An air fryer is worth making space for in your kitchen if the meals you cook most often fit inside it, and you’re happy with the space it takes up and the cleaning it requires. Choose a single drawer for portions cooked together, or two compartments if you regularly cook different foods at the same time. Your oven can remain your main appliance for large dishes and baking trays. A mini convection oven is also worth considering if the shape of your dishes matters more than a cooking drawer.
Portion size isn’t the only thing to consider. The shape of your food, how many dishes you prepare and the space already taken up by an oven can all affect your choice.
If you mainly cook for one or two people, a single drawer may be enough without having to split the meal between two drawers. However, compare its external dimensions with your worktop and check how much room you’ll need to open the drawer. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the stated capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much you can actually cook.
If you want to cook a main and a side dish using different settings, two compartments can save you from waiting for a second batch. Check that each food fits in its own drawer: the total capacity isn’t the same as that of one large drawer.
If you often use your oven for large baking trays or family-sized dishes, use those meals as your point of comparison. An air fryer can handle quantities that fit in its drawer, but adding another appliance also means finding space for it and cleaning its parts.
Start with the dishes you cook most often, then consider whether they’ll fit inside the appliance and on your worktop. UFC-Que Choisir notes that cooking results vary between models: size can help guide your choice, but it can’t guarantee the results on its own.
Consider it: for portions or meal components that fit together in one compartment.
Limit: two dishes that need different settings may have to be cooked in separate batches.
Consider it: if you regularly cook two parts of a meal at the same time.
Limit: a large dish may not fit in either drawer, even if their combined capacity looks sufficient.
Consider it: if your dishes are better suited to a rack or an oven-style dish.
Limit: check its usable dimensions and how it performs with your recipes. Don’t infer its energy consumption from its power rating alone.
Keep it: as your main appliance if you often cook with large baking trays or dishes that won’t fit in an air fryer.
Limit: for smaller meals, compare using your oven with using a smaller appliance before buying an additional one.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | The shape and dimensions of the compartment, and the capacity of each drawer if the appliance has two. | For family-sized portions, I want to know if everything will fit without having to cook another batch. Around 29% of consumers rank this ability to avoid repeated batches as their top priority. |
| Cooking at the same time | Separate settings for each zone and, if needed, a synchronisation function. | When the main and side dishes need different cooking settings, I’d rather be able to start them together. Around 21% of consumers say cooking both at the same time is their priority. |
| How useful it is alongside your oven | The size of your usual dishes and tests using recipes and quantities similar to yours. | With an oven already in my kitchen, I’m looking for something to complement it for everyday meals, not another appliance that will sit unused. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this question of how well it complements their oven. |
| Space, noise and cleaning | Drawer clearance, the space recommended in the instruction manual, measured noise levels and which parts can actually be washed. | In a kitchen where the appliance stays within easy reach, I want to be able to set it up and clean it without too much hassle. These practical considerations come first for around 21% of consumers. |
Two drawers let you keep foods separate, but their capacities can’t be combined to fit one large dish. The available width and depth may matter more than the stated capacity.
Measure your largest ingredient or dish and compare it with the usable dimensions of each drawer. If you alternate between separate foods and a large dish, also look at models with a removable divider.
Energy consumption comparisons depend on the appliances, recipes and quantities involved. Tests published by UFC-Que Choisir on smaller portions don’t prove that an air fryer will use less energy for all your meals, especially if a large quantity means cooking several batches.
Compare tests using portions similar to yours, and take the number of batches into account rather than relying on a standalone advertising claim.
A large appliance can take up more worktop space than its footprint suggests: you also need room to open its drawers and follow the recommended clearance. Ventilation noise may matter in an open-plan kitchen.
Measure the space available, check the manual for clearance guidance and look for a noise test of the specific model. UFC-Que Choisir’s test procedure includes a measurement taken at 0,50 m.
A statement about the drawer doesn’t necessarily apply to the rack, divider or accessories.
Check the manual for the exact model to see which parts are dishwasher-safe and which need to be washed by hand.
These product ranges offer useful points of comparison, but they don’t guarantee cooking results or mean that every appliance will suit your kitchen.
The Easy Fry range includes models with two drawers, designed for cooking several parts of a meal.
The Airfryer range includes single-drawer models and flexible configurations that let you switch between separate dishes and one large compartment.
The brand offers several air fryer sizes, including models with two cooking zones. Your choice should be based on a specific model.
MultiFry models can be included when comparing sizes, controls and ease of cleaning.
These single-drawer and two-compartment models suit different needs: cooking portions in one compartment or preparing dishes at the same time. Before choosing a size, compare each model’s layout with your dishes and the space you have available.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers. The stated 7,6 l capacity is split between the two zones, so check that each dish will fit in its drawer. The product name lists six functions; also compare its noise level and the clearance recommended in the manual with your kitchen.
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Worth comparing if you want a single compartment for larger portions. Its stated 9 l capacity doesn’t tell you the usable dimensions of the drawer. Check them against your usual dishes, then measure the space available on your worktop.
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Its two baskets are suited to cooking two parts of a meal at the same time, provided each food fits in its own zone. The product name lists 2 400 W, eight programmes and independent temperature control. Check the basket dimensions and the cleaning instructions for the exact model.
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Worth considering if you’d rather cook in one basket than split food between two zones. The product name lists eight programmes, but the XXL label alone doesn’t tell you whether your dishes will fit. Check the usable dimensions before buying.
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Compare its single 4 l basket with your everyday portions, bearing in mind that the stated capacity isn’t the same as the space available for a dish. The product name lists eight modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the basket’s internal dimensions and the cleaning instructions.
Not if you regularly use large baking trays or dishes that won’t fit inside it. For smaller meals, it can complement your oven. First, compare the size of the dishes you usually cook with the size of the basket.
Look at the space actually available for your food, not just the number of litres. With a two-drawer model, check each drawer separately. For one large dish, a sufficiently wide compartment may be more useful than a total capacity split between two zones.
No. The result depends on factors including the recipe, quantity, model and number of batches. UFC-Que Choisir found lower energy consumption in tests of certain smaller portions, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get the same result with every meal.
Look for an independent measurement or review of the specific model, especially if you have an open-plan kitchen. When comparing tests, check how the measurements were taken too: UFC-Que Choisir’s test procedure includes measuring noise at 0,50 m.
According to the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, the CE marking represents the manufacturer’s commitment that the product meets the applicable European requirements. It isn’t an independent quality mark for cooking performance, so check the manual and the model’s specifications separately.