Air fryers are fantastic. They cook food fast, give it a delicious crispy texture, and need little to no oil — so meals end up being healthier too.

Buying an air fryer is a no brainer then, right? Well, before you rush out to get one, it's important to think about what size air fryer you’ll require. If you're tight on countertop space, don't get a big air fryer if you don't need it. But if you want to prep dinners for the whole family, you'll want an air fryer with enough room to fit in a whole chicken and all the trimmings.

Not sure where to start? We've done all the thinking for you in this guide — no hot air, we promise! From small air fryers to big dual drawer air fryers, we’ll help you find the perfect fit.

Types of air fryers

It’s not “one size fits all” when it comes to air fryers. They’re available in all shapes and sizes…

Single basket air fryers

A single drawer air fryer is compact, efficient, and perfect if you’re living in a smaller household (or just dipping your toes into the air frying craze). They feature one cooking compartment that you can easily pop chips, chicken wings, or even veggies into.

The best single drawer air fryers are brilliant at whipping up portions for one or two people. Whether you're reheating last night's pizza or experimenting with air-fried desserts. What’s more, a small air fryer is simple to use, quick to clean, and won’t hog much precious counter space. Just remember, if you're cooking for a crowd — you might need to do a few batches.

Dual drawer air fryers

If you’re feeding a family or love to multitask in the kitchen, dual air fryers might be your new best friend. As their name suggests, these come with two separate cooking compartments. So, it's like having two air fryers in one!

The real magic of dual drawer air fryers is their versatility. They let you cook two different foods at the same time at different temperatures. Imagine crisping up some chips in one drawer while your chicken breast cooks to perfection in the other. Plus, if you're hosting a dinner party, you can keep one dish warm while finishing off another.

Stacked air fryers

As we now know, dual air fryers are great for looking loads of food in one go. But their size can be a problem in you don’t have the luxury of a big kitchen counter. So, what if we told you that you can get a dual basket air fryer with the width of a single drawer air fryer?

Yep — and it’s called the Ninja Double Stack XL. It's got two drawers stacked on top of each other rather than side-by-side, so you get as much capacity as a dual basket air fryer while using a lot less space. You can even throw in the included wire racks and cook four different meals at the same time!

Air fryer sizes: by amount of people

So, we’ve explained the differences between the types of air fryers you’ll find out there. But if you’re trying to figure out what air fryer capacity size you’ll need based on how many people you’re cooking for, we’ve broken it all down below:

What size air fryer for 1 person?

If you're living alone and want to prep air fried dinners for yourself and maybe a guest from time-to-time, a compact single drawer air fryer with a 2-4 litre capacity should be all you need.

This size lets you whip up a single serving of chips, chicken wings, and even a small pizza easily. You'll also find these air fryers are much more affordable and obviously won't take up as much precious counter space in your kitchen too.

If you often cook for friends and family who visit, or just prefer to prep large meals and freeze any leftovers — you might want to consider a medium air fryer size with more capacity. But air fryers up to 4 litres are ideal for solo cooks and rustle up delicious food with minimal fuss.

Which air fryer size for 2 people?

If it's mostly just you and your other half you'll be cooking for, then stepping up to 4-6 litre air fryers would be smart. These are all single basket, so they're still easy to squeeze in with your other small kitchen appliances. But they offer enough space to cook meals for two with no trouble.

Their bigger baskets have enough capacity for two or more generous portions of most dishes, from crispy fish fillets to roasted vegetables. You'll be able to prepare a couple of chicken breasts and a decent portion of chips to share too. Or how about a joint of juicy air fryer gammon?

Best air fryer for a family of 4

Look out for air fryers with a capacity of 6 litres or more. These models have plenty of space to cook larger portions and will get whole dinners for the fam done in less time than an oven. You can easily fit in a whole chicken, a big batch of chips, and enough nutritious vegetables for everyone. Meals must be balanced after all!

Once you get into 6 litre and above territory, you'll probably want to consider a dual drawer air fryer. These let you cook two different foods at different temperatures simultaneously. You can even sync their baskets to finish cooking at the same time. That way, your salmon fillets won't get cold waiting for those chips to turn golden. They’re a game-changer for busy weeknight dinners!

What size air fryer for a family of 5 or more?

If you live in a large household or love to entertain family and friends on the reg, it's time to think big. Air fryers with 8 litres of capacity or more are powerhouses that let you cook for multiple people without breaking a sweat.

This is where dual air fryers are a must-have. Aside from providing two big baskets, which you can also cater to two different tastes with, they come with various cooking functions that can air fry, roast, bake, and more too. Talk about flexible! Or how about getting the best of both worlds with an oven that does air fry cooking?

FAQs

What’s the best air fryer size for baking?

While air fryers are famous for rustling up crispy chips and chicken wings, they're surprisingly good at baking stuff too. Air fryers with at least a 4-5 litre capacity will offer enough space for small cakes, muffins, and even some bread recipes (we’ve got some great tips in our how to make bread in an air fryer guide).

But keep in mind that the shape of an air fryer's basket can play a part in how things turn out. Some models come with square baskets, which are best for baking as they're similar to traditional baking tins you'd stick in an oven. If you're serious about air fryer baking, look out for models with baking functions and accessories like cake tins or muffin moulds made to fit perfectly in their basket(s).

Which size air fryer for a whole chicken?

Fancy a perfectly roasted chicken with crispy skin? You'll need an air fryer with at least a 6-8 litre capacity. This is not only so it'll fit, but so there's some extra space around the chicken that makes sure hot air can circulate freely around it. Resulting in more even cooking, and of course — that desirable crispy outside.

Some air fryers, like the Tower Xpress Pro Combo 10 in 1 Air Fryer, come with rotisserie functions which are brilliant for cooking whole chickens. These rotisserie air fryers take up a bit more kitchen space though as they usually have large 10-12 litre baskets.

What is the biggest air fryer?

At the time of writing, the largest air fryer sold at Currys is the Tower Vortx T17122 Air Fryer Oven. It’s got a whopping 30 litre capacity, so it’ll have you covered for all those big feasts with your friends and family.

Any more questions?

Ready to jump on the air fryer bandwagon? Check out our list of the best air fryers on the market, or take a look at our huge range of air fryers instead. To keep your new appliance running smooth, read our guide on how to clean an air fryer too.