For a large portion where everything needs the same settings, choose a large basket with enough usable space and capacity for your food. If you regularly cook a main and a side dish at different temperatures or for different lengths of time, consider two independent zones instead, and check how much each drawer can hold. It’s also worth comparing the oven, multicooker or deep-fat fryer you already own, based on your recipes, available space and cleaning requirements.
You often cook a large quantity of chips, vegetables or chicken pieces using the same settings, and want to cut down on batches. UFC-Que Choisir notes that usable capacity, rather than the ‘XXL’ label, determines how much you can cook.
You serve a main and a side dish that need different cooking times or temperatures. UFC-Que Choisir assesses how dual-drawer appliances synchronise when cooking different foods in each basket.
You need to allow room for the appliance and to open its drawers, while also considering fan noise and cleaning after frequent meals. UFC-Que Choisir recommends taking these practicalities into account before buying.
Start by thinking about how you put meals together: one large batch using the same settings, two separate cooking programmes, or recipes that your existing appliances already handle well.
Consider it: for a large portion of one food, or ingredients that cook using the same settings.
Bear in mind: you’ll use the same settings for everything, and need to spread the food out without overcrowding it. UFC-Que Choisir points out that shape and usable capacity matter more than the ‘XXL’ label alone.
Consider it: if your main and side dish regularly need different settings but should be ready to serve together.
Bear in mind: capacity is split between the zones. Check how much each one can hold, whether the controls work independently and whether the cooking programmes can be synchronised, if needed.
Consider it: if deep-fat frying is central to the meals you cook.
Bear in mind: the hot oil, splashes, smells and cleaning involved, as highlighted by UFC-Que Choisir.
Stick with it: if it can handle your usual dishes and you can’t think of a specific job for an additional appliance.
Compare: portions, recipes and the space it takes up. Don’t assume a multicooker’s programmes work in the same way as cooking in a basket.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Internal dimensions and the recommended quantity for your food. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes usable capacity from the marketing label. | If I’m cooking a large portion, I want to know whether it will fit without needing several batches. Around 36% of consumers are said to prioritise usable capacity. |
| Two separate cooking programmes | Individual settings for each zone, capacity per drawer and end-of-cooking synchronisation, if needed. | When my main and side dish need different settings, I want to serve them together; around 29% of consumers are said to prioritise this coordination. |
| Comfort in an open-plan kitchen | Space needed to place and open the appliance, noise measured on the exact model, and access to the parts that need cleaning. | In an open-plan kitchen, I don’t want the appliance to disturb the living space or make it harder to tidy up after every meal. This is said to be a priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Usefulness alongside existing appliances | The meals you cook regularly and the functions already covered by your oven, multicooker or deep-fat fryer. | If my existing appliances already handle my recipes, I first want to work out what extra use would justify buying an air fryer. Around 14% of consumers are said to put this question first. |
A large capacity doesn’t guarantee that you can arrange your food properly. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes, among other things, between the quantities recommended in the instructions and the stated capacity.
Compare the internal dimensions and fill-level guidance with your usual portions, especially for food that needs to be spread out or stirred.
Each drawer needs to hold its share of the meal. Two baskets won’t necessarily suit cooking two dishes in sync if their settings or synchronisation features don’t work for your recipes.
Check the capacity of each zone separately, along with its temperature and time controls, then make sure the cooking programmes can finish together.
The fan can be disruptive near your living space, and you’ll need to be able to reach the appliance when removing its drawers. UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering noise before buying.
Measure the space you have in mind, including the clearance needed, and look for a noise measurement for the exact model.
Air-frying overlaps with some oven uses, while a deep-fat fryer is designed for a different cooking method, with its own smells and cleaning requirements.
Start with the meals you cook regularly: work out which preparation the new appliance would handle before making space for it in your kitchen.
These appliances are designed for preparing family-sized portions in two zones or with an adjustable basket. To choose between them, start by considering how much room each food needs, then check the controls and cleaning requirements of the model you’re considering.
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Worth considering if you alternate between cooking a large batch and preparing two parts of a meal. The product name mentions a flexible basket, Sync and Dual functions, and a viewing window.
Before choosing this format, check how much space it takes up, the portions possible in each configuration and the cleaning instructions.
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Worth comparing if you want to cook two parts of a meal at different temperatures. The product name indicates two baskets and independent temperature control.
Stated total capacity of 9L, stated power of 2400W and 8 programmes. Check how much each basket can hold, as well as the space you’ll need in your kitchen.
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Worth considering if you divide a meal between two baskets and want to compare their cooking options.
The stated capacity is 9L in total. Check how capacity is split between the baskets for your portions, and whether the controls you need will let you serve both dishes together.
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Worth considering if you want to divide a main and side dish between two drawers, while keeping an eye on how much space each portion takes up.
The product name indicates two drawers, 6 functions and baskets described as dishwasher-safe. If both dishes need to finish cooking together, check whether the model has a synchronisation function.
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Worth considering if you alternate between cooking a large batch and preparing two recipes. Compare the basket configurations with the portions you actually cook.
The stated capacity is 10L. Check the settings available for each zone, whether the cooking can be synchronised if you want to serve both dishes together, and the cleaning instructions.
Not necessarily: the shape of the cooking cavity and its usable capacity determine how much you can fit inside. UFC-Que Choisir advises looking beyond the ‘XXL’ label. Compare the internal dimensions and recommended quantities in the instructions with the meals you usually cook.
Choose one based on how much each drawer can hold and the settings it offers. If both dishes need to finish together, check whether they can be synchronised too. UFC-Que Choisir tests this scenario by cooking chips in one basket and chicken drumsticks in the other.
Yes, you may notice the fan near your living space. UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering noise before buying. Look for a measurement for the exact model rather than assuming how noisy it will be based on its capacity.
Check RappelConso to see whether the model is subject to an alert or withdrawal. The DGCCRF describes this platform as the official service for publishing product recalls in France.
Take this electrical appliance to a suitable collection point. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition lists options including collection points or recycling centres, retailers, and social and solidarity economy organisations.