Best Mini Air Fryer: Dash Compact Air Fryer 2qt
The Dash Compact outshines other mini air fryers with its adorable colors and affordable price tag. It is the best mini air fryer to gift your friend as the multiple color options can complement any kitchen setting.
Although this air fryer offers minimum features, it is ideal for newbies and occasional users who wont need too many extra features.
What you have to do? Simply set the temperature and time to start cooking, and give an occasional flip o stir to your meal when necessary. It takes a few minutes to cook fried food without oil.
The1.6-quart bucket can fry fries, wings, desserts, and more for two people in one go. On the downside, you do not get much longevity as the quality equals the low price. However, if you use the fryer once every week, you wont have much to complain about.
What we like:
What To Consider When Buying An Air Fryer
Think of your individual requirements before investing. You may want to consider the following:
Manual or digitalThe simplest air fryers come with manual knobs that you twist to set the time and temperature. You may prefer a digital version, where you press buttons to set this, and can see the remaining time digitally displayed.
Choice of pre-set programmesDo you like to choose your own temperature and how long to cook things for, or would you prefer to leave all that to the machine? Some of our fryers had up to nine pre-set programmes for popular foods like chips and, bizarrely, shrimps.
SpeedIt took between 17 and 30 minutes to cook chips in our samples, so this might be a factor. Some models need preheating, but only for a few minutes .
SizeAlways check the size as the capacity varies enormously important if youre feeding the masses or just want dinner for one. But bigger isnt always better. Some take up more space on the kitchen surface and if youre going to keep it in a cupboard, check the dimensions, some are sizeable beasts.
Transparent lid Some models have a see-through lid so you can glance in and check your chips are browning well. With others, you have to open the basket to check, stopping the machine. The transparent ones tend to be a feature on more expensive machines, so you need to decide how important this is to you.
CleaningYoull need to wash the basket and pan after use. Some need to be hand-washed, while others are dishwasher-proof.
Are Air Fryers Healthy
Overall, air frying is healthier than deep-frying in oil, cutting calories by around 70%.
Also, air-fried dishes can be just as healthy oven-baked meals if you use no oil, and there are lots of healthy from-scratch recipes available.
However, many of the traditionally deep-fried foods you would put in an air fryer are not the healthiest options so you should consider what youre choosing to eat and ensure its part of a balanced diet with plenty of nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables.
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Ninja Air Fryer Af100uk: The Best Mid
Price: £130 | Buy now from Argos
Promising healthy chip frying with up to 75% less fat , this Ninja air fryer is arguably so much more. As well as whipping up to 900g of fries, its removable crisper plate and two fan speeds turn it into a far more versatile machine. You can not only roast and fry food, but dehydrate it to produce beef jerky, chewy apple rings, banana chips, veggie crisps and other healthy snacks.
One of its other great functions is a reheat setting, which is perfect for bringing leftovers back to life without having to turn on the oven, and for crisping up single slices of pizza. It goes without saying that the Ninja is brilliant for frozen food but, thanks to easy controls and a digital display, it’s also simple to customise programs to suit whatever you’re cooking. If the 3.8l model isn’t quite big enough for the whole family, there’s also a 5.2l MAX version for £150.
Read our full Ninja Air Fryer review for more details
Key specs Power: 1,550W Capacity: 3.8l Display: Digital, Accessories: Removable crisper plate
Price: £56 |
This low-cost air fryer is unassuming but sturdy and easy to use. It also produces great quality fried foods: its equipped to crisp up everything from chicken goujons to chips .
Plus, while the Tower might still rely on a manual 30-minute timer with an auto switch-off, what gives it an extra edge is that it can also be used in conjunction with the Tower Recipe Alexa skill so you wont be limited to making tasty crunchy chips.
Best Air Fryers At A Glance
- Best blow-out multifunctional air fryer: Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer, £179.99
- Best looking air fryer for rotisserie chicken: Princess Air Fryer & Dehydrator, £159.99
- Best large-capacity air fryer for small kitchens: Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer, £119.99
- Best large capacity air fryer for affordability: Cosori Pro 5.5-litre air fryer, £84.99
- Best multi-tasking air fryer: Sage the Smart Oven air fryer, £299.95
- Best air fryer for roasting chicken: Tower Vortex 5-in-1 digital air fryer, £73.99
- Best air fryer for versatility: Tefal ActiFry Genius 2-in-1 air fryer, £151
- Best air fryer for making chips: Ninja air fryer, £129
- Best air fryer for families: Philips Avance air fryer XXL, £249.99
Read Also: Gourmia – 4.5qt Hot Air Fryer – Black/silver
Tefal Actifry Low Fat Multi Cooker
Disclosure: I may be compensated through the links in the post below but at no extra cost to you. The opinions are my own
Tefal has come up with different models for different markets.
The earliest Tefal Actifry USA comes with a 2.2 pounds cooking capacity, 110V and 1400 wattage.
The latest Actifry original model is FZ710851.
What You Can Cook With Air Fryer
With an air fryer, you can:
You should choose an appropriate capacity based on the family size and your cooking style.
For instance, more family members require a larger capacity.
For cooking style, are you just using it to fry light snacks or main meals? If its the former, a small capacity should be enough, for later youll need a larger capacity.
Features
Do you need touch control features?
How about auto-stirring paddle?
Do you need a temperature of up to 230 degrees celsius?
Is a 30 minutes timer enough for you? Or you need up to 60 minutes?
Do you need preset programs?
Take some time to think about what features you need, and choose the air fryer with the particular features.
Cost
While air fryers are not an expensive appliance, the price still matters to most consumers.
But instead of looking at price figures, its better and smarter to look at the value, which is what you get from the ringgits spent.
A high-quality air fryer at RM400 is better than a bad-quality air fryer at RM200.
Size
Unless you have a huge kitchen with large countertop space, otherwise, the limited kitchen countertop space is a premium resource.
If you have a small countertop space, its better to go for a compact size air fryer so that you have more space to use.
You can also consider the Ninja Foodi OP300 which is compact and can be used as a pressure cooker to save even more countertop space.
Design
Product Review
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Tefal Actifry Vs Convection Oven
The convection oven uses hot air to cook food just like the Actifry hot air cooker. You can use minimal oil and food turns out crispy and moist too. Taste is a very personal matter, some might find it slightly better than the Actifry and some might prefer those done in the air fryer. As for me, I prefer the non-greasy aftertaste offered by the airfryer.
It is easier to control the cooking in the airfryer. Food doesnt turn out burnt or dried out which can happen in the oven, especially when roasting nuts. The air fryer wins hands down in this case.
When youre cooking in small portions, say for one person, then it is more practical to use the airfryer. No heating up is required and the small portion of food cooks faster in the smaller cooking capacity of the hot air fryer.
As for the price, there are some oven more expensive than the T fal health cooker with some cheaper ones too.
An Overview On Air Fryers
Fried foods are a distinctly American obsession. From chicken nuggets in our school lunches to funnel cakes at the county fair, digging into a fried meal is a tasty endeavor. However, its no secret that fried foods arent doing any favors for your health. Indulging in fried food once or more every week puts you at a higher risk for some health issues.
You dont have to kiss fried foods goodbye entirely if youre watching your waistline, though. Over the last few years, air fryers have boomed in popularity for lightening up deep-fried goodness for a more heart-friendly meal at home.
Air fryers are an entirely different beast than the countertop oil fryers you may have bought in the past. Instead of immersing baskets of your food in hot oil , air fryers use a very small amount of oil to crisp your food. A light spritzing from an oil spray bottle should be all you need. Just choose whatever food youd like to fry, preheat the unit for a few minutes, and place it in the removable basket. Then set the timer and temperature, pop the basket inside the contained countertop unit and get ready to chow down.
The meals you make may not taste exactly like the fast-food French fries or deep-fried chicken wings you might be craving, but theyre a worthy, tasty substitute for anyone who doesnt want to completely give up the fried lifestyle. Your heart and taste buds will thank you!
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Tefal Yv970840 Actifry Genius Xl 2in1
Best air fryer for 2 in 1 cooking: the stirring paddle keeps your food moving
Specifications
We put the Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1 to the test in our air fryer vs deep fryer piece, and it came out on top. This self-stirring air fryer makes amazing chips, but it also can cook two elements of a meal at once, and has a range of cooking modes.
What we love
The Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1 is unconventional but effective. It made delicious homemade chips, fried up bacon and chicken, and even made a mean fried rice. That’s thanks to the paddle, which slowly moves around the main cooking area to keep your food moving as it cooks. Not only does this give even results, but it also means you can have a complete meal, hands-free.
The cooking chamber lifts off with a smart in-built handle, and there is also a locking handle that lifts the top layer away. The Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1 capacity is immense. It’s more than enough to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the whole family.
Features
We found some of the settings more useful than others. There are nine settings in total: chips, breaded items such as nuggets, desserts, nachos, fish and meat, chicken legs, stir fry, world foods and pie.
Our main complaint is the bulky shape, which will take up a lot of space in your kitchen. The circular, almost bundt-like design won’t fit all meals, either.
Real Homes rated 4 out of 5 stars
What we love
Features
Is A Paddle Air Fryer Worth It
Truth be told, these are only popular for one reason. In theory, you dont have to tend to your food during cooking. That being said, we most often recommend a countertop toaster oven air fryer if you want a multi cooking function.
While the paddle can be nice, it can also be a problem. And the paddle type air fryers that have a removable paddle, while good air fryers, do still have limitations on what you can cook do to the area available for your food. It would be very difficult to cook a whole chicken in most paddle fryers simply because there isnt enough room for one.
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Which Is The Best Air Fryer In The Uk
Air fryers have been around for a decade now which means there are many more options to choose from to suit your kitchen and budget.
We’ve reviewed a few Ninja Foodi and Salter air fryers and have been impressed with the results, although any of the air fryers in our roundup would be a good option.
Found our roundup of the best air fryers useful? You might like our recommendations of the best toasters for every budget.
And if you’re updating your kitchen gadgets, check out our roundup of the best kettles to buy in 2022.
Browse tons of product reviews and recommendations before you buy with Sun Selects.
What Size Air Fryer Do I Need
An air fryer deep fry food without using much oil. You just have to use a tablespoon at most. It makes use of a convection fan that fills the fryer with hot air instead of fat.
The air cooks the food inside out while making the outsides crispy as in deep-frying. Plus, the food is cooked in half the time taken by conventional cooking methods.
The air fryers also cook more food than deep fryers, but before investing in one, make sure it is the right size for your countertop. If the air fryer is too big, it will take a lot of your precious counter space, which can be a major inconvenience.
All air fryers have different cooking capacity it basically depends on the model. To give you an idea, the smallest cooking capacity is around two quarts. If you only cook for a small family of two to three people, any air fryer on our list should fit your needs.
If you usually cook for more people, then the Ninja air fryer is the best small deep fryer for you.
Mini Air Fryers
An ideal mini air fryer has a capacity of 1.5 to 2.75-quarts. It fits in small kitchens, dorms, and even offices without taking too much counter space. They serve two to three people in one go, and their compact design creates no hassle at all.
The larger you go in terms of cooking capacity, the larger the model will be. So, if you have a small counter space and want to serve more than three people, you should consider two to three quarts air fryers.
Big Air Fryers
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Emerald 65l Digital Air Fryer:
Get healthy dishes crispy and golden brown with this 6.5L Emerald rotating air fryer. It has a removable stirring paddle to automatically mix food for even results, and seven preset modes provide optimal temperatures and cook times for various dishes. Operate this Emerald rotating air fryer easily with its digital touch controls. Select from one of the seven preset programs, and start cooking with a press of a button. Adjustable temperature control from 180°F to 400°F.
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Homemade French Fries And Much More
With Actifry®, cooking is now easier and healthier. And not only for the French fries day! Fish, veggies, chicken & beef, dessert Actifry® can cook a huge variety of food, with little to no fat. In brief, having an Actifry® gives you plenty of possibilities!
Sesame Salmon
Medallions of Monkfish with Prawns
Caramelized Pineapple and Mango with coconut sorbet
Mediterranean Vegetables
- I want to cook snacks: Yes
- I prefer dishes in sauce: Yes
Recommended Reading: How To Cook Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches In Conventional Oven
Paddle Type Air Fryer Conclusion
While many people love their paddle air fryers, they are not without their issues or limitations. So consider what types of foods youd like to cook before buying one of these types of air fryers. And keep in mind these are large appliances, as far as air fryers go. They will need space on your countertop.
Paddle type air fryers are pretty good at cooking simple things, if thats your end goal. You may lose a few pieces of food to the paddle, but overall, your food will be evenly cooked and crispy.
How To Choose The Best Air Fryer
Air fryers differ in size and versatility so the choosing the best one for you will depend on a few key elements. For example, consider what you’ll most likely be cooking in it, how many you’re cooking for and how much space you have in the kitchen.
If it’s simply a healthier, more efficient method of cooking chips that you’re after, you can narrow your search down to one without bells and whistles and save some pennies on a machine that does the core function well.
Top tip: Watch out for those that will require you to part-boil the cut potatoes prior to crisping – air fryers worth having should be able to fully-cook chips on their own.
More sophisticated models will offer multiple functions like the ability to bake, roast, dehydrate, grill and reheat food.
The circulated hot air from inside these fryers gets released from fans often at the back of the air fryer, which means they can require a lot of room around them for safe use. Style and aesthetics on a countertop are also important.
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Ninja Af300uk Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer
Best air fryer for multi-drawer cooking
Size: 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cmCapacity: 7.6 litresPrograms: Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat & DehydrateReasons to buy:
Sync or Match two useful zones Both drawers are diswasher-safe It can cook an entire meal, fish in one drawer, chips in the other
Reasons to avoid:
A large option for most kitchens
Whats better than one air fryer? Two, in one. The Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer comes with two distinct air frying zones that allow you to air fry your fish and chips individually, or bake a side dish such as mac and cheese while you air fry chicken. You can match or sync these two drawers to make sure all elements of your meal are complete at the same time.
The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer also comes settings to reheat, dehydrate, roast, and bake. Its Max Crisp setting is designed for frozen food and we found that it gave us next-level frozen chips, fish fingers, and other freezer staples. It also cooks food in record time, because theres no preheat time and its temperature can be easily adjusted. This air fryer gave us crispy chips and wedges every time, and always cooked our meat through completely. We even used it to make cauliflower wings, which were an unexpected triumph. The trays can be a little deep to reach into, so make sure you use non-stick cookware to take your food out when its done. The exterior stays cool though, even when its cooking at 240 degrees.
Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
