Kitchen AppliancesComparison
One basket or two? The answer depends on how you actually cook, and total litres can be misleading. These are the differences that matter.
One cooking compartment, usually a pull-out basket, running one time and temperature at once. Sizes range widely from model to model.
Cooking for one or two, mostly one dish at a time, or anyone who wants a simpler appliance with a smaller footprint.
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.
Two separate cooking compartments in one casing. Each drawer has its own settings, and many models offer a way to finish both together. Designs differ between manufacturers.
Households that regularly cook a main and a side with different settings and have the worktop space for a larger appliance.
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.
A single-basket air fryer has one cooking compartment, normally a pull-out basket with a crisper plate or perforated base. It runs one programme at a time, and you shake or turn the food part-way through. Electrical Safety First notes that basket models suit fast, crispy cooking where you shake the food.
A dual-basket air fryer, also called dual-drawer or dual-zone, has two separate compartments in one casing, each with its own settings. Designs differ: Tefal’s EY942BG0 pairs a 6.5 L drawer with a 4.5 L one, while Ninja’s AF400UK has two equal drawers.
A dual-basket model’s headline capacity is the total of its drawers. Tefal’s EY942BG0 is quoted at 11 L, but the largest single compartment is 6.5 L, so no one dish can use more than that. A single-basket model’s capacity is one compartment, so the number means something different even when the litres match.
Litres also say little about floor area. Food generally cooks more evenly when it is not packed on top of itself, so the base area of the basket or drawer matters more than its depth. Manufacturers’ stated maximum loads are a more practical guide. Tefal’s manual for the EY942BG0, for instance, lists up to 1,500 g of frozen fries in the larger drawer and up to 1,000 g in the smaller one.
A better question than ‘how many litres?’ is ‘what is the biggest single load I cook, and which compartment holds it?’
The main reason to choose two drawers is to cook different foods on different settings and have them ready together, such as vegetables in one drawer and chicken in the other. With a single basket you either cook in turn or choose foods that share a setting.
How the finish is coordinated varies. Tefal’s manual describes a sync mode that delays the start of the quicker food, shown as HOLD on screen, so both finish together. If you remove a drawer and do not slide it back within five minutes, the manual says the other drawer keeps running but the sync programme ends. Ninja’s AF400UK page describes SYNC and MATCH options for coordinating the drawers.
The rated power quoted by the manufacturers we researched is for the whole appliance, not for each drawer.
Two compartments side by side mean dual-basket models are often wider than single-basket ones, but sizes vary so much by model that layout alone is a poor guide. Compare actual dimensions from the manufacturer, and allow the clearance its manual asks for.
Consider where the appliance will live between uses. A machine that has to be lifted out of a cupboard each time tends to be used less.
Two drawers usually mean two drawers and two plates or grids to wash. Check which parts are dishwasher safe for the exact model: Tefal’s manual says the EY942BG0 drawers and grids are, and Ninja lists dishwasher-safe parts for the AF400UK. Non-stick coatings are normally damaged by metal utensils and abrasive pads.
Let the appliance cool before cleaning it. Electrical Safety First suggests waiting at least 30 minutes, and says not to put an air fryer in water apart from any parts the manufacturer recommends.
The Energy Saving Trust says air fryers are often cheaper than an electric oven for the same small meal. We found no reliable source that compares the running costs of single and dual layouts, so we make no claim either way. Cost depends on the appliance’s rated power, how long you cook, how much is cooking and, for a dual model, whether you use one drawer or both.
Do not assume every dual-basket model behaves like the next. Drawers can be unequal in size. Limits can apply to one drawer only: Tefal’s manual lists a whole chicken of up to 1.5 kg in the larger drawer and not the smaller. Not every model lets you use a single drawer alone, though Tefal’s EY942BG0 manual includes instructions for doing so. Some designs differ from the two-drawer layout described here, and some single baskets are large.
The model’s own instruction manual is the final word on loads, clearance and cleaning.
Start with the largest single item you cook and the compartment that holds it. Then ask how often you cook two things at once on different settings. If the answer is rarely, a single basket is likely to be enough. If it is most evenings, a second drawer earns its space.
Finally, weigh worktop space and washing-up. A larger machine you use every day can be worth it; one that is awkward to store or clean may not be. Our air fryer buying guide shows how these trade-offs look on three researched models.
| Single-basket | Dual-basket (dual-drawer) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking compartments | One | Two, side by side |
| Settings at one time | One time and temperature | Separate time and temperature per drawer |
| Stated capacity usually means | The whole basket | The total of both drawers |
| Cooking two foods together | Only if they suit one setting | Designed for it, often with a sync option |
| Load limits | One set of limits | May differ between drawers |
| Parts to wash and store | Fewer | More |
| Footprint | Varies by model, often smaller | Varies by model, often wider |
| May suit | Smaller households, simple use, tight space | A main and a side on different settings |
Two dual-drawer models and an oven-style air fryer compared, with manufacturer-stated specifications.
Single-drawer, dual-drawer and oven-style models, each matched to its exact Amazon.co.uk listing.
A door and racks instead of drawers: one cavity and one setting at a time, but room for trays and dishes.
The Energy Saving Trust says an oven can be better value for batch cooking and that a microwave is likely to cost less per use than many other cooking appliances, so an air fryer is not always the cheapest choice.
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.
Not quite. It is two cooking compartments in one casing, sharing one mains cord and one rated power. How independently each drawer behaves depends on the model, so read the manual.
Generally not. In a two-drawer design each drawer is a separate compartment, so a single item has to fit in one of them. Compare the largest compartment and the manufacturer’s stated loads. Some designs differ, so check the manual.
On Tefal’s EY942BG0, yes: its manual includes instructions for using only one drawer. Check the manual for any other model.
We have not found reliable evidence comparing the two layouts. Cost depends on the rated power, the cooking time, how much is cooking and your unit rate. Our air fryer buying guide includes a worked example of how to work out an upper limit.
Sync and HOLD behaviour, single-drawer use, per-drawer quantities, dishwasher advice and cleaning.
6.5 L and 4.5 L drawers and 11 L total.
Two independent cooking zones, SYNC and MATCH options and dishwasher-safe parts.
Air fryer styles, cleaning and cool-down advice.
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.
Kitchen Appliances
A research-based UK air fryer guide comparing a Ninja dual-drawer, a Tefal dual-drawer and a Tefal oven-style model, and what the differences mean for capacity, space and cleaning.