If you often cook small, crispy portions and want to avoid handling a bath of hot oil, consider an air fryer – but don’t expect a completely odour-free kitchen. Keep your oven if it already meets your cooking needs, especially for larger quantities. Choose a deep-fat fryer if deep-frying is your main priority and you’re happy to deal with the smells, cleaning and safety precautions involved.
If handling oil puts you off, an air fryer is worth considering. Que Choisir highlights the smells associated with deep-frying in oil. However, reducing this inconvenience doesn’t mean eliminating all cooking smells.
To avoid cooking several batches, compare the basket’s usable surface, its shape and how the drawers are arranged. As Que Choisir points out, an ‘XXL’ label and the stated capacity alone won’t tell you how much you can cook at once.
If your oven meets your needs, an air fryer could be an unnecessary extra. Que Choisir advises against over-equipping your kitchen, so consider whether you cook small portions often enough to justify a second appliance.
An air fryer avoids a bath of hot oil, while electric and hob-top deep-fat fryers still use this cooking method. If you already have an oven, a new appliance may be unnecessary. To decide, start with the portions you usually cook and the inconvenience you actually want to reduce.
Consider one if: you often cook small or medium-sized batches and want to avoid a bath of hot oil.
Bear in mind: it’s an extra appliance that takes up space and can be noisy. Que Choisir also notes that cooking results vary between models.
Consider one if: you specifically want to deep-fry in oil and do so often enough to justify maintaining the appliance.
Bear in mind: the smells noted by Que Choisir, as well as handling hot oil and disposing of it.
Consider one if: you occasionally deep-fry in oil and the pan is suitable for your hob.
Bear in mind: it takes up a hob ring, and you’ll need to pay particular attention to the pan’s stability and potential splashes.
Keep it if: you mostly cook larger quantities or its features already suit the way you cook.
Worth considering: for some small dishes, Que Choisir’s tests found that air fryers used less energy than a mini oven. This result doesn’t apply to every dish or every oven.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Smells and oil | Compare the cooking methods and how easy it is to reach the parts that need cleaning. Check which removable parts are dishwasher-safe. | If the smell of frying lingers in my home, I want to handle less oil without expecting there to be no smell at all. Around 40% of consumers are said to put this concern first. |
| Capacity and even cooking | Check the basket’s surface area, the number of drawers and the quantities recommended in the instructions, not just the capacity in litres. | When I’m cooking for several people, I’d rather avoid cooking consecutive batches and ending up with unevenly browned food. This practical capacity is said to be a priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Overlap with your oven | Compare the portions you usually cook and how often you cook small quantities with the space another appliance would take up. | My oven already does the job: I’d only add an air fryer for dishes I make often enough. For around 20% of consumers, avoiding a redundant appliance would come before other criteria. |
| Deep-frying in oil | For a hob-top pan, check that it’s compatible with your hob. For any deep-fat fryer, follow the filling limits and care instructions. | If I want to deep-fry certain foods, I’m prepared to deal with the smells and cleaning involved. Around 10% of consumers are said to prioritise this cooking method. |
Que Choisir notes the smells associated with deep-frying in oil. Choosing an air fryer to reduce them, however, doesn’t mean eliminating all cooking smells.
Check how easy the model is to clean and how well your kitchen is ventilated, rather than relying on claims of odour-free cooking.
A high capacity in litres doesn’t guarantee enough room to spread out your food. Que Choisir points out that practical capacity and even cooking can vary depending on how full the basket is.
Before choosing a larger model, compare the basket’s shape, the quantities recommended in the instructions and the appliance’s external dimensions.
A basket that doesn’t suit your portions could mean cooking several batches.
According to Que Choisir, an air fryer’s cooking functions overlap with those of an oven. Whether a second appliance is worthwhile depends on your portion sizes and how often you cook them, rather than simply on its list of programmes.
Think about the dishes you make most often. If your oven already handles them in the quantities you need, consider whether you’d benefit from an additional appliance.
You’ll also need to find space for it and clean its parts after use.
Deep-frying in oil can mean smells and splashes, and involves handling hot oil. These considerations apply to both electric deep-fat fryers and pans used on the hob.
Place the appliance on a stable surface and follow its instructions for filling, cooking and cleaning. If you’re using a pan, check that it’s compatible with your hob too.
Remember to store and dispose of used oil safely.
The range includes models with a single basket. Philips lists the Series 5000 HD9255/80 as having a capacity of 4,1 L.
The Easy Fry Dual Essential EZ901820 is designed for households that want to cook two dishes in separate drawers, with stated capacities of 5,2 L and 3,1 L.
Ninja is among the brands covered in Que Choisir’s French comparison. Compare specific models rather than judging the brand as a whole.
These Joybuy models use hot-air cooking, so there’s no bath of oil to manage. Compare their single- or dual-basket designs with your usual portion sizes and the space you have available. Their inclusion here doesn’t change whether it might be better to keep your oven or choose deep-frying in oil.
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Worth considering if you’d like to cook two dishes in separate drawers rather than putting everything in one basket.
The product name indicates two drawers, a stated capacity of 7,6 L and six functions. Check each drawer’s usable surface area and the appliance’s dimensions against the space you have available.
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Consider this if you’re looking for a basket with a higher stated capacity and want to see your food while it cooks.
The product name specifies a 7 L capacity, a transparent window and a digital display. To work out how much you can cook, also check the basket’s surface area and the filling instructions.
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Worth considering if two baskets would suit the way you organise your cooking better than a single basket.
The product name lists a total capacity of 9 L, a power rating of 2 400 W, eight programmes and independent temperature control. Check the surface area of each basket and the appliance’s external dimensions before choosing this size.
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Worth considering for smaller portions, provided the quantity you can cook at once suits your usual needs.
The product name lists eight pre-set modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a shake reminder. Check the basket’s surface area and the quantities recommended in the instructions rather than judging its practical capacity by the stated 4 L alone.
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Consider this if you’d like to watch your food cook through a window in an appliance with a stated capacity of 5 L.
The product name mentions a non-stick basket and touch controls. Check the basket’s usable surface area and the appliance’s external dimensions to see whether it suits your portions and worktop.
No, an air fryer can’t guarantee a completely odour-free kitchen. Que Choisir distinguishes between the smells associated with deep-frying in oil and those from other cooking methods. If this is what’s prompting you to buy, also check the model’s care requirements and usage instructions.
No, an air fryer won’t necessarily replace an oven. Que Choisir highlights the overlap in their functions and advises against buying more appliances than you need. If you often cook small portions, a second appliance might be useful, but results from tests of some dishes in a mini oven won’t apply to every type of cooking.
Compare the basket’s surface area and how much food you can spread out in it, not just its stated capacity in litres. Que Choisir gives 6 L as a minimum guide for a family of four, which you should adapt to your portions and the food you prepare. Also check the filling instructions in the manual.
Check the manual to see which parts of your chosen model are removable and dishwasher-safe. Philips says the removable parts of the HD9255/80 are dishwasher-safe, while Moulinex says this applies to the drawers and grill of the EZ901820. This doesn’t automatically apply to other models or non-removable parts.