If your oven already handles the meals you usually cook and space is tight, keeping it avoids adding another appliance with similar functions: UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer overlaps with an oven. An air fryer may be worth considering if you often use a basket for small batches or regularly need to cook two separate dishes. Before buying, weigh up this need against the space available, portion sizes, noise and cleaning.
Start by thinking about how you use your oven: which dishes genuinely make you look for another appliance? UFC-Que Choisir warns against buying more appliances than you need, as an air fryer performs similar functions to an oven. Also think about where you would put it or store it.
A basket-style model could suit you if you often cook small batches, provided the basket fits your usual portions. Compare its usable capacity and dimensions rather than relying on the stated volume alone.
Two compartments are useful if you regularly cook foods that need different settings and want to serve them together. Check whether the specific model has a sync function, then make sure you have room for it with the drawers open.
Start with the meals your current appliances already handle, then consider whether a single basket or two compartments would solve a recurring problem.
| Criterion | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Overlap with your oven | List the dishes your oven already handles. Compare how often you cook small batches with the space needed to keep or store an air fryer. UFC-Que Choisir notes that their functions overlap. | Does my oven meet my everyday needs, or would a basket-style appliance solve a problem I often come up against? |
| Portions and capacity | Compare your portions with the quantity recommended in the instructions, then look at the shape of the basket. UFC-Que Choisir’s test procedure distinguishes between the optimum and maximum quantities for chips. | I want to avoid cooking several batches for a typical meal, without setting aside space for an unnecessarily large bowl. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | Check the settings available for each zone and, if needed, whether the cooking times can be synchronised. Measure the appliance and the clearance needed to open its drawers. | Do I cook two separate dishes often enough to justify having two compartments? |
| Noise and cleaning | Look for a noise reading for the specific model while it is running. Check which parts can be removed and which are listed as dishwasher-safe; UFC-Que Choisir also considers cleaning and storage in its test procedure. | Noise matters to me in an open-plan kitchen or small space. I also want to be able to clean and store the appliance without making every meal more complicated. |
| Deep-frying in oil | Consider whether you need to deep-fry food in oil or cook it using hot air. Think about handling the oil, smells and cleaning; UFC-Que Choisir says a traditional deep fryer may be enough if you only deep-fry occasionally. | If I rarely use my deep fryer, do I have another frequent use that would justify adding an air fryer? |
UFC-Que Choisir highlights the overlap in their functions. If your oven already meets your needs, a new appliance will also take up worktop or cupboard space.
Make a note of the meals you cook during the week where a basket would genuinely make a difference to your routine. If none come up regularly, stick with your oven for now.
The stated volume alone doesn’t tell you how much food you can cook in one batch. UFC-Que Choisir’s test procedure distinguishes between the optimum and maximum quantities.
Compare the recommended quantity in the instructions with your usual portions, then measure the space available with the drawer open.
Two zones are primarily useful for cooking two dishes separately. The space they take up depends on the model; a manufacturer’s description of it as “compact” is no substitute for checking its external dimensions.
Choose this design only if you often cook two dishes at once and have room in your kitchen for the appliance and its open drawers.
UFC-Que Choisir draws attention to noise, particularly in an open-plan kitchen or a small space. How easy an appliance is to clean also depends on the parts included with your chosen model.
Read a review that measures noise while the appliance is running, and check exactly which parts can be removed and put in the dishwasher.
Moulinex offers, among other models, the 3.5 L Easy Fry Essential and the 7.5 L Easy Fry Compact. Compare their capacities with your portions and the space you have available.
Philips describes the 7.1 L NA156/60 as having a removable divider which, according to the brand, lets you switch from two 3.55 L zones to one single bowl. Its range also includes the 10 L NA460/00 with stacked baskets.
Ninja is one of the brands to consider when choosing an air fryer, but focus on a specific model and how you’ll use it rather than the brand name alone.
These three dual-basket models are best suited to households that regularly cook two separate dishes. If you only need this occasionally, first reconsider what your oven or deep fryer already does.
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Worth considering if cooking two dishes at once is part of your usual routine. This model is described as a 9.5 L, 6-in-1 air fryer with two drawers and baskets listed as dishwasher-safe.
Check the space needed to open the drawers and whether it has a sync function if you want both dishes to be ready at the same time. In an open-plan kitchen, also look for a noise reading while it’s running.
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This dual-drawer model is worth comparing with the portions you cook when preparing two dishes at once. Its product name indicates a 7.6 L capacity and six functions.
Check the suitable quantity for each drawer, the space available with the drawers open and, if needed, whether cooking times can be synchronised. A noise reading is useful if you have an open-plan kitchen.
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Worth comparing if you regularly use two baskets for separate dishes. The product name indicates a 9 L capacity, 2400 W power, eight preset programmes and independent temperature control.
Measure the space available and the clearance needed for the baskets before choosing this design. If you want to serve both dishes together, also check how the sync function works on this specific model.
Not necessarily: UFC-Que Choisir says an air fryer performs similar functions to an oven. If your oven already handles the meals you usually cook, keeping it avoids adding another appliance. Consider an air fryer if its basket or separate cooking zones meet a frequent need.
Compare your portions with the quantity recommended in the instructions and the shape of the basket, not just its capacity in litres. In its test procedure, UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between the optimum and maximum quantities for chips.
No. Two compartments are primarily for cooking separate dishes; the space an appliance takes up depends on its design. Even with stacked baskets, such as those on the Philips NA460/00 described by the brand, check the external dimensions and the room needed to open them.
Yes, especially if you’ll use the appliance in an open-plan kitchen or a small space, as UFC-Que Choisir points out. Look for a test measuring the model while it’s running; its test procedure includes a reading at 0.50 m.
Check the information for the exact model to see which parts can be removed and which are listed as dishwasher-safe. For example, Moulinex says the basket on its Easy Fry Essential 3.5 L is dishwasher-safe; that alone doesn’t tell you how to clean the rest of the appliance.