An air fryer can complement your oven if you often cook small batches and the basket suits the dishes you usually prepare. Keep your oven as your main appliance for larger dishes or cooking on several shelves. Before adding another appliance, compare its usable capacity with the space you have, how noisy its fan is and how much cleaning it will need.
If you often cook a single portion or a side dish, a single-basket model may suit your routine. However, check that the cooking area will fit your food and that you have a practical place for the appliance in your kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir points out that usable capacity matters more than the number of litres stated.
Two drawers, or a basket that can be reconfigured, can be useful if you regularly cook two foods that need different settings. If you rarely use both zones at once, measure how much space the appliance takes up before choosing this format.
If your oven suits the dishes you cook, it can remain your main appliance. UFC-Que Choisir notes that an air fryer overlaps with some of an oven’s functions, and advises you to consider fan noise, which can be particularly noticeable in an open-plan kitchen.
Start with the dishes you actually cook: small batches may justify a dedicated basket, while larger dishes and cooking on several shelves favour keeping your existing oven. If you mainly need to steam, slow-cook or microwave food, look at an appliance designed for those tasks before buying an air fryer.
Consider it: if you often cook small batches that fit in one basket.
Bear in mind: two foods that need different settings may have to be cooked in separate batches.
Consider it: if you often cook a main and a side at the same time; depending on the model, a reconfigurable basket can also combine the zones.
Bear in mind: separate zones may not leave enough room for one large dish.
Keep it: if you regularly cook larger dishes, use wide tins or need to cook on several shelves.
Bear in mind: you won’t have a dedicated basket for small batches, but you’ll avoid having another appliance to store and clean.
| What matters | What to check | What consumers say |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding duplication | List the dishes you cook most often and compare them with what your oven can already do. | If my oven already meets my needs, I want a clear reason to add another appliance to clean and store. Around 33 % of consumers would prioritise having a distinct use for it. |
| Getting the right portion size | Compare the basket’s surface area and height with your dishes, and check the quantities recommended in the instructions. | For my usual meals, I want to avoid both repeated batches and an appliance that’s too large for my portions; around 27 % of consumers would put this fit first. |
| Making everyday use easier | Measure the space needed with the drawer open and check which parts are dishwasher-safe. | If I cook often, an appliance that’s awkward to set up or clean could make every meal more of a chore. Around 20 % of consumers would prioritise this convenience. |
| Keeping noise down | Look for noise measurements taken at the same distance and using a comparable method. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to prepare a meal without the fan becoming annoying; around 20 % of consumers would put low noise at the top of their list. |
Air fryers use circulating hot air, so they can handle some of the same cooking jobs as an oven. Without a regular need for small batches or another specific use, an air fryer may simply mean more storage and cleaning.
Make a note of the dishes you’d cook in the new appliance and check that they’ll fit in the basket of the model you’re considering.
The stated capacity alone won’t tell you whether a tin, a large piece of food or your portions will fit properly. UFC-Que Choisir stresses the importance of the capacity you can actually use.
Check the shape and internal dimensions of the basket, then look at the quantities recommended in the instructions.
The fan can be an important consideration in an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir has found that noise levels vary between the appliances it tests.
If a quiet kitchen matters to you, compare measurements taken using the same method rather than relying on a quick listen in a shop.
Comparing energy use only makes sense when the recipes, quantities, preheating conditions and appliances are comparable. A general claim won’t tell you what to expect for your meals.
Check the precise conditions behind any figures and choose based first on your dishes, portions and how often you’ll use the appliance.
The range includes models with separate or reconfigurable cooking zones. According to Philips, the NA154/00 switches from two 3,55 L zones to a single 7,1 L basket with a removable divider.
The Easy Fry range includes several formats. Moulinex lists a capacity of 7,5 L and a removable front panel for the EZ866HF1 model.
Depending on the model, the MultiFry 5 range combines air-fryer, rapid-oven and grill functions. Braun’s range includes 6 L models.
These Joybuy models cover everything from small portions to cooking in two zones. Start by choosing a format that suits the dishes you prepare; the stated capacity alone won’t tell you how much you can cook in one batch.
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Worth considering if you want a dedicated appliance for certain small-batch meals: check that the containers are the right size for your portions and that you have room for them.
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With a stated 2 L basket, this model is suited to smaller portions; check that its shape works for the dishes you cook.
Stated power: 1 150 W. 60-minute timer; basket described as dishwasher-safe.
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The two baskets are designed for cooking separate dishes; check that each one has enough usable space for your main and side.
Stated total capacity: 9 L. Black and silver finish.
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This two-drawer format is designed for meals with two separate dishes; check the space it needs on your worktop.
Stated total capacity: 9,5 L. Six functions; baskets described as dishwasher-safe.
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The reconfigurable basket may suit households that switch between cooking separate dishes and preparing a larger one; measure the space you have before buying.
Stated capacity: 12 QT. Viewing window and pack of 50 cooking sheets mentioned in the product title.
Not for every use. An air fryer can bake, roast or grill, but keep your oven as your main appliance if you often cook large dishes, use wide tins or cook on several shelves. Before considering a replacement, compare the dishes you usually make with the basket’s dimensions.
Choose based on your portions and the space you can actually use in the basket, not just the stated capacity in litres. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a starting point for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four, and 7 to 9 L for five or six. Then check the internal dimensions and recommended quantities for the model.
Unplug the appliance, let it cool, then follow the instructions for your model. Avoid using metal scourers on non-stick parts and check which removable components are dishwasher-safe: this doesn’t mean the whole appliance can go in the dishwasher.
Ask your local authority or retailer about collection options for electrical and electronic equipment. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition describes a dedicated French scheme for collecting and recycling this equipment.