If you already have an oven in a small kitchen, an air fryer is most useful for preparing or reheating smaller portions regularly. It doesn’t offer a fundamentally different way to cook. Keep the oven for larger dishes; consider a single-drawer model if you mainly cook for one or two people, or a dual-drawer model if you regularly prepare two parts of a meal at the same time. Either way, check how much space it takes up, its usable capacity, noise level and cleaning requirements.
If you often prepare small portions, it’s worth comparing a single-drawer air fryer with your oven. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people; also measure the space where you’d keep the appliance.
Two drawers can cook a main dish and a side at the same time, depending on their size. Check that each compartment can hold your usual portions: the total capacity doesn’t tell you how much space there is in each drawer.
Fan noise matters more when your kitchen opens onto your living area. UFC-Que Choisir highlights this and measures operating noise from 50 cm away in its testing protocol; compare results for the model you’re considering.
Start with the dishes you actually cook. Your existing oven remains an option for larger batches, while single- and dual-drawer air fryers suit different worktop cooking needs. If you need racks, baking trays or wider dishes, also compare a mini convection oven with the dimensions of your cookware.
| Factor | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday usefulness | List the small dishes you make regularly and compare how they cook in your existing oven. Allow for the space an appliance will take up if left on the worktop. | I want to know whether a drawer-style air fryer would make regular meals easier, rather than adding an appliance that rarely does anything my oven can’t. |
| Portions and shape | UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people and 5 to 6 L for three or four as a starting point. Check the usable capacity and width to make sure your dishes will fit; two drawers don’t necessarily make one large cooking compartment. | My usual meals should fit without needing several batches. If I’m cooking a large dish, the size of its base matters just as much as the stated capacity. |
| Available space | Measure the external dimensions, the space needed to open the drawers and the clearances specified in the instructions. Also compare the space taken up by a mini oven and its trays. | I can keep the appliance within easy reach without getting in the way of meal preparation, and I won’t use it under a cupboard if the instructions advise against it. |
| Noise and cleaning | Look for an operating noise measurement for the exact model. Check the instructions to see which parts are removable and whether they’re dishwasher-safe. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to prepare meals without too much noise, then clean the parts I’ve used easily. |
| Energy use | Compare the same recipe in the same quantity, then factor in the number of batches needed. In a test published in 2024, UFC-Que Choisir measured average electricity use for a small quiche that was 36% lower with the air fryers tested than with the mini oven used for comparison; this result doesn’t apply to every recipe. | If I mainly cook small quantities, I want to compare the electricity used for the whole meal, rather than assume one appliance always uses less. |
UFC-Que Choisir points out that it performs similar functions to an oven. If you rarely use it, it will mainly take up extra space in a kitchen that’s already equipped.
Write down three dishes you’d regularly make in the new appliance. If your oven can handle them easily, consider whether a second appliance really justifies the space it would take up.
The total capacity doesn’t tell you whether your dish will fit in the cooking compartment. UFC-Que Choisir stresses that usable capacity determines how much you can actually cook.
Compare the shape and internal dimensions with your portions and dishes, then measure the space available for the appliance.
A result based on a small recipe doesn’t tell you how a larger meal will cook, especially if a small drawer means you have to cook several batches.
To compare appliances, choose a recipe and quantity similar to what you usually cook, and include all the cycles you’ll need.
The fan can be disruptive in an open-plan kitchen, and cleaning requirements vary between models. A dishwasher-safe drawer from one brand doesn’t mean they all are.
Before deciding where you’ll use it, check a noise test for the exact model and read its cleaning instructions.
These examples help you compare the formats and advertised features of certain models. They don’t indicate how an entire range will perform or how much space an appliance will take up in your kitchen.
The range includes single-drawer and dual-drawer models, which you can compare based on how you like to divide up a meal.
The Easy Fry models mentioned by Moulinex let you compare a 5 L drawer with a cooking compartment designed to fit wider dishes.
Ninja is among the air fryer brands reviewed in UFC-Que Choisir’s comparison. When choosing a drawer-style model, however, start with its dimensions and your portion sizes.
These single-drawer and dual-compartment models are formats to consider for everyday portions. Compare them with the space you have and your current oven; if you need racks or wider dishes, also look at mini ovens.
Image unavailable
Its single 4 L drawer falls within the capacity range UFC-Que Choisir suggests for one or two people. The product title lists eight pre-set programmes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C. Measure the available space and check the instructions for cleaning the removable parts. If your kitchen is open-plan, also look for a noise measurement for this model.
Image unavailable
The two drawers let you cook a main dish and a side at the same time. Check that each can hold your usual portion rather than judging by the total 7.6 L capacity. You’ll also need to measure how much worktop space it requires and, if your kitchen is open-plan, compare its operating noise.
Image unavailable
Its stated 5 L capacity is at the lower end of the 5 to 6 L range UFC-Que Choisir suggests for three or four people. Check how much usable space there is for the meals you cook. The product information calls for 30 cm of clearance from flammable objects and advises against using it beneath a wall unit, so bear these instructions in mind when choosing where to put it.
Image unavailable
This stated capacity is worth considering if your portions are larger than those suited to a small single-drawer model. Before setting aside space for it in a small kitchen, check its external dimensions and whether the cooking compartment will fit the dishes you use. The name “Compact Max” alone doesn’t tell you how much space it takes up.
Image unavailable
The two drawers are designed for cooking two parts of a meal at the same time, provided each portion fits in its compartment. With a stated total capacity of 9 L, measure the space you have carefully. Also check the instructions for cleaning the drawers and look for a noise measurement if needed.
Not necessarily. According to UFC-Que Choisir, it performs similar functions to an oven. It may be useful for small dishes you make often, but keep your oven in mind for larger dishes and batches that won’t fit in a drawer.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people and 5 to 6 L for three or four. Then check the shape and usable capacity of the cooking compartment: the stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit.
Don’t assume they are. Check the product details and instructions for the exact model, including for removable racks and trays. Moulinex says the drawer in the Easy Fry Max 5 L is dishwasher-safe, but that doesn’t mean other models are too.
Look for a test carried out while the model you’re considering is running. UFC-Que Choisir measures noise from 50 cm away and recommends paying attention to the fan, particularly in a small or open-plan kitchen.
No. The result depends on the recipe, quantity and number of batches. In a test published in 2024, UFC-Que Choisir measured average electricity use for a small quiche, cooked in the same quantity, that was 36% lower with the air fryers tested than with the mini oven used for comparison. This figure doesn’t apply to every meal.