If you regularly cook one or two portions, a single-drawer air fryer is worth considering, provided you have a suitable place for it. If your oven already handles these occasional jobs, a new appliance may simply duplicate what you have. A dual-compartment model makes more sense if you often cook two dishes that need to be ready at the same time. In every case, compare the space it takes up, usable capacity, noise and how easy it is to clean.
You mainly prepare one or two portions and want to avoid letting an appliance you use often take over the worktop. Moulinex and Philips position some of their compact models for this kind of use; the space they take up depends on the model you choose.
Do a main dish and a side regularly need different settings? Two cooking zones could suit your needs, as long as their capacity and overall size work for your kitchen.
Before adding another appliance, you want to know what a drawer would change about the dishes you usually make. UFC-Que Choisir points out that air fryers and ovens have overlapping functions, and advises you to consider noise levels in a small space too.
First decide whether an additional appliance would be useful for something you do regularly, then choose between one drawer and two cooking zones. Next, check how much space it needs and how much food you can actually cook.
Worth considering: for one or two portions cooked regularly, if you have room for a drawer in your kitchen.
The trade-off: two foods that need different settings may have to be cooked in separate batches.
Worth considering: if you often cook two foods that you want to finish at the same time.
The trade-off: the total capacity may be more than you need for a small portion.
Worth considering: if you’re replacing an appliance and mainly want the traditional functions of an oven.
The trade-off: like an air fryer, it needs a place on the worktop or in a cupboard.
Keep using it: if it already suits your usual portions and you only cook these dishes occasionally.
The trade-off: you won’t have a small dedicated drawer for everyday batches.
| Criteria | What to check before buying | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Space and storage | Measure the appliance, the space needed to open the drawer and the clearances specified in the manual. | If I already use my worktop to prepare meals, I need to be able to set up or store the appliance without losing that space. Around 36% of consumers would put this constraint first. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the basket size and recommended quantities for the foods you cook, rather than looking at the stated capacity in litres alone. | For one or two portions at a time, I want to avoid both an oversized basket and having to cook repeated batches. This need would come first for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cooking two foods at once | Check the capacity of each zone and, if you need it, whether it has separate settings and a synchronisation function. | When a main dish and a side need different settings, I want them to be ready together. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this option. |
| Usefulness alongside an oven | List the dishes you make regularly. If you’re considering an air fryer, also check the noise level and which parts need cleaning on the model you’re looking at. | If my oven already suits the meals I cook, I’d rather avoid an extra appliance that I’ll rarely use or that gets in the way in the kitchen. Around 14% of consumers would put this question first. |
Two compartments or a large basket can be useful for more substantial meals, but their capacity should suit your portions and the space you have available.
Before choosing this format, compare the amounts you usually cook, the appliance’s external dimensions and whether you’d really benefit from cooking two foods at once.
UFC-Que Choisir notes that their cooking functions overlap. A new appliance could therefore take up storage space without offering a distinct use you’d make regularly.
Think about which dishes would genuinely benefit from a dedicated drawer. If there aren’t any, keeping your oven is still an option.
The fan can be noticeable in a small space. UFC-Que Choisir tests the noise levels of the models it reviews, but the result for one model doesn’t apply to all of them.
If this matters to you, look for a noise measurement for the specific model you’re considering.
The basket, rack and other removable parts vary from model to model. For example, the dishwasher-safe basket advertised for the Moulinex EZ130A20 isn’t a feature you can assume applies to other models.
Check the manual for the model you choose to find out which parts can be removed and how each one should be cleaned.
The range includes single-drawer appliances for smaller portions and two-zone models for more substantial meals.
The brand offers, among other options, a 4.1 L single-drawer model and larger-capacity models with two cooking zones.
Electrolux describes the EAF3B and EAF5B as compact appliances for quantities that may be more than a single portion.
These two appliances suit different needs: a 2 L drawer for regular small portions, or two drawers for cooking two foods separately. Your usual quantities and the space you have available are the main things to consider when choosing between them.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook one or two small portions and prefer a single drawer. The product listing gives a power rating of 1,150 W, a 60-minute timer and a non-stick, dishwasher-safe basket. Before setting aside a spot for it, check its dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual. If you cook in an open-plan room, look for a noise measurement for this specific model too.
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Worth considering if you often cook two foods in separate drawers rather than preparing one small portion. This model has two drawers, a total capacity of 7.6 L and six advertised cooking modes. Compare its capacity with your usual meals, then check the space and clearances it needs. A noise measurement for this model will also be useful in an open-plan kitchen.
Not necessarily. According to UFC-Que Choisir, air fryers and ovens have overlapping functions. Ask yourself whether you’ll make small batches often enough to justify the space a dedicated drawer will take up.
Choose based on the amount you cook and the size of the basket, not just its stated capacity. Check the manual for the recommended amount of food. Philips, for example, positions its 4.1 L HD9252/90 for two people, but that guidance applies to this specific model.
Only if the installation follows the instructions for the model you choose. The Joybuy product listing for the Philips NA210/00, for example, requires 100 mm of clearance on each side. Don’t assume the same distance applies to another model.
No. It depends on the part and the model. Moulinex says the EZ130A20 has a dishwasher-safe basket; check the manual for your model to find out what applies to the basket, rack and accessories.
If you bought goods from a trader, you may be able to seek a remedy from the seller under the legal guarantee of conformity. The Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control states that it applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods; any commercial warranty does not replace it.