If you’re cooking small portions for one or two people, a compact single-drawer air fryer is worth considering if it can genuinely replace some uses of your full-sized oven without taking up permanent space in your kitchen. A dual-drawer model is better suited to meals with two separate dishes. For pizzas, baking tins or cooking on several levels, compare an air fryer oven, a mini oven and the oven you already own. Electricity use varies depending on the recipe, quantity and appliance being compared, so it isn’t enough on its own to justify a purchase.
The number of people in your household doesn’t determine the right appliance on its own: the shape of your dishes and how many things you cook at once matter too.
A single-drawer model is a good starting point if you’d like to use your full-sized oven less for everyday meals. However, check the permitted load and basket surface area against your recipes: the stated capacity doesn’t tell you everything about the usable space.
A dual-drawer model can help you coordinate a main dish and a side with different cooking times. The extra space it takes up is most worthwhile if you regularly use both drawers. For example, Philips lists a synchronisation function on the NA352/24.
If your meals call for baking tins, an oven cavity or several shelves, compare an air fryer oven and a mini oven before choosing a basket-style model. Measure the dishes you already use too: a compact appliance may not fit them, even if it looks small on the outside.
Start with the dishes you cook most often, then check whether a new appliance offers a different use from your oven.
| Criterion | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the maximum load stated in the instructions, the basket’s surface area and the dimensions of your dishes. A dual-drawer model splits its capacity between two compartments, so one large dish may not fit. | For meals for one or two people, I want to avoid cooking in batches without buying an appliance that’s bigger than I need. |
| Cooking options | A basket suits dishes that fit its shape and stay within its permitted load. For a pizza, baking tin or cooking on several levels, check the cavity and accessories of an air fryer oven, mini oven or your existing oven. | If I often bake quiches or cakes in my usual tins, whether they’ll fit matters more than having another automatic programme. |
| Cleaning | Check which parts are removable, how easy they are to reach and whether they’re dishwasher-safe on the specific model. For an oven-style appliance, also see how to remove the trays and clean up splashes. | After a small meal, I want to clean the parts I’ve used without having to take the whole appliance apart. |
| Space and noise | Measure the space, the clearance required in the instructions and the room needed to open the drawer or door. In an open-plan kitchen, check a test that covers the noise level of the model: UFC-Que Choisir highlights the importance of its fan. | In a small kitchen, I need an appliance that’s easy to reach without getting in the way of the worktop or mealtimes. |
| Electricity use | Compare measurements for the same dish and quantity, rather than relying on the stated power ratings alone. In tests published by UFC-Que Choisir, air fryers used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven to cook a small quiche lorraine of the same quantity. This result doesn’t apply to every recipe. | If I want to use my full-sized oven less, I want to know how the measurements compare for the portions and dishes I actually cook. |
The stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that a baking tin will fit in the basket or that food can be arranged as the recipe requires. UFC-Que Choisir notes, in particular, that you may need to cook smaller quantities of potatoes to get the result you’re after.
Compare the usable dimensions and maximum load in the instructions with your usual dishes, and stick to the recommended quantities for chips.
Two drawers let you cook separate dishes, but they’re less useful if you almost always use just one. They also take up space, so make sure you have room before setting one up.
Think about your everyday meals: if you often cook a main dish and a side separately, check the size of each drawer and whether there’s a synchronisation function. If not, compare a single-drawer model with your oven too.
The result measured for a small quiche won’t predict the result for another dish. UFC-Que Choisir reports that electricity use varies depending on the dishes and models being compared.
Before relying on a figure, check the recipe, quantity and reference appliance. Look for a comparison that’s relevant to how you cook, rather than a promise that supposedly applies to every meal.
An appliance in addition to your oven can take up permanent space on the worktop. According to UFC-Que Choisir, fan noise is worth considering, particularly in a small or open-plan kitchen.
Measure the space where you’ll put it and the clearance required in the instructions. If noise could bother you during meals, look for a measurement taken on the model you’re considering.
These examples show some formats worth comparing. The features mentioned apply to the specific models listed, not every product from that brand.
Tefal offers compact drawer-style air fryers, as well as oven-style models.
The range includes drawer-style appliances as well as air fryer ovens.
Philips offers air fryers with both single and dual baskets.
A mini oven is worth considering when a roomy cavity and multiple cooking levels matter more to you than an air fryer basket.
These models offer some options for cooking small portions, with capacities and formats to compare with your meals. Their inclusion here doesn’t replace the need to compare them with a mini oven or the oven you already own.
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Worth considering for small dishes in a 2 L basket. The product name lists a 60-minute timer, a non-stick basket and dishwasher compatibility. Also compare the maximum load and usable dimensions with your usual recipes.
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If you cook portions of different sizes, check which container suits each of your recipes. Check its usable dimensions and the clearance needed before deciding where to put the appliance.
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This 3.2 L capacity gives you another size to compare for everyday meals, but doesn’t tell you on its own how much food you can cook in one batch. Check the internal dimensions, permitted load and space needed around the appliance.
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According to its name, this 4 L model offers eight modes and a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C. If you mainly cook very small portions, check that the basket size and space it takes up suit your needs instead of choosing on capacity alone.
No: the result depends on the dish, quantity and appliances being compared. For a small quiche lorraine of the same quantity, UFC-Que Choisir measured an average of 36% less electricity use with the air fryers tested than with a mini oven. Its findings for chicken drumsticks didn’t show the same advantage across all models. Look for a measurement based on a recipe similar to yours.
No. A dual-drawer model is most useful if you often cook two separate dishes that need different temperatures or cooking times. If your meals usually fit in one basket, compare its maximum load and usable dimensions with those of a single-drawer model instead.
Yes, provided the food and dishes fit inside the appliance and stay within its permitted load. UFC-Que Choisir’s test included chicken drumsticks, a small quiche and a cake. If you often use large tins or cook on several levels, compare an air fryer oven or mini oven too.
Check the specifications for the exact model to see which parts can be removed, which are dishwasher-safe and whether the basket or cavity is easy to reach. For example, Philips says the HD9252/90 has dishwasher-safe removable parts; this doesn’t automatically apply to other models.
Yes, if the appliance runs near people eating or talking. UFC-Que Choisir recommends taking fan noise into account, particularly in a small space or open-plan kitchen. If possible, check a measurement taken on the model you’re considering.