If you’re cooking for one or two people and preparing one dish at a time, a single-basket air fryer is the first format to compare. Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide, but you’ll also need to check this against the size of the dishes you usually cook. Dual drawers are better suited to cooking two separate dishes at the same time. If you regularly use tins or cook on several levels, compare an oven-style air fryer with your mini oven. Que Choisir’s published energy consumption figures depend on the recipes and appliances tested, so they don’t guarantee savings for every use.
If you mainly cook one portion or a side dish without switching on the full-size oven, start with a single basket. Check its usable surface area, how easy it is to handle and how simple it is to clean: Que Choisir includes these points in its buying guide.
A main course and a side dish may need different cooking times or temperatures. Two cooking zones can be useful in this case, provided they have independent controls and you use the synchronisation function often enough to justify this format.
For quiches, cakes or dishes where the shape matters, compare the internal dimensions and accessories of an oven-style air fryer and a mini oven. A basket’s stated capacity alone won’t tell you whether your tin will fit.
Start with the recipes you make most often, then check the cooking format, available space and cleaning requirements before comparing features.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size and surface area | Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide for one or two people using a single basket. Also compare the base area, the size of your dishes and the space needed to spread food out. | I usually cook one portion at a time: a single basket may be enough if my recipes fit without being crammed in. |
| Cooking two dishes at once | With a dual-drawer model, check the settings for each zone, their individual capacities and how the synchronisation function works. Que Choisir uses this function in its test protocol for appliances with two independent zones. | I often cook a main course and a side dish with different cooking times, so being able to serve them together matters more to me than the total capacity. |
| Shape of your dishes | Check the width of the cooking cavity, the available levels, the dimensions of compatible tins and the accessories included. If a basket won’t suit your dishes, compare an oven-style air fryer with a mini oven. | My pizzas, quiches and dishes cooked in tins determine the format I need; I don’t want to change the dish just to make it fit. |
| Electricity use | Compare figures for the same recipe, a similar quantity and a clearly identified reference appliance. For a small quiche Lorraine, the air fryers tested by Que Choisir in 2024 used an average of 36% less electricity than the mini oven used in that test. This result won’t apply to every dish. | I want to judge energy use based on the dishes I cook regularly, rather than assume one format always uses less. |
| Everyday use | Measure the space available on your worktop and in your cupboards. Check how easy it is to remove the baskets or racks, and look for a test of noise levels and thermal safety for the exact model. Que Choisir specifically notes fan noise. | In a small kitchen or open-plan room, an appliance that’s easy to put away and clean matters just as much as its programmes. |
Que Choisir’s comparisons cover specific recipes and appliances. A good result for a small quiche doesn’t predict how much electricity all your other dishes will use.
Think about the dishes you make most often and look for figures based on similar quantities and recipes, with the reference oven or mini oven clearly identified.
The total volume won’t tell you whether a pizza or tin will fit in the cavity, or how much surface area you’ll have to spread out the food.
Measure the dishes you usually cook and check the internal dimensions, basket surface area, levels and included accessories.
Synchronisation is most useful when you want two separate dishes to finish at the same time. For a single portion, the second drawer may take up space without meeting a regular need.
If you rarely cook two things at once, compare a single basket with oven-style formats that suit your recipes first.
If you use an appliance often, you may leave it on the worktop. Fan noise and how easy it is to reach the parts that need washing will then be part of everyday use.
Measure the space you have in mind, check how to remove and wash the parts, then look for tests covering the noise levels and thermal safety of the model you’re considering.
A brand may offer several formats. Compare the specific model and configuration that suit your recipes, rather than assuming you know how well it performs from the brand name alone.
Philips France features models including the 4.1 L HD9252/90 air fryer and the NA156/60, whose removable divider, according to its product information, lets you switch from two 3.55 L baskets to a single 7.1 L compartment.
Moulinex France features models including the 4 L Easy Fry Surface XL and a 20 L oven-style Easy Fry. These formats suit different cooking surface and dish-shape requirements.
Ninja is one of the brands to consider when choosing an air fryer, especially if the shape of your dishes matters as much as their capacity.
The MultiFry 3 HF3030 and MultiFry 5 HF5073 are among the Braun models mentioned in the French selection reviewed.
The Turboblaze Chef Edition is a Cosori model mentioned in the French selection reviewed.
These models show the single-basket format, containers in different sizes and a dual-basket design. To choose between them, start by considering how many dishes you cook at once, then check the space you can actually use and how easy the appliance is to clean.
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Worth considering if you usually cook one dish at a time. It has a stated capacity of 3.2 L; check the basket surface area against the dishes you usually cook, and consider the noise if the appliance will be used in an open-plan kitchen.
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Its stated capacity of 2 L means it’s worth checking whether your usual portion will fit in the basket without being crammed in. The product name mentions a 60-minute timer and a dishwasher-safe non-stick basket; also check the appliance’s dimensions and noise levels for your kitchen.
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If you want to switch between very small portions and larger servings, check which containers come with this model and their internal dimensions. Also check how easy they are to clean and how noisy the appliance is for the space you plan to use it in.
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Its stated 4 L capacity is at the upper end of the guide Que Choisir gives for one or two people. The product name lists eight modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the usable surface area, how easy the basket is to clean and the noise levels before choosing.
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This format is worth comparing if you regularly cook two things at once. The stated capacity of 9 L doesn’t show how much space is usable in each basket: check their dimensions, the cooking synchronisation function and how much room the appliance takes up before buying.
No. The comparison depends on the recipe, quantity and appliances. For a small quiche Lorraine, Que Choisir measured an average of 36% lower electricity use in 2024 with the air fryers it tested than with the reference mini oven. This result can’t predict energy use for every other dish.
Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L as a guide for a single basket designed for one or two people. Then check its width and usable surface area: the volume alone won’t tell you whether your tin or portion will fit properly.
They’re most useful if you regularly cook two dishes with different settings and want them to finish at the same time. If you only cook one dish at a time, first compare the space and usable surface area of a single basket. For a dual-drawer model, check that the zones work independently and that it has a synchronisation function.
Look for a test of the specific model carried out under clearly stated conditions, especially if you cook in an open-plan room. Que Choisir identifies fan noise as something to consider when buying; a quick test in a shop won’t necessarily reflect how it sounds at home.