For a large batch cooked in one zone, consider an air fryer with a single or flexible drawer. If you want to serve a main and a side together using different settings, look at models with two drawers. If your meals mainly call for racks, trays or tins, a mini worktop oven may be a better fit. In every case, check the usable dimensions, the worktop space required and the accessories included with the specific model: the stated capacity alone isn’t enough to make your decision.
If your main and side need different settings, two independent cooking zones can make it easier to cook them. However, check that each drawer can hold the portion you have in mind and that the model can coordinate the end of cooking times.
For a large quantity of the same food or a sizeable joint, the usable surface and dimensions matter just as much as the stated capacity in litres. It’s worth considering a single or flexible drawer before opting for two smaller compartments.
If the shape of your cookware determines how you prepare a meal, a worktop oven may be more suitable than a basket-style air fryer. Compare the internal dimensions and included accessories with the items you plan to use.
Start with the meal you cook most often: two dishes that need coordinating, one large batch, or food that calls for a different cooking format.
Consider this: for cooking a large batch in one zone. Depending on the model, a removable divider lets you switch to two zones.
Bear in mind: with the divider removed, the cooking cavity can’t run at two different temperatures or for two different cooking times.
Consider this: for cooking the main and side separately, each with its own settings.
Bear in mind: the total capacity is split between the drawers, so neither may be large enough for a sizeable joint on its own.
Consider this: if tins, racks or roasting trays are regular features of your family meals.
Bear in mind: you’ll need room for the appliance and its accessories, and you’ll need to clean the parts you use.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinated cooking | Independent settings, the capacity of each drawer and the model’s synchronisation function. | When the main and side need different cooking times, I want to serve them together without leaving one to wait. Around 42% of consumers put this coordination at the top of their list. |
| Quantity and shape of dishes | Usable dimensions, recommended load and compatibility with your usual joints or tins. | For one large batch, I want to avoid cooking several rounds, without assuming that a capacity in litres guarantees enough room. This is the main consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | External dimensions, the clearance specified in the instructions and cleaning guidance for removable parts. | If the appliance is going in an already busy kitchen, I want to be able to set it up and clean it without making everyday meals more complicated. Ease of use comes ahead of other considerations for around 25% of consumers. |
Two compartments may have a high combined capacity, but that doesn’t mean a large joint or tin will fit into either one.
Compare the internal dimensions of each drawer with the dishes you usually cook. If shape is the priority, consider a flexible drawer or a worktop oven instead.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, the stated capacity doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much food you can actually cook.
Check the recommended load in the instructions, as well as the basket’s available surface area and height.
Manufacturers’ claims about speed or energy use depend on the food and the conditions of their tests. They can’t predict the results for every family meal.
To compare two appliances for your needs, look at their power rating and how long they take to cook the dishes you make regularly, using like-for-like conditions.
Two drawers mean more parts to clean, while a mini oven uses different accessories depending on the meal. You’ll also need to allow space around the appliance when setting it up.
Measure your worktop, follow the clearances specified in the instructions and check the cleaning guidance for the model you choose.
Moulinex offers the Easy Fry Dual XXL EZ942HF0, with 6.5 L and 4.5 L drawers; the Easy Fry & Grill XXL EZ801420, with a removable divider; and the 20 L AL605820 air fryer oven.
In its Airfryer range, Philips offers the NA555/00, with 6 L and 3 L baskets, and the NA156/60, whose divider turns two 3.55 L zones into one 7.1 L zone.
Tefal offers the Dual Easy Fry XXL EY9428E0, with two drawers listed as 6.5 L and 4.5 L.
These models, with two drawers or a single drawer, let you explore two ways to organise a family meal: cooking different dishes separately or preparing a batch in one zone. If you prefer using a tray, rack or tin, keep a mini worktop oven in mind too.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers. The stated 7.6 L capacity is split between the two drawers, rather than forming one large cavity. Check their usable dimensions and whether cooking times can be coordinated if you want to serve both dishes together.
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This model with two baskets may suit households that cook the main and side separately. It features independent temperature controls. Before choosing, check the usable size of each basket, whether cooking times can be coordinated and the cleaning guidance.
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The single drawer suits a dish you want to cook in one zone, rather than two dishes that need independent settings. This model has a cooking window and digital display. Compare the usable dimensions of the drawer with the portions you usually prepare.
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The two chambers let you cook two foods separately for the same meal. The stated 9 L is the total capacity, so check the space available in each chamber, the appliance’s dimensions and whether it has a synchronisation function if that matters to you.
They can be, if the main and side each fit in their own drawer. Moulinex and Philips describe models with different-sized baskets and synchronisation. Check that the model you’re considering has this feature and that each compartment has enough capacity.
UFC-Que Choisir suggests 6 L as a rough minimum for a family of four. This doesn’t guarantee that a particular meal will fit in the drawer. Also check the recommended load, the basket’s surface area and the size of your food or tins.
It may suit some meals cooked on a rack, in a roasting tray or in a tin, provided they fit. Check the included accessories and the types of dishes you actually cook before considering replacing any of your oven’s usual uses.
Check which parts are removable and read the cleaning guidance for the exact model, including whether any parts are dishwasher-safe. This is particularly useful if you’re choosing a model with two drawers or a mini oven with several accessories.