For after-work dinners, start by thinking about what needs to fit in one batch. A single drawer may be enough for a small portion, while two drawers let you cook a main and a side separately. If you often cook in large tins, stick with your oven or consider a mini oven. Either way, check how much space you have and which parts need cleaning.
If you mainly make dinner for one or two people, check whether a single basket can fit your portions without taking up unnecessary worktop space. Que Choisir recommends considering capacity, footprint and ease of cleaning, rather than looking only at the stated volume.
If your main and side need different settings, two drawers can save you from cooking them one after the other. Check the capacity of each drawer, as they are not always the same size.
If you alternate between smaller portions and quiches, pizzas or oven dishes, compare the shape of your cookware with the baskets. You may still need a mini oven or your existing oven for dishes that will not fit in a drawer.
Consider it: for a small portion or a single dish that fits in the basket.
Bear in mind: there are no separate zones for two dishes that need different settings.
Consider it: for cooking a main and a side separately and, if the model allows, synchronising their finish times.
Bear in mind: two compartments do not necessarily create enough room for one large dish.
Keep or choose one: if large tins and wide dishes are regulars on your menu.
Compare: energy use depends on the recipe and quantity. Que Choisir’s test on a small quiche does not allow conclusions to be drawn about every dinner.
Keep it: if it already suits the dishes and portions you make in the evening.
Consider: buying an air fryer also means finding space for it and cleaning its parts.
| Factor | What to check | What matters to shoppers? |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and shape of your dishes | Compare the basket’s internal dimensions with your usual dinner and check whether you would need to cook in batches. | When I need to fit the whole meal into one batch, I want to know that my food will fit, rather than relying on the litre capacity alone. Around 31% of consumers would make usable capacity their top priority. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | Check for independent settings, any synchronisation feature and the capacity of each drawer. | To serve my main and side together when they need different cooking times, I need two zones that suit each dish. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise this separation. |
| Space, cleaning and noise | Measure the space you have and check which parts are removable. If your kitchen is open-plan, check how noisy the model is. | In a small kitchen, I don’t want a quick dinner to leave me with too much to put away or wash up. Ease of everyday use would come first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Using it instead of an oven | Check your recipes and tins against the appliance’s shape. To compare electricity use, look for tests involving similar quantities. | If I often make quiches or oven dishes, I want to know what an air fryer could cook instead of my oven, and what it couldn’t. Around 19% of consumers would prioritise this comparison. |
The stated capacity does not tell you how much surface area there is for food or whether a tin will fit. Que Choisir recommends checking the volume that is actually usable.
Think of a dinner you make often, then compare the food or cookware you use with the model’s internal dimensions.
Two compartments let you cook dishes separately, but each one may be too narrow for a large quiche or pizza.
Check the size of each drawer. If you often cook wide dishes, compare a mini oven with your existing oven instead.
For a small quiche cooked in the same quantity, Que Choisir recorded lower average energy use than with the mini oven it tested. This result does not apply to every recipe or appliance.
For a useful comparison, look for measurements based on a recipe and quantity similar to yours.
Que Choisir includes cleaning, storage and noise among its assessment criteria. Multiple drawers or accessories can also mean more parts to handle.
Measure the space you have and check the manual to see which parts of the model you are considering are dishwasher-safe.
The Easy Fry range includes the EZ905B20 with two drawers and the AL501810 mini-oven style model.
The 3000 Series includes the NA352/00 model with two baskets.
Ninja sells air fryers and has a section for parts and accessories in this category.
Compare these one- and two-basket models based on your portions and how you prepare dinner. For wider dishes, also compare their internal dimensions with those of your oven or mini oven.
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Worth considering if you want to cook your main and side separately. The model name indicates two drawers, a total capacity of 7,6 L and six functions. Compare the space in each drawer with your portions.
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Worth a look if you want to cook a main and a side in separate baskets. The stated total capacity is 9 L; check the size of each basket before planning your portions. This NA351/00 model is different from the NA352/00 mentioned above.
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Worth considering if a single basket suits the dinners you usually make. Its stated capacity of 6,2 L does not tell you how much food can cook without being stacked, so compare the basket’s surface area with your portions.
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Worth a look if you switch between cooking one dish and preparing two separately. The product is described as having a convertible basket, viewing window and synchronisation functions. Check its internal dimensions and how much space it would take up in your home.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two items separately in a vertical design. The name indicates a total capacity of 12 L and ten programmes. Check the capacity of each compartment, the dimensions and which parts of this model are dishwasher-safe.
For four people, Que Choisir recommends considering at least 6 L. For more than five people, its guide suggests 9 L or more. Even so, check the basket’s surface area and the shape of your food before relying on a single batch.
Yes, if you regularly cook a main and a side that need different cooking times or temperatures. Compare the size of each drawer and check whether the model can synchronise their finish times. The total capacity does not tell you how much room is available in each one.
No. The comparison depends on the appliance, recipe and quantity. For a small quiche cooked in the same quantity, Que Choisir measured lower average energy use than with the mini oven it tested, but this result cannot be applied to every dinner.
Check the manual for the specific model you are considering to see which removable parts are dishwasher-safe and how many baskets, racks or trays you will need to wash. A feature listed for one model does not necessarily apply to the other models in the range.
Yes, if you use the appliance near a living area, as you may hear the fan. Que Choisir measures noise at a distance of 50 cm as part of its testing procedure, so look for a measurement for the exact model you are interested in.