An air fryer can sit alongside an oven if you regularly cook small portions or want to use the oven for another dish. It isn’t an essential replacement: Que Choisir points out that the two appliances have overlapping functions. If worktop space is limited, think about what you usually cook and where the appliance could go before deciding on a single drawer, two drawers or no extra appliance at all.
If you mostly cook small portions and already have an oven, first compare a single-drawer air fryer with the option of not adding another appliance. Measure the space where you’d use it, not just where you could store it.
If your main dish and side often need different settings, two drawers could make it easier to coordinate them. But check that you’ll use both zones regularly and that you can open the drawers in your kitchen.
If you use baking tins, cook several batches or make meals that need a large cooking cavity, keep the oven at the heart of your decision. An air fryer is only worth considering for smaller dishes you make often enough to justify the space it takes up.
Start by thinking about how you’d use it: what would you cook in it instead of the oven, and where would you put it while it’s running?
Consider this if: you mostly cook one small portion or side dish at a time.
The trade-off: two foods that need different settings will have to be cooked one after the other, or with the help of the oven.
Consider this if: cooking two things independently is a regular part of the same meal.
The trade-off: the convenience needs to justify the space it takes up and the cleaning involved with two zones.
Best if: the things you usually cook need a large cavity, or you don’t have a suitable spot for another appliance.
The trade-off: you’ll still need to use the oven for small dishes; another appliance is only worth considering if this happens regularly.
| Priority | What to check | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| How it complements your oven | Think about small dishes you cook regularly, times when the oven is already in use and the size of the dishes you make. Que Choisir highlights the overlap between the functions of the two appliances. | I want to be able to name the meals where another appliance would genuinely make a difference to how I cook. |
| Available space | Check the width, depth and height of the exact model. Read the manual for clearance requirements, and allow enough room to open the drawers. | My worktop needs to let me use the appliance, not just put it down. |
| Capacity and cooking zones | Compare the inside shape with the portions and dishes you plan to cook. For a dual-drawer model, check the capacity of each drawer and the settings available for each zone, rather than just the total capacity. | If I often cook two separate foods, two zones appeal to me; otherwise, one drawer may be enough for my meals. |
| Everyday use | Look at test results for similar dishes, the parts you’ll need to clean and noise measurements taken using the same method. Que Choisir found varying performance among the models it tested. | In an open-plan kitchen, noise matters to me just as much as how easy it is to remove and clean the basket. |
Que Choisir points out that an air fryer performs many of the same functions as an oven. If you only use it for the odd dish, it will still take up space in your kitchen.
Before you buy, keep a note for a week of the small dishes or meals where you’d genuinely have liked to free up the oven.
The total capacity doesn’t tell you the basket’s shape or whether there’s room for a baking tin. With two drawers, the capacity is split between the zones: for example, Moulinex lists 5,2 L and 3,1 L for the Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20.
Compare the internal dimensions with the food you plan to cook, then check the appliance’s external dimensions and the space needed to pull out each drawer.
The tests published by Que Choisir cover specific appliances, quantities and dishes. Their results don’t guarantee the same difference for every meal or compared with your own oven.
If energy use is a key reason for your choice, compare tests that specify the dish, quantity and appliance used as a benchmark. Also consider how often you’d use the air fryer.
Damage to the cable, plug, coating or drawer can change whether a heated appliance is worth buying.
Ask for the model number and manual, check the condition of the appliance and accessories, and clarify whether you can test it and what the terms of sale are before you commit.
These examples of product ranges can help you compare different formats. The features of one model don’t necessarily apply to every appliance from the same brand.
The French range includes single-drawer models and the two-drawer Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20.
Philips France’s range includes the 4,2 L Airfryer 2000 Series NA229/00.
Ninja is one of the brands to consider when comparing the different cooking arrangements offered by air fryers.
These single- and dual-drawer models let you compare the option of adding an air fryer to the oven you already own. It’s still worth sticking with what you have if your usual cooking and available space don’t call for another appliance.
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The stated 2 L capacity is worth comparing with the small portions you usually cook. The product name lists a dishwasher-safe non-stick basket and a 60-minute timer. Before setting aside a spot for it, also check its external dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual.
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Worth comparing if you regularly plan to cook two dishes for the same meal: the stated 7,6 L capacity is split between two drawers. Check the usable capacity of each drawer, the settings you need for your dishes and whether there’s enough room to open them.
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Compare this 4 L model with the portions you cook in a single basket. The product name lists eight preset modes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C. Before setting it up, check the width, depth, height and clearances in the documentation for this model.
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The stated total capacity of 9,5 L is only useful if both drawers suit the dishes you usually cook. Measure the space available for the appliance and to open the drawers, then check the clearances specified in the manual.
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Before adding this 7,6 L model to a kitchen that’s already equipped, compare its capacity with the portions you actually cook. The name “Compact Max” doesn’t replace checking the external dimensions. Check these, along with the clearances in the manual, for the spot you have in mind.
Not necessarily: Que Choisir points out that the two appliances have overlapping functions. An air fryer can complement your oven for small dishes you cook regularly or when the oven is in use. Keep the oven for large dishes, baking tins and batches that need its larger cavity.
Start with your portion sizes and the shape of the food, then measure the space you have available. For a two-drawer model, check each zone separately: for example, Moulinex lists 5,2 L and 3,1 L for the Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20, rather than two drawers of the same capacity.
Follow the clearance guidance in the manual for the model you’re considering, rather than applying the same distance to every model. Also check that you can open and remove the drawers where you plan to put it.
Two drawers are designed to help you cook two separate dishes; they also mean more parts to clean. Check which removable parts of the specific model are dishwasher-safe, and whether you’ll use both zones often enough to make the extra cleaning worthwhile.
Air fryers come under the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) scheme. The French ministries responsible for the ecological transition say that a collection and recycling scheme operates in France. Use an appropriate take-back or collection service instead of putting it in your household rubbish.