If you’re cooking mainly one small batch at a time for one or two people, a 3 to 4 L single-basket air fryer is a good size to consider. Two cooking zones are useful if you regularly cook two different things at once; a mini-oven format is better suited to cooking with racks or trays. If your oven already handles your usual recipes and quantities, make sure a second appliance would have a distinct purpose before making room for it.
You mainly cook for one or two people and want to cook something without taking up the whole worktop. Que Choisir recommends 3 to 4 L as a guide for a single basket for this size of household. Compare that with the space actually available in the basket and the portions you cook.
You often prepare two foods that need different cooking times or temperatures and want to serve them together. In that case, a dual-zone appliance is worth considering, provided its settings and synchronisation suit the way you plan to use it regularly.
You mainly want to know whether an air fryer will complement your oven for smaller quantities. Que Choisir points out that the two appliances serve similar purposes. Start by considering your recipes, the number of batches and the space available, rather than assuming another appliance will change the way you cook.
Consider it: for one small batch at a time; Que Choisir recommends 3 to 4 L as a guide for one or two people.
Bear in mind: foods that need different settings will have to be cooked one after the other.
Consider it: if you often cook a main and a side at the same time using different settings.
Bear in mind: it takes up more space, and there’s no guarantee of identical results in each zone.
Consider it: if you regularly use a door-fronted cavity, racks or trays for your cooking.
Bear in mind: it’s generally larger than a compact basket-style air fryer.
Stick with it: if it has the capacity for your usual dishes and you rarely cook small batches.
Bear in mind: it may be larger than you need for some small recipes, but that alone isn’t a reason to buy another appliance.
To choose between these formats, first consider what you actually cook, then how much space and maintenance another appliance would require.
| Factor | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the basket dimensions with your portions and the space needed for air to circulate, not just the stated capacity. | If my portions fit in one batch without filling the basket to the brim, I don’t need to go bigger just to be on the safe side. Around 33% of consumers would put getting the right capacity at the top of their list. |
| How it complements your oven | Think about the recipes you make most often: the size of your dishes, the number of batches and the space you’d need to set aside for the new appliance. | My oven already cooks my meals; I want to know whether I’d use an air fryer often enough to justify a second appliance. Avoiding unnecessary duplication would be the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Cooking two things at once | Check whether the zones can be controlled independently, their individual capacities and whether cooking can be synchronised if you want to serve two dishes together. | For a main and a side, I need to set two cooking programmes separately without waiting for the first to finish. This would be the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Everyday use | Check the cleaning instructions and look for tests of the specific model covering noise and heat safety. | If I use the appliance often, cleaning, noise and hot components all matter to my decision. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise these everyday considerations. |
A large basket takes up space, but its capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much food it can cook properly in one go. Que Choisir highlights the importance of usable capacity.
Compare the basket’s surface area with your usual portions and measure the space where you plan to keep it. For one or two people, first check whether the 3 to 4 L guideline suits the food you cook.
Baking, roasting and grilling are already things you can do in an oven. According to Que Choisir, an air fryer could therefore duplicate what you already have if your recipes and quantities don’t change the way you cook.
Make a note of the small recipes you cook regularly and how many batches each appliance would need. A complementary use is a stronger reason than simply wanting another format.
Dual zones let you cook two things at the same time, but Que Choisir notes that cooking results can vary between zones and appliances.
If you’re relying on this feature, check the independent settings, synchronisation and test results for the exact model.
Que Choisir’s tests show that performance varies between models. Results for one small recipe compared with a mini-oven won’t necessarily apply to every dish.
Compare tests carried out on similar quantities and appliances to those you’d use; distinguish test results from the specifications stated by the manufacturer.
The Easy Fry range includes single-basket models, such as the 3.5 L Easy Fry Essential EZ130810 from Moulinex.
Philips offers the NA154/00, a flexible basket which, according to the brand, can switch from two 3.55 L spaces to one 7.1 L space using its removable divider.
The Ninja range includes dual-zone appliances, such as the Foodi Max Dual Zone AF400EU listed in its documentation.
These three single-basket air fryers are designed for cooking one batch at a time. Their stated capacities range from 2 to 4.7 L. Choose one to suit your usual portions, without assuming it will handle two independent cooking programmes or necessarily replace your oven.
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Worth considering if you cook one small batch at a time: its stated 4 L capacity falls within the guideline Que Choisir gives for one or two people.
The product title lists eight programmes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check that the basket shape suits your portions, and read the cleaning instructions if ease of maintenance matters to you.
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This single-basket model may suit a household that cooks one batch at a time, but its 4.7 L capacity is above the 3 to 4 L guideline Que Choisir gives for one or two people.
The product title mentions digital controls and a non-stick basket. Check the overall size and usable basket space against the food you plan to cook before choosing this capacity.
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This single-basket model is worth considering for one portion or a very small batch. At 2 L, it’s below the 3 to 4 L guideline Que Choisir gives for one or two people, so check that your food will fit without needing multiple batches.
The product title lists a non-stick, dishwasher-safe basket and a 60-minute timer. Also check the external dimensions if worktop space is limited.
Que Choisir recommends a 3 to 4 L single basket as a guide for one or two people. Also check the basket’s usable surface area and height, along with the amount you cook at one time: the stated capacity alone won’t tell you what portions will fit.
Yes, if you regularly cook two foods that need different settings and want to serve them together. If you only cook one thing at a time, compare the space taken up by a dual-drawer model with that of a single basket. Que Choisir also notes that results can vary between zones depending on the appliance.
Follow the instructions for cleaning removable parts and check before you buy that parts and servicing are available for the model you’ve chosen. ADEME recommends checking the documentation, how easily the appliance can be dismantled and whether parts are available when assessing the repairability of an electrical appliance.
If you bought the product from a professional seller, the statutory guarantee of conformity may apply if it doesn’t match its description or the qualities advertised. The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control explains that this compulsory guarantee covers new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual. Contact the seller and describe the fault you’ve found.