An air fryer can be useful if you often cook small portions that fit in its basket and would rather not switch on your oven every time. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that it performs functions your oven already offers. Before adding another appliance, think about your usual portion sizes, the space you have and the cleaning involved.
If you often cook small portions, a basket that suits your dishes could save you from using the oven every time. Also check that you have an accessible spot for the appliance: UFC-Que Choisir notes that it can take up valuable worktop space.
On models with this feature, two compartments let you set separate cooking programmes for a main and a side. This format is worth considering if you’ll use it regularly, rather than just for the occasional meal.
First, check whether your current appliance can handle the small dishes you cook. UFC-Que Choisir warns that an air fryer may duplicate what your oven can do, while taking up extra space.
Start with the dishes you actually cook, then compare their size with the appliances you already have in your kitchen. Capacity alone won’t tell you whether a basket, mini oven or your usual oven is the better fit.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and dishes | Compare the internal dimensions of the basket or cooking cavity with those of your tins and dishes. Check whether your usual quantities will fit without cooking in several batches. | Do I mainly cook small portions, or do I need room for a larger dish? UFC-Que Choisir notes that an air fryer’s limited cooking space restricts the amount you can cook. |
| One or two dishes at a time | A single basket suits cooking one dish at a time. If you want to cook two foods, check the size of each drawer and whether the model you’re considering has separate settings or a synchronisation function. | If I often cook a main and a side at the same time, two zones could save me from cooking in separate batches. Otherwise, I may not need two drawers to clean and store. |
| Appliances you already own | Make a list of the small dishes you can already cook in your oven or combination microwave. A mini oven gives you a different type of cooking cavity if your dishes won’t fit in a basket. | Does my oven already handle these jobs easily? UFC-Que Choisir points out that adding an air fryer may mean doubling up on cooking functions you already have. |
| Electricity use | Compare the same recipe and quantity; don’t estimate its energy use from the stated wattage alone. Results vary depending on the dish and the appliance. | For a small quiche, the air fryers tested by UFC-Que Choisir used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven, when cooking the same quantity. If this difference matters to me, I shouldn’t assume it applies to my oven or every recipe. |
| Space and noise | Measure the available space, including the room needed to open the drawer. If noise matters, look for a measurement taken using a stated method; UFC-Que Choisir’s test measures it from 0.50 m away. | In a small kitchen or open-plan room, I want to be able to keep the appliance within easy reach without getting in the way of other worktop tasks. |
| Cleaning | Check which parts can be removed and read the cleaning instructions for the exact model. With two drawers, remember there are extra parts to handle. | If I plan to use the appliance often, I want to be able to clean its parts after cooking without making these small meals less convenient. |
An air fryer performs functions your oven can already manage, as UFC-Que Choisir points out. If you rarely cook small dishes, it may simply take up space on your worktop.
For a while, keep a note of the dishes you switch on your oven for, along with their size and how often you make them. This will help you decide whether you’d use a basket regularly.
An extra appliance also needs an accessible spot and cleaning after use.
The total capacity won’t tell you whether your tin will fit in the basket or how much each drawer can hold. UFC-Que Choisir notes that the limited cooking space can restrict portion sizes.
Compare the internal dimensions with your usual dishes. For a model with two drawers, check each compartment separately.
Ease of use varies between models. UFC-Que Choisir includes factors such as noise and ease of cleaning in its air fryer assessments.
If you cook in an open-plan room, look at any available noise measurements and how they were taken. Also check which parts can be removed and how they should be cleaned.
Energy use depends on the recipe, quantity and appliances being compared. In UFC-Que Choisir’s tests, the result for a small quiche won’t necessarily apply to other dishes.
To compare two options on this basis, look for measurements using recipes and quantities similar to your own.
The Easy Fry range includes models with two drawers, in side-by-side and stacked configurations.
The Airfryer range includes models with two baskets, as well as a model with a removable divider that lets you combine the compartments.
The CombiQuick range is another option if you’re considering a built-in appliance that combines oven and microwave functions, rather than a freestanding air fryer.
These models include single-basket appliances for cooking one dish at a time, as well as two-drawer models for cooking two foods separately. How useful they are will depend on your portion sizes, the space you have and the functions your oven already offers.
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This single-basket model is worth considering if you cook one small dish at a time. Check its internal dimensions against your dishes rather than relying on the 2 l capacity alone.
The product name indicates a non-stick basket, dishwasher-safe parts and a 60-minute timer.
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This single-basket model may suit dishes that fit in its 3.2 l cavity. Check the internal dimensions if you use a particular tin or dish.
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The two drawers are useful if you want to cook two parts of a meal separately. Check that each one can hold your usual portions and that you have room for the appliance on your worktop.
The product name lists six functions, including roasting and baking.
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This two-drawer model is worth comparing with the meals you usually cook. Its 9.5 l total capacity alone won’t tell you what size dish will fit in each drawer.
The product name lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check the cleaning instructions for the other parts.
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This single-basket model includes roasting and grilling settings, among others. Check that your portions and dishes will fit in its 4 l cavity.
The product name lists eight preset modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the cleaning instructions for the removable parts before choosing.
It can save you from switching on the oven for dishes that fit in its basket, but it won’t necessarily replace the oven for larger dishes or quantities. UFC-Que Choisir also points out that the two appliances have overlapping cooking functions, so whether an extra appliance is worthwhile depends on how often you cook small portions.
No. The recipe, quantity and appliances being compared all matter. For a small quiche, the air fryers tested by UFC-Que Choisir used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven when cooking the same quantity. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe or necessarily to your oven.
A single basket suits cooking one dish at a time; two compartments are more useful if you often cook two foods with different settings. Before choosing this format, check the usable size of each drawer, as well as the space the appliance needs and how it will be cleaned.
Check any available noise measurements and how they were taken, then find out how many parts need washing and read the instructions for the exact model. UFC-Que Choisir’s test measures noise from 0.50 m away and also assesses cleaning and ease of use.