An air fryer is most worthwhile if you often cook smaller portions and have a suitable place for it, as set out in the instructions. A single-basket model handles one cooking task at a time; a dual-zone model lets you coordinate a main and a side. For larger dishes or cooking on several levels, compare a mini-oven format with the oven you already own. The stated capacity of a basket alone isn’t enough to make the decision.
If you mainly cook or reheat a small portion, look for a cooking area that suits the dishes you usually make before choosing a capacity in litres. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide for one or two people, but that capacity doesn’t guarantee the basket will be the right shape for your needs.
A main and a side don’t always need the same cooking time or temperature. Two zones can let you cook them at the same time; check that each one can fit the portion you have in mind.
An extra appliance needs space while cooking, when you open the drawer and, potentially, when you put it away. If your oven already suits your everyday meals, compare using it with the space, noise and cleaning involved in an air fryer.
The right format depends first on what you cook at one time, then on how much space you can give the appliance. These four options suit different ways of organising meals.
Worth considering: for cooking one small dish at a time, when you want to keep the appliance compact.
Bear in mind: you may need to cook a main and its side in separate batches.
Worth considering: if you regularly cook two foods with different settings and want to serve them together.
Bear in mind: the total capacity is split between the zones, and you’ll need to find space for the appliance in your kitchen.
Worth considering: if your dishes are better suited to a baking tray, rack or oven dish than a basket.
Bear in mind: check how much space it takes up and compare it with your oven before adding another appliance.
Stick with it: if you mainly cook large or tall dishes, or several dishes on different shelves.
Compare: for smaller recipes, energy use depends on the appliances, quantities and cooking methods being considered.
| Factor | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the shape of the basket and the amount recommended in the instructions, not just the litre capacity. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a starting point for one or two people. | If I mainly cook a small portion, I want to be able to cook it in one go without choosing an appliance that’s too bulky for my kitchen. Around 37% of consumers would put usable capacity first. |
| Cooking two dishes | Check that the settings are independent and look at the capacity of each zone; if you want both dishes to finish together, check whether the appliance has a synchronisation function. | When my meal includes a main and a side that need different cooking times, I want to avoid one having to wait for the other. This would be the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space needed with the drawer open and check the instructions for clearance requirements. Look at the removable parts and their cleaning instructions; if noise matters to you, look for noise test results. | I need to be able to use and clean the appliance every day without it taking up worktop space permanently. For around 27% of consumers, this would take priority over other considerations. |
| Whether it’s worth having alongside your oven | Compare your usual recipes and portions using measurements taken for the same cooking tasks and clearly identified appliances; factor in dishes that need several shelves. | My oven already covers some of my meals: before adding another appliance, I want to know what it would change for my smaller recipes. Around 9% of consumers would make this their priority. |
A large capacity doesn’t guarantee that a wide dish will fit in the basket; filling a basket beyond the recommended amount may mean cooking in several batches.
Start with your portions and the shape of your dishes, then check the basket dimensions and the quantities specified in the instructions. The 3 to 4 L guide from UFC-Que Choisir for one or two people isn’t a guarantee that every recipe will fit.
UFC-Que Choisir reports that the air fryers it tested used an average of 36% less electricity than a 19 L mini-oven when cooking a small quiche of the same size. This result won’t necessarily apply to your oven or all your recipes.
When comparing appliances, look for tests that specify the recipe, quantity and oven used as a benchmark.
You’ll need enough room to open the drawer and follow the model’s ventilation instructions. A large-capacity or dual-zone model can be tricky to fit in an already busy kitchen.
Measure the space available and check the instructions for the exact model, in French, to find out how much clearance it needs, rather than relying on a generic distance.
If your everyday meals mainly use large tins, baking trays or several oven shelves, a basket may not replace the flexibility your oven offers.
Make a note of the dishes you cook most often and check which ones would genuinely fit in the format you’re considering before making room for it.
Even if you don’t use it often, an extra appliance needs storage space and cleaning after use.
These ranges show different cooking layouts. Check the features of the specific model rather than assuming they apply to every appliance from a brand.
The range includes stacked baskets, which let you cook two parts of a meal while taking up less worktop space.
The Easy Fry range includes single-basket models and flexible configurations, depending on the model.
The Easy Fry range includes models designed to switch between one large zone and two separate cooking zones.
Ninja is one of the brands featured in French comparison tests, with models including dual-zone and mini-oven-style appliances.
These Joybuy appliances include single-basket models for cooking one dish at a time and dual-drawer models for preparing two dishes in parallel. Compare their stated capacity with your portions and the space available; if your oven already meets these needs, there’s no need to buy another appliance.
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Worth considering for cooking one dish at a time: its 4 L capacity matches the guide given by UFC-Que Choisir for one or two people, provided the basket suits your dishes.
The product name lists eight preset modes, an adjustable temperature from 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the instructions for the recommended quantity, cleaning guidance and installation clearance.
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Its stated capacity of 7,6 L is worth comparing with your usual portions. If you mainly cook for one or two people, check how much space it really takes up when cooking a small portion.
Before choosing a spot for it, check the appliance dimensions, the recommended quantities for your dishes and the ventilation instructions.
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The two baskets are suited to cooking a main and its side at the same time. Check how much each basket can hold for the meals you make.
The 9 L is the stated total capacity, not the capacity of each basket. Check the instructions for the usable dimensions and the space to leave around the appliance.
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This 2 L basket may suit people who cook modest portions, but it’s below the 3 to 4 L guide given by UFC-Que Choisir for one or two people.
The product name lists a 60-minute timer. Before choosing this size, check the recommended quantity, basket dimensions and clearance requirements in the instructions.
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The two drawers are suited to cooking two foods at the same time with different settings, provided there’s enough room in each for your portions.
The 7,6 L is the stated total capacity. Check the usable space in each drawer, installation clearances and cleaning instructions for the DZ300EU model.
No. You can’t assume the same energy saving for every recipe and oven. UFC-Que Choisir reports that the air fryers it tested used an average of 36% less electricity than a 19 L mini-oven when cooking a small quiche of the same size. Compare results for the cooking you do and the appliance used as a benchmark.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a starting point for one or two people, not as a guaranteed capacity for every meal. Check the shape of the basket, the quantity recommended in the instructions and the dishes you want to cook in it.
Two drawers are most useful if you regularly cook two dishes that need different cooking times or temperatures. If you usually cook just one portion, compare a single-basket model too. Either way, check the capacity of each zone rather than just the stated total.
Check the instructions for the exact model to see which parts are removable and which can go in the dishwasher. Also consider how easy it is to reach the basket or drawers after cooking: cleaning features vary between models, even within the same range.