An extra cooking appliance is most worthwhile if a meal you make regularly is awkward to prepare with your oven or hob: a small portion to roast, a dish cooked in a bowl or oven-style cooking in a small kitchen. If your existing appliances already suit the meals you make, keep your worktop space. Before buying, check the size of your cookware, how easy the appliance is to clean and how it needs to be connected, rather than assuming a countertop appliance will use less energy.
If you often make a side dish or a small portion in a basket, an air fryer could suit that specific need. Compare the shape of the basket with the dishes you usually use: its capacity in litres doesn’t tell you how much food will fit in one batch.
If your recipes call for a cooking bowl, programmes or a delayed start, look at multicookers rather than focusing solely on roasting. Moulinex, for example, lists these features on its Multicook & Fry; check that they suit the meals you cook.
For pizzas, gratins or oven-ready dishes, a mini oven or combination microwave may be more suitable than an air fryer basket. Measure the space available and check which dishes will fit before choosing a countertop appliance.
Start with the meal that’s difficult to make with your current appliances, then check whether a new appliance would add a feature you’ll genuinely find useful every day.
| Need | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Small roasted portions | Basket shape and usable capacity; removable parts to clean. | When I’m mainly making a side dish or a small portion, I want to avoid cooking multiple batches in a basket that’s too narrow. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this need. |
| Meals cooked in a bowl | Programmes that suit your recipes; bowl capacity and included accessories. | For cooking a meal in a bowl, I prioritise the features I’ll actually use over a simple roasting basket. Around 25% of consumers put this need first. |
| Oven-style cooking | External dimensions, clearance specified in the instructions and the size of compatible dishes. | In a small kitchen, I need to fit in my gratins or pizzas without giving up too much space to the appliance. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this feature. |
| A purchase that won’t duplicate what I own | Meals that regularly cause problems with your existing oven or hob. | If my current appliances already cook the dishes I have in mind, I’d rather keep my worktop space than add an appliance I’ll rarely use. Avoiding this duplication is the main priority for around 17% of consumers. |
Two appliances with similar capacities can have very different basket or bowl shapes. Capacity alone doesn’t guarantee that a pizza, dish or several items of food will fit at the same time.
Choose a few meals you make regularly, then check the usable dimensions, compatible dishes and accessories. Also measure the space where you plan to put the appliance.
The annual consumption figures published by ADEME don’t compare cooking the same meal in an oven and an air fryer. A manufacturer’s claimed saving also depends on the conditions of its tests.
To compare how you use your appliances, consider the amount of food, cooking time and number of batches. Don’t assume the results of one test will apply to all your meals.
Promotelec warns that an overloaded extension lead can overheat. You’ll also need to position a countertop appliance so you can follow the instructions in its manual.
Check the appliance’s power rating, available power supply and required clearance. Avoid daisy-chaining connections; if you’re unsure about the circuit, ask a qualified electrician for advice.
A new appliance means another thing to clean and takes up space, even if your oven or hob can already cook the meals you have in mind.
Identify the dishes that regularly cause you problems. If there isn’t a recurring need, you can put off buying one.
Also allow for storage space and cleaning the appliance between uses.
Worth considering if you’re deciding between a basket air fryer and a multicooker designed for cooking in a bowl.
Worth considering for oven-style cooking on a worktop, particularly if you use oven dishes or want to combine different cooking modes.
Worth considering if your meals suit the size of a basket air fryer and you’re happy with its cleaning routine.
These appliances fit the option of cooking with a countertop air fryer. Their inclusion here doesn’t settle the choice between this type of cooking, a multicooker, a mini oven or the appliances you already own.
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Worth considering if you’d like to cook two parts of a meal with separate settings. The product name lists six functions and a total capacity of 9,5 L. Check the size of each drawer against your dishes, as well as the space and connection required.
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Worth considering if you make portions that won’t fit in a small basket. The stated capacity is 7,6 L; check the external dimensions and basket shape before deciding how much you can cook at once.
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Worth considering if you want to match the container to the amount you’re cooking. Check which containers are included, their usable dimensions and how they’re used: having more than one doesn’t necessarily mean you can cook two batches at once.
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Worth considering for small portions if a 2 L basket suits your dishes. The product name lists a power rating of 1 150 W and a 60-minute timer. Also measure the space required and check the power supply before setting it up.
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Worth considering if you want to divide two dishes between separate baskets. “10L” appears in the model name, but the stated capacity and food quantity don’t match. Confirm the usable capacity of each basket, the dimensions and the connection before choosing.
No, you can’t tell from the type of appliance alone. ADEME’s annual figures cover different appliances and uses, rather than cooking the same meal in the same quantity. To assess your own situation, consider how many batches you’ll need and the conditions behind any stated comparison.
No. The European Commission says that small ovens are outside the scope of the mandatory energy labelling for domestic ovens under the scheme it describes. For a mini oven, also check the usable capacity, dimensions, power rating and cooking modes you need.
Check its power rating, the instructions in the manual and the power supply available. Promotelec warns that overloaded extension leads can overheat. Avoid daisy-chaining connections, and ask a qualified professional to check the circuit if you’re unsure.
Yes, especially if you plan to use it often. Check exactly which parts can be removed and put in the dishwasher. For its Airfryers, Philips recommends letting the appliance cool for around 30 minutes before cleaning, but the manual for the model you buy is the definitive guide to its care.