Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer Review

Air fryers have properly taken over British kitchens, haven’t they? When it comes to cooking healthier meals without sacrificing taste, they’re brilliant. I’ve been using…

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Air fryers have properly taken over British kitchens, haven’t they? When it comes to cooking healthier meals without sacrificing taste, they’re brilliant. I’ve been using the Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer for well over a year now, and honestly, it’s become one of my most-used kitchen appliances. Tefal air fryers have a solid reputation for reliability, so when I got the chance to test this dual drawer model, I jumped at it.

Key Specifications: The Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer has an 8.3-litre total capacity split across two drawers – a larger 5.2-litre drawer and a smaller 3.1-litre one. It’s got eight preset cooking programmes, a temperature range from 40°C to 200°C, and measures 41.8cm wide by 40.2cm deep by 30.5cm high. At 7.8kg, it’s not featherlight, but it’s not as heavy as some other dual air fryers I’ve seen.

Updated January 2026

tefal air fryer - duel basket

Why Choose a Dual Drawer Air Fryer?

Before I had a dual drawer air fryer, I didn’t really see the point. Turns out, being able to cook two completely different things at different temperatures simultaneously is a game-changer for family meals. You can do fish fingers at 200°C for the kids in one drawer whilst cooking seasoned vegetables at 180°C in the other, and everything finishes at the same time.

The Tefal Easy Fry stands out because its drawers aren’t the same size. Most dual air fryers, like the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone, have two equally sized drawers. That sounds fair in theory, but in practice, you often need more space for your main dish and less for a side. The Tefal’s asymmetrical design (5.2L and 3.1L) makes far more sense for how people actually cook.

tefal air fryer - duel basket

What Makes This Tefal Air Fryer Different?

The Uneven Drawer Split

I’ll be honest, when I first saw the different-sized drawers, I thought it might be a gimmick. I was wrong. The larger 5.2L drawer fits a whole chicken – properly fits it, not squashed in like you’re playing Tetris. The smaller 3.1L drawer is perfect for sides, frozen bits for the kids, or when you’re just cooking for one.

You can even use just the small drawer on its own, which is brilliant for energy savings. Why fire up both drawers when you’re only making yourself some lunch?

Multiple Cooking Functions

The Tefal Easy Fry has eight preset programmes: fries, chicken, vegetables, fish, dessert, dehydrate, manual, and (on the grill version) a grill mode. There’s also a manual mode where you control the temperature and time yourself.

I find myself using manual mode most often because I’ve got my own cooking times sorted now. But when I first started, those presets were helpful. One annoyance though – it automatically starts in chip mode every single time. I wish it would default to manual mode instead. When you use chip mode, it beeps halfway through to remind you to shake the basket. If you forget to switch modes, that beeping when you’re not even cooking chips gets proper annoying!

The Sync Function

The sync function took me a bit to figure out, but once I got the hang of it, brilliant. You set up both drawers with their different cooking times and temperatures, press sync, and the air fryer works out when to start each drawer so they both finish together.

Top tip: you need to set the drawers in a specific order. Set the first drawer, open and close it, then set the second one. If you miss that step, the sync option won’t appear. Caught me out the first time!

Grill Version vs Standard

Since I bought mine, Tefal released an updated version called the Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer & Grill (model EY905D40). It’s essentially the same but with an added grill function in the larger drawer and comes with a ridged grill plate.

The grill feature is meant to be great for sausages, steaks, and salmon if you want those grill marks and that slightly charred flavour. However, it needs about 10 minutes to preheat, which seems long. The grill version is usually £20-30 more expensive. For me, standard air frying works perfectly for everything, so I’m happy with the model I’ve got. Unless you’re particularly keen on grilled food, I’d save the money.

food cooked with tefal air fryer - duel basket

Energy Savings and Running Costs

This is where air fryers really shine in 2026, especially with energy prices still high. Tefal claims this air fryer uses 70% less energy than a conventional oven and cooks food 40% faster. From my experience, that’s accurate. I’ve definitely noticed a difference in our energy bills since we started using it instead of the big oven for small portions.

The smaller drawer is especially handy when you’re cooking for one or two. Why heat up a massive oven for three fish fingers when you can use the little drawer instead?

The air fryer runs at 2,700W when both drawers are going, which is quite powerful. But because it cooks so much faster than an oven, you’re still saving money overall. If you’re just using one drawer, it uses even less.

What I’ve Been Cooking

I’ve tested this air fryer with loads of different foods now. Here are my go-to cooking times that actually work:

Frozen Foods:

  • Fish fingers: 8 minutes at 200°C (perfect every time)
  • Waffles: 8 minutes at 200°C
  • Oven chips: 18-20 minutes at 200°C (shake halfway)

Fresh Foods:

  • Homemade chips: 30-40 minutes at 180°C (shake every 10 minutes – don’t overload the basket!)
  • Whole chicken (1.3-1.5kg): 50-60 minutes at 160°C (turn halfway)
  • Sweet potato fries: 20-25 minutes at 190°C
  • Roasted vegetables: 15-20 minutes at 180°C
  • Baked potatoes: 35-40 minutes at 200°C (microwave for 5 minutes first to speed things up)
  • Salmon fillets: 12-15 minutes at 180°C
  • Chicken wings: 20-25 minutes at 200°C

The key thing I’ve learnt is not to overload the baskets. My first batch of chips was disappointing because I crammed too many in. Give them space to breathe and they’ll come out crispy every time.

tefal dual easy fry with food cooked

Ease of Use and Controls

The digital touchscreen control panel is straightforward once you’ve used it a few times. The temperature buttons are on the left and time buttons on the right, which felt a bit counterintuitive at first – you’d expect the controls to line up with the drawer they’re controlling. But you get used to it.

One frustration: once you press start, you can’t just cancel it. I’ve accidentally tapped start a few times (the digital touch display is quite sensitive), and you can’t stop it. You either have to turn it off at the wall and wait a few minutes, or work around it by decreasing the time right down to 1 minute. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s annoying.

No preheating required, which is one less thing to think about. Just pop your food in, set the time and temperature, and off you go.

Cleaning and Maintenance

This is where the Tefal really shines. Both drawers and the grill plate (if you have that version) are dishwasher-safe, which makes cleanup dead easy. After cooking something particularly greasy, I just pop the drawers in the dishwasher and forget about them.

I tend to hand wash them most of the time though – it’s gentler on the non-stick coating and they dry quicker. The non-stick coating is brilliant. After a year of regular use, nothing sticks. I’ve been using little to no oil and the baskets still look spotless.

The touch control panel does show grease marks and fingerprints quite easily, so give it a wipe with a warm, damp cloth after each use to keep it looking smart.

Noise Level

One thing I really appreciate about this Tefal air fryer is how quiet it is. Some air fryers sound like a hairdryer on full blast, but you can barely hear the Tefal running from the next room. At around 62dB with both baskets running, it’s about as loud as a normal conversation.

The only noise that does annoy me is that loud beep when it finishes cooking. You’ll definitely know when your food’s ready!

Size and Space Considerations

Right, let’s address the elephant in the room – this is a big appliance. At over 40cm wide and deep, it takes up a significant chunk of counter space. If you have a small kitchen, measure your worktop before buying. You’ll also need space behind and above it for ventilation.

We keep ours out on the counter permanently because it gets used daily. If you’re planning to store it in a cupboard between uses, factor in the weight (7.8kg) and whether you can be bothered getting it out every time.

How Does It Compare to Other Dual Air Fryers?

Vs Ninja Foodi Dual Zone

The Ninja is brilliant, but both its drawers are the same size. If you want to cook a whole chicken, you’d struggle. The Ninja also costs more – around £200-270 depending on the model. The Tefal offers better value, especially when it’s on sale.

Vs Ninja FlexDrawer

The FlexDrawer is clever – it has a removable divider so you can use it as one big drawer or split it in half. That flexibility is great, but it’s usually about £70 more expensive than the Tefal. For most families, I think the Tefal’s fixed setup is more practical for everyday cooking.

Price and Value

I’ve seen the Tefal Easy Fry Dual for as low as £99-130 when it’s on sale. That’s brilliant value considering what you’re getting. It’s available from Argos, Currys, John Lewis, Amazon, and direct from Tefal. Shop around for the best price – it varies quite a bit between retailers.

What Could Be Better?

Nothing’s perfect, so here are the things that genuinely annoy me:

The automatic chip mode start-up: I’ve mentioned this already, but it really does bug me. Just let it default to manual mode!

No cancel button: Being able to stop the cooking process without turning it off at the wall would be so much more convenient.

No frozen food preset: There’s no dedicated programme for frozen food, so you need to work out the best settings yourself. I usually just use 200°C and add a few minutes to the fresh cooking time.

No viewing window: Unlike some models, you can’t peek at your food without opening the drawer. Not a massive issue, but it would be nice.

Size: If you have limited counter space, this might not be for you. It’s quite bulky.

Learning curve: The controls take a bit of getting used to. The first few times you use it, you’ll probably refer to the manual.

food cooked in tefal dual air fryer

My Honest Opinion After a Year of Use

This is now one of my favourite kitchen appliances. We use it almost daily. Being able to cook my son’s fish fingers and waffles in 8 minutes whilst also making something completely different for the adults in the other drawer has been a lifesaver.

I love that we can make proper crispy chips without deep frying them. I’ve tried loads of recipes – Buffalo cauliflower wings, sweet potato fries, roast chicken, salmon, and vegetables. Everything comes out crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked inside.

My husband still deep fries his chicken wings occasionally, but I keep telling him to try them in the air fryer instead. They’re just as good with far less oil!

After using it for over a year, I can honestly say it’s saved us a fortune on energy bills compared to using the oven. The dual drawers are genuinely useful (not just a gimmick), and the cooking results are consistently excellent.

Things to Consider Before Buying

You’ll need it if:

  • You’re a family who cooks regularly
  • You want to save money on energy bills
  • You have the counter space (or cupboard space to store it)
  • You often cook meals with a main and a side
  • You’re cooking for picky eaters who need different foods

It might not be for you if:

  • You have a small kitchen with limited counter space
  • You’re only cooking for one person most of the time (though the small drawer is handy for this)
  • You want a viewing window to check on food without opening the drawer
  • You’re looking for something you can easily move in and out of storage

Would I Buy It Again?

Absolutely. In fact, I’d struggle to go back to life without it now. The convenience of being able to cook an entire meal in the air fryer without touching the oven is brilliant. Everything I’ve cooked has come out perfectly – crispy without being dried out.

The dishwasher-safe components make cleaning easy, it’s surprisingly quiet, and the uneven drawer sizes genuinely make more sense than equally sized drawers for how I actually cook.

It’s not perfect – the automatic chip mode is annoying, it takes up loads of space, and the controls could be more intuitive. But these are minor niggles compared to what you’re getting.

If you’re on the fence about getting an air fryer, or you’re looking to upgrade from a single drawer model, I’d absolutely recommend the Tefal Easy Fry Dual. It’s especially brilliant for families with picky eaters. Being able to do fish fingers in one drawer whilst cooking something completely different for the adults in the other has genuinely changed how we cook.

Final Verdict

The Good:

  • Uneven drawer sizes are more practical than equal ones
  • Dishwasher-safe components
  • Energy-efficient and cooks quickly
  • Quiet operation
  • Excellent non-stick coating
  • Sync function works brilliantly once you get the hang of it
  • Great value when on sale
  • Reliable cooking results

The Not So Good:

  • Automatically starts in chip mode (annoying!)
  • Takes up significant counter space
  • No cancel button
  • No frozen food preset
  • No viewing window
  • Controls take a bit of getting used to

Rating: 4.5/5

The Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer is one of the best dual drawer air fryers on the market, especially when you factor in the price. It’s not quite perfect, but it’s damn close. If you’ve got the counter space and you cook regularly, it’s a brilliant investment that’ll save you money and time.

Buy yours here on Amazon or check prices at Argos, Currys, and John Lewis.

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11 comments

  1. Definitely get you OH on the air fryer chicken wing hype! Honestly, SO much better! We very rarely use our oven now as the air fryer has taken over. We don’t have this brand but ours is very similar! It’s amazing. Roasties! Roasties are amazing in the air fryer too. I always make way more than I normally would because they’re too nice.

    Claire.X
    http://www.clairemac.co.uk

  2. I don’t have an air fryer yet, but I want one because of the good comments I always hear, saving oil and frying only with air sounds quite interesting, what you prepared looks delicious!

  3. My aunt has an air fryer and absolutely raves about it. I’m really keen to get one and try it, they sound like they have so many benefits.

  4. This is cool, we already have a similar one but this seems better than what I have. I will see if I can get this one. Thank you for sharing!

  5. My mum has this and absolutely RAVES about it.. I’d say she cooks 80% of all of her meals in there! I love your cooking content and these recipes looks so yummy
    Rosie

  6. Can you use two different cooking methods at the same time ie roast in one drawer and air fry in the other?

    1. It’s all air-frying as it’s an air fryer, but you can ‘roast’ things in them and you can use the draws at different temperatures and times. I often will do chips in one and veg in another, for example.

  7. A really useful review thanks. We have just bought one and I was wondering about specific recipes. You answered that in the review!

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