An air fryer can be a useful addition to your oven if you often cook small portions that fit in a single batch and have a convenient place to keep it. A single drawer is best suited to cooking one dish, while two zones let you cook a main and a side separately. If your meals call for large oven dishes or a wide cooking surface, sticking with your oven or hob could save you from adding an appliance you’d rarely use.
If you often cook for one or two people, a compact cooking cavity may suit your everyday meals. However, check that your food fits in a single batch: cooking results and energy use vary depending on the recipe and model, as Que Choisir’s tests show.
A main and a side don’t always need the same cooking settings. Two drawers or a basket with a removable divider are worth considering, provided each zone can accommodate the portion you have in mind.
If your oven or hob already meets most of your needs, the space an air fryer takes up, the noise it makes and how easy it is to clean matter just as much as how it cooks. Que Choisir points out that an air fryer overlaps with an oven in what it can do, so its value depends on the meals you’d actually use it to prepare.
Start with the meals you usually cook. For smaller portions, compare a single drawer with the space you have available; for a main and a side, look at models with two zones. If you mostly use large oven dishes or cook on the hob, first consider which meals you’d actually prepare in a new appliance.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size and cooking surface | Compare the basket’s usable surface and how much food fits in one batch, rather than looking at its capacity in litres alone. | When I cook our usual portion, I don’t want to have to start a second batch and delay the meal. Around 36% of consumers say getting the right portion size is their top priority. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | Check the capacity of each zone, whether its settings can be adjusted independently and whether it has a synchronisation function. | If my main and side need different cooking settings, I want to serve them together. This is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Space in your kitchen | Measure the space available, allow room to open the drawers and check the clearances required in the model’s instructions. | I need to keep my worktop usable without having to move the appliance every time I cook. Around 21% of consumers prioritise keeping this space free. |
| Cleaning and noise | Check the cleaning instructions and, if possible, look for a noise test of the exact model you’re considering. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to use the appliance regularly without noise or cleaning becoming a nuisance. Around 14% of consumers put these features first. |
An air fryer and an oven can do many of the same things, as Que Choisir points out. Cooking a small portion tells you nothing about whether the appliance can handle a large gratin or several portions.
Write down three typical weekday meals, including the quantities and dishes or tins you use, then check whether they’ll fit in one batch.
Even an appliance you rarely use takes up valuable worktop space.
Two zones can make it easier to prepare a complete meal, but a large item needs to fit in one of the compartments—not just within the advertised total capacity.
Compare the capacities and, where listed, the internal dimensions of each zone. A removable divider may be useful if you alternate between cooking two dishes and a single larger one.
The space you need isn’t limited to the dimensions of the appliance when it’s closed. Que Choisir’s testing also takes noise into account, but you’ll need to check this for the specific model you’re interested in.
Measure the space with the drawers open, follow the clearance guidance in the instructions and look for a test of the exact model if noise is a key consideration.
If you have to get the appliance out and put it away every time you use it, that extra step can be a nuisance when you’re short on time.
Results depend on the food, the quantity and the appliances being compared. In a test involving a small quiche lorraine, Que Choisir found that the air fryers tested used an average of 36% less electricity than a mini oven. This figure doesn’t apply to every recipe.
When comparing results, look at the recipe, quantity, appliance used for comparison and measurement method—not just a percentage in isolation.
The range includes single-basket models and convertible configurations. Compare them based on the size of the meals you usually cook.
The Easy Fry range includes models with two drawers, designed to cook different parts of a meal separately.
The stacked-drawer design of the Double Stack SL300EU may suit kitchens where width is more limited than height.
These dual-zone models are best suited to people who cook two parts of a meal separately. Compare the advertised capacity with your portion sizes, then check the available space and the features you need for the way you cook.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to cook two dishes in separate drawers.
The product name indicates two drawers, a total capacity of 9.5 L and six cooking modes; the baskets are listed as dishwasher-safe.
If you need both dishes to finish cooking at the same time, check whether this model has a synchronisation function and make sure each drawer is large enough for your portions.
Image unavailable
Compare this model if you’re preparing a meal with two dishes that need to cook separately.
The product name indicates two drawers, a total capacity of 7.6 L and six cooking modes; the baskets are listed as dishwasher-safe.
Check that each drawer can hold your portion and that the end-of-cooking features suit the way you plan your meals.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to cook a main and a side in two baskets.
The product name indicates a total capacity of 9 L and a Black/Silver finish.
Before choosing, check that each basket has enough usable capacity for your usual portions.
Image unavailable
Worth a look if you alternate between cooking one dish and preparing two separate dishes.
The product name lists a 10 L capacity. Check the usable dimensions and how the divider works with the dishes you use.
For cleaning, follow the instructions for the basket supplied with this model.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to cook two dishes in separate compartments.
The product name lists a total capacity of 9 L and temperature controls.
Compare the usable size of each compartment with your portion sizes and measure the space you have available before buying.
Not for every meal. An oven is still useful when you need a large cooking surface or oversized dishes. Que Choisir highlights that the two appliances can do many of the same things, so choose based on the portions and dishes you actually cook.
A large basket is better suited to a single dish that needs plenty of width. Consider two drawers if you often cook a main and a side with different settings. In that case, check the size of each drawer, not just the total capacity.
No. Even if removable parts are dishwasher-safe, the inside of the appliance and the heating element also need cleaning. For the relevant appliances, Philips recommends letting them cool before cleaning and avoiding abrasive utensils. Follow the instructions for your model.
Allow for the space taken up by the appliance, room to open the drawers and the clearances specified in its instructions. For example, the Philips NA210/00 product details specify at least 100 mm of clear space on all sides. Check the guidance for the model you’re considering.
In France, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer, according to the Ministry of the Economy. If the appliance doesn’t match the seller’s description, keep your proof of purchase and contact the seller, explaining the fault you’ve noticed.