A drawer-style air fryer can suit regular small batches if you have space for a dedicated appliance. A dual-zone model is better suited to cooking two dishes at the same time. If your fan oven already handles the dishes you usually make, consider what an air fryer would genuinely add before buying one. And if you’re looking for the texture of deep-fried food, Que Choisir points out that an air fryer may not replicate it.
For regular small portions, a single drawer can help keep the appliance’s footprint down. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a starting point for one or two people. You should also check that the basket can fit the foods you usually cook.
Two compartments let you cook a main and a side with separate settings, if the model offers this feature. Check the capacity of each drawer and the space needed to open them: the total capacity isn’t one single cavity.
If you mainly use your oven for larger dishes, consider whether a separate appliance would be useful for smaller batches. If your oven already covers most of your needs, an air fryer could be redundant, as Que Choisir points out.
Start with the portions and foods you cook, then compare the space available, cleaning requirements and what your oven can already do.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and basket | Check the usable capacity, basket shape and room to spread out the food. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four, and 7 to 9 L for five or six. These are guidelines, not a guarantee of portion sizes. | I often cook small batches and would rather have a drawer suited to the food I make than a large advertised capacity I wouldn’t use in full. |
| Cooking two dishes | For a dual-zone model, compare the capacity of each compartment, whether the settings are independent and whether the cooking times can be synchronised. Check that larger foods will fit in a single compartment. | I need to cook a main and a side at the same time, sometimes at different temperatures or for different lengths of time. |
| Space and noise | Measure the space available, including room to open the drawers and the clearances specified in the manual. To compare noise levels, look for measurements taken under the same conditions. Que Choisir highlights this as a particular consideration for open-plan kitchens and smaller spaces. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to keep the appliance somewhere convenient without overlooking fan noise. |
| Cleaning | Identify the removable parts and check the manual for the exact model to see which ones are dishwasher-safe. With two zones, remember to factor in the extra baskets and accessories to clean. | After an everyday meal, I want to know exactly which parts will need washing by hand. |
| Appliances you already own | Compare the size of your usual dishes and how often you cook small batches with what your oven can do. If the texture of traditionally fried food is your top priority, bear in mind Que Choisir’s distinction between hot-air cooking and deep-frying. | I already have an oven, so an air fryer needs to serve a specific purpose rather than simply cook the same food in another appliance. |
| Electricity use | To compare two cooking methods, use the same recipe, quantity and preheating conditions. The European Commission lists oven energy consumption per cycle by cooking mode; on its own, this figure doesn’t show how an air fryer compares. | A claim about saving energy isn’t enough to influence my choice if it’s based on a different food or quantity from the meals I usually make. |
Two small drawers won’t fit the same dish as one large cavity. Even with a single basket, the amount you can cook depends on how much room the food needs.
Compare the usable width and depth with your usual dishes. For a dual-zone model, check each compartment separately.
Que Choisir highlights the risk of duplicating what your oven can do, and points out that an air fryer may not replicate the taste and texture of deep-fried food.
Choose an air fryer for things you’ll genuinely cook in it. Keep your oven in the running for larger dishes, and consider an oil fryer if its distinctive texture is essential.
A comparison based on one particular food won’t tell you how every recipe will perform. Oven energy consumption figures per cycle also don’t, on their own, provide a like-for-like comparison with an air fryer.
Before drawing conclusions for your own meals, check which food, quantity, temperature and preheating conditions were used in the comparison.
Fan noise can matter in an open-plan kitchen, while baskets, trays and racks all affect the daily cleaning routine.
Look for noise measurements with clearly stated conditions, and check the manual for the model to see which removable parts are dishwasher-safe.
These features apply to the models listed, not every appliance made by each brand.
The Série 2000 NA210/00 is an example of a single-drawer model for smaller portions.
The Easy Fry Deluxe EZ401D10 is an example of a single-drawer model with a mid-range capacity.
The Easy Fry Dual XXL EY9428E0 is a two-compartment model designed for cooking several parts of a meal.
These single-drawer and dual-compartment models use hot air rather than deep-frying. Compare their layout with your portion sizes and how you already use your oven.
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Worth considering if you cook two parts of a meal at the same time. The model name indicates six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check the dimensions of each drawer to make sure they suit the food you cook, and allow enough room on your worktop.
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This two-drawer design is suited to cooking two separate dishes, as long as each one fits in its compartment. The model name indicates six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. The 7.6 L capacity isn’t one single cavity.
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For smaller batches, its 3.2 L capacity falls within Que Choisir’s 3 to 4 L guideline for one or two people. Joybuy describes a drawer and removable basket that are dishwasher-safe. Check the basket’s surface area if you need to spread food out while it cooks.
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Its advertised capacity is at the upper end of Que Choisir’s guideline for one or two people. The product name indicates eight modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the basket’s surface area and, if it matters to you, the cleaning instructions for removable parts.
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The two compartments let you cook two foods at the same time. The product name indicates a total capacity of 9 L and ten functions. Before choosing this format, check the capacity of each compartment, the overall dimensions and the cleaning instructions.
Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four, and 7 to 9 L for five or six as starting points. Then check the basket’s surface area and shape: the advertised capacity alone won’t tell you how much of your food will fit in one batch.
Not for every use. An air fryer can be handy for frequent small batches, while an oven may still be more practical for larger dishes and quantities. If you already have an oven, compare it with the dishes you usually cook before adding another appliance. Que Choisir warns that the two could be redundant.
No. You need to compare the food, quantity and cooking conditions used in the test. For example, Tefal links its claim to tests carried out in 2024 on frozen chips. The energy consumption listed per oven cycle doesn’t, on its own, show how much electricity you could save when cooking your own meals.
It depends on the model and the part, so check the manual for the baskets, trays and other removable components. Some manufacturers state that these parts are dishwasher-safe; this doesn’t apply to the heating unit. For a Tefal non-stick basket, the brand also recommends using a non-abrasive sponge when washing it by hand.