To serve a family meal in one batch, start by looking at the usable capacity and shape of the cooking compartment rather than relying on an ‘XXL’ label. UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for groups of over five. If your main course and side dish need different settings, also check the size of each cooking zone and whether you can synchronise cooking times. Finally, make sure your dishes will fit and that the appliance has a suitable place in your kitchen.
If you usually cook one recipe at a time, a single-basket model is worth considering. For four people, UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L. Make sure your chosen dish fits in the cooking compartment and that the appliance will fit on your worktop.
A dual-drawer model or a flexible cooking compartment can accommodate a main course and a side dish with separate settings. If they need different cooking times, check for a synchronisation function and make sure there is enough room in each zone.
For groups of over five, UFC-Que Choisir recommends 9 L or more to help reduce the number of batches. The shape of your dish matters too: a large joint, a wide baking tin and two separate recipes all call for different configurations.
Start with the meal you want to cook in one go. The quantity, the shape of your dishes and the number of separate cooking processes will help you choose the right size and style.
Worth considering: if you cook one main recipe at a time, particularly in a household of three to four people.
Bear in mind: foods that need different temperatures or cooking times cannot be cooked using two independent sets of settings.
Worth considering: if you want to cook a main course and side dish separately and serve them together, provided the model can synchronise their finishing times.
Bear in mind: the stated capacity is split between the drawers, and the smaller one may not suit your second dish.
Worth considering: if you alternate between cooking a large joint and preparing two separate dishes.
Bear in mind: once the divider is in place, each zone is smaller than the full cooking compartment.
Worth considering: if the width of a tin, quiche or oven dish matters more to you than having two independent cooking zones.
Bear in mind: a large cavity does not necessarily mean lower energy use or that all your recipes can be cooked in one go.
| What to consider | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the usable capacity, recommended quantity and size of each drawer, rather than just the total stated capacity. Check that there is enough room for your portions. | I’d like to serve the whole household without starting another batch. For four people, UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L; for groups of over five, it recommends 9 L or more. |
| Shape of the cooking compartment | Check the internal dimensions and whether they will accommodate the tin, joint of meat or other food you have in mind. If there’s a divider, check the dimensions of each zone. | My usual dish needs to fit the configuration I’ll actually use, not just the empty cooking compartment. |
| Cooking different foods at the same time | Check whether the zones have independent settings and whether their finishing times can be synchronised. Think of a specific dish for each zone. | To serve the main course and side dish together, I need to know whether they can have different cooking times. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the available space, the clearance needed to open the drawers and the height beneath your cupboards. Allow for the baskets, racks and dividers you’ll need to wash, and check which parts are dishwasher-safe. | I want to be able to keep the appliance within easy reach and clean the parts I’ve used after a meal. |
| Energy use | Compare results for the same recipe and quantity. Take into account how many batches you’ll need to cook your meal. | Energy use measured for a small portion may not answer my question if I need to cook the meal in several batches. |
UFC-Que Choisir points out that usable capacity determines how much you can actually cook. A product name alone won’t tell you whether your dish will fit in the cooking compartment.
Compare the usable capacity and internal dimensions with the dishes you usually cook.
Drawers may be different sizes: Moulinex describes an 8.3 L model split into 5.2 L and 3.1 L, while Philips describes the 9 L NA352/00 as having 6 L and 3 L baskets.
Check that your main course will fit in the larger drawer and that your side dish will fit in the other one.
The space needed isn’t limited to the dimensions of the appliance when it’s closed. Baskets, racks and dividers also add more parts to handle and wash.
Measure the space with the drawers open, then check how to clean each part of the model you’re considering.
UFC-Que Choisir’s tests show that energy use depends on the recipe and the appliance being compared. Extra batches also affect the overall energy used to cook a meal.
Look for comparisons using the same recipe and quantity, then check whether the capacity is enough to cook your meal in one go.
Documented models include a 6.5 L flexible cooking compartment and dual-drawer models with capacities of 8.3 L or 11 L.
The NA352/00 is an example of a dual-basket model with unequal-sized baskets: Philips states that the larger basket holds 6 L and the smaller one 3 L.
Ninja is among the air fryer brands mentioned by UFC-Que Choisir in its French publications.
This selection includes dual-drawer models for cooking two parts of a meal and a single-basket model for one recipe at a time. Compare the stated capacities with the dimensions of your dishes and the space available.
Image unavailableIts two drawers let you consider cooking a main course and side dish using separate settings. The stated total capacity is 9.5 L; check the internal dimensions of each drawer to make sure your dishes will fit.
Image unavailableThe two baskets are worth considering if you’re preparing a meal with separate dishes. The stated 9 L capacity is the total, so check the space available in each basket before choosing what to cook.
Image unavailableThe two drawers let you prepare separate dishes for the same meal. The stated total capacity is 7.6 L; check the internal size of the drawers and your portion sizes if you want to avoid cooking a second batch.
Image unavailableThis single-basket model is worth considering if you mainly cook one recipe at a time. Its stated capacity is 6.2 L; compare the internal dimensions with your dish and the quantity you want to serve.
Image unavailableIts two baskets and independent temperature controls let you consider cooking two different dishes. The stated total capacity is 9 L; check the dimensions of the appliance and each basket against your kitchen space and the dishes you plan to cook.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for groups of over five. Also check the usable capacity and shape of the cooking compartment: the stated capacity alone won’t tell you whether your dish will fit.
Not necessarily: the 9 L may be split between two baskets of different sizes. For example, Philips states that the NA352/00 has 6 L and 3 L baskets. Check the capacity of each drawer on the model you’re considering.
A flexible cooking compartment is worth considering if you alternate between cooking a large joint and preparing two separate recipes. Moulinex describes one of its models as accommodating 1.5 kg without a divider, or two 0.75 kg zones with the divider in place. Check that each configuration suits the food you want to cook.
No. The comparison depends on the recipe, quantity and appliances. In tests using the same quantity of a small quiche, UFC-Que Choisir measured an average of 36% less electricity used by air fryers than by a mini-oven. This result doesn’t guarantee the same difference for a family meal or a different recipe.