Air fryers vs multi cookers: what’s the best appliance for you?

Air fryers and multi cookers both have their fans – but for anyone who doesn’t own one, it can be difficult to tell the difference.

Both appliances come in a range of sizes and prices, and some brands of air fryer have a multitude of functions – just like a multi cooker – so any confusion is understandable.

We've weighed up the pros and cons of both appliances and analysed the key differences to help you decide if there’s one that would suit you better.

Not a Which? member yet? You can still access plenty of advice on air fryers for free. Or why not browse our Which? subscription options, or even gift an annual subscription? 

What is an air fryer?

An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks food by rapidly blowing hot air around the cooking chamber. It's much smaller than an oven so it cooks quicker and, in most cases, uses less energy too.

Air fryer pros and cons

Pros

• You can find affordable models that do a great job
• Very energy efficient compared to an oven
• Simple to use and clean
• Easier to find smaller models in size and capacity
• Preheats quickly

Cons

• You will need to keep an eye on the food to make sure it's cooking properly
• Not as versatile as multi cookers
• Not great for cooking saucy dishes, such as curry or pasta

Eat well, live better and stay healthy. Sign up for our Food & Health newsletter, it's free monthly

Air fryer types

There are two main types of air fryers: a basket-type and an oven-type. Basket air fryers are the most popular. Oven-types come with trays to accommodate your food.

They also come with one or two zones. If you're cooking for one or two people, you might want to consider a single-zone air fryer.

But if you're cooking for a larger group, you might want to opt for a dual-zone model. These generally have larger capacities and come with two cooking chambers, or a zone divider that splits a large cooking zone into separate compartments.

Seeking to turn out perfectly proportioned meals for two people? Read our guide to the best air fryers for two.

Capacity, size and weight

There's an air fryer that works for most households, big or small. We’ve tested air fryers with capacity for anything between one and nine portions of chips.

If you're a Which? member,  you can filter our air fryer reviews by capacity, which our lab tests measure in grams of food.

This is important because manufacturers usually state the internal capacity of air fryers in litres, but not all of that space is usable.

By using our reviews, you can see exactly how much food can fit in the model you've got your eye on.

Give an annual subscription

Help a loved one make smarter decisions all year round

Sign up now

Remember, just because an air fryer is small in capacity doesn't mean it's also small in size. Always double check the external dimensions before buying.

And consider its weight, especially if you'll need to move it between the kitchen counter and a cupboard.

The average weight of an air fryer is around 6kg. However, we've tested models as light as 2.6kg and as heavy as 9kg.

How we test air fryers:  Unlike free-to-access websites, which typically get the air fryers they review free of charge directly from manufacturers, we buy all the appliances we test ourselves so you can have complete trust in our verdicts.

Capabilities and features

All air fryers will do the basics but, in terms of features, you generally get what you pay for.

Many cheaper models come with manual settings only or standard auto programs such as air fry, roast and grill. Each program is set to what the manufacturers consider the ideal time and temperature – but you may wish to adjust them, depending on what you're cooking.

Some – often more expensive – models can come with additional auto programs such as bake, crisp, reheat, defrost and dehydrate. 

All dual models also come with two special features: sync and match (these could have different names, depending on the brand). These allow you to cook two separate dishes at different temperatures or mirror the settings in both baskets.

Other helpful features on premium air fryers are rotating baskets, stirring paddles, viewing windows and zone dividers.

To discover which models aced our rigorous lab tests, head to our best air fryers guide.

What is a multi cooker?

Multi cooker is a loose term that can apply to a variety of cooking appliances. One thing they all have in common is they combine many cooking functions in one handy kitchen gadget.

The best models we've tested do everything an air fryer can, while also having plenty of additional functions and cooking settings, such as pressure cooking, slow cooking and more.

Pros

• Extremely versatile
• Can come with functions you can't find on an air fryer
• Generous capacity
• Also very energy efficient compared to an oven
• Can leave it to cook while you do other things 

Cons

• Tend to be pricier than most air fryers
• Can be more complex to use than air fryers
• Take up more space
• Usually on the heavier side
• Some models can take a while to preheat on certain functions

Simple kitchen gadgets: find out why a multi cooker could be a useful appliance for cooks who like things hassle-free.

Capacity, size and weight

Unlike air fryers, the entirety of a multi cooker's internal space can be used and they are usually big enough to prepare meals for larger households. We've tested models with a capacity of between 5 litres and 7.6 litres.

This means multi cookers are usually on the larger side in regards to external dimensions. And you'll probably want to give it a permanent spot on your counter, since they're generally heavy. The lightest multi cooker we've tested weighs 3.3kg, while the heaviest weights 11.7kg.

Which Ninja kitchen appliance is right for you? Ninja appliances have a big reputation – but do they deserve it?

Capabilities and features

Multi cookers can do a lot – we've reviewed models with as many as 15 functions. These will vary between models, but most can air fry, pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, roast and bake.

But remember, you may be better off with a multi cooker with fewer functions as long as it has all the capabilities you're after.

Find out which multi cookers make the grade as our best multi cookers.

Is an air fryer more energy efficient than a multi cooker?

Our testing found larger multi cookers cost slightly more per use to run than smaller ones, but you can also cook more food in one go. Air fryers – barring a few exceptions – were a similar story.

But which appliance is more energy efficient overall? 

We compared cooking in an electric oven to a Morphy Richards Health Fryer 480003 air fryer and a Ninja Foodi Max 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker 7.5L on a pressure cooker setting and these were the results:

Jacket potato

Cake

Roast chicken

As you can see, the multi cooker was the cheapest and quickest appliance when we cooked a jacket potato and chicken, but it actually took longer than an oven for baking the cake.

Besides saving time, the air fryer produced food of an excellent quality in all cases. And bear in mind we only used the multi cooker as a pressure cooker, so the results could have been different had we used another setting.

Whether you go for an air fryer or a multi cooker, most meals will be cooked quicker than in an oven. And there's a good chance you'll be saving some money on your electricity bill as well.

Should I buy an air fryer or a multi cooker?

Ask yourself what functions you need.

If you're a fan of fried food, such as chips or chicken, you might want to opt for an air fryer.

But if you often cook big batches of rice or saucy foods like curry – or if you need a model with a larger capacity – you might want to opt for a multi cooker.

Still not sure?

If you've never used either of the appliances before, consider starting with an air fryer. They tend to be cheaper and, as you use it, you'll be able to see if it has enough functions for you. You can always upgrade down the line.

Another option would be to compromise. Brands such as Ninja, Instant and Tefal offer air fryers with multiple capabilities. We've also seen a rise in other appliances (including mini ovens) that offer air fryer capabilities.

Remember, do your research before you buy and head over to our air fryer reviews or best multi cookers pages.

Choose well, buy better and save money using our expert tips: get our Weekly Scoop newsletter – it's free.