as advised by ADEME, and use any kitchen extractor while cooking.
How much food fits in the basket also depends on its shape and usable surface area. A basket that doesn’t suit your meals may mean cooking in several batches.
Compare the usable capacity with your usual portions and measure the space you have, leaving enough room to open the drawer.
UFC-Que Choisir notes that the two appliances have many functions in common, and that cooking results vary between air fryer models.
Think about the small or medium-sized batches you’d genuinely cook in an air fryer instead of your oven.
The fan may be audible, and dimensions and dishwasher-safe parts vary between models. These details matter more if the appliance will stay on your worktop.
Check noise test results for the model you’re considering and make sure you know exactly which parts are dishwasher-safe.
Worth considering if you’re comparing different basket sizes. Moulinex lists a 7.5 L capacity for its Easy Fry Compact EZ866HF1.
Worth considering if basket cleaning is important to you.
Ninja models feature in UFC-Que Choisir’s French air fryer comparison, alongside models from other brands.
These air fryers available from Joybuy range from options for small batches to larger-capacity baskets, including models with two drawers. Choose based on your portions and available space first. This selection doesn’t compare deep fryers or ovens.
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Consider it if you’d like to cook two foods with different settings, without deep-frying.
Its advertised capacity is 9,5 L, split between two independent 4,75 L drawers. The product description lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets.
Check that your usual portions will fit in the baskets and that you have enough space for the appliance. If you have an open-plan kitchen, it’s also worth checking how noisy it is when running.
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Worth considering if you cook two foods that need different settings.
This model has an advertised total capacity of 7,6 L, with two independent 3,8 L drawers, six functions and baskets listed as dishwasher-safe.
The advertised capacity doesn’t guarantee that each drawer will hold your usual portions. Also check the noise level if you’ll be using it near a living area.
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Consider it if you switch between small quantities and portions that need a larger container.
Two glass containers, with capacities of 1,4 L and 3,8 L, are listed, along with Air Fry and Roast functions. The product description says the containers and accessories are dishwasher-safe.
The capacities don’t confirm how many portions each container holds for different foods. Don’t assume that both containers can cook at the same time either.
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Worth considering for meals that need a larger-capacity basket, without cooking food in a bath of oil.
Its advertised capacity is 7,6 L. The product description lists Air Fry, Roast and Grill functions, a reminder to shake the food, and baskets and trays listed as dishwasher-safe.
Compare the usable capacity with the food you cook and measure the space on your worktop, allowing room to open the basket.
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Worth considering if you usually cook small batches and would prefer a 4 L basket.
The product name lists a power rating of 1500 W, eight pre-set programmes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer.
Compare its dimensions with your available space and check whether the basket is dishwasher-safe if easy cleaning is important to you.
No. UFC-Que Choisir reports that it reduces smells compared with deep-frying, not that it eliminates them. Keep your mechanical ventilation system running, as ADEME recommends, and use any kitchen extractor.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four people, and 9 L or more for households of over five. Then check the usable surface area and capacity against the foods you prepare: an “XXL” label alone isn’t enough.
Check which removable parts are listed as dishwasher-safe for the exact model, then follow the care instructions. Philips and Moulinex list this feature for some baskets or models, but it doesn’t automatically apply to their entire range.