The popularity of air fryers continues to soar far further than even our own CHOICE experts ever predicted, and this much-hyped appliance is now commonplace in many Aussie kitchens.
Manufacturers have certainly taken note too, with more and more brands releasing new iterations of the 'it' appliance. New models include loads of features, bigger drawers and options for all budgets and cooking needs, from the most basic through to the high-flying fryers with all the bells and whistles.
New models include loads of features, bigger drawers and options for all budgets and cooking needs
Our kitchen experts recently put a range of newly-released air fryers through a series of tests in our kitchen labs to sort out the top performers from the duds, and discovered a few interesting things along the way.
CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair knows about all things air fryers.
Are multicookers the new air fryers?
CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair says, "Single-function air fryers are so yesterday! In our latest testing, we are seeing more air fryers morphing into multicookers."
"Air fryers have changed a lot since we first started reviewing them, and these days we're seeing more models that include multiple cooking functions in addition to air frying, such as grilling, roasting and steaming, and even dehydrating, pressure cooking, rice cooking and slow cooking."
It's worth making the most of your kitchen bench space and looking at either a multi-functional air fryer or a multicooker with an air fryer function
CHOICE kitchen expert, Fiona Mair
"Instead of buying a small and basic single-function air fryer, it's worth making the most of your kitchen bench space and looking at either a multi-functional air fryer or a multicooker with an air fryer function.
"Choose one that has features you'll actually use and, preferably, could replace some appliances you already own, like a slow cooker or pressure cooker. This is a great way to save space and broaden your cooking repertoire," she says.
"We looked at several high-performing multi-function models in our latest review, and there are some great options to choose from."
How much do you need to spend to get a good air fryer?
Now, we can't give away all our secrets here (they're available for CHOICE members though), but we can tell you that of the air fryer models our experts recommend, a few cost less than $250, and our top scorer is actually one of the cheapest models.
So it is possible to get great performance without frying your credit card. The cheapest air fryers are unsurprisingly the smallest, most basic ones, though. If you're after an air fryer that verges more into multi-cooker territory, or one that has more sophisticated features, you're likely looking at a price tag of $300–$400 or more.
Expert insights from our latest air fryer testing
Here we share a few interesting tidbits from our latest round of expert air fryer testing, and some things to keep in mind before you buy.
Air fryers with twin baskets (also known as dual baskets or double baskets) are becoming more common, as well as air fryers with viewing windows.
1. Bigger baskets and twin models are becoming more common
The very first air fryers were mostly single basket models with a fairly small capacity – they could only cook a small amount of food at one time (say, a handful of chicken nuggets or a couple of salmon fillets).
While this suits some, brands have since released air fryer models that are much larger: either single-basket models that have larger capacities, or air fryers that are more like mini ovens, as well as models with twin baskets.
"In air fryers that have drawers, we have seen an increase in the basket capacity for many models, which is perfect for larger families or when you want to cook a greater amount of food," says Fiona.
"These larger-capacity baskets can accommodate something as large as a two-kilo roast meat joint or a kilo of chips.
"Larger families will benefit from a drawer air fryer that has a five-litre capacity or more. If you are wanting to use the air fryer for baking cakes and cookies, then look for a larger capacity drawer."
You may also like to consider a larger benchtop-oven style air fryer or one with a twin basket that allows you to cook different foods at different temperatures at the same time (We've reviewed four twin air-fryer models, with varying results).
One of the newer, more versatile models is the Sunbeam Multi Zone Air Fryer AFP6000BK. It's a combination twin-drawer and benchtop-oven air fryer that has an extra large 11.4L single cooking zone that can convert to two separate 5.5L cooking zones, enabling you to cook a few different things at the same time. Other twin air fryers we have reviewed include the Ninja XXXL FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500 and the Kmart Twin Air Fryer.
Make sure you have the bench space
CHOICE experts warn that the larger models are seriously bulky so ensure you have the space on your kitchen bench, and if you want to buy online, perhaps head instore first so you can see how big they actually are.
"Keep in mind that some of these appliances are very tall, heavy and bulky, and would be tricky to fit in the cupboard. Many are designed to live permanently on your kitchen bench," says Fiona.
"The extra-large models are also very awkward and tricky to clean in a standard kitchen sink, which really affects how convenient they are to use."
Be wary of claimed capacity
Take the manufacturer's claimed measurements with a grain of salt, as the claimed capacity or volume can be misleading.
Some manufacturers measure the whole space inside the air fryer rather than the actual useable capacity. For example, a lid-opening air fryer that states it has a 10-litre capacity may only accommodate 500g of chips in the roller basket accessory.
In our latest testing, we found that although the Philips 700 Series HD9880/90 air fryer claims to have a capacity of 8.3 litres, we measured its useable capacity at 5 litres.
Aldi recently sold this digital steam air fryer as a Special Buy.
2. The steam air-fry function is great for meat
No-one likes tough, stringy meat, and the latest gen of air fryers is making sure you don't have to deal with the travesty of a dried-out pork roast.
We've reviewed a few air fryers with steam air-fry functions, which can help you keep air-fried foods such as roast chicken or pork crisp and golden on the outside while retaining juiciness and succulence on the inside.These include the Aldi Ambiano Digital Airfryer and the Tefal Easy Fry Grill & Steam XXL Air Fryer (view our expert air fryer reviews to find out how they performed in our overall testing).
"A steamer function can be great for cooking pork and other roast meat, as it helps retain the juiciness of the meat by combining steam with the air frying process," says Fiona.
"It would also be useful for reheating any type of foods such as pizzas and bread. You can either use the steam function in combination with the air fryer function, or use it on its own for things such as vegetables, dumplings or steamed puddings."
The Ninja Food SmartLid 14-in-1 is an example of a multicooker that has both an air fryer and steam air fryer function, if you're looking for an appliance that's more versatile.
3. Exciting new modes and functions
We've seen many air fryers come through our kitchen labs that have auto-cook/pre-programmed settings for things such as chips, chicken or reheating. But we're now also seeing lots of new cooking modes and functions.
One function we've seen in more models this year is dehydrating, a form of food preservation that uses a low temperature and airflow to remove moisture from foods. It's a great feature to help you make healthier snacks such as dried kale chips, beef jerky or dried apple crisps.
In our latest test there were six air fryers that had this function, and we specifically tested the dehydrating capabilities on two of these (although, as Fiona explains, any air fryer that can cook as low as 60 degrees can double as a dehydrator). To specifically test these air fryers on their dehydrating function as compared to a standard dehydrator, we dehydrated tomatoes, kale, apple and other fruits. Our results ranged from 'good' to 'excellent', and the air fryers were faster at doing the same job as a dehydrator (although it should be noted you can't dehydrate the same volumes of food).
A dehydrating function can be a useful air fryer function as it means you make healthier snacks such as dried kale chips, beef jerky or dried apple crisps.
Other common extra functions include steam air frying (mentioned above) and baking.
Viewing windowsIf you're cooking lots of things like cakes or baked goods that can be sensitive to changes in temperature, CHOICE experts recommend you look for an air fryer with a viewing window.
Many of the models we looked at now have glass viewing windows, which means you view and monitor your food while it cooks (which means you don't have to open the air fryer to check how your chips are crisping up or if your muffins have risen). Does a watched cake ever bake? It's time to find out!
App-connected air frying
Smart appliances that connect to your WiFi and allow you to control them remotely via an app are nothing new, but we've only seen a couple of air fryers so far spruiking this feature. One of the most innovative models we've tested so far is the Philips 7000 Series Air fryer Combi XXXL Connected HD9880/90 which has a guided cooking feature you access by connecting your air fryer to an app.
You can then select a recipe and monitor its progress, as well as automatically adjust cooking time, temperature and air speed. It's also the first airfryer we've seen with an integrated food thermometer which will help you check your pork belly is cooked to perfection.
4. Many models aren't good all-rounders
Another thing we discovered in our recent testing is that some air fryers may do one specific cooking task well, but fall down in other areas.
For example, some models we tested turned out perfect fries and crumbed chicken, but fell down when it came to cooking marinated chicken wings.
"This can be due to the element position and the shape and size of the basket in the air fryer," says Fiona. "For foods that require longer cooking times, if the element is too close to the food, you can end up with a dish that's unevenly cooked and dry."
Although many expensive models performed well, some models we recommend cost less than a third of the price of the most expensive model we tested
So, if you want your air fryer to cook something specific, check our reviews before you buy to find the best performer. Our detailed reviews include scores for cooking crumbed chicken, frozen thick-cut chips, marinated chicken wings and roast pork.
But don't buy on price alone. Although many expensive models performed well, some models we recommend cost less than a third of the price of the most expensive model we tested.
5. It's all about the accessories!
For basic air frying, you don't need any fancy accessories, however more models are coming with some accessories included. Drawer-type air fryers generally come with few to no accessories, whereas the benchtop oven-style models with top-opening doors usually come with more, such as the roller basket, rotisseries and skewers. Some multicookers or multi-functional air fryers will also come with things like tiered wire racks.
There's a huge number of accessories now available to buy separately, both instore and online – from pizza trays to double-tiered cooking trays, air-fryer liners (to stop your food leaking down through the basket) and silicone cookware for baking muffins and cakes.
Choose accessories carefully
Before investing in any extra accessories, Fiona advises, you should first make sure they're either specifically designed for your model of air fryer, or that they'll actually fit into your air fryer drawer.
And although some can be useful, think hard about whether you'll really use them – otherwise they'll just end up just gathering dust in the cupboard, probably destined for landfill.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
