Kitchen, guides, air fryers

Choosing an air fryer? Plan a dinner in it first

Picture the food, the side dish and the open basket alongside the litre figure. That shows how the appliance will fit your kitchen.

Published: 14/09/2026, 2 min read

What should guide your air fryer choice?

Pick a dinner you often cook and decide which part would go in the basket. Meat slices need flat space; chopped sides need room for turning. Alongside capacity, check basket shape, the space needed to pull it out and how it cleans. These details show whether everyday use will be comfortable.

Basket capacity is not a serving count

What you would cook	What needs room	What you can decide beforehand
Breaded slices	Side-by-side placement without overlap	Does dinner timing allow several batches?
Chopped vegetables or potatoes	Airflow and space for turning	How much can you comfortably move around?
Meat and a separate side	The order of foods using the basket	Which part can cook on the hob meanwhile?

Even a larger basket cannot complete every menu in a single batch. If meat and sides need different settings, plan separate batches or another cooking tool. A conventional oven may still be more convenient for large tray dishes.

Try the movements at your worktop

Choose the appliance’s position and leave the ventilation space required by its instructions.
Check that the basket pulls out fully and you can reach the handle comfortably.
Provide a suitable heat-resistant place for the hot basket and room for serving.
Think about washing too: can you reach the basket corners, and where will it dry?

Turn the first cook into your own recipe note

Start with a familiar food. Note quantity, time and temperature, then adjust according to the actual result. A programme button supplies starting settings, not proof of doneness. Let the hot basket cool before cleaning; use a dishwasher only if the model’s instructions permit it.

Look at the controls too

The Fashion 6-litre air fryer has 9 programmes and an adjustable temperature from 40 to 200 °C. You can adapt time and temperature to your food as well as using programmes.