Who these formats suit

Hosts baking one large gratin

Look for one uninterrupted chamber that accepts your own oven-safe dish. Two baskets do not become one wide cooking space simply because their combined capacity is large.

Hosts timing mains and sides together

Separately controlled zones matter when the gratin and another course need different cooking times or temperatures. Check that the dish fits in its zone while both are in use.

Occasional hosts who prefer oven-style baking

An air-fryer oven may suit someone who wants shelves, baking controls and a view of the food, but it does not necessarily offer independently timed baskets.

What to check before buying

Removable-divider drawer

Choose when: You want one chamber for a larger gratin dish and the option of two separately controlled zones for other meals.

Trade-off: Removing the divider creates space, but the stated capacity does not confirm your dish will fit with airflow clearance.

Separate dual drawers

Choose when: The gratin fits in one basket and independently timing a main or side in the other is your priority.

Trade-off: Fixed baskets cannot accommodate a dish that needs their combined width.

Air-fryer oven

Choose when: You prefer an oven-style cavity, shelves and baking controls for dishes such as gratin.

Trade-off: Check the usable rack dimensions and dish placement; an oven-style format does not provide the same separate-drawer workflow.

For a dinner-party gratin, start with your dish and the other foods you plan to cook, then check how the appliance will fit on your worktop.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Gratin-dish fit Measure the dish externally and check the chamber’s usable width, depth and height, allowing room for airflow. If my usual gratin dish will not fit in one chamber, the total litre figure will not solve the problem; around 36% of consumers put single-dish fit first.
Meal timing Check whether zones have separate time and temperature controls and whether the dish fits with the divider in place. I want the gratin and another course ready together without holding one while the other cooks; roughly 29% of consumers prioritise coordinated timing.
Baking and monitoring Look for suitable temperature controls and a way to check progress; follow the model’s dish-placement instructions. When baking a gratin, I need to check both the topping and the potatoes rather than rely on a preset alone; about 21% of consumers place baking control first.
Worktop space and cleaning Check the external footprint, required ventilation space and cleaning instructions for the removable parts. A large appliance needs a safe place to stand and practical clean-up after a creamy dish; approximately 14% of consumers make space and maintenance their primary concern.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming total litres tell you whether a dish fits

    A large stated capacity does not establish the usable shape of the chamber. A preferred rectangular or oval dish may still be too wide or tall.

    Measure the dish and confirm the chosen model’s internal dimensions, leaving the clearance its instructions require.

  • Choosing fixed dual drawers for one wide gratin

    Separate baskets can help time different foods, but they cannot form one uninterrupted baking space.

    If one wide dish is essential, check a removable-divider drawer or an oven-style cavity instead; if separate courses matter more, measure the basket intended for the gratin.

  • Blocking airflow with a dish or liner

    A poorly placed dish or loose liner can obstruct circulation or contact a heating element. Tower Product Help advises that a suitable metal tin must not block the air vents or cover the entire basket.

    Follow the exact model’s cookware instructions, secure any permitted liner and keep vents and heating elements clear.

  • Treating a marketplace listing as an electrical-safety check

    A listing alone does not establish that the supplied appliance meets the requirements applicable to it. UK product-safety reports also concern specific identified products, not every air fryer.

    Confirm the exact model and seller, check current official safety alerts and inspect the supplied plug information. Regulation 12 of the UK Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 sets requirements for the standard plug and appropriately rated BS 1362 fuse link, subject to its conversion-plug exception.

Relevant brands to consider

Ninja

Ninja’s AF500UK FlexDrawer is relevant if you alternate between one larger dish and separately controlled foods.

  • Ninja Kitchen UK describes a removable divider that changes its 10.4L MegaZone into two 5.2L zones, alongside a Bake function.
  • Those capacities do not establish whether your particular gratin dish fits.

Instant Pot

Instant Pot’s VersaZone models offer a choice between a full drawer and divided cooking zones.

  • Instant Pot UK describes its 12L model as one drawer or two 6L zones, with Bake, SyncCook and SyncFinish.
  • The stated volume is not a substitute for checking internal dimensions and dish clearance.

Tower

Tower’s Elite Flexi-Drawer is another format for alternating between one course and two separately controlled foods.

  • Tower Housewares specifies an 11L chamber or two 5.5L chambers using the included divider, plus Bake and Smart Finish functions.
  • Confirm the dish’s fit and follow the model’s placement instructions before relying on the full chamber for gratin.

Tefal

Tefal has distinct options for separately timed dishes and oven-style baking.

  • Tefal UK lists a viewing window and 45–200°C temperature control for the 11L Easy Fry 9-in-1 FW501 air-fryer oven; its Ingenio Dual XXL EY9478G0 has separate 6.5L and 4.5L drawers with a SYNC function.
  • The Ingenio drawers do not combine into one wide chamber, while the FW501 does not offer the cited dual-drawer arrangement.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is litre capacity enough to choose an air fryer for potato gratin?

No. Capacity does not tell you whether your dish fits the usable width, depth and height of a single chamber. Measure the outside of the dish and check the shortlisted model’s internal space and required airflow clearance.

Can I use a metal gratin dish or foil in an air fryer?

A suitable high-temperature metal dish may be used when the appliance instructions permit it and it cannot block vents or touch the heating element. Tower Product Help gives similar conditions for metal tins; check the exact model’s instructions before using foil or a liner, and do not leave loose material where airflow can move it.

What plug should an air fryer supplied in the UK have?

Regulation 12 of the UK Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 requires an appliance supplied within its scope to be correctly fitted with a compliant standard plug and a BS 1362 fuse link rated according to the manufacturer’s instructions, subject to the statutory conversion-plug exception. Check the supplied appliance rather than assuming an overseas plug or informal adaptor is suitable.

Where should I place an air fryer while cooking a dinner-party gratin?

Place it on a stable, level surface with sufficient space around it, and follow the model’s clearance instructions. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service advises against plugging an air fryer into an extension lead because of the risk of overloading the socket.