An air fryer is worth adding alongside your oven if you often cook small quantities in a separate cooking space, or if two zones would genuinely make mealtimes easier. Otherwise, keeping your oven avoids buying a duplicate appliance, as UFC-Que Choisir points out. A single drawer suits simple dishes, two drawers let you cook different components at the same time, and a larger model is only worth considering if its size and upkeep suit your everyday routine.
You already own an oven and want to know which frequent small-batch cooks or separate dishes would justify another appliance. UFC-Que Choisir advises considering the risk of buying more than you need when your oven already covers the same tasks.
You’d like to cook a main dish and a side at the same time. Two zones may appeal if each can fit the portion you need and the settings suit the way you cook.
You need to find space to set up the appliance, use it and possibly put it away afterwards. Its dimensions, placement instructions and cleaning requirements matter just as much as the basket format.
If your oven already handles your everyday meals with ease, first ask yourself what a second cooking space would change. If you regularly have a distinct use for one, then choose the number of zones and a capacity suited to your usual portions.
Consider it if: you mainly cook a simple dish or a small to medium-sized side.
Bear in mind: you may need to cook different parts of a meal in batches.
Consider it if: you want to cook two components at the same time using different settings.
Bear in mind: each drawer needs to be large enough for what you’re cooking, and both zones require space and cleaning.
Consider it if: your usual portions or larger items won’t fit in a smaller model.
Bear in mind: a larger appliance may duplicate your oven’s functions more and take up more space.
Keep it if: it already handles your recipes and portions without any particular difficulty.
Bear in mind: you won’t have an extra compact cooking space for preparing a separate dish.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| A separate use from your oven | Think of the small dishes you’d regularly cook in a separate space, then compare them with what your oven can already do. | When my oven already handles my everyday meals, I want a clear reason to add another appliance. Around 33% of consumers prioritise having a separate cooking space. |
| Portions and even cooking | Check the usable surface area and height, then refer to the quantities recommended in the instructions rather than relying on the stated capacity in litres alone. | If I’m cooking several portions, I’d rather not have to cook multiple batches or overfill the basket. Usable capacity comes first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Cooking two things at once | Check the size of each drawer, whether the settings can be adjusted independently and whether the appliance has a synchronisation function. | To serve a main dish and a side together, I need two zones suited to each item. This coordination is a priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Set-up and cleaning | Measure the space needed to open the appliance and position it as instructed; also check which parts need washing and whether noise levels are documented. | If the appliance stays in my kitchen every day, it shouldn’t get in the way on the worktop or make cleaning too much of a chore. Around 20% of consumers put these practical considerations first. |
An air fryer can cook, roast or grill foods that your oven already handles. Unless you have a dish you make regularly that would benefit from a separate cooking space, it may simply take up room.
Before choosing a format, jot down a few everyday meals you’d genuinely cook in the air fryer instead of the oven.
The shape of the basket, available height and airflow also matter. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests distinguish between the optimum and maximum quantities, and recommend shaking chips during cooking.
Compare the usable dimensions with the food you prepare and check the quantities recommended in the instructions. If you’re cooking loose ingredients, plan to stir them if the recipe or instructions say to.
A noticeable fan or several parts to wash can affect everyday use. Even if some components are dishwasher-safe, you’ll still need to consider how to clean the inside of the appliance.
Check the noise level if it’s documented, how easy it is to reach the surfaces that need cleaning, and the care instructions for the model you’re considering.
In a test published in 2024, UFC-Que Choisir found that the air fryers it tested used an average of 36% less electricity than the mini oven it tested when cooking a small quiche. This difference doesn’t apply to every recipe or represent a comparison with your own oven.
Decide whether a smaller cooking space would be useful based on the quantities and dishes you actually cook, rather than applying this result to all your meals.
Think of small dishes you cook often or meals that would benefit from a separate cooking space. If your oven already meets those needs and you’re short on space, UFC-Que Choisir advises against buying more than you need: an air fryer also cooks, roasts and grills.
No. Capacity alone doesn’t tell you how many portions will suit each dish. Look at the basket’s shape and usable dimensions, the number of zones and the quantities recommended in the instructions. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests also distinguish between optimum and maximum quantities.
Don’t overfill the basket, and stir or turn the food when the recipe or instructions say to. This is particularly important for loose ingredients: UFC-Que Choisir found that chips cooked more on top than at the bottom in some models.
Let the appliance cool, then clean the basket, bowl and, where the instructions advise, the inside. For the models covered by its guidance, Philips advises against using metal utensils and abrasive cleaning products. Check the care instructions and whether the parts are dishwasher-safe for the model you choose.
Choose a spot that meets the instructions for your model, allowing room to open the drawers and leave the required space around the appliance. Moulinex recommends placing it on a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface, away from water and walls.