For courgettes served alongside a main dish, consider separate cooking zones if the foods need different settings but should finish together. If you also cook a larger batch in one drawer, a convertible layout gives you that option. Check usable drawer area, worktop fit and cleaning instructions rather than relying on the combined litre figure alone.
If courgettes usually accompany a main dish, separate zones and a synchronised-finish function can help you plan around different cooking times. Instant, Philips, Tefal and Tower describe these features on the models discussed below; check that each drawer fits the food you intend to put in it.
If the courgettes need more room in a single batch, compare the usable area of a large drawer with that of fixed, separate baskets. Instant describes a removable divider on its cited VersaZone model, while Philips describes separate drawers on its cited 3000 Series model.
If you expect to make vegetable sides often, check which parts can go in the dishwasher and where the appliance will sit. Cleaning rules can differ even between the trays and drawers of one model, as Instant’s VersaZone instructions illustrate.
Start with the space your usual portion of courgettes needs, then decide whether cooking a main and side separately matters more than having one uninterrupted drawer. Before choosing a model, check its worktop dimensions and cleaning instructions.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Room for courgettes | Compare usable drawer bases and whether a divider can be removed; check the space against your usual portion. | I want to spread a family serving across one cooking area rather than rely on a combined capacity figure. Around 42% of consumers would put usable batch area first. |
| Main-and-side timing | Look for independently controlled zones, a finish-together function and drawers that fit each part of the meal. | If my main needs different settings from the courgettes, I want both ready to serve together. For around 33% of consumers, coordinating the two foods would be the primary concern. |
| Everyday upkeep and fit | Check appliance dimensions, placement instructions and exactly which parts are dishwasher-safe. | When I use an air fryer regularly, washing up and a workable place for it matter most. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise that everyday practicality. |
Two baskets with a combined capacity of 9L do not necessarily provide one 9L area in which to spread courgettes.
Compare the usable base of each drawer, its crisper plate and whether any divider is removable against the portion you normally cook.
Separate drawers are useful for foods needing different settings, but their fixed boundaries can restrict a single large vegetable batch.
Choose by the meal you cook most often: compare fixed drawers for a separate main and side, or an uninterrupted drawer for a larger batch. If the quantity would require several air-fryer batches, consider whether using the oven makes more sense.
Tefal’s cited speed and energy claims are based on frozen-fries tests against a specified conventional oven, not a family serving of roasted courgettes. The Energy Saving Trust notes that appliance choice also depends on how much food is being cooked.
Compare your actual meal size and whether the oven will already be used for other dishes; do not treat a model’s test claim as a result for every meal.
Instant’s guidance for the cited VersaZone allows its trays in the dishwasher but instructs owners to wipe the drawers clean.
Check the instructions for the exact model and each part before cleaning. Tower also advises against abrasive cleaners and scourers for its air fryers.
These model lines illustrate different drawer layouts and care requirements; the details do not apply to every air fryer from each brand.
Instant’s cited Vortex Plus VersaZone is a convertible option for cooks alternating between a larger batch and separate foods.
Philips’ cited 3000 Series NA352/00 pairs a larger drawer for mains with a smaller one for vegetable sides.
Tefal’s cited Easy Fry Dual EY901N40 is a fixed two-drawer option with unequal zones.
Tower’s cited Vortx T17218RG offers two baskets rather than a convertible large drawer.
These air fryers cover convertible-drawer and fixed two-drawer options for a courgette side or a larger family batch. Compare the space in the particular drawer you would use: products with similar combined capacities need not accommodate the same portion.
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Consider the divider layout if you alternate between a courgette batch and separate main-and-side cooking.
The title specifies an 11L capacity, divider, viewing window, roast function and Sync function. Check the usable basket base and the space needed around the appliance before buying.
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Consider separate baskets when courgettes are a side dish and the main needs its own cooking area.
This is the NA351/00, not the NA352/00 discussed in the brand examples. Its title specifies two drawers and 9L combined capacity; check the usable area of the drawer intended for courgettes.
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The removable divider makes this a layout to consider if some meals call for a larger courgette batch and others call for separate foods.
The title specifies a 10.4L capacity and roast function. Check drawer-base dimensions, worktop fit and the available temperature settings if following a recipe with a specified setting.
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Consider this FlexDrawer model if you want to compare a flexible cooking layout with fixed dual baskets for family meals.
Its title specifies 7.1L capacity. Check how its cooking area is configured, how much courgette fits across the usable base, and its dimensions and temperature settings before purchase.
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A stacked two-drawer layout is worth comparing if you want separate spaces for a main and courgette side while considering worktop width.
The title specifies 7.6L combined capacity, four cooking levels and a vertical design. The drawers remain separate, so check the area available for courgettes in one drawer and the appliance’s full worktop fit.
No: two baskets are most useful when courgettes accompany another food that needs different settings and you want both ready together. For one larger vegetable batch, compare the usable area of a large single drawer or a convertible layout instead.
A Jane Plan recipe starts with pieces about 1cm thick at 180°C, cooks them for five minutes, shakes the basket and cooks for about five more minutes. Treat that as a recipe starting point, not a fixed result: thickness, basket load and appliance design can change the time needed.
No. The Energy Saving Trust says an air fryer can cost less to run when cooking the exact same meal, but the preferable appliance depends on the amount being cooked. For a large meal, consider whether the oven is already on or the air fryer would need several batches.
No; follow the instructions for the exact model and part. Tefal describes the EY901N40 drawers and grid as dishwasher-safe, while Instant’s guidance for the cited VersaZone says its trays can go in the dishwasher but its drawers should be wiped clean.
Check the selected model’s placement and handling instructions, including the space required around its vents. Instant’s cited VersaZone manual calls for a stable, non-combustible, level surface, unobstructed vents and dry parts before use; take care around hot surfaces and let the appliance cool before cleaning.