An air fryer could earn a place in a kitchen that already has an oven if you often cook modest portions and find a worktop basket more convenient for these meals. If your oven already suits the dishes you make and the time they take to prepare, sticking with it means no extra storage, cleaning or noise. Before choosing, compare usable capacity, the space needed around the appliance and the parts you’ll have to wash with the meals you usually cook.
If you often cook for one or two people, compare the space a basket would take up with how easy it is to use your oven for the same meals. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the amount you can actually cook depends on usable capacity, not just the stated capacity.
If you regularly need two dishes ready at the same time, a dual-drawer appliance could save you from cooking in successive batches. According to UFC-Que Choisir, these drawers let you cook different foods at the same time; make sure each compartment is large enough for your portions, though.
In an open-plan kitchen or on an already busy worktop, fan noise and the space around the appliance matter just as much as its size. UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering both before adding an air fryer to a kitchen that already has an oven.
Start with the meals your oven or another appliance already cooks without any difficulty. A single basket, two drawers or a mini-oven-style format only offers a distinct benefit if its layout suits something you cook regularly.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| A use your oven doesn’t already cover | Think about the dishes you make regularly and what makes them less convenient to cook in your current oven. | If my oven already meets my everyday cooking needs, I’d rather avoid another appliance to store and wash. Around 33% of consumers put avoiding a duplicate appliance at the top of their list of concerns. |
| Portions and layout | Compare the internal dimensions with the foods you usually cook. For a two-drawer model, check the capacity of each compartment. | When I serve several parts of a meal together, I want to know they’ll all fit without needing multiple batches. For around 25% of consumers, capacity suited to their meal is the priority. |
| Space and noise | Measure the drawer clearance and check the manual for how much space to leave around the appliance. Find out how noisy it is in use. | In an open-plan, already busy kitchen, I don’t want an appliance getting in the way on the worktop or interrupting conversations. For around 25% of consumers, space and low noise come before other criteria. |
| Cleaning | Check exactly which parts are removable and which the manual says are dishwasher-safe. | If I cook often, washing the basket and accessories will affect how regularly I use the appliance. Around 17% of consumers put ease of cleaning first. |
An oven-style air fryer deserves the same comparison with your existing oven. Racks and trays may suit certain dishes, but they also mean more parts to store and clean. UFC-Que Choisir reminds consumers that an air fryer performs some of the same functions as an oven, whatever the format; a long list of programmes alone isn’t enough to justify a second appliance.
Being able to bake, roast or grill doesn’t automatically give you a new use for an appliance in a kitchen that’s already equipped. UFC-Que Choisir notes that air fryers also perform functions that an oven can handle.
Make a note of the dishes and quantities you cook most often. If your oven already handles them well, look for a specific practical benefit before adding another appliance.
A large stated capacity doesn’t tell you what size of food will fit in the basket. With a two-drawer model, the total capacity is split between the compartments; UFC-Que Choisir stresses the importance of usable capacity.
Compare the internal dimensions of the appliance and each drawer with the dishes you usually make, then work out how many batches you’ll need.
The fan makes noise, and the appliance needs space to release heat. You’ll also need to open the drawer without anything in the way, even if the appliance itself fits easily on your worktop.
Measure the space with the drawer open, check the clearance instructions for the model and make sure you have a suitable surface to put the hot drawer on.
If a basket is listed as dishwasher-safe, that doesn’t necessarily apply to the other accessories. The specifications provided by Moulinex and Philips refer to specific models, not their entire ranges.
Check the product details and manual for each part, especially racks, trays and baskets.
The ranges below give you options to compare for capacity, basket layout and available features. A feature listed for one model doesn’t necessarily apply to other models from the same brand.
The Easy Fry range includes single-basket models and dual-drawer options. Compare their layouts to find the right fit for your portions.
Single baskets and flexible cooking spaces make it possible to compare models for meals of different sizes and combinations.
This brand may be worth comparing if a recipe and programme app genuinely fits the way you cook.
These single-basket and dual-drawer models let you compare options for smaller portions, meals with two dishes and larger quantities. Start by choosing the format that suits your meals; none of these appliances makes your existing oven redundant on its own.
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A basket to consider for regularly cooking smaller portions, if this format is more convenient for you than your oven.
The product name states a capacity of 3,2 L. Check how much space the appliance needs around it and how noisy it is in use in your kitchen.
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A dual-basket model is worth considering if you regularly prepare two parts of the same meal.
The stated total capacity is 9 L, but this doesn’t tell you how much space there is in each basket. Check the dimensions of each compartment, how far the drawers open and where the appliance will sit on your worktop.
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Compare this 2 L basket with the smaller portions you usually cook, and check they’ll fit without needing several batches.
The product name gives a rated power of 1 150 W and describes a non-stick basket. Check the appliance dimensions and the cleaning instructions for each part in the manual.
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Compare it with your oven for meals for one or two people, judging the basket size by the foods you actually cook.
The product name gives a capacity of 4,7 L, a rated power of 2 000 W and a non-stick basket. Its three functions don’t in themselves prove that it can replace one of your oven’s uses; check how much room it will take up in your kitchen too.
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This capacity is worth considering if your portions are too large for a small basket, but don’t assume it will fit the dishes you usually make.
The stated capacity is 7,6 L. Compare the internal dimensions with the foods you cook, then check your storage space and which parts need cleaning.
Measure the space with the drawer fully open, then check the model’s manual to see how much clearance you need around the appliance. UFC-Que Choisir recommends allowing room for heat to escape; the required clearance depends on the model you choose.
Not necessarily. Two drawers can hold different foods at the same time, but each has its own size limitations. For larger dishes or cooking on several levels, compare the internal dimensions with your oven rather than relying on the total capacity.
Check the manual separately for the basket, racks and other accessories. Only treat parts as dishwasher-safe if they’re specifically identified as such; a claim about the basket doesn’t apply to the whole appliance.
If you bought an item as a private individual from a professional seller in France, the legal guarantee of conformity covers cases such as a product that doesn’t match the contract or its description. The French Ministry of the Economy says that it applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods. Contact the seller and keep your proof of purchase and the product description. Any commercial guarantee offered does not replace this legal guarantee.