A compact air fryer can be useful if you often cook small portions, provided its basket suits the dishes you make and you’re happy to find space for it, clean it and put up with the fan noise. If you only cook small amounts occasionally, or mainly use large dishes, sticking with your oven avoids adding an appliance with largely similar functions, as UFC-Que Choisir points out. If you’re primarily after the results of deep-fat frying, a traditional fryer is designed for a different purpose.
How often you cook small portions matters more than simply wanting to add another cooking method to your kitchen.
If you regularly cook small portions, compare the amount of food the basket can actually hold with what you typically eat. For example, Philips says its 3.2 L Series 2000 NA211/00 can cook up to 400 g of chips or vegetables. This figure applies to this model, not to every basket of the same capacity.
You’ll need a convenient spot for the appliance where it won’t get in the way of your worktop. Fan noise is worth considering too: UFC-Que Choisir lists it as a buying criterion, particularly if your kitchen shares your living space.
Two baskets are useful if you regularly cook a main dish and a side at the same time. If that’s unusual for you, compare the space the appliance would take up with what a smaller basket would need, bearing in mind that you already have an oven.
Start with the dishes and quantities you cook most often, then consider whether a new appliance offers anything your oven doesn’t already do well.
| Criterion | What to check | Depending on your needs |
|---|---|---|
| How you use your oven | Think about how often you cook small portions and which functions you already use on your oven. UFC-Que Choisir notes that the uses of the two appliances overlap considerably. | I mainly cook large dishes or only make small portions now and then: sticking with my oven could save me from buying another appliance. |
| Portions and shape | Compare the stated capacities, as well as the usable surface area and diameter. Litres alone won’t tell you whether a quiche or pizza will fit in the basket. | I often cook a small portion: a compact basket may be enough. For larger tarts or pizzas, I’ll check the shape of the cooking compartment first or stick with my oven. |
| Cooking at the same time | Check the size of each drawer and whether the specific model has a synchronisation function. Philips says the NA461/00 has two 5 L baskets with synchronisation. | I often need to cook a main dish and a side at the same time: two cooking zones could be useful. For a single portion, I may not make much use of the extra capacity. |
| Space and noise | Measure the available space and look for a noise measurement taken while the appliance is running, with the distance specified. You can’t tell how noisy it is from the basket capacity. | In my open-plan kitchen, the fan would run close to where I eat or work, so noise and the space it takes up will influence my choice. |
| Cleaning | Check which parts that come into contact with food can be removed and whether the manufacturer says they’re dishwasher-safe for the exact model number. | If I plan to use the appliance several times a week, I want to be able to clean the basket and tray easily after each use. |
| Electricity use | Compare the energy used to cook the same recipe and quantity, taking into account the oven used for comparison. The stated wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much energy a cooking cycle will use. | I want to know how the appliance performs for the small recipes I make, without applying results from a different dish or oven to all my meals. |
| Deep-fat frying | Decide whether you’re mainly looking for versatile hot-air cooking or the taste and texture of deep-fat frying. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between these results. | If deep-fat frying fresh chips is my main use, I won’t choose an air fryer expecting it to cook them in the same way. |
Capacity doesn’t tell you how much room there is for a tart or pizza. For example, Moulinex says the Easy Fry Surface XL can fit dishes up to 27 cm across. That’s different information from its 4 L capacity.
Measure the dishes you use and check for a compatible diameter if width is important.
The ability to coordinate two cooking cycles is of little benefit if you hardly ever use both zones. The appliance could end up duplicating what your oven does.
Choose a dual-drawer model if you regularly cook two things at once. Otherwise, compare a compact basket with the oven you already own.
Two drawers also need a permanent spot on your worktop or in a cupboard.
Energy use varies depending on the recipe, quantity, cooking time and appliance used for comparison. Results for a small dish won’t automatically apply to several batches.
Look for tests that measure energy use for a recipe and quantity similar to yours, rather than relying on the stated wattage alone.
The fan runs while the food cooks, and a brief test in a shop may not reflect how it sounds in an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir highlights noise as something to consider before buying.
If a quiet home matters to you, look for a measurement taken while the appliance is running and compare results from similar testing conditions.
These models illustrate different formats; the features of one model don’t apply to every product in the same brand’s range.
The range includes the 3.2 L Series 2000 NA211/00 and the Series 4000 NA461/00, which has two stacked 5 L baskets, according to Philips France.
The range includes different formats for different needs: Moulinex describes the Easy Fry Surface XL AL402HF0 as suitable for flat dishes up to 27 cm across, while the Easy Fry & Grill XXL EZ801D10 has a removable cooking bowl.
The Foodi MAX Dual Zone AF400EU is described as having two independent cooking zones and a stated total capacity of 9.5 L.
These appliances may suit you if you’re looking to cook small portions: some have a small container, while another comes with two containers in different sizes. Compare the space they’ll take up in your kitchen with how you already use your oven.
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If you’re considering this model for cooking small portions, check that its containers suit the amounts you usually cook and that you have space to store them. If your kitchen is open-plan, look for a noise measurement taken while the appliance is running too.
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Compare the 2 L basket with the amount you usually cook: capacity alone doesn’t tell you what weight of food is suitable for each recipe. The product name states that it has a 60-minute timer and a non-stick, dishwasher-safe basket. Also check how much space it needs and how noisy it is if your kitchen is open-plan.
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The stated 2.3 L and 5.7 L glass containers give you two sizes to choose from. Check that the smaller one suits your portions and that you have space to store both. The product comes with storage lids and has five pre-set cooking modes. If noise matters in your kitchen, look for a measurement taken while the appliance is running.
It can handle some smaller cooking jobs if the basket fits your food, but it won’t replace an oven for large dishes or several trays at once. UFC-Que Choisir points out that air fryer functions overlap considerably with those of an oven. If you rarely cook small portions, remember to consider how much space another appliance would take up.
No. The result depends on factors including the dish, the quantity and the oven used for comparison. UFC-Que Choisir says that in its test of a quiche lorraine, the air fryers tested used less energy than the mini oven they were compared with. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe or oven.
Look for a measurement taken while the appliance is running and note the distance at which it was measured, so you can compare models under similar conditions. UFC-Que Choisir draws attention to fan noise, which is particularly important if your kitchen opens onto your living space.
Check that the basket and other parts that come into contact with food can be removed, then read the cleaning instructions for the exact model. For example, Moulinex says the bowl and grill plate on the Easy Fry & Grill XXL EZ801D10 are dishwasher-safe. This may not apply to its other models.
Don’t assume the two cooking methods give you the same taste and texture. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the difference in crispness compared with traditional frying. If that’s what matters most to you when cooking fresh chips, keeping a deep-fat fryer may better suit your needs.