An air fryer can complement your oven when you regularly cook small portions or, with two independent cooking zones, when you want to prepare two different dishes at once. However, Que Choisir points out that their cooking functions overlap. If your oven already suits the dishes you usually make, another appliance could be redundant. Compare your portions with the usable basket space, then consider the space it will take up, its noise level and how easy it is to clean against how often you expect to use it.
You regularly make a side dish, vegetables or a simple meal for one or two people. A small cooking cavity could suit these dishes, provided the basket can hold your usual portions. Que Choisir recommends considering how much food you need to cook, too.
You want to prepare two parts of a meal at the same time, using different settings. In that case, it’s worth looking at a model with independent cooking zones; a large single basket won’t meet the same need.
Your oven already does the job, and any new appliance will need space to use it and possibly to store it afterwards. Que Choisir highlights the risk of duplicating what your oven can do; Futura’s review of the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer AF500EU also shows how much room a larger model can take up.
Consider it: for regularly prepared, modest portions that you’d rather not cook in the oven; Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide for one or two people.
Limitation: a single basket won’t let you set different cooking settings for two dishes.
Consider it: if your portions are too large for a small basket, or if two foods need to cook separately; check that the model really does have independent cooking zones.
Limitation: the total capacity split between two drawers isn’t the same as one large cooking space, and the appliance takes up more room.
Best if: you mainly cook large dishes or the small batches you have in mind would only be occasional.
Trade-off: you won’t have a dedicated small cooking cavity, but you’ll avoid having another appliance to set up and clean. Que Choisir notes that the cooking functions of the two appliances overlap.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Small batches | Identify the dishes you make most often and check that your usual portions fit in the basket without overfilling it. | I often make a simple meal or a side dish, while my oven is mainly for larger dishes. Around 40% of consumers would prioritise this distinct use. |
| Available space | Measure the width, depth and height of the space you have in mind, as well as the room needed to open the drawer. | My worktop is already busy, so a second appliance needs to be used often enough to justify the space it takes up. Around 30% of consumers would put this concern first. |
| Portions and separate cooking | Compare the usable dimensions with the food you cook; if you want to cook two dishes separately, check that the zones are independent rather than relying on the stated capacity alone. | I want to serve several portions or cook two foods using different settings without making successive batches. Around 20% of consumers would make this their main criterion. |
| Everyday cleaning | Check the instruction manual to see which parts can be removed and, if relevant, whether they’re dishwasher-safe. | If I use the appliance often, washing and handling its parts need to be straightforward. Around 10% of consumers would prioritise ease of cleaning. |
Que Choisir points out that air fryers and ovens share some cooking functions. If you don’t often cook small portions or need to cook two dishes separately, a new appliance could simply take up more space.
Make a note of the recipes you’d genuinely use it for each week. If your oven already handles them and the list is short, sticking with your oven is a sensible option.
The capacity in litres doesn’t tell you the shape of the basket or how much room your food will have. Models with two drawers can also split the total capacity into spaces of different sizes.
Compare the internal dimensions with the quantities of food you usually cook, then check whether a larger item will fit in a single zone.
In its review, Futura describes the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer AF500EU as relatively bulky and heavy. That observation relates to this model, but it’s a useful reminder to allow room to open the drawer and store the appliance.
Measure the available space and check the weight of the model you’re considering if you plan to move it after each use.
Regularly taking a heavy appliance out and putting it away means extra handling every time you use it.
In a test involving a small quiche, Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used less energy than a mini oven. That result doesn’t apply to every recipe, every model or your oven.
Don’t base your decision on an isolated advertising claim about a percentage saving. Relate any comparison to your portions, the recipe and the appliance it refers to.
These examples can help you compare specific configurations. The brand name alone doesn’t remove the need to check the basket, the space required and which parts need cleaning on the model you choose.
Philips France product listings include the NA120/00, with a 4.2 L basket, and the NA461/00, with two stacked baskets, each with a capacity of 5 L.
Moulinex offers the Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20, with drawers listed as 5.2 L and 3.1 L, as well as the Easy Fry Compact, listed at 7.5 L.
The Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer AF500EU is an example of a large, flexible drawer that switches from two zones to one 10.4 L cooking space.
These Joybuy models suit two possible ways of complementing an oven: a single basket for small portions, or two-drawer models for cooking dishes separately. If your recipes are better suited to the oven, you don’t need another appliance to cover these uses.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook small portions rather than using the oven. The basket is listed at 3.2 L; check its usable dimensions against the food you usually prepare before choosing this size.
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Consider this if you want to cook two parts of a meal separately. The stated total capacity is 7.6 L, split between two drawers. Check that each one suits the portion you have in mind and that the appliance will fit in your kitchen.
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Worth considering for a meal with two dishes that need to be cooked separately. This double-basket model has a stated total capacity of 9 L; compare the size of each basket with your food and measure the space you’ll need.
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Only consider this if you regularly cook very small portions. Its 2 L capacity is below the 3 to 4 L guide Que Choisir gives for one or two people, so check how much room the basket actually offers for your recipes.
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Worth considering for modest portions you regularly prepare instead of using the oven. The stated capacity is 4 L; check the basket’s surface area for your recipes, and consult the manual if being able to wash the removable parts is important to you.
Not for every use. An air fryer can complement your oven for frequent small batches or, on a model with independent cooking zones, for cooking two dishes separately. Que Choisir points out that their functions overlap. If you mainly cook large dishes in your oven, make sure a second appliance would meet a regular need before making room for it.
Start with your portions and the shape of the food, rather than looking only at the stated total capacity. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people and 5 to 6 L for three or four. Then compare the basket’s usable dimensions with your recipes, especially if the capacity is split between two drawers.
Check which parts can be removed and how to care for them in the manual for the exact model. If dishwasher compatibility matters to you, make sure it applies to the basket, plates or divider you’ll need to wash, and that the largest part will fit in your dishwasher.