A single-drawer air fryer can complement your oven for frequent small portions, provided you have enough space to use it regularly. Two cooking zones are better suited to cooking two parts of a meal at the same time. For larger dishes or bigger batches, your existing oven is still worth keeping.
If you often cook small amounts without wanting to use your main oven, start by looking at a single-drawer model. Make sure it can fit the dishes you usually cook, though, and be prepared to cook dishes separately if they need different settings.
If you regularly prepare two parts of a meal using different settings, it’s worth comparing models with two drawers or a flexible basket. The size of each zone and the space the appliance takes up matter just as much as its total capacity.
An additional air fryer needs to be used often enough to justify the space it takes up. UFC-Que Choisir points out that an appliance used every day may end up staying on the worktop. If you’re short on space, keeping your oven may be the better option.
Start with the dishes and quantities you cook, then check that your chosen format fits in your kitchen and genuinely makes cooking them easier.
| Criteria | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and dishes | Compare the stated capacity with the basket’s shape and internal dimensions. Check that your food will fit without being stacked too high, and work out how many batches you might need. | I mainly cook small portions, but I want my usual dishes to fit in the appliance. For a large dish or bigger batches, I can keep using the oven. |
| Cooking format | A single drawer handles one dish at a time. For two separate items, check the size of each drawer, the independent settings and, if it matters to you, the synchronisation function. Also compare a mini oven’s shape with the dishes you use. | Do my meals often include two items that need to be cooked differently? If not, a single drawer or my existing oven may be enough. |
| Available space | Measure the space where you plan to put the appliance, as well as its external dimensions. Check the model’s instructions for installation and ventilation requirements; don’t assume it can be squeezed between other items. | I need to be able to use the appliance without permanently cluttering the worktop. If I have to put it away after every use, I’ll also take the extra effort into account. |
| Electricity use | Compare energy use for the same recipe and quantity, rather than relying on the stated wattage alone. Results for a small dish won’t necessarily reflect larger batches or repeated cooking cycles. | I want to know how the appliance performs for the dishes I actually cook. In a 2024 test, UFC-Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven when cooking a quiche lorraine of the same size. This result applies to that recipe and comparison. |
| Noise and cleaning | Check noise measurements where available. Consult the manual to see how easy it is to reach the cooking chamber and basket, which parts are dishwasher-safe and how to clean the appliance. | If I use the appliance several times a week, I want its noise to be manageable and the parts that come into contact with food to be easy to clean. |
A basket can limit what you can cook at once, especially when preparing large dishes or multiple batches. An extra appliance also takes up space, particularly if it stays within easy reach on the worktop, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
Make a note of the dishes and quantities you cook regularly. Only choose an additional appliance if those small meals justify the space it takes up.
Total capacity doesn’t tell you the usable shape of the basket or the size of each compartment. A dish may not fit, even if the stated capacity looks sufficient.
Check the internal and external dimensions, then estimate how many batches you’ll need for your usual portions.
Energy use depends on the dish, the quantity and the appliance. UFC-Que Choisir’s test with a small quiche compared the air fryers tested with a mini oven, not every meal cooked in a traditional oven.
When comparing two appliances, look for measurements based on the same recipe and quantity. Factor in extra cooking cycles if the small basket means you’ll need to cook in batches.
The cooking chamber, basket and areas exposed to food residue need to be cleaned according to the model’s instructions. Philips, for example, recommends leaving its Airfryer to cool for about 30 minutes before cleaning it.
Before buying, check the manual to find out which parts can be removed, which are dishwasher-safe and how to clean the surfaces without damaging them.
These brand examples show different formats to compare; their features don’t apply to every model in each range.
Moulinex offers the 3.5 L Easy Fry Essential EZ130810 and the 8.3 L Dual Easy Fry & Grill EZ905B20. These are two models to consider if you’re choosing between a single basket and two cooking zones.
According to Philips, the NA154/00 switches from two 3.55 L zones to one 7.1 L zone using a removable divider.
These single-drawer and two-compartment models offer different ways to complement your oven, whether you’re cooking small portions or preparing parts of a meal at the same time.
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Worth considering if you often prepare two parts of a meal at the same time. The product listing specifies two drawers and a total capacity of 7.6 L. Before buying, check the usable size of each drawer, the space required and the ventilation instructions.
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Two baskets suit households that often cook two dishes at once. The stated total capacity is 9 L. For small portions, focus on the dimensions of each basket, the appliance’s external size and the features you’ll actually use.
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The 2 L single basket is worth considering for small quantities, rather than two dishes cooked separately. The product listing specifies a 60-minute timer. Check the internal dimensions to make sure your food will fit, and allow enough space around the appliance.
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Its two compartments are worth considering if you want to cook two parts of a meal at once. The 9 L figure is the stated total capacity, so check the usable capacity of each zone, the appliance’s overall size and the features that suit the way you cook.
No: you need to compare the same dish and quantity. For a quiche lorraine of the same size, UFC-Que Choisir measured average electricity use that was 36% lower for the air fryers tested than for a mini oven in 2024. This measurement doesn’t predict the energy use of every model or a different meal.
Start with the size of the portions and dishes you cook, then check the basket’s internal dimensions. A capacity in litres doesn’t guarantee that a tin or a long ingredient will fit, and a basket that’s too small may mean cooking in batches.
Two drawers are most useful for meals that regularly include two items needing different settings. UFC-Que Choisir describes this feature on models with two drawers. If you want both cooking cycles to finish at the same time, check that your chosen model has a synchronisation function and that each zone is large enough.
Let it cool before handling it: Philips recommends waiting about 30 minutes before cleaning its Airfryer. Then follow your model’s instructions for cleaning the cooking chamber, basket and other surfaces. Check which parts are dishwasher-safe and which utensils to avoid on a non-stick coating.