Should you get a dual-basket air fryer? Here's the pros and cons

a black cosori dual basket air fryer with two frying baskets and two windows, lights, with a cooking grate and even kebab skewers

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Although I was originally reluctant to use an air fryer, I've become a convert. Not only does my air fryer save me energy, as I no longer have to heat my oven for small meals, but it saves me time, too.

After using the Cosori TurboBlaze air fryer with a single drawer for nine months, I am currently reviewing Cuisinart’s AirTwin XXL Dual-Zone Air Fryer (currently only available in the UK).

You’ll have to wait a bit longer for my review of Cuisinart’s double-drawer air fryer, but while you’re waiting, I can give you my insight into cooking with a double-drawer air fryer vs a single-drawer air fryer, and the benefits and drawbacks of each.

1. Real estate

Size matters. If you’ve got limited countertop space, a dual-drawer air fryer will take up precious inches. While swapping my single air fryer for a double version, something else had to give. Reluctantly, I’ve had to move my bread machine elsewhere.

There are ways to get around this issue if space is at a premium. Ninja’s double-stack air fryer is a prime example of a design that goes up instead of out, and it’s currently available at Amazon for $219.

So before you go ahead and buy a dual basket air fryer, consider if it's worth giving up the countertop space, as it's not an appliance you'll want to keep in a cupboard for occasional use.

2. Basket size

Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer — (Image credit: Future / Millie Fender)

One thing I love about my single-basket air fryer is that it’s large enough to roast a large chicken. I literally bore everyone talking about how much less mess it makes than roasting a chicken in an oven. And it cooks much faster.

However, with a single basket air fryer, it does mean that I either have to cook my roast potatoes in the oven, or leave the cooked chicken to one side while I air fry my spuds, which isn’t ideal.

But, with a dual basket air fryer, you may find the baskets are too small to roast a large chicken unless you choose wisely and opt for one with two drawers of different sizes. The Philips 3000 dual-basket air fryer, already mentioned above, is a perfect example of a dual-basket air fryer with flex power. It really comes down to personal preferences. If you are only cooking for one or two, the basket sizes probably won’t be a problem, but if you have more mouths to feed, you’ll need to consider if the capacity is sufficient.

3. Cook two things at once

Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer review — (Image credit: Ninja)

I’m all for saving time in the kitchen and this is where a dual-basket air fryer can help. It will allow you to cook two foods at once. Think chicken tenders in one side and roasted vegetables in the other. Or, if you have fussy eaters or those with food intolerances to cook for, you can cook two meals at once or keep food types separate.

And you no longer have to think about keeping one part of your meal warm while the other half cooks. In fact, it’s worth looking out for a cooking sync feature which will ensure the food in each drawer is ready at the same time, even if they have different temperatures and cooking times. Cosori’s 9-quart dual air fryer will do just that and is available at Amazon for $169. As a bonus, it also features viewing windows, so you can take a peek at how the food’s progressing without opening the drawers.

4. Flexible cooking

Just because you have an air fryer with two baskets, it doesn’t mean you have to use both drawers all the time. The appliances are super flexible, and you set each zone up individually, choosing a cooking mode, temperature and time. You don’t have to use both baskets for the air fryer to work.

The second drawer is there when you want the extra capacity to cook another food, saving you time, and removing the hassle of keeping one food warm while you wait for another to cook. It does the multi-tasking for you.

5. Price

Cuisinart Air Fryer — (Image credit: Future /Camilla Sharman)

As you would expect, a dual-basket air fryer, compared to its single-drawer competitor, is going to be more expensive. You can find some double air fryers for less than the price of single air fryers, but this will be down to buying a cheaper brand.

In fairness, with a dual-basket air fryer you are buying more capacity, so you would expect to pay more for an upgrade in space. For instance, Ninja’s 4-quart single-drawer air fryer retails for $89 at Amazon, while Ninja’s Foodi 8-quart dual zone air fryer retails at $191 at Amazon.

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Camilla Sharman has worked in publishing and marketing for over 30 years and has covered a wide range of sectors within the business and consumer industries both as a feature, content, and freelance writer.

As a business journalist, Camilla has researched articles for many different sectors from the jewellery industry to finance and tech, charities, and the arts. Whatever she’s covered, she enjoys delving deep and learning the ins and out of different topics, then conveying her research within engaging content that informs the reader. In her spare time, when she’s not in her kitchen experimenting with a new recipe, you’ll find her keeping fit at the gym. In the pool, stretching at a yoga class, or on a spin bike, exercise is her escape time. She also loves the great outdoors and if she’s not pottering about in her garden, she’ll be jumping on her bike for a gentle cycle ride.

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