If you’re cooking a small batch for one, start by looking at a single-drawer air fryer. For two dishes with different cooking times, consider a model with two independent zones and a sync function. A mini-oven style is better suited to dishes cooked on racks or trays, while your existing oven remains useful for anything that won’t fit in a worktop appliance. In every case, check the usable dimensions rather than relying on the stated capacity in litres alone, then consider the space it takes up, how easy it is to clean and how noisy it is.
If you usually cook one item at a time, a compact drawer is worth considering. Compare its surface area and height with your portions and dishes: Que Choisir’s testing protocol distinguishes between the amount you can cook and the stated capacity.
If you’re cooking a main and a side dish that need different cooking times, look for two independent zones and a sync function. Check each drawer separately: for example, Moulinex France’s Easy Fry Dual specifications list two different capacities.
If your meals call for a tray, rack or several levels, consider a mini-oven style rather than a conventional basket. Moulinex France’s Easy Fry air fryer oven specifications list three levels and two trays. Also think about which parts you’ll need to clean after cooking.
Start with the dishes you actually cook, then compare the layout of the cooking zones and the demands of everyday use. An air fryer doesn’t have to replace your oven for every meal.
| What to consider | What to check | Questions to ask yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Internal dimensions, available height and the quantity recommended for the model. In its testing protocol, Que Choisir assesses, among other things, a maximum load with the basket two-thirds full: the stated capacity in litres alone doesn’t tell you how much you can cook in one batch. | I mainly prepare a small portion or a particular dish: will my food and its container fit without exceeding the recommended load? |
| Cooking two dishes | Independent zones, separate settings, a sync function and the size of each drawer. Moulinex France lists 5.2 L and 3.1 L drawers for the Easy Fry Dual, rather than two identical baskets. | My main dish and side need to be ready at the same time, even if they have different cooking times. |
| Dish shape | Whether your tins and dishes will fit in a basket, or whether a mini-oven has the racks, trays and levels you need. Also compare this with the space in your current oven. | For a pizza, quiche or several trays, I want to check whether the dish will fit, not just look at the stated capacity. |
| Cleaning | Removable parts and the care instructions for the specific model. With a mini-oven, remember to factor in the trays, crumb tray and cavity too. | After a weekday meal, how many parts will I need to remove and clean? |
| Space and noise | External dimensions and the clearance required according to the instruction manual. For noise, look for a measurement taken under comparable conditions: Que Choisir notes that this is an especially important factor to consider before buying. | In an open-plan kitchen, the fan noise and the space taken up on the worktop can matter as much as the cooking functions. |
| Energy use | Energy measured for a comparable recipe and quantity, as well as cooking time; the stated wattage alone doesn’t tell you how much energy a meal will use. | For my frequent small batches, I’d rather compare similar uses than assume an appliance will always use less energy than my oven. |
The total capacity doesn’t tell you whether your tin, a pizza or your usual portion will fit within the available surface area and height.
Measure your dishes, then check the internal dimensions, recommended load and accessories included.
The baskets may be different sizes: the smaller one might suit a side dish but not a second main.
Check the dimensions of each zone and choose a sync function if you plan to cook two items with different cooking times.
Comparisons depend on the appliances, quantity and recipe; a result for a small batch won’t apply to every type of cooking.
When Que Choisir or another independent test measures energy use, compare similar recipes and loads rather than looking at the rated wattage alone.
The fan can be disruptive in an open-plan kitchen. A mini-oven style also has a cavity and several accessories to clean.
Check a comparable noise measurement, then see which removable parts are dishwasher-safe and how to clean the fixed parts.
These examples describe configurations listed by manufacturers or Que Choisir. They don’t indicate how another model from the same brand will perform, or whether it appears among the products below.
Moulinex France lists three Easy Fry formats here: a 3.5 L drawer, two drawers with a combined capacity of 8.3 L, and a 20 L air fryer oven.
Philips France describes, among other options, an air fryer with a flexible basket layout that can be set up as two 3.55 L baskets or one 7.1 L cavity.
Que Choisir lists Ninja among the brands on the French air fryer market, alongside Moulinex and Philips.
These options include a single basket, two-zone configurations and a model whose cooking format you’ll need to check against the meals you prepare. Compare the dimensions of your dishes and the functions you need before choosing; this selection doesn’t replace checking whether your existing oven is suitable.
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Worth considering if you cook one batch at a time. The product name lists a capacity of 5 L, 1 450 W and six automatic programmes; check the internal dimensions and recommended load for your portions.
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The product title describes a flexible dual-zone basket and a sync function, which may suit cooking two dishes to serve together. Check the usable space and recommended load in each configuration; the 12QT capacity is stated for the appliance as a whole.
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If you’re looking for a cavity with a stated capacity of 7.6 L, compare this with the dimensions of your dishes and the recommended load. If you want to cook two dishes at the same time using different settings, check the zone layout before choosing this model.
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The dual basket is worth considering if you want to cook a main and a side dish at the same time. The 9 L capacity in the product name refers to the appliance as a whole: check the dimensions and usable load of each basket for the quantities you serve.
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If you cook batches of different sizes, compare the containers supplied with your usual portions. If you want to serve two items together, check specifically whether they can be cooked at the same time: having two containers doesn’t necessarily mean they can.
Compare the recommended load, internal surface area and height with the food and dishes you usually cook; you can’t translate the capacity in litres directly into a number of portions. In its test protocol, Que Choisir distinguishes, among other things, between the basket’s volume and the quantity of chips actually used for testing.
Two drawers are useful when you want to cook a main and a side separately because they need different settings or cooking times. Check that the zones work independently and that there’s a sync function if you want both dishes to finish together, as well as the size of each basket.
Not for every dish. A mini-oven style is worth considering if you use racks, trays or several levels, but its cavity needs to fit your tins and quantities. Keep your existing oven for dishes that won’t fit in the appliance you choose; and don’t assume it will use less energy for every recipe.
Yes, especially if you’ll be using the appliance near an open-plan living area. Que Choisir highlights the noise made by air fryers: look for an independent measurement taken under comparable conditions rather than assuming the noise level based on the appliance’s size.