Three air fryers that show the main choices among larger machines, researched from manufacturer documentation, with the trade-offs in capacity, space and cleaning set out plainly.
An air fryer is a compact fan oven: a heating element and a fan circulate hot air around the food. Electrical Safety First describes four broad styles on sale in the UK: basket, oven, dual-drawer and paddle. The style you choose affects how much you can cook, how much worktop you need and how much there is to wash far more than the name on the front.
This guide compares three models that show the main choices among larger machines: a dual-drawer air fryer with two equal drawers, a dual-drawer model with one large and one smaller drawer, and an oven-style air fryer. They are examples chosen because the manufacturer’s own documentation is clear and each one matches an exact Amazon.co.uk listing. They are not a ranking of every air fryer on sale: our Air Fryers listing covers more models, including smaller single-drawer machines.
Shopicks has not tested any of them. Everything here comes from manufacturer product pages and instruction manuals read on 11 October 2026, together with UK safety and energy advice, and the guide says where a figure is missing rather than guessing. The related comparison further down looks at one basket versus two in more detail.
Dual drawers, equal size
Ninja
A dual-drawer air fryer with two equal drawers that share a stated 9.5 litre capacity. Each drawer has its own settings, and Ninja’s SYNC and MATCH options coordinate the two.
Research-based assessment
Our assessment is based on product specifications, manufacturer information, market research and comparison with competing products. We have not physically tested this product.
People who often cook two foods at once and prefer two drawers of the same size.
Ninja’s UK product page documents the model number, capacity, rated power, functions and two independent zones, and the Amazon.co.uk listing carries the AF400UK part number. It represents the equal-drawer layout in this guide. We have not compared its cooking results with other models.
Dual drawers, different sizes
Tefal
A dual-drawer air fryer with one larger 6.5 litre drawer and one regular 4.5 litre drawer, seven pre-set programmes and a synchronised cooking mode, according to Tefal.
Research-based assessment
Our assessment is based on product specifications, manufacturer information, market research and comparison with competing products. We have not physically tested this product.
People who often cook a main and a side together and are happy with one large and one smaller drawer.
Tefal’s UK product page and instruction manual document this exact model number, and the Amazon.co.uk listing carries the same EY942BG0 part number. It is included because its unequal drawers are a real design difference from the Ninja’s equal drawers, not because we judged it better or worse.
Oven-style cavity
Tefal
A combination air fryer and oven with a 20 litre cavity, a glass door, three rack levels and ten automatic functions, according to Tefal. Food stays on racks and trays rather than in a pull-out drawer.
Research-based assessment
Our assessment is based on product specifications, manufacturer information, market research and comparison with competing products. We have not physically tested this product.
People who want a second oven-style appliance for trays, dishes, pizza and toast as well as air frying.
Tefal’s UK product page and instruction manual document this exact model number, and the Amazon.co.uk listing carries the same FW605840 part number. It represents the oven-style layout in this guide. We have not compared its cooking results with other models.
| Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone AF400UK | Tefal Easy Fry XXL Dual EY942BG0 | Tefal Easy Fry Air Fryer Oven FW605840 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layout | Two equal drawers | Two drawers: 6.5 L and 4.5 L | One oven-style cavity, three rack levels |
| Stated capacity | 9.5 L in total | 11 L in total | 20 L |
| Independent cooking zones | Yes, two | Yes, two | No, one cavity |
| Rated power | 2,470 W | 2,700 W | 1,800 W |
| Functions listed by the manufacturer | 6 | 7 programmes including manual | 10 automatic functions |
| Cleaning, per manufacturer | Dishwasher-safe parts listed | Drawers and grids dishwasher safe | Accessories hand-washed |
| Clearance noted in the manual | Not confirmed in the sources we read: check the booklet | At least 15 cm around the appliance | At least 15 cm around the appliance |
| May suit | Two foods at once, equal drawers | A main and a side, unequal drawers | Trays, dishes, pizza and toast |
Basket and drawer models hold food in a pull-out container, and you shake or turn the food part-way through. Oven-style models have a door and racks, so food stays where you put it and you can use a tray or an oven-safe dish. The three models here cover two dual-drawer layouts and one oven-style layout.
These three are larger machines. Single-basket models are not among them, but they are in our Air Fryers listing, where each is matched to its exact Amazon.co.uk listing, and the related comparison explains when one basket can suit better than two drawers.
Capacity is quoted in litres, but a litre figure describes volume, not how much food you can spread out so it cooks evenly. The Ninja AF400UK is described as 9.5 L, but that is two drawers sharing the total, and Ninja says each drawer fits up to 1.4 kg of fries or a 2 kg chicken.
The Tefal EY942BG0 is 11 L in total with unequal drawers. Its manual lists frozen fries at 900 to 1,500 g in the large drawer and 500 to 1,000 g in the smaller one. The oven-style Tefal is quoted at 20 L, but its manual sets 30 cm as the largest dish it takes. Use stated maximum loads and your usual portions before comparing litres.
One large container or two. The dual-drawer models let you run a different programme in each drawer and finish both at the same time. The oven-style model has one cavity, so everything cooks to one setting, although its three levels let you stack trays.
Equal drawers or different sizes. Equal drawers are interchangeable, so either can take the bigger item. Different sizes suit a main and a side, but a limit that applies to one drawer, such as Tefal’s whole chicken in the large drawer only, can shape how you plan a meal.
Drawers or racks. A drawer is simple to lift out, but food usually needs shaking part-way through; Tefal’s manual prompts a shake for several foods. Racks suit flat items and dishes, and a glass door lets you watch progress.
More functions or easier cleaning. The oven-style Tefal lists ten functions including grill, pizza and toast, but its manual says every included accessory is hand-washed. The two drawer models list fewer functions, and their manufacturers describe dishwasher-safe parts.
Accessories and storage. Each extra rack, plate or tray is another item to wash, dry and find a cupboard for.
Both Tefal manuals say to leave at least 15 cm around the appliance and not to put it in a corner or under a wall cupboard, so the hot air can circulate. We could not confirm equivalent wording for the Ninja AF400UK from the sources we read, so check its instruction booklet before choosing a spot.
We have left out external dimensions. The manufacturer pages we read either omit them or give figures we could not reconcile with other sources, and the dimensions in retailer listings are not always reliable. Measure width, depth and height, add the clearance, and compare that against the manufacturer’s figures before buying.
Electrical Safety First advises keeping power cables away from hot surfaces and worktop edges. The cords on these models are short (about 0.8 m for the Ninja and 0.9 m for the Tefals), so the socket must be within easy reach. Check each manual for what it says about extension leads.
The Energy Saving Trust says that, for the same meal, air fryers are often cheaper to run than an electric oven because they are smaller, while an oven can be better value for batch cooking or feeding a large group. So the answer depends on what you cook and how much of it, and an air fryer is not always the cheaper option.
The rated power is the most the appliance can draw, not what a meal uses: 1,800 W for the Tefal oven, 2,470 W for the Ninja and 2,700 W for the Tefal dual-drawer. To see the principle with open numbers, kilowatt-hours equal kilowatts multiplied by hours at full power. At 2.7 kW, 20 minutes at full power is 2.7 × 20 ÷ 60 = 0.9 kWh. Multiply that by the unit rate on your own bill for a ceiling.
Real use is usually lower, because the heating element cycles on and off to hold the set temperature and many foods need less than 20 minutes. This is an upper-bound illustration, not a measured running cost, and we do not quote a tariff because rates change.
Manufacturers’ pages carry their own savings claims. Ninja’s AF400UK page claims savings of up to 65 per cent against conventional ovens, and Tefal’s FW605840 page claims 70 per cent. Each has a footnote showing narrow test conditions (sausages for Ninja; 700 g of French fries against a Tefal convection oven for Tefal), so we do not repeat them as findings.
Electrical Safety First says electric air fryers must be fitted with a UK 3-pin plug and fuse, recommends buying from a reputable retailer rather than an unknown third-party seller, and advises registering the appliance so you can be contacted about a safety recall. It also says not to overfill the appliance, never to leave it running unattended and not to use paper in it unless the manufacturer’s instructions allow it.
We have not checked the recall status of these models. Check the manufacturer’s site and Electrical Safety First’s recall checker before you buy, and register the appliance once you have it.
Our assessment is based on product specifications, manufacturer information, market research and comparison with competing products. The products on this page have not been physically tested by Shopicks.
It depends on the largest single item you cook and how many things you want ready together, more than on the number of people in the house. Compare the manufacturer’s stated maximum loads rather than litres alone, and remember that in a dual-drawer model one drawer is only part of the total.
Often for a small meal, but not always. The Energy Saving Trust says air fryers are often cheaper than an electric oven for the same meal because they are smaller, while an oven can be better value for batch cooking. Cost depends on the meal, the quantity, the appliance’s power, the cooking time and your unit rate.
It varies, even within one brand. Tefal’s manual says the EY942BG0 drawers and grids are dishwasher safe, while its manual for the FW605840 says the included accessories are not. Always check the manual for the exact model.
Somewhere flat, stable and heat-resistant, with free space around it. Both Tefal manuals ask for at least 15 cm all round and say not to put the appliance in a corner or under a wall cupboard. Check the manual for the exact model you buy.
No. This guide is based on manufacturer documentation and UK safety and energy advice, and it says so on every pick. Shopicks does not describe cooking results it has not seen.
Model number, 9.5 L capacity, rated power and voltage, functions, per-drawer loads, cord length and the energy-saving claim with its footnote.
Model number, 11 L capacity with 6.5 L and 4.5 L drawers, 2,700 W, programmes, UK plug and cord length.
Dishwasher advice, 15 cm clearance, SYNC and single-drawer operation, and per-drawer quantities.
Model number, 20 L capacity, 1,800 W, functions, accessories, UK plug, cord length and the energy-saving claim with its footnote.
Accessories not dishwasher safe, 15 cm clearance, rack positions and largest dish size.
Air fryer styles, UK 3-pin plug and fuse, registration, cables, overfilling and paper.
Read through an archived copy of the 21 August 2025 article because the live page blocked automated access. The live page may have been updated since, so we cite its general advice and not its cost figures.
Used only to confirm the title, manufacturer and part number behind each ASIN. No Amazon prices, ratings, images or descriptions are used.
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