This is the most common type of air fryer. They have a cooking bowl or basket with a handle, so you can shake your food during cooking. This helps ensure the food cooks evenly and makes it easy to lift out of the air fryer once it's ready. Based on an electricity cost of 27p per kWh, the average cost of a unit of electricity under the Ofgem price cap in place from 1 October 2023. Basket style with heating elements: tall, slim air-fryers feature a main unit with heating elements and fans. These have slide-out baskets or trays that slot into place inside. As they tend to have a smaller cooking area than oven-style fryers, in testing we found even results were more likely if the cooking was paused occasionally to rearrange or toss the food around. Some fryers will cut out automatically when you do this, some will need to be paused if you want accurate timings. Persevere and this air fryer can deliver some quality results: crispy chips and nicely browned sausages, not to mention faster cooking times and better results for frozen essentials. With a single 5-litre drawer, there’s a good amount of space for cooking for families, too.

Cook sprouts in an air fryer for a super-easy cooking method, then add flavourings of your choice, such as chilli or chopped crispy bacon This toaster oven air fryer variety offers six other cooking functions and a whole lot of space. It delivers crispy, delicious air fried food and some great results with other settings.Salmon fillets cook beautifully in an air fryer and make a delicious meal when coated in a herb seasoning and served with greens and grains It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that food fried in an air fryer is still classed as fried food and that official advice from the NHS is to eat a healthy balanced diet, including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables, plenty of water and reduced amounts of sugar, fat and salt. Are air fryers worth it? As with the previous model, you can use just a single drawer, or use each drawer independently, synchronised (individual settings, but the air fryer will get both of your selected programmes to end at the same time or matched with the same settings. This is a proper air fryer, too, although topping out at 210°C it can’t quite get the crispiest of results that air fryers with a higher temperature can reach. I do really like the steam air fry option: this creates perfect chips that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Yes. An air fryer can save you money, but it depends on the size of your air fryer and how many people you’re cooking for.

With most air fryers, you can set the temperature you want the food to cook at. Typically, you can choose anything from 80°C to 200°C. How much do you need to spend to get a good air fryer? Another firm favourite brand on the Mumsnet boards, Gourmia is recommended time and time again for its reliable results teamed with a more affordable price tag than the likes of Ninja and Philips. The ActiFry makes cooking stress-free using its smart settings to adjust the temperature and cooking time and even stir your food for you, a feature busy parents will love. There's an automatic warm mode too, so if you get distracted, your food won't go cold or burn in the mean time. Cook bacon in an air fryer to achieve a crispy texture with less fat. The perfect bacon sandwich starts here

4. Best overall dual-draw air fryer: Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400UK

To help you decide whether an air fryer is a worthwhile investment, we cooked 320g of chips (two to three portions) in an air fryer, a halogen oven and a built-in electric oven. Cook doughnuts without the need for too much oil. These have a slightly different texture, but are still fluffy and delicious. Top with glaze or sugar and cinnamon Not sure which shop to buy from? Take a look at our member survey on the best home and appliance shops. Can an air fryer save money on your electricity bills? The oven can also employ its Element iQ tech to direct power where it’s needed to eliminate cold spots in food. In practice, it worked perfectly, leaving us with evenly cooked home chips that had a crispy outside and fluffy inside.