An air fryer can complement your oven if you often cook small batches or want to cook two things separately. Keep the oven for larger dishes that fit in a single batch, and don’t assume an air fryer is a direct replacement for a deep fryer. Before buying, check the usable size of the baskets, the space you have available and how many batches you’ll need to cook. Don’t take it for granted that you’ll save electricity.
If you regularly bake, roast or grill small quantities, an additional appliance can save you from having to use the oven every time. Whether it’s worthwhile depends on how often you cook these meals and how much room you can spare for it.
A dual-drawer model lets you cook two dishes separately and, on models with this feature, coordinate when they finish cooking. Check that each drawer can hold the portions you actually prepare.
If your oven already suits the dishes you usually make, start by thinking about what you’re actually missing: a more convenient way to cook a small batch, two separate cooking zones or another cooking format. If you don’t have a frequent use in mind, sticking with your oven may be enough.
For everyday cooking, start with the size of your meals and the space you have available. Then consider whether you need to cook two dishes separately.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Small batches without doubling up | Your usual portions and how many batches you’ll need to cook; the space available for the appliance. | If I often cook a small amount, I want to know whether a basket would make this more convenient than using my oven. Around 27% of consumers prioritise a compact appliance to complement their existing setup. |
| Two separate cooking tasks | The usable size of each drawer and whether the model has a synchronisation function. | To serve a main and a side together, I need two zones suited to each dish. Around 27% of consumers see cooking two dishes at the same time as their main priority. |
| Large dishes and complete meals | The internal dimensions, rather than just the advertised capacity in litres; whether you can cook the meal all at once. | For a large dish, I’d rather check that it fits in a single cavity than have to cook it in several batches. Usable capacity comes before other criteria for around 33% of consumers. |
| Using a traditional deep fryer | Which foods you deep-fry and which you’d rather cook, roast or grill. | If I use a deep fryer, I want to choose based on the cooking methods I’d like to keep or change, without expecting both appliances to produce the same results. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this choice. |
With a dual-drawer model, the advertised capacity is split between two drawers, so a wide dish may not fit in either one.
Compare the internal dimensions of each drawer with the food you cook, and measure how much room you have on your worktop too.
Que Choisir compared the energy use of air fryers with cooking in an oven. A smaller cavity may be useful for some portions, but the amount you cook and the need to cook in several batches affect the comparison.
For the meals you usually make, compare equivalent quantities and cooking results before treating energy savings as a reason to buy.
Two separate zones are designed for cooking two dishes; they don’t necessarily create a cavity wide enough for a large joint or other sizeable item.
If you need room for a large dish, consider a large basket, a model with a flexible cooking zone, a mini oven with a fan or your current oven.
Air frying and deep-frying are two different cooking methods. So the word ‘fryer’ doesn’t guarantee that an air fryer will suit the same uses.
Choose based on the foods you make most often and whether you need to cook, roast or grill.
Moulinex offers models including the dual-drawer Easy Fry range. Some models we looked at split their capacity between a larger and a smaller compartment.
Philips offers models with two side-by-side baskets as well as stacked baskets. Consider which layout will work best in your available space.
Que Choisir names Ninja as one of the manufacturers that has helped raise the profile of air fryers in France.
These models, with baskets or a single cooking container, let you compare two everyday needs: cooking separate dishes or using one cooking space. Check their usable dimensions against the meals you prepare before choosing.
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Worth considering if you want to divide two dishes between separate baskets. The advertised total capacity is 9 L; check the usable size of each basket to make sure it suits your portions.
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Consider this model for cooking two dishes in separate drawers. The 7.6 L figure is the advertised total capacity; check what each drawer can hold on its own.
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If you’re considering this format for small portions, compare the size of the container with the portions you usually prepare. To cook two foods at once, first check how the containers are designed to be used.
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This single-basket model is worth considering if you prefer one cooking zone. Its advertised capacity is 7.6 L; check the basket’s usable dimensions and how much space the appliance will take up.
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Compare this model with your needs if you mainly cook small batches. The basket is listed as 2 L; check that it will hold your portions and that its external dimensions will suit your kitchen.
No, you can’t count on saving energy for every meal. Que Choisir looked at the energy use of numerous air fryers compared with ovens. For your own cooking, compare the same quantity, the result you’re aiming for and the total number of batches.
It doesn’t tell you on its own what size of food will fit in the appliance. For a dual-drawer model, check the capacity and usable dimensions of each drawer. Que Choisir also recommends looking closely at the practical capacity and overall size of larger models.
Not if your priority is fitting a large dish into one cooking zone. Separate drawers are better suited to cooking two dishes independently. For a sizeable item, compare the internal dimensions of a large basket, a flexible cooking zone, a mini oven and your own oven.
Check the manual for your chosen model to see which parts are removable and which are dishwasher-safe. Moulinex lists dishwasher compatibility for some parts of its Dual Easy Fry models, but you’ll need to check this for each specific model.