An air fryer can complement your oven if you regularly cook small portions and have a suitable space for it, as specified in the instructions for your chosen model. Keep the oven for large dishes, cooking on several shelves or meals that would need multiple batches in a basket. A dual-drawer model is most worthwhile if you often cook two dishes at the same time; neither time savings nor lower electricity use is guaranteed for every recipe.
If you often roast or grill modest quantities of food, a basket air fryer can complement your oven. It becomes less useful when your usual dishes need several batches: UFC-Que Choisir points out that air fryers also perform functions already covered by an oven.
A dual-zone model is worth considering if your main dish and side regularly need different cooking times or temperatures. However, check the space available in each zone, not just the advertised total capacity.
The appliance’s width alone won’t tell you whether it will fit: you also need room to open the drawer and must follow the installation instructions in the manual. If the fan noise could be an issue, look for a noise assessment of the specific model; UFC-Que Choisir has noted differences in noise levels between appliances.
Start with the meals you actually cook: the amount of food and how many dishes you prepare at once matter more than the list of programmes. Then consider whether you can leave a new appliance set up and clean it without disrupting your routine.
Choose it: for large dishes, cooking on several shelves or quantities that would fill multiple baskets.
Consider: for a small dish, compare the cooking time and electricity used for an equivalent recipe before assuming an air fryer would save you anything.
Consider it: if small portions that need roasting or crisping feature regularly in your meals.
Drawback: a meal that won’t fit across the cooking surface may need to be cooked in several batches.
Consider it: if you regularly need two dishes with different settings to be ready at the same time.
Drawback: each zone still has its own capacity limits, and you’ll need space for the appliance on your worktop.
Consider it: if you mainly want a worktop appliance for conventionally shaped dishes, rather than a basket for small portions.
Consider: compare the internal space and energy use for your recipes; results for a small dish won’t necessarily apply to every meal.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usefulness alongside your oven | Identify small dishes you cook often that don’t need the oven’s full cooking space. To compare electricity use, use the same recipe and quantity. | If my oven already covers almost all my meals, I want to avoid buying an appliance that duplicates what it does. Around 29% of consumers would make avoiding this overlap their priority. |
| Capacity and cooking two dishes at once | Compare the usable surface area and volume with your portion sizes. If you’re considering two drawers, check the capacity of each zone. | Being able to prepare a main dish and a side at the same time matters more to me than having lots of programmes, if it means avoiding successive batches. Around 29% of consumers are said to share this priority. |
| Space and noise | Measure the space available and check that the drawer can open; consult the manual for clearance requirements and a noise assessment for the specific model. | In an open-plan kitchen or on a crowded worktop, I want to leave the appliance in place without being bothered by its fan. Around 24% of consumers would put this concern first. |
| Cleaning | Check which parts are removable and which are explicitly stated to be dishwasher-safe for the model you’re considering. | If I cook often, washing the basket and its accessories after every meal needs to be straightforward. Cleaning is said to be the main concern for around 18% of consumers. |
A large advertised capacity doesn’t tell you how much food you can actually fit inside for cooking. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the importance of usable capacity, particularly for models described as “XXL”.
Compare the basket’s shape and internal dimensions, along with the loading limits in the manual, with the dishes you usually cook.
The wattage, expressed in watts, doesn’t tell you by itself how much electricity the appliance uses to prepare a meal. UFC-Que Choisir’s published comparisons are based on specific recipes and quantities; they don’t guarantee the same results with every model.
Where a comparable test is available, check the energy used for the recipe and portion in question, as well as the cooking time.
Noise can be more noticeable in an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir has found differences between the appliances it tested, so a general opinion about the category isn’t enough to judge an individual model.
If keeping things quiet matters to you, look for an independent measurement or assessment of the appliance you’re considering.
A basket may be dishwasher-safe, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to the racks, dividers or other parts. Check the details for the exact model reference.
Check the cleaning instructions separately for each part you’ll use regularly.
These ranges offer useful points of comparison for basket formats and cleaning; the features mentioned apply to the models specified, not every appliance from a brand.
The Easy Fry range includes single- and dual-basket models to compare, depending on how much space you have and how many dishes you prepare.
Models with separate or adaptable baskets may suit households that switch between cooking two dishes and preparing a larger one.
Dual-zone models are worth considering if you regularly cook two dishes at once, rather than only needing to do so occasionally.
These Joybuy appliances let you compare models with different stated basket capacities, as well as models designed for cooking two dishes. To decide whether one will complement your oven, compare each model with your portion sizes and available space. If the configuration matters, check the exact product details and manual too.
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Worth considering for small dishes you’d rather not cook in your oven. Compare the containers actually supplied with your portion sizes, and check the manual to see how much space you’ll need for installation.
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Consider this if your meals fit in a 2 L basket rather than a large oven dish. The product name states a power rating of 1150 W and a 60-minute timer; you can’t work out its electricity use per meal from the wattage alone. Check the installation dimensions before buying.
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Its stated capacity of 7,6 L may appeal to households whose portions are too large for a small basket. To see whether it will save you cooking in several batches, compare the usable surface area and loading limits in the manual with the dishes you usually prepare.
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If you’re looking to cook two dishes at once, confirm the configuration of the AF-GS404AE-B before relying on it for this purpose: the capacity and basket details listed for this model don’t match. Its product title states 4 L, 1300 W and eight programmes, but this doesn’t prove that it will use less electricity.
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Worth considering if you’d like to cook two dishes as part of the same meal. Before choosing this model for that purpose, confirm which baskets are supplied and their capacity: the capacity details listed for the AIRMED W don’t match. Check its dimensions and installation instructions too.
Not necessarily: both appliances can cook, roast or grill. According to UFC-Que Choisir, avoiding unnecessary appliances means starting with how you actually cook. A basket air fryer makes most sense if it suits the small dishes you prepare often better than your usual oven-cooked meals.
Choose a capacity based on the food you need to fit in the basket, not just the advertised number of litres. UFC-Que Choisir highlights how usable capacity determines how much you can actually cook; also consider the shape of your dishes and whether you might need to cook in several batches.
Measure the space the appliance takes up when closed, as well as the room needed to open its drawer. Then check the manual for your chosen model for the required installation surface and ventilation clearances; don’t use the distances specified for a different model.
No, it depends on the model and the part. Moulinex lists the basket of the Easy Fry Essential EZ130A20 as dishwasher-safe; check the basket, racks and any dividers separately for the appliance you’re considering.