The air fryer is this year’s must-have kitchen appliance.
We’re always on the lookout for new gadgets to make cooking easier and more fun. It would be an understatement to say that we were pumped when we first heard the rumours about a kitchen appliance that can make our favourite greasy foods more healthy, and at speeds that make the business of actually cooking a whole lot easier.
Air fryers started popping into the mainstream a few years back, and now that they’ve had their chance to marinate in the market (food pun very much intended), it feels like an appropriate time to compare the best ones. If you thought you were overwhelmed with all of the different Instant Pot models, just wait until you see the air fryer market.
Before we dive into the different devices, let’s answer some lingering questions.
What is an air fryer and how does it work?
Simply put, it’s deep frying without oil — AKA deep frying without the unhealthy part. Some may tell you to just cut back on fried foods, but is that really the only option? Nope.
Deep fryers heat food from frozen to ready-to-eat in minutes by dunking them in a bath of super hot oil. This process jumpstarts the Maillard reaction, which is when food gets brown and crispy and delicious — and drenched in fat.
While your typical deep fryer needs enough oil to completely drown the food, an air fryer barely uses any (a tablespoon at most). Other than that, air fryers basically use the same method — a convection fan to surround the food with hot air instead of oil. The air bounces off the bottom of the air fryer and back up through the food, cooking it all over to create that crisping effect in just minutes — something that was previously only possible with deep frying. Not only are you getting that coveted taste and texture without the part that makes it unhealthy, but you’re getting it in just a fraction of the time.
Air fryers can also cook a hell of a lot more food than a deep fryer and can be used for things like grilling a steak or baking a pizza. It’s like having a combo oven and deep fryer, except it fits on your counter and doesn’t require frozen food to be thawed before cooking.
Are air fryers actually healthy?
Taking the guilt out of guilty pleasure snacks is probably the main reason you’re looking to buy an air fryer, right? We will say it’s health-ier: Manufacturers claim that air frying can reduce calorie intake by up to 80% — so yes, air frying is certainly a much better preparation alternative. However, scientists aren’t messing around with the whole “moderation is key” thing, and calories aren’t the only factor to measure health.
Having an air fryer does not mean that a diet consisting of french fries and pizza is a good path to take, and making sure you get those plant-based oils and vitamins from fruits and veggies should still be a priority.
Got a picky eater at home? Air fryers are a great way to crisp up courgettes, carrots, squash, and more to give them some added taste and crunch, teaching kids that they don’t always have to run for cover when the veggies come out.
What is the best air fryer?
As with any appliances, there are various sizes, features, and options from all of the major brands you’d expect. We’ll keep it simple and fill you in on the need-to-know details and differences, so your brain doesn’t get too, erm, fried.
These are the best air fryers in 2022.
Best For Big Portions
Specs
- Capacity: 6.2 litres
- Cooking Modes: 7
- Dimensions: 12.4 x 15.9 x 12.1 cm
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
Philips is no stranger to being number one in the TV, smart home device, and even electric toothbrush markets. Somehow Philips is killing the air fryer game, too. The Philips Essential Airfryer(opens in a new tab) is our pick for the best overall model — if you’re willing to splurge a bit of cash, that is. It is one of the pricier options, but it’s almost always on special offer.
The big sell — other than the family-size capacity — is Rapid Air technology. This swirls hot air to ensure food is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s not only fast but healthy too. It promises 90% less fat and lots of cooking options, with seven preset programmes such as ‘frozen’, ‘meat’, ‘fish’, and ‘fries’. You can even use it to bake.
Also included are a grease tray and food basket — both dishwasher safe.
Best For Automation
Specs
- Capacity: 1.2 litres
- Cooking Modes: 9
- Dimensions: 17 x 12 x 9 cm
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
While you may recognise the brand Tefal for their heavy duty pots and pans, they’re also a force to be reckoned with in the air fryer game. The Tefal ActiFry Genius+(opens in a new tab) has a major ‘set it and forget it’ vibe that most other cookers can’t offer.
The Actifry doesn’t use a pull-out food drawer. Instead, the overhead lid opens to reveal a (dishwasher-safe) ring-shaped basket that can hold up to 1.2kg of food. Once turned on, the Actifry’s built-in stirring paddle will rotate your food under the hot air, so you don’t have to depend on stirring or flipping for even cooking, which is the hardest part.
The transparent lid allows you to keep an eye on your food. But if you don’t have time to check in (or just don’t feel like it), don’t worry — a buzzer will go off once the timer is done. You won’t be waiting long, as the Tefal ActiFry Genius+ cooks 30% faster
Best For Cleaning
Specs
- Capacity: 2.6 litres
- Cooking Modes: 1
- Dimensions: 37 x 32 x 32 cm
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
Whatever it is that you are craving, you can enjoy a guilt-free solution at the touch of a button with this clever and attractive air fryer from Lakeland.
The Lakeland touchscreen air fryer(opens in a new tab) is designed to use just a teaspoon of oil and still produce tasty results. It’s suitable for chips, meat, fish, poultry, seafood, and much more. And they should all count as healthier options as a result of using this air fryer.
Some big advantages of this air fryer are the digital touchscreen panel, the adjustable heat settings, the cooking guide, and the dishwasher-safe tray.
Lakeland is so confident in its product that you can return it for up to three years. That should provide some extra reassurance that this is a quality product.
Best For Speed
Specs
- Capacity: 2 litres
- Cooking Modes: None
- Dimensions: 36 x 31.6 x 31.6 cm
- Dishwasher Safer: No
The Salter air fryer(opens in a new tab) provides a versatile alternative to deep fat frying, enabling you to cook using little or no oil, without losing any precious flavour.
This device is all about speed. Featuring 1000W of power, the Salter air fryer(opens in a new tab) can heat up to 200 degrees and utilises a heat circulation method in order to cook your food quickly.
It’s ideal for foods such as home-made chips, meat, spring rolls, stuffed vegetables, and quiche, it can cook a surprising variety of meals. It’s also really simple to use. It has a 30 minute timer with automatic switch-off, digital touch sensitive controls, and an LCD display. Not only is this device fast, but it’s effective too.
The Salter air fryer(opens in a new tab) also contains a removable 2 litre non-stick cooking basket, which enables you to quickly serve the food after cooking — making it fast in all aspects.
Best For Versatility
Specs
- Capacity: 4.7 litres
- Cooking Modes: 5
- Dimensions: 34 x 34 x 39 cm
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
There’s not much you can’t do with the Power Air Fryer XL(opens in a new tab). You can air fry, grill, bake, sauté, and roast – all in one device. It isn’t a complicated process either. Simply add your food to the non-stick basket, slide it into the unit, then select one of seven programs or manually adjust the timer and temperature settings.
A digital control panel makes everything as clear as possible and ensures that whatever you’re cooking will come out just right.
Packing in 1500W of power, the fryer heats up to 200 degrees and uses super-heated cyclonic air to fry your food. That means it cooks fast.
In case you hadn’t noticed, this air fryer also has a near-5 litre capacity, which is frankly enormous. While this might not be for everyone due to space constraints, this does mean that the Power Air Fryer XL can easily handle feeding the whole family.
Best For Beginners
Specs
- Capacity: 2 litres
- Cooking Modes: 1
- Dimensions: 36 x 39 x 28 cm
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
The Russell Hobbs Purifry health(opens in a new tab) fryer uses clever technology to harness the cooking power of pure, fast-circulating air. The coatings are still crispy but you use much less oil.
With a 2 litre capacity drawer and a food separator, you can cook meat, fish, and vegetables separately at the same time. Just set the controls to the right temperature and the time that you need. There’s no paddle to break up the food. Just give it a shake half way through.
You can also create your favourite baked treats such as scones, pies, and cupcakes with this health fryer that brings a measure of versatility to your cooking.
There is no messy oil to dispose of and it is dishwasher safe too. What’s not to love?
Best For Families
Specs
- Capacity: 7.5 litres
- Cooking Modes: 15
- Dimensions: 44 x 39 x 40 cm
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
One pot does the lot, says Ninja. Which is exactly what big families need. As brilliant and handy as air fryers are, the smaller and cheaper fryers will handle just one foodstuff at once. With the Ninja Foodi MAX Multi-Cooker(opens in a new tab), there’s space and shelving to cook the whole meal – meat, fish, veggies, the works.
It had an extra-large capacity and two-tier reversible rack, all of which allows you to layer your mains and sides at once. It also cooks exactly how you want, with 15 cooking functions that include ‘pressure cook’, ‘air fry’, ‘slow cook’, ‘grill’, and multiple ‘combi-steam’ modes – plus a cook and crisp basket that ensures perfect results.
Pushed for time? No problem. A Smart Cook System keeps tabs on your food’s temperature, meaning the Ninja Foodi MAX Multi-Cooker is extremely hands off.
Big cooking energy means big cooking space, of course. It’s great for big families but is also best suited to big kitchens considering it’s hefty design.
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