An air fryer can be a useful addition to your oven if you often cook small batches and have an accessible spot for it. If your oven already covers these needs, though, another appliance may simply take up valuable worktop space. Choose a single basket for cooking one dish at a time, or two zones if you regularly cook a main and a side together. Keep your oven for larger dishes, and compare electricity use only when the recipe and quantity are the same: results vary between appliances and cooking methods.
For roasted vegetables, portions of chicken or food to reheat without filling a large oven, check that your dishes will fit in a single batch. UFC-Que Choisir also points out that an air fryer can duplicate what your existing oven does.
Two drawers or a flexible basket are worth considering if you regularly cook two foods that need different settings. Compare the size of each zone and the synchronisation functions, not just the total capacity.
Measure the intended spot on your worktop, the clearance needed to handle the basket and the space required for storage. An appliance you use often should be easy to get out and clean without getting in the way of other cooking.
Start with the dishes you actually cook, then compare their size, how many you can cook at once and how much space the appliance will take up.
| Priority | What to check | Consider your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the internal dimensions, available cooking surface and the load limits given for the model. For two-zone models, check the size of each compartment too. | I want my portions or dish to fit without cooking several batches; the number of litres alone won’t tell me that. |
| Cooking format | A single basket holds one preparation at a time; two drawers let you set different cooking settings. For a mini-oven format, check the racks and trays, and how much room they leave for your dishes. | If I often cook a main and a different side, two zones could be useful. For large dishes or several trays, I’ll keep the oven in the running. |
| Available space | Measure the width, depth and height, as well as the clearance needed to use the appliance. Allow space to store any removable parts too. | My worktop space is limited: an extra appliance needs to be useful often enough to justify the space it takes up. |
| Electricity use | Compare the energy measured for the same recipe and quantity, including all batches. The wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much energy a cooking session will use. | I want to avoid turning on the oven for a small dish, without assuming every recipe will use less energy. In a 2024 test, UFC-Que Choisir measured an average of 36% less electricity use with the air fryers tested than with a mini oven, when cooking a small quiche in the same quantity; this result won’t apply to every type of cooking. |
| Cleaning and noise | Check the manual for removable parts and cleaning instructions, and look for a noise test of the specific model. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol measures noise at 0,50 m, among other things. | In an open-plan kitchen, I pay as much attention to noise as I do to how long it takes to clean the basket after a meal. |
| Safety guidance | Check the manual and installation instructions. For products covered by the relevant EU rules, the DGCCRF states that CE marking is compulsory, but it is not a certification mark. | I want to be able to identify the seller and read the instructions before choosing an electrical appliance. |
UFC-Que Choisir warns against buying more appliances than you need: the two appliances perform similar functions, while an air fryer used every day may end up permanently on the worktop.
Make a note of the small dishes you cook each week and what really frustrates you about using the oven. If no cooking task would benefit from a separate appliance, stick with your current set-up.
The stated capacity won’t tell you whether a dish will fit in the basket or how much room there is to arrange the food.
Measure the dishes you usually use, check the internal dimensions and, for a two-zone model, look at the capacity of each compartment.
UFC-Que Choisir’s tests show that the difference in energy use depends on the recipe and the appliances being compared. Larger quantities that need several batches also change the comparison.
Look for measurements based on the same recipe and quantity, then factor in all the batches you’d need to cook at home.
Noise, cleaning, storage and safety precautions all matter once the appliance is in your kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir includes them in its testing protocol.
Before you buy, check the manual, the parts that need cleaning and noise tests for the model you’re considering. Also make sure you have enough room to use it.
The NA154/00 is an example of a flexible basket design: according to Philips, its divider lets you switch from two 3,55 L zones to a single 7,1 L cavity.
The Easy Fry Surface XL AL4018F0 focuses on the cooking surface of a single basket. Moulinex states that it has a 4 L capacity and can hold 27 cm tarts, pizzas or quiches.
The Crispi FN101 is a portable format, distinct from larger drawer-style models.
The MultiFry 3 HF3030 and MultiFry 5 HF5073 are among the models featured in UFC-Que Choisir’s comparison.
These single-basket and two-drawer models let you compare cooking one dish at a time with preparing two-part meals. For larger dishes, keep your oven as a point of comparison.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook two parts of a meal. The stated 9 L capacity is split between two baskets, so check the dimensions of each one and how much space the appliance takes up if you usually cook modest portions.
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The two drawers are designed for cooking a main and a side separately. This model offers six functions and 9,5 L of total capacity; compare the space it needs and the capacity of each drawer with the meals you usually cook.
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This two-drawer model is worth considering for meals with two separate dishes. It offers six functions and 7,6 L of total capacity, compared with 9,5 L for the DZ400EU in this selection; still, check the size of each drawer and the external dimensions.
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The single basket is designed for cooking one dish at a time. Before choosing it for your usual batches, check its dimensions, the worktop space it needs and the cleaning instructions in the manual.
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Compare this single 4 L basket with your usual portion sizes to avoid cooking successive batches. The stated temperature range is 35 to 200 °C, with a 60-minute timer; the listed 1 500 W doesn’t tell you how much energy each recipe will use.
Not for every meal. It can handle some smaller cooking tasks and food to reheat, but its cavity limits the size of dishes and the quantity you can cook at once. UFC-Que Choisir also advises against adding an appliance whose uses simply overlap with those of your oven.
Measure your dishes and check the shape and internal dimensions of the basket. For a two-zone model, look at the size of each zone too. Philips, for example, says that the divider in the NA154/00 lets you switch from two 3,55 L zones to a single 7,1 L cavity. This configuration is specific to that model.
No: the result depends on the recipe, the quantity and the appliances being compared. In a 2024 test, UFC-Que Choisir measured an average of 36% less electricity use with the air fryers tested than with a mini oven when cooking a small quiche in the same quantity. For your own meals, remember to factor in how many batches you’ll need.
Check the manual to see which parts can be removed, how to clean them and whether replacement parts are available. For the AL4018F0, Moulinex states that parts are accessible and that the model comes with a 15-year repairability guarantee; check the terms that apply to this model before taking this into account.
According to the DGCCRF, CE marking is compulsory for products covered by the relevant EU regulations, but it is not a certification mark. Before buying, also check the seller’s identity and read the appliance’s manual and safety instructions.