An air fryer could be a good fit if you often cook small portions and are happy to make room for another appliance, along with the fan noise and limited basket capacity. If your oven already meets your needs, particularly for larger quantities or occasional cooking, keeping it avoids doubling up. A deep-fat fryer suits a different preference: cooking by immersion, which also means handling and cleaning the oil.
If you regularly prepare a single portion or a small meal, compare how much space the appliance takes up, how much food actually fits in the basket and how easy it is to clean. A 3 to 4 L basket is a guide for one or two people cited by UFC-Que Choisir, not a guarantee that your usual ingredients will fit.
If you’re serving several people or cooking two dishes for the same meal, look at the usable capacity and the surface area available for food, rather than just the stated capacity. Depending on what you cook, two cooking zones could be useful, provided you have room for the appliance in your kitchen.
If your oven works for the quantities and recipes you prepare, consider how often a small meal would justify buying a second appliance. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the risk of duplicating your oven; fan noise and the space it takes up are also worth considering.
First, compare the way you usually cook with what your oven can already do, then check the usable capacity, available space and noise level of the model you’re considering. If you want to avoid deep-frying, an electric deep-fat fryer or a hob-top fryer won’t meet that requirement, even if it can make food crispy.
| Consideration | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| A different use from your oven | Compare how often you cook and the size of your recipes with how you use your current oven. | If my oven already handles my recipes, I want to know whether my regular small-batch cooking justifies a second appliance; around 29 % of consumers would make this distinct use their priority. |
| Usable capacity | Look at the basket’s surface area and how much food you can cook at once, not just the stated capacity. | If I’m serving several people, I want to avoid cooking in multiple batches; capacity would be the main consideration for around 29 % of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space available and check exactly which removable parts are dishwasher-safe. | In a kitchen where every appliance needs to be put away and washed after use, I want to keep both of these tasks to a minimum; around 24 % of consumers would put them first. |
| Fan noise | Look for a review of the specific model that includes a measurement while it’s running. | In an open-plan kitchen, I don’t want the fan to disturb what’s going on around me; quiet operation would be a priority for around 18 % of consumers. |
It’s also worth comparing electricity use when cooking the same recipe and quantity. For a small quiche, UFC-Que Choisir measured an average of 36 % less electricity used by the air fryers tested than by a mini oven. This result doesn’t demonstrate the same difference for other recipes, appliances or quantities.
Air frying can overlap with what you can cook in an oven. UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering the risk of having too many appliances: even if you rarely use it, an appliance will still take up space.
Before you buy, compare your oven’s capabilities with the recipes and quantities you actually prepare.
A large stated capacity doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to cook a large quantity of food at once. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the importance of usable capacity.
Check the basket’s dimensions and shape against the food you cook most often, and consider the extra time if you need to cook in several batches.
The fan can be distracting, particularly in an open-plan kitchen. Tests by UFC-Que Choisir show that noise levels vary between models.
Look for a noise measurement taken while the model is running rather than guessing how loud it will be based on the brand.
An air fryer and a deep-fat fryer use different cooking methods. Choosing the latter also means handling the oil and cleaning the bowl.
Decide whether you want to avoid deep-frying or are specifically looking for immersion frying. If you’re considering a traditional fryer on an induction hob, UFC-Que Choisir recommends checking that its bowl is made of steel rather than cast aluminium.
The features below relate to specific models; they don’t apply to every appliance from each brand.
The range includes options to compare, from a compact air fryer to models with two baskets.
The Easy Fry models listed by Moulinex include options with stated capacities of 3.5 L and 7.5 L, which you can compare according to portion size and available space.
Ninja is one of the air fryer brands featured in UFC-Que Choisir’s comparisons, particularly for models with multiple cooking zones.
These models use hot-air cooking without deep-frying. Compare their stated capacity with your portion sizes and check how much space they’ll take up: this selection doesn’t include ovens or deep-fat fryers.
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Worth considering if you want to prepare two foods for the same meal without deep-frying. The stated capacity is 9.5 L, and the product title lists six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check how much of your usual food will actually fit and how noisy the model is while running.
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If you’re cooking several portions, compare the basket with the size of the food you usually prepare. Its stated capacity is 7.6 L; check its dimensions before deciding where to put it, and look for a review of the model if noise is important to you.
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For small portions, first check that the 2 L basket is suitable for the food you prepare. The product title lists a dishwasher-safe non-stick basket and a 60-minute timer. Also measure the space you have for the appliance: a small capacity doesn’t necessarily mean it takes up little room.
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Worth comparing for smaller portions if you’d like a choice of cooking settings. The product title lists eight pre-set modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. The amount you can cook will also depend on the basket’s shape and the food itself, so check it against your recipes.
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If you switch between smaller and larger meals, check which containers come with this model and how much food fits in each one. Before choosing this format, also consider the space needed around the appliance and how noisy it is while cooking.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four people, and 7 to 9 L for five or six people. Then check the usable capacity and basket shape against the food you usually cook: the stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that everything will cook at once.
Not necessarily: both appliances can meet the same hot-air cooking needs. An air fryer is more worthwhile if you often cook small portions and are happy to make room for a second appliance and put up with the noise. Keep your oven if it already meets your needs for the recipes and quantities you cook.
Check the instruction manual to see which parts of the specific model are dishwasher-safe. Philips lists dishwasher-safe removable parts for the HD9252/90, and Moulinex does so for the EZ130A20 basket; this feature doesn’t automatically apply to other models from these brands.
Yes, particularly if you have an open-plan kitchen or a small home. UFC-Que Choisir notes differences between models and includes a measurement taken at 50 cm in its testing protocol. Look for a review of the model you’re considering rather than relying on a general promise of quiet operation.