If cooking smells and cleaning up the oil are your main concerns, an air fryer is worth considering, though you shouldn’t expect exactly the same results as deep-frying. If doughnuts or deep-fried food are still your priority, compare electric deep-fat fryers instead. For more varied meals, check how much food the appliance can cook, how much space it takes up and which parts need cleaning.
You make chips or breaded food, but oil smells and splashes put you off deep-frying. UFC-Que Choisir presents hot-air cooking as a way to reduce smells, without promising an odour-free kitchen or results identical to deep-frying.
You prefer deep-frying and are happy to handle and maintain the oil. When choosing an electric deep-fat fryer, consider how much food it can cook in one batch, how evenly it cooks and how easy it is to clean. These are among the criteria covered in UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol.
You want to cook a main and a side separately, or avoid having to cook several batches. A large basket, two drawers or a removable divider each suit different needs. Check the stated food capacity and the space you have available, rather than relying on the litre figure alone.
Start by choosing your cooking method: use an oil fryer if deep-frying matters most, or hot air if you mainly want to avoid the hassle of dealing with oil. It’s also worth considering an oven with a suitable function or a multi-cooker, depending on what you actually cook.
Worth considering: if you regularly deep-fry food, especially doughnuts.
Be prepared for: oil smells, handling the oil and cleaning the bowl.
Worth considering: if reducing the smells associated with deep-frying matters more than recreating the results of deep-frying.
Be prepared for: results that depend on the appliance and how the food is arranged. UFC-Que Choisir also notes that air fryers can be noisy and bulky.
Worth considering: if your oven already has a function suited to the food you make and you only cook this way occasionally.
Check: the settings and accessories you’ll need. Don’t assume they’ll give you the same results as deep-frying.
Worth considering: if you want to use the same appliance for several cooking methods.
Check: the functions available, the accessories included and how each one needs to be cleaned. Don’t assume it will replace every type of fryer.
| What matters to you | What to check before you buy | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Oil smells | The cooking method and which parts need cleaning after use. Hot-air cooking won’t get rid of all cooking smells. | If the smell of deep-frying puts me off making chips at home, I mainly want another way to cook them; around 31% of consumers would put this concern first. |
| Cooking results | How it cooks the food you usually make and how much it can cook in one batch. UFC-Que Choisir notes that chips can brown unevenly in some air fryers. | If I want doughnuts or chips cooked by immersion, results matter more than easy cleaning; around 25% of consumers would put this expectation first. |
| Capacity and cooking zones | The stated food capacity, then whether to choose a single basket, two drawers or a removable divider. | When I’m cooking a main and a side, I want to avoid cooking successive batches without relying on the litre figure alone; around 25% of consumers would put this practical capacity first. |
| Cleaning and space | The appliance’s dimensions, the space needed to open the drawers and exactly which parts are washable. | In a kitchen where storage and washing up matter every day, I’d choose an appliance that’s easy to fit in and clean; this would be the main concern for around 19% of consumers. |
Capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much food the appliance can cook well. For electric deep-fat fryers, UFC-Que Choisir tests an optimal load—usually lower than the maximum load—as well as a maximum load.
Look for the food capacity stated for the specific model, then measure the space the appliance needs, including room to open the basket.
An air fryer uses circulating hot air rather than immersing food in oil. UFC-Que Choisir notes that some models can leave chips overcooked on top and pale underneath.
Start with the food you cook most often. Compare deep-fat fryers if doughnuts are essential, and look at results for the foods you have in mind if you’re leaning towards hot-air cooking.
A dishwasher-safe claim may apply only to the basket or certain removable parts, not the appliance body or all the accessories.
Check the instructions for your chosen model to identify each removable part and how it should be cleaned.
In France, a commercial warranty is separate from the legal guarantee of conformity. The Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control points out that the latter applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual.
Compare the exclusions and repair terms of any commercial warranty with the legal rights that already apply to your purchase.
These product ranges show some of the configurations you can compare. The features mentioned apply to the models specified, not every appliance from a brand.
The Easy Fry range includes compact, large-capacity and multi-zone models, so you can compare the space available with the food you plan to cook.
Its single-basket and split-zone models may suit households deciding between one large batch and two separate cooking tasks.
The brand offers various air fryer formats, including models with two cooking zones. Compare them according to how many things you want to cook and the space you have available.
These appliances are options for hot-air cooking. Focus on how they’re designed and their stated capacity, and compare these with the batches you usually make. Don’t choose any of them on the assumption that they’ll recreate deep-fried results or eliminate all cooking smells.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers.
The title lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check how much space you’ll need for the appliance and to open the drawers.
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The two drawers may suit you if you’re looking for separate cooking zones. Compare their size with the quantities you usually cook.
The title lists six functions and describes the baskets as dishwasher-safe. Check the instructions for specific cleaning guidance.
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The adjustable basket is worth a look if you switch between cooking one large batch and cooking two foods separately.
The title mentions a viewing window and 50 cooking sheets. Check the external dimensions and the recommended food quantity for each configuration.
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Worth considering for small batches, once you’ve checked that the basket can hold the quantities you usually cook.
The title lists a non-stick basket and a 60-minute timer. Check which parts are dishwasher-safe.
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Compare this single-basket model with the quantity you want to cook at once.
The stated capacity is 3,2 L. Also check the recommended food load and how much space to leave around the appliance.
No. UFC-Que Choisir describes air fryers as reducing frying smells compared with deep-frying, not eliminating them. The food you cook and how you maintain the appliance also matter.
Look for the stated food capacity for the specific model and check the basket configuration. For example, Philips says its 7,1 L NA156/60 can cook up to 900 g of chips. For electric deep-fat fryers, UFC-Que Choisir’s tests also distinguish between the optimal and maximum loads.
Check the instructions to see which parts are removable and how each one should be cleaned. A dishwasher-safe basket doesn’t mean the bowl, dividers or heating unit can be washed in the same way.
In France, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual, as the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control points out. Keep the product description and proof of purchase if the stated capacity, accessories or features influenced your choice.