Which air fryer to choose according to its capacity, its size and its way of cooking?
The air fryer has established itself as a cooking appliance in its own right. While it obviously knows how to prepare crispy fries with very little oil, it also allows you to roast, grill, cook, reheat or dehydrate depending on the model. And with the new generations with two drawers, vertical formats or glass tanks, its use now goes well beyond the simple oil-free fryer.
Ninja Crispi DualZone
- Capacity: 7.6 L, two 3.8 L tanks,
- Number of people: up to 8
- 8 modes
- Temperature: from 35 to 240° C
- Power: 2,460 W
Price: €329.99
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Moulinex Crispy Stack 10L
- Capacity: 10 L, two drawers (4L + 6 L)
- Number of people: up to 8
- 6 programs + 1 manual mode
- Temperature: from 35 to 200° C
- Power: 2700 W
Price: €149.99
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Ninja Crispi Pro
- Capacity: interchangeable (2.3 L or 5.7 L)
- Number of people: up to 6
- 7 cooking modes
- Temperature: up to 240°C
- Power: 2050 W
Price: €249
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Moulinex Easy Fry Smart & Silence
- Capacity: 5 L
- Number of people: up to 4
- 11 cooking modes
- Temperature: from 40 to 220° C
- Power: 1670 W
Price: €129.99
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Cosori Turbo Tower
- Capacity: 10.8 L (4.3 L + 6.5 L)
- Number of people: up to 8
- Cooking modes: 6
- Temperature: 30 to 230° C
- Power: 2630 W
Price: €239.99
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Cosori Twinfry
- Capacity: 10 L, convertible into 2 x 5L
- Number of people: up to 8
- Cooking modes: 6
- Temperature: from 35 to 240° C
- Power: 2840 W
Price: €239.99
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Wonder Oven by Our Place
- Capacity: 12 L
- Number of people: up to 4
- Cooking modes: 6 including steam mode
- Temperature: from 35 to 240° C
- Power: 1400 W
Price: €195
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Ninja Double Stack XL
- Capacity: 9.5L (2 x 4.75L)
- Number of people: up to 8
- Cooking modes: 6
- Temperature: from 40 to 240° C
- Power: 2470 W
Price: €269
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Cosori Turbo Tower Pro Smart
- Capacity: 10.8 L (4.3 L + 6.5 L)
- Number of people: up to 8
- Cooking methods: 7 including dehydration
- Temperature: 30 to 230° C
- Power: 2630 W
Price: €269
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Air fryer: what capacity for how many people?
This is probably the first criterion to look at. But liters don’t tell the whole story: a single 10L tank and two drawers totaling 10L don’t offer exactly the same use.
For a family of 4 to 5 people, the Moulinex Easy Fry Smart & Silence offers, for example, 5 L. At the other end, the Cosori Twinfry and Turbo Tower reach 10.8 L or 10 L, while the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer goes up to 10.4 L.
The capacity becomes particularly interesting when it allows you to prepare a main dish and its side dishes at the same time. This is precisely the principle of two-zone models.
Two drawers or a large bowl: what’s the difference?
This is one of the essential questions when comparing air fryers.
- THE Ninja Foodi Dual Zone has two independent drawers for a total capacity of 7.6 L. Each zone can operate with its own settings, while the synchronization system allows both cooking to finish together.
- THE Ninja Crispi DualZone pushes this logic into the world of glass: two transparent 3.8 L tanks, or 7.6 L in total, each of which can accommodate its own settings. The Sync and Match functions respectively allow you to synchronize two different cooking methods or reproduce the same settings in the two tanks.
The advantage of the double drawer is therefore less the total capacity than the possibility of cooking two different preparations at the same time.
Large capacities: for large families and large tables
When quantity becomes a priority, several models go above 9 L.
- THE Ninja Double Stack XL offers 9.5 L distributed in two 4.75 L drawers. Its originality is to stack them vertically. It can thus prepare up to four layers of food thanks to its stackable grills, while maintaining a smaller footprint than a double horizontal drawer model.
- THE Cosori Twinfry works differently. Its large 10 L tank can remain completely open or be separated into two 5 L zones. Its four resistances, two at the top and two at the bottom, contribute to even cooking. Six programs, Sync and Match complete the set.
- THE Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer goes even further with 10.4 L in a single large drawer. A separator allows you to find two independent zones or to benefit from a single MegaZone, for example for a large piece of meat. Its 7 modes include Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate and Prove.
Vertical air fryers: lots of capacity, less width
For some kitchens, the real problem is not the interior volume but the space available on the worktop.
- THE Ninja Double Stack XL is the most obvious example: its two drawers are stacked and the device measures 30 cm wide and 41 cm deep.
- THE Cosori Turbo Tower also adopts a vertical architecture with two baskets of 4.3 and 6.5 L. Its intermediate grid even allows you to prepare up to three dishes simultaneously. The device offers 6 programs and a temperature of 30 to 230°C.
- THE Turbo Tower Pro Smart takes this format with the same capacity of 10.8 L, but adds Wi-Fi, the VeSync application, dehydration and a yogurt maker function. Its 7 programs and its Sync & Match functions further expand its possibilities.
- THE Moulinex Crispy Stack 10L follows the same logic with two 4 and 6 L drawers placed one above the other. Moulinex announces up to 40% space saved thanks to this vertical format. The device has 6 programs and a manual mode.
Glass air fryers: cooking, storing and serving
With the Ninja Crispi, the container becomes almost as important as the device.
- THE Ninja Crispi Pro comes with two CleanCrisp glass containers of 2.3 and 5.7 L. The large format is designed for preparations for up to 6 people. The containers have storage lids: a preparation can therefore be prepared, stored in the refrigerator and then cooked without changing containers.
- THE Crispi DualZone applies the same principle to two 3.8 L tanks. They allow you to prepare two different recipes or the same recipe twice, then keep the leftovers in the same container.
This is an important difference with a traditional air fryer: the container is no longer just a cooking basket, but a dish that goes to the table and then to the refrigerator.
Devices that do more than an air fryer
Some products in this selection clearly fall outside the scope of the traditional oil-free fryer.
- THE Wonder Oven by Our Place is a 12 L mini-oven that combines six modes: grill, roast, bake, air-fry, toast and reheat. It also adds a steam-per-brew function. Its compact dimensions of 29.5 × 29.2 × 26.9 cm make it a device designed for small kitchens.
- THE Cosori Turbo Tower Pro Smart goes even further with dehydration and yogurt making, while its Wi-Fi connection allows you to control the device and access recipes via the VeSync app.
Air fryer: criteria to look at before choosing
The capacity
5 L can be enough for a family of 4 to 5 people, while models around 8 to 10 L provide more latitude for large tables. But you also have to look at the shape of the tanks.
The number of drawers
Two drawers do not necessarily mean twice as much capacity: their real advantage is to be able to do two different types of cooking simultaneously.
Modularity
A large divisible bowl, like that of the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer or the Cosori Twinfry, allows you to go from a single large volume to two independent zones.
Clutter
Two devices of the same capacity can take up very different space on the work surface. The vertical format is particularly interesting here.
The number of programs
However, we should not stop at the number. A device with 12 programs is not necessarily more versatile than a model with 6: you have to look at the functions actually offered.
Maximum temperature
It can vary significantly from one model to another: the Crispi DualZone and Pro go up to 240°C, while the Cosori Turbo Tower reaches 230°C.
The power
It gives an indication of the heating capacities, but is not sufficient in itself to compare performances: the air circulation and heating technologies also play a role.
Cleaning
The dishwasher compatibility of drawers, racks or bowls can really make a difference on a daily basis. Several models in this selection offer dishwasher-safe elements.
So, which air fryer to choose?
There is no single model that meets all uses. The right air fryer is first of all one whose capacity, configuration and functions correspond to the way you cook.
A couple does not necessarily need a 10 L appliance. A large family will appreciate two independent zones or a large modular tank. A small kitchen may favor a vertical model. And for those who want to reduce the number of appliances on their worktop, multifunction models or glass air fryers offer another approach.
