Best dual air-fryers to buy in 2024, tried and tested by reviews experts

Whether you’ve got a large household or are looking for an air-fryer to cook a whole meal at once, our guide to the best dual air-fryers has all the info you need

By Imogen Hope

Published: Monday, 15 April 2024 at 14:55 PM

Air-fryers have soared in popularity in recent years, with dual air-fryers being one of the most popular models. According to Lakeland’s 2023 trends report, its sales of dual-basket air-fryers rose by 163% in the first six months of 2023.

Dual air-fryers usually have a large capacity, with two cooking zones that can be used separately or simultaneously, allowing you to cook multiple dishes without having to turn on your oven. This is not only more energy-efficient but often more mess free, not to mention quicker.

Read on for our guide to the best dual air-fryers, all of which have been put to the test by our expert reviews team.

Our reviews experts have also written a guide to the best Ninja air-fryers, with everything you need to know on size, price, cooking results and more.

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Best dual air-fryers at a glance

Best dual air-fryers to buy in 2024

Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Dual air-fryer AF500UK
Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Dual air-fryer AF500UK with olive accreditation badge

Best flexible capacity air-fryer

Star rating: 5/5

This air-fryer from Ninja offers the best of both worlds when it comes to capacity. Its innovative flexible drawer means that you can use it as a dual-drawer air-fryer or remove the divide and use the central cooking zone as one large-capacity cooking space.

This central zone has a total 10.4 litre capacity, which is large enough to cook a leg of lamb or a side of salmon, while each drawer has an individual capacity of 5.2 litres. With this large capacity comes a bulky overall size and there’s no getting around this machine’s imposing stature.

We were impressed with the cooking results on test. We cooked a salmon fillet and chicken breast at the same time in each of the two drawers and were pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t a transfer of smells. The chicken had an attractive golden colour while the salmon had crispy skin and a flaky texture.

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Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF400UK

Ninja dual zone air fryer AF400UK product image with olive accreditation badge

Best dual air-fryer for families

Star rating: 5/5

This dual drawer offering from Ninja features the brand’s signature matte black look with sliver accents. We were impressed that it was mainly packaged in recyclable cardboard and plastic, which unfortunately is rarely the case with air-fryers.

We used the ‘sync’ function to cook chicken in one drawer and salmon in the other, programming them to finish at the same time. We were impressed that there was no smell transfer between the two. Our halloumi slices cooked in seven minutes and had a crisp texture with a golden colour.

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Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air-fryer AF300UK

Ninja dual zone air fryer AF300UK product image with olive accreditation badge

Best dual air-fryer for cooking a complete meal in one

Star rating: 5/5

Another offering from air-fryer giant Ninja, this model has six cooking functions: max crisp, air fryer, roast, reheat, dehydrate and bake.

We used the match function to use both drawers at the same time to cook a large batch of chips for a crowd. This worked really well and allowed us to use the air-fryer to its full capacity. Our thin-cut chips didn’t dry out, which can be a worry with air-fried chips, while the thick-cut fries kept their fluffy interiors.

We liked that this air-fryer was easy to clean, with trays coated in effective non-stick that are dishwasher safe.

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Instant Vortex Plus Dual air-fryer

Best dual air-fryers

Best overall dual air-fryer

Star rating: 5/5

This is an impressive-looking dual air-fryer with a sleek touchscreen panel, drawers with windows so you can check your food while it’s cooking, and a relatively compact size compared to other dual models we’ve tested. Each drawer has a 3.8 litre capacity, which might be smaller than some other models on this list, but the combined capacity is still enough to cook a meal for six.

This is an air-fryer which has clearly been designed with the user in mind, and includes a number of features that make it a joy to use. The two interior lights and clear windows on the drawers means it’s easy to check on the cooking progress of your food, plus there are clear notifications of when to shake your food, which helped our chips to have a crisp finish on test.

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Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF451UK

Ninja dual zone air fryer product image with olive accreditation badge

Best smart cooking dual air-fryer

Star rating: 4.5/5

If you’re a fan of Ninja as a brand and want more smart-cooking options, this dual air-fryer could be the one for you. It has a built-in cooking probe, with lots of instructions in the manual about the ideal internal temperatures for different ingredients. All you need to do is insert the probe, programme the air-fryer to the meat you’re cooking and it’ll tell you when to remove it. We used this to cook our chicken breast and after a bit of trial and error we found it easy to use.

You can also use the air-fryer without the probe, and we used the match function to cook a large batch of chips in both cooking zones at the same time. These cooked in 20 minutes at 200C and came out with a fluffy middle and crisp outside.

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Lakeland Dual-Basket air-fryer

best dual air-fryers

Best air-fryer for chicken

Star rating: 4.5/5

This dual air-fryer from Lakeland is a sleek model with a large touchscreen panel and windows on the front of each drawer that let you peek in while your food is cooking. There are eight pre-settings which include all of our air-fried favourites like chicken wings, steak and chips.

Although we found the control panel a little hard to read at times, the manual was a helpful tool to identify all the icons. The chicken we cooked in this model was some of the best we’ve had from an air-fryer. It was juicy, tender and packed with flavour. The chips were also impressive, with a light centre and satisfying crunch.

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Salter Dual Cook Pro 8.2L air-fryer

best dual air fryers

Best affordable dual drawer air-fryer

Star rating: 4.5/5

Dual air-fryers are generally bulky due to their large capacity, but this model is surprisingly discrete on a countertop compared to others we’ve tested, especially given its 8.2 litre capacity. There are 12 cooking functions to choose from, plus the deep drawers mean you can cook a large volume of food at once.

It’s perfect for cooking a whole meal; we used the synchronised cooking function to make the most of both drawers. A single drawer was large enough for us to cook a whole small chicken in, and we used the other for chips. We shook the chips once midway through the cooking time and were impressed with the crispy results. The finished chicken had a slightly uneven colour but the flavour was delicious.

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HYSapientia Dual Zone air-fryer

best dual air fryer

Best dual air-fryer oven

Star rating: 4/5

Unlike many dual drawer models, this air-fryer has two cooking zones, similar to an oven, with stackable shelves that allow you to cook on multiple levels. This means there’s ample space for cooking for a crowd, and among the accessories included with the air-fryer are multiple full- and half-sized trays.

The halloumi we cooked in this air-fryer was golden and crisp, while the sliced aubergine had a nicely concentrated flavour. We found that the body of this model got quite hot during use, so it’s important to use oven gloves. We were disappointed about the volume of plastic packaging this air-fryer was packaged in, which impacted its overall star rating.

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Which Ninja dual air-fryer is best

Ninja is something of an air-fryer industry giant and has several dual models to choose from, with four featured in this list.

Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Dual air-fryer AF500UK

Best if you want a flexible capacity, this air-fryer means you can either use two separate cooking zones, or one large zone. This feature is a new one from Ninja and offers maximum flexibility, meaning you can cook whole meals easily.

Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF400UK

Best if you’re after a large-capacity, reliable air-fryer. This model is the classic in Ninja’s line of dual zone air fryers. With two drawers which can be used at either the same or different temperatures, this is a great choice if you are cooking for a family or large household.

Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air-fryer AF300UK

Best if you’re on a budget but still want one of Ninja’s large-capacity air-fryers. With an RRP of £219.99 this is the most affordable air-fryer in Ninja’s range of dual models, but it’s also worth bearing in mind that the brand and other retailers regularly hold sales.

Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF451UK

Best if you’re after smart-cooking features. If you’re looking to invest in a dual Ninja air-fryer with all the bells and whistles, this model with a built-in cooking probe is the one for you. With features to cook beef, chicken, fish and more without any guesswork, this air-fryer does the hard work for you.

Features to consider when buying a dual air-fryer

There are a number of features to consider when you’re looking to buy a dual air-fryer. The first is whether you want an air-fryer with drawers or an air-fryer oven, which will typically have doors. Both will have differing capacities and sizes, so this is really a matter of personal preference.

Capacity is another thing to think about. If you’re a couple or smaller household you might be after the ability to cook a whole meal in the air-fryer without its bulk taking over your kitchen. However, larger households might want to consider air-fryers with a capacity of 10 litres or more.

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