Meal Prep Like a Pro: 3 Appliances for Multi-Zone Cooking

Does the thought of spending your entire Sunday chopping, boiling, and roasting fill you with dread? You aren’t alone. While we all love the result of meal prepping—healthy lunches ready to go and dinners that require zero thought—the process often feels like a marathon.

The secret to cutting your kitchen time in half? Multi-zone cooking!

What is Multi-Zone Cooking?

Multi-zone cooking is a technique where you divide your cooking appliance’s surface into different temperature or cooking zones.

Multi-zone cooking can be applied to a range of cooking surfaces —whether it’s an oven, cooktop, or air fryer, allowing you to cook many types of foods at their ideal temperatures at the same time, cutting down effort and time spent in the kitchen.

3 Tips to Master Multi-Zone Cooking

1. Multi-Zone Cooking in an Oven:

Consider ‘vertical zoning’ to maximise multi-zone oven cooking.

• The Top Zone (Shelf 1–2): Best for browning and crisping. Since heat rises and is reflected off the roof, use this for broiling or finishing a cheese topping.
• The Middle Zone (Shelf 3): The “set and forget” area. Use this for cakes, cookies, or casseroles where you need steady, even air circulation.
• The Bottom Zone (Shelf 4–5): The “sear and roast” area. Being closest to the bottom element makes this ideal for getting a crispy crust on pizza, bread, or roasting large meats.
• Pro Tip: Stagger your pans. If cooking on multiple shelves, don’t stack them directly above each other; offset them so the hot air can “snake” around the food.

Our Top Pick Oven for Multi-Zone Cooking:

ASKO’s 60cm Pyrolytic Craft Built-In Oven – (OP8637A1)

This ASKO 60cm Pyrolytic Oven eliminates the waiting game with its five shelf positions and 11 programs for maximum efficiency. Use the entire space to roast meats, bake muffins, and crisp vegetables simultaneously in a single session.

Key features and functions:

• 11 oven programs including: FastPreheat, Small infra grill, Circular heater, Defrost and WarmPlate
• Temperature probe monitors internal temperatures and shuts off the oven when your food reaches the set temperature.
• Pyrolytic Self Clean™ function heats the oven to almost 500°C, burning grease and food residue into fine ash that can be wiped away.
• Clear LCD display offers easy control and soft close door ensures safe use

Meal ideas to maximise multi-zone oven cooking:

• Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb
• Traditional Neapolitan-Style Pizza
• Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia
• Slow-Roasted Pork Belly
• Grilled Halloumi and Peach Salad

2. Multi-Zone Cooking on a Cooktop:

Whether cooking with gas burners or electric, the key is in knowing which burner to use for your cooking.

• Get Maximum “Power”: Use your largest gas or electric burner for high-heat tasks like searing steaks or boiling water quickly.
• The “Simmer” Zone: Use the smallest burner for delicate sauces or keeping food warm.
• Combine Zones with The Bridge: If your electric induction or ceramic cooktop has a ‘bridging zone’ that can combine zones, use it to cook with your biggest pan or griddle.

Our Top Pick Cooktop for Multi-Zone Cooking:

Fisher & Paykel’s 60cm Dual Fuel Cooktop  – (CGI603DLPTB4)

Maximise multi-zone cooking with Fisher & Paykel’s 60cm Dual Fuel Cooktop, combining a high-heat gas wok burner for searing, and two induction zones for precision simmering. The hybrid design offers the best of both worlds, featuring intuitive Touch&Slide controls to master any meal.

Key features and functions:

• Dual fuel operation: uses both gas (natural) and electricity
• 2x induction zones with SmartZone, doubling the cooking surface
• 1x 20.5MJ/h gas wok burner on the left with knob control
• Touch&Slide controls offer 9x heat settings

Meal ideas for multi-zone cooktops:

• Hand-Cut Chips or Tempura
• Cast Iron Seared Ribeye Steaks
• Large-Batch Blueberry Pancakes
• Steamed Mussels in White Wine
• “One Pot” Chicken and Rice

3. Multi-Zone Cooking with an Air Fryer:

Have an air fryer with two drawers? The primary advantage here is preventing “flavour contamination” and perfecting timing.

• The “Match” Feature: Use this when cooking the same food in both drawers (like a mountain of fries). It ensures both zones operate at the exact same temp and time.
• The “Sync” Feature: This is the master skill. Set your main (e.g., chicken) in Zone 1 and your side (e.g., asparagus) in Zone 2. The air fryer will delay the start of the faster-cooking side so both drawers finish at the exact same second.
• Don’t Overcrowd: Even with two zones, “air” is the ingredient. If you pack a drawer too tight, you lose the “zone” effect and end up with soggy food.

Our Top Pick Air Fryer for Multi-Zone Cooking:

Tefal’s 8.3L Dual Easy Fry Essential Air Fryer – Black  – (EY901N)

This Tefal 8.3L Dual Easy Fry Essential Air Fryer offers benchtop efficiency with a two-drawer system—a 5.2L main for proteins like whole chicken and a 3.1L for sides. This versatile setup saves time and energy, allowing you to cook complete, synchronised meals without heating your main oven.

Key features and functions:

• Total 8.3L capacity with 2-drawer system: a 3.1L drawer for smaller portions and a larger 5.2L drawer
• Feeds up to 8 people
• 7 preset programs including fries, chicken, vegetables, fish and dessert
• Digital controls and Sync Finish ensures foods in both drawers are ready at the same time
• Dishwasher safe drawers for easy cleaning

Meal prep easily with these recipe ideas:

• Salmon Fillets & Garlic Cauliflower
• “Pub Style” Steak & Chips
• Crispy Tofu Bites & Edamame
• Berry Crumble & Dehydrated Apple Chips
• Cheesy Sausage Pinwheels

Multi-Zone Cooking: Smarter Cooking for Busy Lives

Meal prepping doesn’t have to be a chore that consumes your weekend. By investing in appliances that can multitask with multi-zone cooking, you can cook smarter, not harder. Whether it’s a multi-level pyrolytic oven that cleans itself or a dual-drawer air fryer that offers flexible heating, these appliances can help you reclaim your time while keeping your family fed and happy.

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