Litres on the box, litres in the basket
An air fryer is bought on litres and lived with on the flat area of its basket. The stated capacity counts the whole drawer to the rim; what decides whether four portions cook evenly is the surface food can sit on in a single layer, and that is a different figure — sometimes published, often not. We compare stated capacity against the basket's own dimensions where the manufacturer gives them, the wattage, the temperature range and its lowest setting, whether there is one drawer or two, which parts the maker declares dishwasher-safe, and the external footprint, because this is a machine that lives on the worktop rather than in a cupboard.
2 L · 1 150 W · 80–200 °C
The smallest air fryer on this site, and the one whose controls are two dials rather than a screen. Midea publishes 2 litres, 1 150 W and a range of 80 to 200 °C with a timer to 60 minutes; the basket and the removable crisper plate are non-stick and declared dishwasher-safe.
Best for: One person, a small worktop, and a cook who would rather turn a dial than read a screen.
≈ 33 €
4,2 L · 13-in-1 · touchscreen, 9 presets
The Airfryer 2000 Series, and the model Philips publishes a usable-load figure for rather than only a litre count: 500 g of chips, six drumsticks or 500 g of vegetables in a 4.2-litre basket. Touchscreen with nine presets, RapidAir with the StarPlate, non-stick surfaces declared dishwasher-safe.
Best for: Two people who want the same result twice, and a listing that says what actually fits.
≈ 55 €
8,3 L · 1 800 W · 40–200 °C
The Satisfry XXL, and the most completely specified air fryer of the four: 8.3 litres, 1 800 W, a published range of 40 to 200 °C, nine presets on a digital touchscreen, a halfway turn reminder and automatic shut-off. Ceramic-coated grill plate and basket both declared dishwasher-safe, all food-contact parts BPA-free.
Best for: A family that cooks one thing at a time and wants every figure published before buying.
≈ 80 €
2 × 5,2 L · MegaZone 10,4 L · 7 functions
The FlexDrawer, and the only air fryer here that can cook two things two ways at once. Ninja publishes two independent 5.2-litre zones that join into a single 10.4-litre MegaZone, a stated load of 2 kg of chicken or 1.5 kg of chips per zone, seven functions, and — unusually for this family — the external dimensions.
Best for: A household cooking a main and a side at the same time, on a worktop with 50 cm of depth.
≈ 170 €
