Choosing an air fryer: one or two drawers, how many litres and which shape

How many litres do you need?

The capacity is listed in litres on the box and in the product name. Many manufacturers also state how many people a model is meant for, which is the most useful guide.

• Small, up to about 4 litres: for one or two people or a side dish. The Fritel SnackTastic 4202 holds 2 litres and Fritel says it is for 1 to 2 people.
• Medium, 5 to 7 litres: for a family. Philips calls the 7.2 litre Philips 5000 Series XXL Connected suitable for up to 6 people. Other examples are the 6.2 litre Ninja Max Pro and the 6 litre Xiaomi Air Fryer Essential.
• Large, from 8 litres: often with two drawers, for bigger families or if you like to cook for several days. Tefal calls the 11 litre Tefal Easy Fry Dual XXL suitable for 8 to 10 people.

Keep in mind that the litres tell you how big the drawer is, not how much food fits. Hot air has to flow around the food. So do not fill the drawer beyond the maximum line the manufacturer marks, and shake or turn the food halfway.

One drawer or two

A dual air fryer has two drawers, each with its own heating. You can cook something different in each, with its own temperature and time. That is handy for a whole meal: chips in one drawer, chicken or vegetables in the other.

The brands give these functions their own names. A sync function lets both drawers finish at the same time, and with a match function both drawers get the same setting. Instant Pot calls it SyncCook and SyncFinish on the Instant Vortex Dual Drawer. Philips puts Sync in the name of the Philips 4000 Series Dual-Stacked.

Two drawers do mean that each drawer is smaller than in a single air fryer of the same total capacity. A whole chicken or a large dish may not fit. Some models solve that: on the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry, according to Cosori, you can remove the divider for one large drawer (MegaZone). On the Tefal Easy Fry Dual XXL the drawers differ in size, 6.5 and 4.5 litres.

Side by side or stacked

On most dual air fryers the drawers sit side by side, as on the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone AF400 and the Braun TwinCook 5. A model like that is wide, so measure your counter before you choose.

There are also models with stacked drawers, like the Ninja Double Stack, the Philips 4000 Series Dual-Stacked and the Xiaomi Smart Double Stack. They are narrower and taller. Check that there is enough room under your wall cupboards, because an air fryer needs space to release the hot air. The manual states how much free space it needs around it.

Air fryer oven and steam

An air fryer oven has a door and racks instead of a drawer. You cook on several levels and see the food through the glass. Examples are the 13 litre Instant Vortex ClearCook Airfryer Oven and the 12.6 litre Princess Airfryer Oven Vision. An oven like that takes more space, but for many dishes it replaces a small oven.

There are also air fryers that cook with steam, like the Princess Steam Airfryer. According to Princess it combines steaming and hot air in one appliance.

Coating, cleaning and noise

The drawer usually has a non-stick coating. Some manufacturers call their coating PFAS free in the product name, like Fritel for the SnackTastic 4202, and the Cosori Twinfry has a ceramic coating according to Cosori. Also check whether the drawer and rack can go in the dishwasher. Braun calls the drawers of the TwinCook 5 dishwasher safe.

An air fryer has a fan, so it makes noise. Tefal lists 43 dB for the Easy Fry Smart & Silence XXL. If the air fryer stands in an open kitchen, that is worth looking at. To look at other appliances, go to kitchen appliances.