If you’re only cooking one part of the meal at a time, a single basket may be enough, provided its usable capacity suits your portions. A dual-drawer model is better for keeping your main and side dishes separate, while a convertible basket lets you switch between two cooking zones and one larger space. Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for households of more than five, but the shape of the compartments matters just as much as the stated capacity. If your oven already fits the dishes you cook during the week, check that an extra appliance will serve a different purpose before making space for it on your worktop.
The number of people in your household is a useful starting point, but the size of your dishes and how many things you want to cook at once will determine which format to consider.
If you mainly cook one main dish at a time, start by checking what will actually fit in the basket. For four people, Que Choisir recommends a model of at least 6 L; this is only a guide, and doesn’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit without being stacked too high.
To reduce the number of batches, Que Choisir recommends 9 L or more for households of over five people. Check the usable surface area in each compartment, too: a large total capacity split between two small drawers won’t necessarily fit a large dish.
Consider whether you’ll regularly use a countertop appliance for small batches or two separate cooking jobs. Que Choisir points out that an air fryer performs many of the same functions as an oven. If your oven already handles your usual meals, it’s worth considering whether an extra appliance is worth the space it takes up.
Start with the meals you cook most often: one large dish and two separate items to serve together call for different cooking arrangements.
Consider this if: you mainly cook one dish at a time and it fits in the basket without needing several batches.
The trade-off: there are no separate cooking zones for your main and side dishes.
Consider this if: you want to cook two parts of a meal separately, with settings suited to each.
The trade-off: the total capacity may be split between drawers of different sizes; check which one will fit your main dish.
Consider this if: you alternate between cooking two separate dishes and one larger dish.
The trade-off: the space available once the divider is removed depends on the shape of the model you choose.
Consider this if: you cook dishes in tins or need an oven cavity for several dishes.
The trade-off: compare its footprint and intended use with those of the oven you already own.
| What to consider | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the internal dimensions, recommended load and space needed to arrange the food. Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and 9 L or more for households of over five as a starting point. | I want to cook my household’s usual portions without having to prepare several batches. |
| Cooking two dishes | Check the size of each zone, whether the settings are independent and whether the appliance has a function to synchronise the cooking times. | I need to have the main and side dishes ready for the same meal, even if they cook at different speeds. |
| Cooking results | Look for test results covering the foods you usually cook and the quantities you use. Follow the model’s load and shaking instructions: Que Choisir reports that chips may cook unevenly, even when shaken. | If I often fill the basket to cook for the whole family, consistent results matter more than the stated capacity alone. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space available and check the manual for clearance and connection requirements. For the specific model you’re considering, check which removable parts are dishwasher-safe. | An appliance used during the week needs to fit on the worktop and be easy to clean after a meal. |
| Using your oven | Compare the size of your dishes with the functions your oven already offers. Don’t apply an electricity-use measurement for a small dish to every meal: the cooking conditions need to be comparable. | I’d rather avoid another appliance if my oven already meets the same needs for family meals. |
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you the surface area available for arranging food or the size of dish that will fit in the basket. Que Choisir notes that some appliances described as XXL have an actual capacity of less than 5 L.
Before deciding whether one batch will be enough, compare the internal dimensions and recommended load with the meals you usually cook.
The compartments may be different sizes. For example, Moulinex describes an 8,3 L model split between a 5,2 L drawer and a 3,1 L drawer. The total capacity doesn’t tell you whether your main dish will fit in either one.
Work out which of your usual dishes will go in each drawer. If you also cook larger one-pot meals, consider the combined space in a convertible basket or the cavity of an air fryer oven.
Que Choisir reports that results vary between models and that chips may cook unevenly, even when shaken.
Look for tests on the foods that matter to you, then follow the load and shaking instructions in the manual.
An air fryer takes up worktop space, even if your oven already handles the same types of cooking. Que Choisir recommends avoiding unnecessary extra appliances.
Think about the small batches or separate dishes you’d genuinely cook in it. For the larger dishes you make regularly, compare what your oven and an air fryer oven can do instead.
The space the appliance takes up permanently could also leave you short of room to prepare meals.
These ranges show different cooking arrangements to compare. A feature listed for one model won’t necessarily be available across the brand’s entire range.
Philips France’s range includes dual-drawer and convertible-basket models, giving you the option to switch between separate dishes and a larger cooking space.
Moulinex’s product pages feature dual-drawer models and an air fryer oven. These are worth considering depending on whether you cook separate items or larger dishes.
Ninja is one of the air fryer manufacturers featured by Que Choisir in the French market.
This Joybuy selection includes four dual-basket air fryers and one single-basket model. Compare the space in each basket with the meals you usually cook; this list alone can’t determine whether a convertible basket or air fryer oven would suit you better.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to cook your main and side dishes in separate baskets. The title lists a total capacity of 9 L; check how much space each basket offers for the dishes you usually make.
Image unavailable
The two drawers let you cook a main and side dish separately. The title lists a total capacity of 9,5 L and 6 functions; check the usable dimensions of the drawers and, if needed, whether the appliance can finish cooking both dishes at the same time.
Image unavailable
This format is worth considering for cooking two separate dishes rather than one large dish. The title lists a total capacity of 7,6 L and 6 functions; check the dimensions of each drawer against your portions.
Image unavailable
Worth comparing if you want to cook two parts of a meal in separate baskets. The title lists a total capacity of 9 L, a power rating of 2400 W and 8 programmes; check how the capacity is divided, how much space it takes up and the installation instructions in the manual.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you mainly cook one dish at a time. The title lists an 8 L capacity and a viewing window; check the usable basket area for your portions, as well as the worktop space required.
For four people, Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L; for households of more than five, the organisation recommends 9 L or more. These are starting points: check the shape of the compartment, its recommended load and the space needed for your food or dishes.
Not if your dish needs to fit in one large space. Two drawers are designed to separate foods that need different settings. If you want the option of cooking one large dish, check the dimensions of a convertible basket with the divider removed, or those of an air fryer oven.
It can handle some smaller batches, but it won’t automatically replace an oven for larger dishes or several tins. In a Que Choisir test comparing the same quantity of a small quiche, the air fryers tested used an average of 36 % less electricity than the air fryer oven they were compared with. This result doesn’t reflect every family meal. Start by comparing the dishes your oven already accommodates.
No: having enough physical space doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a suitable location. Moulinex recommends a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface, away from water and walls. Check the manual for the specific model’s clearance and connection requirements.