An air fryer does not offer a function that is fundamentally absent from a fan oven: it also uses circulating hot air to cook, roast or grill. Its main benefit is handling frequent small portions in a dedicated cavity; choose two drawers for foods requiring different settings, and keep the oven for large dishes, wide tins or bigger batches.
You often prepare a simple portion — vegetables, chips, drumsticks, bread rolls or a quick dish — and want to avoid switching on the large oven for every meal. UFC-Que Choisir suggests a single 3 to 4 L basket as a useful guide for one or two people, but you should also consider the basket’s usable surface and the foods you usually cook.
You regularly prepare two recipes with different temperatures or timings and want to serve them together. Two compartments with independent controls and synchronisation can suit this scenario, without replacing a large oven for bulky dishes.
You already own a working oven or mini oven and are looking for a genuinely different use. The frequency of your small batches, available space, acceptable noise level and the parts that need washing are all worth considering before adding another appliance.
Choose this if: you mainly cook one preparation at a time for one or two people and are short of worktop space.
Bear in mind: a single basket limits separate cooking; UFC-Que Choisir gives 3 to 4 L as a guide for the everyday portions of one or two people.
Choose this if: your side dish and main protein often need different settings but must be ready at the same time.
Bear in mind: two drawers offer greater flexibility, but take up more space and mean more parts to clean.
Choose this if: your meals often involve large dishes, wide tins or one large batch.
Bear in mind: UFC-Que Choisir points out that an air fryer performs functions similar to those of an oven, so its value depends on how often you genuinely prepare small batches.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| A distinct use from the oven | Compare the recipes you make often with those you can already prepare in the oven; check how frequently you cook small portions and the sizes of tins you use. | I want a small dedicated cavity for everyday meals, not simply another appliance that duplicates the occasional use of my oven. |
| Capacity and surface area | Look at the volume per drawer, the basket shape and the available cooking surface; for one or two people, UFC-Que Choisir cites 3 to 4 L with a single basket as a useful guide. | My portions should fit without being too crowded, and I want to avoid running several cycles for a typical meal. |
| Cooking in parallel | Check whether temperatures and timings can be set independently, along with the synchronisation function if finishing both dishes together is important to you. | I often prepare two different items and want them to finish cooking at the same time. |
| Cleaning and installation | Measure the space and clearance required by the model; check each removable part separately and confirm whether it is dishwasher-safe. | The appliance must be easy to take out, clean and use in my kitchen every day. |
| Fan noise | Look for a measurement or review of the exact model, especially in an open-plan kitchen; ventilation is part of how convection cooking works. | I want to be able to cook without the fan noise becoming irritating in a small room or open-plan space. |
An air fryer cooks, roasts and grills using circulating hot air. If you rarely make small batches, it could become an extra appliance to store and maintain.
List your meals for a week and count the portions you would genuinely prepare separately from the oven before choosing.
Usable capacity and basket shape determine how much you can actually cook. An overfilled basket may mean running several batches or result in less even cooking.
Compare the volume per drawer, cooking surface and size of your portions rather than relying on the marketing name alone.
Two independent zones are useful for two different recipes, but they add extra baskets and surfaces to clean. They are less useful if you almost always cook just one food.
Choose two compartments when different timings or temperatures regularly feature in your meals; otherwise, a single basket suited to your portions may be enough.
The fan can be noticeable in an open-plan kitchen, while maintenance depends on the baskets, racks and accessories. An appliance that is awkward to install or wash may be used less often.
Measure your space, follow the ventilation clearance specified for the model and check exactly which removable parts are dishwasher-safe.
Moulinex’s range includes compact air fryers. The Easy Fry Essential EZ130810 is an example of a 3.5 L single-basket design that the brand presents as suitable for everyday use in a limited space.
Philips offers single-basket designs as well as models with two asymmetric baskets. This variety lets you choose according to whether you cook one preparation or two components of a meal.
Ninja offers dual-zone air fryers. The Foodi DualZone AF300EU is an example of a 7.6 L French model with two compartments and independent controls.
These Joybuy options include single-basket air fryers for small batches and dual-compartment models for preparing two elements of a meal at the same time.
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For preparing one main item at a time in a kitchen where space is at a premium.
3.2 L capacity, adjustable temperature up to 200 °C and a 30-minute timer. The basket and drawer are stated to be dishwasher-safe.
A single basket does not allow separate settings for two foods; also check the basket’s surface area for your usual tins and ingredients.
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Worth considering when two different preparations need to be coordinated for the same meal.
Two baskets, 9 L total capacity, a temperature range of 40 to 200 °C, a 60-minute timer, synchronisation and a Copy function. The removable parts are stated to be dishwasher-safe.
Its dimensions of 382.5 × 443.9 × 314.2 mm and weight of 7.85 kg mean you should check the available space carefully.
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This dual-drawer model is designed for meals where two recipes require separate settings.
Two 4.75 L drawers, six functions, independent time and temperature controls, plus non-stick drawers and crisper plates stated to be dishwasher-safe.
At 8.8 kg and 41.5 cm wide, you should make sure it will remain easy to access every day; check the synchronisation function if it is essential for you.
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A single-basket option for very small portions in a studio flat or compact kitchen.
2 L basket, 1150 W power, 60-minute timer and adjustable temperature. The non-stick basket and removable parts are stated to be dishwasher-safe.
For some portions serving two people, 2 L may require several cycles; check the basket’s actual size and the installation space.
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For cooking two foods with different temperatures or timings at the same time.
Two independent 4.5 L baskets, 9 L total capacity, touchscreen, eight programmes and a Sync function.
Check the dimensions, weight, required clearance and basket cleaning requirements before choosing this dual-basket format.
Not in the sense of offering a completely new function: an air fryer uses circulating hot air and can cook, roast or grill, just like a convection oven. It can still be useful for very frequent small portions in a dedicated cavity; keep the oven for large dishes, wide tins and bigger batches.
As a guide, UFC-Que Choisir recommends 3 to 4 L with a single basket for one or two people and everyday portions. Also check the basket’s surface area and the size of the food you want to cook: a capacity stated in litres does not guarantee that a large item or dish will fit.
It lets you cook two foods with separate settings and, depending on the model, synchronise the end of cooking. This is useful for two regular components of a meal; for a single portion or side dish, a single basket may be more practical and take up less space.
Check the basket, drawer, racks and accessories separately, as dishwasher compatibility is not necessarily the same for every part. Moulinex states that the basket of the 3.5 L Easy Fry Essential is dishwasher-safe, while Philips mentions this for certain parts of its range.
Yes. The fan needed for convection cooking can be disruptive in an open-plan kitchen or small space. UFC-Que Choisir measures noise during its tests and highlights differences between models: look for a measurement or review of the exact model rather than relying on a single impression in a shop.