French door air fryers have quickly become one of the year’s hottest kitchen appliance trends. As a kitchen product tester, I think we're only going to see bigger and better designs in 2025.
So, what exactly is a French door air fryer? The term ‘French door’ describes the appliance’s double-door design. Unlike the traditional basket air fryer, they are super spacious (often fitting multiple pizzas and chickens) and you can watch your food through the door windows. The outward-opening doors provide easy access to your food, making it a breeze to handle hot trays or adjust dishes mid-cook. Whether you’re hosting a large dinner party or baking cookies with the kids, they can make life a lot easier.
Plus, they are multi-functional (toasting, roasting, dehydrating, and air frying like the best air fryers), so they could even replace your oven. However, that does make it tricky to split the difference between French door air fryers and the best countertop ovens.
That's where I come in. As a product reviewer, I'm part of the kitchen testing team here at H&G. Together, we've cooked with some of the best air fryers money can buy. We might favor a spacious, sleek appliance, but we'd never sacrifice substance for style. To get the full picture, I consulted with appliance designers, my fellow product testers and expert chefs. Their insights show why French door air fryers are gaining traction and why they’re worth considering if you’re looking to upgrade.
What are French door air fryers?
I've even rounded up a few of the best French door fryers here, so you can see for yourself what I'm talking about. I've included more traditional 'basket design' rivals further down the page, for the sake of comparison.
This French door air fryer is more than a pretty face. It has 24 pre-set cooking modes to help you master type of ingredient. Customers love the 26-quart capacity, as well as the rotisserie basket, bright interior light, an easy-to-clean drip tray, and a handy lifting tool for moving racks without oven gloves.
This French door air fryer is stylish and spacious. With around 26 quart capacity, you could cook two family-sized chickens, a 16-inch pizza, and an entire casserole in this thing. If you don't have an oven or you're looking for a countertop replacement, this is perfect.
French door air fryers don't have to break the bank. You can pick up this 24-litre capacity, multifunctional machine for just under $100 when you shop the Amazon sales. I love the modern, black design too – it's actually my favorite of the three.
What are the advantages of french door air fryers?
They look good: Traditional air fryers can be bulky, but French door air fryers appear more elegant. For example, take this Calphalon French Door Air Fryer, available at Amazon. Made from stainless steel rather than cheap plastic, these multipurpose machines should blend beautifully with the rest of your kitchen decor.
They're slightly safer: French doors open outward, away from your wrists and forearms, unlike pull-down doors you'll see on models like the Our Place Wonder Oven, for example. Laura, our seasoned product tester, says, 'I've tested many air fryers, and French doors help prevent burns from overheated handles.'
They have huge capacity: French door models are normally very large with multiple racks or trays. You can cook more food, saving time and effort. Laura says, 'They're perfect for big meals or baking projects that wouldn't fit in standard air fryers.'
What are the downsides of French door air fryers?
They can be expensive: Premium models can cost several hundred dollars, making them a big investment. If you're budget-conscious, traditional air fryers may be a better choice.
They're large: The swinging doors need clearance on both sides and ventilation space at the back. This is not ideal for smaller kitchens with limited counter space.
There's no sync finish function: If you want to make a complete meal in the air fryer, many dual-basket models have synced cooking features. This means you can cook multiple ingredients at different temperatures and times, with a sync finish. Plus, those baskets are very easy to tip your food out at the end.
Potentially slower: Some French door models are very large, meaning they are slower to heat up than slender basket air fryers. Laura says that 'the latest double-drawer options, such as Ninja’s FlexDraw or DoubleStack, are quick and ultra-efficient, with crispy results in record time.' I've listed some for comparison below.
French door air fryers vs other options
The rivals
This air fryer has a 10 quart capacity, not quite as big as a French door model. But it's faster, and the separate drawers mean you can cook two different meals at the same time with sync finish. Plus, the baskets are dishwasher-safe for the speediest clean-up.
Our Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer review covers all the details.
This Instant model combines the viewing window of the French door design, with the dual basket technology. These help you to keep an eye on what you're cooking, so you can achieve crisp perfection without letting the heat out. The design is pretty bulky, but it's also highly affordable.
Read more in our Instant Vortex Dual Plus review.
A beautiful toaster oven with air frying capabilities. With a stainless steel, pull-down door, it's compact enough to fit on a countertop, but it has a fantastic capacity. There's enough space for a 12-inch pizza pan or two full-size chickens.
You can read more in our KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven with Air Fry review
Should I buy a French door air fryer?
I'd recommend French door air fryers to style-conscious cooks with cash to spare. You might find them safer to use than standard air fryers, as the double-door design makes it easier to monitor and access your food. You should be able to bake cakes, roast tons of vegetables, and even a whole chicken in the right-sized machine.
With that said, French door air fryers aren't for everyone. They're very large and not that different to toaster ovens, so the best toaster oven might offer greater versatility for accomplished cooks. If you're working with a smaller kitchen or a tighter budget, you might be better off with a traditional basket air fryer.
French door air fryer FAQs
How should I clean a French door air fryer?
It's not hard to clean a French door air fryer. With its ergonomic handles and wide open spaces, a French door air fryer might be even easier to clean than the standard model. If you're new to air frying, and you want to learn how to clean an air fryer for quick, clean cooking, here's what you need to know.
First, unplug your fryer and let it cool. Some of the best air fryers feature dishwasher-safe attachments for convenient cleaning, but I prefer to wash each piece by hand. It's quicker, for one thing, and easier to get between the cracks and crevices. Scrub your baskets and trays in warm, soapy water to get rid of any fat splashes and food stains, then leave them to air dry. Give the outside of your air fryer a quick wipe with a damp cloth and it should look as good as new.
Can French door air fryers replace a conventional oven?
While French door air fryers can’t fully replace a conventional oven for large batch baking or roasting, they’re an excellent alternative for many everyday cooking tasks. They’re perfect for air frying, baking smaller batches of cookies or casseroles, and even reheating leftovers. The French door design allows easy access and a larger cooking area than traditional air fryers, making them versatile for busy kitchens. For a quick, crisp finish to your dishes, it’s hard to beat the convenience.
What can you cook in a French door air fryer?
Anything you can make in an ordinary fryer, you can make in a French door air fryer, too. The double-door system provides greater visibility and more space to cook, so it's that much easier to make whole meals. If you're looking for more inspiration about what to cook in an air fryer, you'll find a lot to like in our recipe round-up. With a little bit of practice, you could roast whole chickens, crisp up French fries, and make single-serve desserts for a sweet treat.
Final thoughts
Perhaps you're getting your first air fryer for Christmas, or you've already bagged one at a bargain price in the sales. If you're encountering this appliance for the first time, it's easy to feel intimidated by the technology and terminology. That's why it helps to read some reviews, and heed the expert advice you'll find at Homes & Gardens. Once you learn how to use an air fryer, you'll be able to make delicious, nutritious meals in a fraction of the time it takes to fire up the oven.
