During this scorching heat, what’s a home baker to do? Having the oven switched on to satisfy a craving for sponge cake will have your air conditioning on overdrive, or your fan blowing around powdered sugar. But I won’t let the high temperatures stop me from baking, so I put aside my reservations and tried to make some cupcakes in an air fryer.

Could this countertop appliance that I rely on for crisping fries and grilling burgers bake a decent cake? The answer is a resounding yes, but you will have to make some changes.

Here’s exactly what happened when I baked a batch of lemon cupcakes in my air fryer, along with expert advice on mastering the countertop bake.

How I made lemon cupcakes in an air fryer

Lemon cupcakes are the ultimate refreshing summer treat and happen to be one of my family’s favorite go-to sweet treats.

I often search online for recipes, and I found an Easy lemon muffin recipe at BBC Good Food. What’s brilliant about this particular recipe is that all of the batter ingredients can be tipped into a single bowl and mixed in one go. You can do this by hand or with one of the best stand mixers; either way, as long as your butter is soft, you won’t break a sweat.

The recipe calls for a muffin tray, which is a non-starter for my compact Cuisinart Clearview Air Fryer. To improvise, I doubled up my paper cupcake liners for extra stability. Luckily, they held up well when I spooned in the batter.

After preheating the air fryer to 200°C (390°F) for four minutes, I then carefully placed the cupcake cases into the glass basket, but I could only bake five at a time.

Knowing that air fryers run hotter and faster than conventional ovens, I selected ‘Bake’ mode, at 160°C (320°F) for 15 minutes — 20°C lower and 15 minutes shorter than the original bake time.

I had a massive advantage during this bake thanks to my air fryer’s design. Because of its glass viewing window, I had a full view of the action. Unlike standard air fryer models, I didn’t have to pull the basket to see how the bake was progressing.

At the 11-minute mark, I noticed the tops had started to brown. By 15 minutes, I was satisfied they were perfectly cooked.

What I noticed when cooking cupcakes in an air fryer

Although you can cook cupcakes in an air fryer, I did notice a few differences between this method and using a traditional oven.

1. You have to reduce the cooking time and temperature.
2. Forget about making a big cake.
3. The final shape is a little different and may need disguising with icing.
4. The bake was just as moist.

I’d be happy to continue baking in an air fryer, although I won’t be taking on any elaborate challenges. But be warned, even though they didn’t look as appetizing as when baked in a traditional oven, they still tasted delicious.

What do the professionals think about air fryer baking?

I was able to prove that you can bake a cake in an air fryer, though many factors differ from using an oven. To help you navigate them and ensure a perfect bake every time, I reached out to some baking pros for their insider advice.

Can baking a cake in an air fryer deliver the same results as an oven?

You can definitely bake a cake in an air fryer, but experts say it’s not a straight swap.

“The result is not that air fryers bake worse; it is that they bake differently,” explains Andreas Hansen, founder at Fritaire. “Dense, moist batters like brownies, banana bread, pound cake, and lava cakes perform genuinely well. Tall, delicate sponges that depend on a slow, even rise are where a conventional oven still wins.”

Isaac Bernal Carbajo, executive chef, explains, “The moving air shoves loose batter around before it can set, which is why delicate sponges and anything chiffon-adjacent are a bad bet. What you do get is speed, no long preheat, and a lovely crust on sturdier bakes.”

Minoo Mahdavian, founder at MinooMakesStuff, says, “Many people treat an air fryer like a multipurpose ‘little oven’, when it’s actually closer to a wind tunnel with a heating element parked right above your cake.”

How an air fryer actually works

It helps to know how an air fryer works to understand why it produces different results from a conventional oven. Hansen explains the three main differences.

Proximity to heat: “The heating element sits much closer to the food, which is why tops brown fast.”

Aggressive airflow: “The fan moves air more aggressively in a smaller chamber, which can pull moisture from the batter surface before the crumb sets.”

Rapid heat recovery: “The small cavity means temperature recovers very quickly when you open it, which is actually an advantage: you lose less heat checking on a cake than you would in a full-size oven.”

Are there any differences that would make the bake better or worse?

Because air fryers work differently from conventional ovens, if you follow the same baking temperatures for standard recipes, you won’t necessarily get the same result.

“The fan sets and browns the top long before the middle catches up, so you pull out something that looks gorgeous, cracks hard down the center, and is still gummy in the bottom third,” says Mahdavian.

Carbajo suggests making a few changes: “I usually lower the temperature slightly compared to the oven recipe, about 15 - 20°F. Start checking on the cake a few minutes early. Every air fryer behaves a little differently, so I suggest practicing once or twice to get the feel of it."

Apart from size, are there any other limitations?

As soon as you start baking in an air fryer, you’ll realize that your conventional baking tins won’t fit. When I made the lemon cupcakes in my air fryer, I had to swap from my habit of making a larger loaf cake and opt for individual paper cases instead.

Apart from downsizing your bakeware, what else do you consider?

Pan clearance and airflow
“The cake pan needs space around it for air to circulate,” says Hansen. “A pan that fits snugly will bake unevenly because you have effectively blocked the convection that the appliance depends on.”

Carbajo adds, “Even if a pan technically fits, if it’s crowding the walls or sitting too close to the element, it won’t bake evenly. I use a 6-inch round, anything wider and I’m just making a burnt frisbee.”

No bottom heat (in most models)
The lack of heat at the bottom of the air fryer can also cause issues with some bakes. Hansen says, “Cakes that need a strong base set, like some cheesecakes and fruit-heavy batters, can end up with soft bottoms.”

Batter height
If you’re hoping to bake a nice tall fruit cake or deep sponge cake, think again. “Anything that rises tall gets close to the top element and browns or burns before the center cooks,” says Hansen, “Low, wide bakes beat tall, narrow ones in an air fryer every time.”

When using an air fryer makes sense
Baking in an air fryer undoubtedly limits the scope of what you can make. However, on hot summer days, when you don’t fancy turning your kitchen into a sauna, an air fryer makes a good swap.

It’s also an ideal solution if you’re only baking for one or two people and won’t eat your way through a whole cake.

Air frying baking tips

To successfully transition from oven baking to air fryer baking, the experts recommend these five key adjustments.

1. Lower the temperature
Drop the temperature about 35°F (20°C) below the conventional oven recipe. “The compact chamber and close element run effectively hotter,” says Hansen.

2. Tent with foil
As air fryers can dry out a cake, Carbajo suggests covering the top with foil once it starts to brown to prevent moisture from escaping.

3. Go low and wide
Hansen says to go low and wide, and adds, “Two shallow layers bake far better than one tall cake, and you can stack them afterward.”

4. Don’t overfill
Air fryer bakes need more headroom than oven bakes, for this reason Hansen recommends to fill pans halfway to two-thirds, and no more.

5. Let it rest
“Let the cake sit in the residual warmth for a few minutes after the cycle ends,” says Hansen. “The small chamber holds gentle heat that finishes the center without further browning.”

6. Experiment
Be prepared to experiment and find out what works with your air fryer. Mantiri says, “Just like how ovens can behave differently depending on the brand, how old it is, or even the altitude you’re at, a similar thing goes for air fryers.”

More from Tom's Guide

• I discovered how to make homemade bread in my air fryer — here's how
• I’ve never given a product a 5-star rating — here’s why KitchenAid’s new stand mixer won me over
• Watch out KitchenAid! Ooni’s launching its second stand mixer, and at $599 its price matches the Artisan Pro

Having covered the Cuisinart’s Clearview air fryer when it was first released in May, I was keen to get my hands on the new release to see whether it’s as smart as it looks. With a clear bowl and open viewing window at the top, it’s no surprise how the company came up with the name.

However, my first thought wasn’t how well it would cook, but how dirty the clear bowl would get with regular use. If the appliance is kept on your countertop, which is bound to be the most common scenario if you use an air fryer regularly, would it start to look grimy after a few uses?

So far, it hasn’t been a concern, and I’ve really valued having a clear view of what’s going on inside the bowl without needing to pause to check.

Here I delve deeper into the Clearview’s performance and give you my verdict on how it stacks up.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Price and availability

I tested the Cuisinart Clearview 4-quart air fryer, which costs $139 at Amazon. You can also pick it up for $139 direct from Cuisinart. Cuisinart also produces a 9-quart version, but it has a slightly different design, and the cooking drawer only has a clear front. However, despite its larger capacity, it is a mere $20 extra, selling for $159 at Amazon.

How does the price compare with the Ninja Crispi? Although the MSRP is $179, you can currently pick up the Cyberspace Gray and Sage colorway versions of the Ninja Crispi for $159 at Amazon. That’s a pretty good deal, since you also get an extra 6-quart bowl included in the box.

The Clearview is still more expensive than the Cosori 9-in-1 Turboblaze Air Fryer, which is currently discounted to $89 at Amazon and features a 6-quart bowl and plenty more functionality.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Design

Although I have previously compared Cuisinart’s Clearview with the Ninja Crispi, they're not exact duplicates. Apart from the sloping front on the top, the Clearview takes on a similar form to most air fryers — you slide the basket inside. By comparison, the Crispi's heating pod is placed on top of the cooking bowl.

Glass basket
The air fryer comes with a square glass bowl with two handles on either side. I found having two side handles, rather than one central handle (like most air fryers), made it easier to manage when sliding and removing it from the base unit.

A PFAS-free ceramic nonstick crisper plate sits neatly at the bottom of the bowl, but it can be removed if you’re heating something like a pasta bake or using it to store leftovers.

Of course, if you use your air fryer every day and also tend to store leftovers, you might need to invest in another glass bowl. Although spare bowls aren’t available right now, Cuisinart has told me you'll be able to pick one up in August.

Controls and functionality

Controls and functionality
The digital control panel is pretty intuitive to use and easy to access. It doesn’t have as much functionality as other air fryers, but offers air fry, roast, grill, bake, recrisp and keep warm, which is enough for most standard needs.

However, I did miss the preheating and proofing functions I enjoyed using with the Cosori TurboBlaze air fryer. Although it lets you set two favorites, the temperature doesn’t go below 212º F (100°C), which is too high to proof dough.

Noise
For each cooking mode, I selected the highest temperature setting and monitored the noise output. The top temperature for air fry, roast, grill, and bake was 400ºF (200°C), and 300ºF (150°C) for keep warm.

The average noise level for air fry and roast was 67 dB (72 dB max), reducing to 64 dB for recrisp, and 56 dB for grill and bake. Keep warm measured an average of 41 dB.

I don’t think the Cuisinart Clearview air fryer is particularly noisy, and it sits in a similar range to the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1, which takes the top spot in our buying guide.

Let there be light
There is one standout element about this air fryer that really captured my interest and got my husband talking. Having a clear view of what’s cooking cancels out my grumble about the lack of settings. There’s no need to keep pulling out a basket to check how your food is cooking and wasting heat since you can instantly see the progress.

What’s more, apart from the almost panoramic view of the bowl, you can also view through the top window and illuminate everything. Press the 'light bulb' button, and the internal light will stay on for 45 seconds, unless you remove the basket.

Apart from the standard food selections I cooked in this air fryer, I also baked cupcakes (I’ll be reporting on this soon), and it was here that the viewing window and clear basket really made a difference.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Performance

Meatballs

Meatballs are a regular on my family’s meal plan and are easy to cook in an air fryer. I placed 17 meatballs into the glass basket and selected ‘Air Fry’ mode on the control panel. On my U.K. model, it automatically sets to 180°C (350ºF) and 12 mins, but you can adjust the temperature and time by pressing the buttons on the left and right. The temperature can be altered in 5°C increments, and the time by one-minute increments.

You’ll also notice that the ‘Shake Reminder’ lights up and beeps when the cook is halfway through; if you’d prefer not to use it, just press the button to turn it off.

I adjusted the time to 10 mins, but kept the temperature at 180°C. I gave the meatballs a shake at five minutes, and they looked quite cooked, so I put them back in and adjusted the time to three minutes. I then checked their internal temperature with my Thermoworks meat thermometer to ensure they were cooked through, and then changed the setting to ‘Keep Warm’ until my pasta and sauce were ready.

Croissants

There’s nothing worse than a soft croissant, so I placed three decent-sized croissants in the basket and selected ‘Recrisp’. The automatic setting is 10 minutes at 180°C, but I reset it to three minutes to avoid a charred mess.

When the three minutes were up, I noticed slight charring on the tops of the croissants, but they were perfectly crispy and even more delicious when I added a generous helping of butter!

Crispy potatoes and fries

Potatoes are one of the regular carbs that I cook in an air fryer. With my first batch, I cut the potatoes into small chunks, leaving the skin intact, then lightly coated them with sunflower oil. I then placed them in the basket and selected ‘Air Fry’, leaving them to cook at the automatic setting — 180°C (350ºF) for 12 minutes.

At halftime, I gave them a shake and noticed that they still had some time to go; it was only at nine minutes that I saw that they’d started to crisp. After 12 minutes had passed, they were still uncooked, so I increased the temperature to 200°C (400ºF) and cooked them for a further six minutes. At this point, they still lacked the extra crispiness that I prefer, but they were cooked inside.

It’s a case of adjusting the setting to suit your preferences. I do also think that preheating the air fryer would help to speed up the cooking.

I also cooked some frozen fries, straight from the freezer. For these, I followed the cooking results on the food packet and set the air fryer to 200°C for 15 minutes, giving them a shake midway through. The fries came out hot and perfectly crispy.

Having become more accustomed to how the air fryer works, I decided to preheat it to 200°C before cooking some chicken pieces coated in breadcrumbs. And this was exactly what the cooking instructions suggested. I then set the air fryer to ‘Air Fry’ at 180°C for 12 minutes. There was no need to increase the timing, and I could see the benefit of preheating

Roasted vegetables

Just in case you’re worried about my diet and think I only eat carbs and protein, I chopped up some zucchini and peppers. I then gave them a light coating with oil and placed them in the air fryer on ‘Roast’ for 10 minutes at 200°C — the standard setting is at 180°C for 25 minutes.

I gave them a shake at 5 minutes and, at the 10-minute mark, added an extra two minutes of cook time. They came out slightly charred and soft without being overcooked.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Verdict

Having eyes on what you’re cooking is the standout feature of this air fryer, and it’s not just a gimmick. It really helps you check on the progress of what you’re cooking without constantly removing the bowl, releasing heat and interrupting whatever else you’re doing in the kitchen. I also loved the light that illuminates your food, and while it’s not intentional, it added a bit of fun to using the air fryer.

If you have a family, you may find the bowl too small for your needs. If so, you can size up to Cuisinart’s 9-quart ClearView, but the sightline isn’t quite the same. However, overall, it’s a good little air fryer. And despite my early reservations about keeping the bowl clean, it’s been easier to keep spotless than my standard air fryer basket. It may not be as cute as the Ninja Crispi, but it gets the job done.

Air fryers are an increasingly essential addition to any kitchen. Compact and versatile, these miniature convection ovens are ideal for everything from roasting vegetables to cooking fries, and reheating food. And because they need less oil than conventional fryers they can be a – slightly – healthier option too.

If you've been planning to buy one then we have some good news for you: there are loads on sale at Amazon right now. For this article I've concentrated on bigger brands. Most of these air fryers are from Ninja, Instant Pot, and Chefman. These are top-rated products that you can rely on – and they've all got great savings attached to them, with reductions of up to 39% off.

As a kitchen and home appliance reviewer, there's no denying the infatuation I have with Ninja Kitchen. I have loved every product I've tried from the brand, from fun, novelty gadgets to actually practical, borderline normal gizmos. Late last year, Ninja's glass air fryer, the Ninja Crispi, launched in Australia, and I immediately got my hands on it.

After using mine for the past six months, I can honestly say that I swear by the Ninja Crispi every night for easy and deliciously crunchy dinners. And right now, my favourite air fryer is discounted by 37% on Amazon to just AU$188.

What really takes the cake with this discount is that it's the lowest price I've ever seen for the Crispi, undercutting the AU$196 rate on Christmas Day 2025. Better yet, this discount is for all three colourways: Cyberspace, Sage and Stone.

But the Ninja Prime Day discounts don't stop there, as the latest evolution, the Ninja Crispi Pro, is also discounted by 32% to just AU$341.05. The new air fryer only debuted last month in Australia, and this is the first discount I've clocked for the device.

Do note that these discounts are exclusive to Amazon Prime members – and you'll likely need to act fast, as the Prime Day sale ends on Monday, July 13.

In our Ninja Crispi review, we gave it a massive 4.5 stars, as it was super quiet and delivered surprisingly crispy results. Our reviewer was pleasantly surprised by the device, and found the gadget "reinvented the traditional air fryers" they've used in the past. As for the Crispi Pro, we gave it 4-stars, as we found it was a bit pricey to justify at full cost. However, this tidy 32% discount nips that in the bud.

While I haven't used the Crispi Pro as much as I'd like, I've really appreciated the simplicity and convenience that come with the Crispi. It's become an integral part of my daily routine — from frying up chicken tenders to roasting salmon perfectly, I've enjoyed every meal and side I've made with my Ninja Crispi. But something I've appreciated even more than the tasty results is the fact that I can pop a lid on my leftovers and chuck them in the fridge almost immediately.

Both of these sentiments easily extend to the Pro, as in my short time of having the device, I've thoroughly enjoyed making larger portions of my favourite dishes and using the Pro to help with meal prepping for the week ahead.

The key differences between the air frying pair are that the Crispi Pro comes with three borosilicate containers instead of two, and uses a sliding mechanism to slot into the base, rather than using the Crispi base as a lid. Further, the Pro offers more control over temperature settings, whereas the Crispi has four preset modes to choose from. The timer on both the Crispi and Crispi Pro can be adjusted in minute increments, and you can also add or reduce your cooking time.

But no matter what model you choose, let the Ninja Crispi be the airfryer for you.

Ninja has got quite the hold on the air fryer world, dominating the space (and our best air fryers guide) with the Pro 4-in-1 and Foodi DualZone. When the Ninja Crispi air fryer was released in 2025, it even prompted our expert tester to say, "It made me rethink everything I knew about air fryers."

The Ninja Crispi is a glass air fryer that cooks everything from pasta to green beans and a whole lot in between. It reinvents the traditional air fryer whilst looking incredibly smart and almost futuristic for an everyday kitchen appliance. So, how can you possibly evolve the Ninja Crispi even further?

Well, Ninja has just launched the Ninja Crispi DualZone – the first glass air fryer to cook in two independent zones. You're telling me I can cook my salmon at the same time as my vegetables, and they'll both be cooked to perfection, ready to be plated at the same time? This is the feature I've been desperately hoping for!

Meet the Ninja Crispi DualZone

The Ninja Crispi DualZone isn't the brand's first evolution of the Crispi; the Crispi Pro launched earlier this year. But, it is the first time it's used its patented DualZone technology on the innovative glass air fryer.

And it's the two independent cooking zones that are the real shining star of the new Crispi. Each zone is made up of a CleanCrisp glassware container that is designed for non-toxic cooking and speedy storage, but there's more technology at play here that's worth talking about.

Smart Finish, for example, is Ninja's answer to no-stress mealtimes. With this technology, the Ninja Crispi DualZone intelligently syncs both zones to finish at the same time. Pair this up with Match Cook that mirrors what settings you've got running across your zones, and you can use it for double-batch cooking, too.

No longer will you have to cook your food back-to-back with the Crispi or bring in other kitchen appliances to make sure your meal comes together at once – and for me, that sounds like the dream. And if you're keen to cook up using different functions, there are six customizable options onboard with Air Fry, Bake, Dehydrate, Max, Crisp, Roast and Recrisp all available,

Why I can't wait to try it

I've loved the look of the Ninja Crispi since it launched, but I've already got the Ninja Foodi DualZone that allows me to cook on two sides at the same time. It's hard to compete with that until now. I finally feel like I could replace the Foodi with the Crispi, but there's more to it than that.

I've also recently moved over from plastic food storage containers to glass, and I've definitely noticed a difference when it comes to taste. If the same can be said for the Ninja Crispi DualZone, then I'm super intrigued. With no PFAS and PTFE, it also feels like a smart choice for chemical-free cuisine.

I'm really keen to grab a Ninja Crispi DualZone now that it's got the feature I've been desperately waiting for, and it doesn't hurt that it looks incredibly stylish, too. I'll reserve full judgment until we get it in for a full review. Now, I just need them to make a Ninja Crispi Pro DualZone, and I can fit food in for the whole family.

More from Tom's Guide

• Ninja Crispi Pro review: A meal prep marvel
• Ninja just released an air fryer so portable you can take it to the office
• 7 dangerous mistakes to avoid when cooking in an air fryer

As a home appliance reviewer, I'll be super honest here — I'm a big fan of all things Ninja. During my tenure at Tom's Guide AU, I've gotten to spend some serious hands-on time with Ninja's novelty kitchen appliances — and it's safe to say that I'm pretty obsessed.

However, my biggest gripe is pricing. While the brand always impresses me, its pricing can be a sore spot for those with tighter purse strings. And I get it — thanks to the current cost of living and inflation, everything feels super expensive right now.

Thankfully, Ninja (and sister brand Shark) has come to the rescue with some seriously tempting deals during its EOFY sale on its website and Amazon storefront. From now until July 1, 2026, you can save up to AU$200 off across Ninja's kitchen range — from grills, to blenders, novelty appliances, like the Slushi or Creami, and even my favourite Ninja Crispi air fryer, now just AU$220.

I've gathered my top-rated EOFY deals from Ninja for your perusal below. You'll need to act fast to nab these deals, though, as they will expire as soon as July 1, 2026, rolls around.

Best Ninja Kitchen EOFY deals

I consider myself a decent cook, but I absolutely despise the clean-up afterward. And baking? That’s usually a definite pass for me. With my Italian background, I'm much more comfortable with the "intuitive cooking" approach.

Even though some of the best air fryers can be somewhat tricky to clean, the Cosori Iconic Air Fryer has surprisingly changed my mind. Its ease of clean-up has me cooking more meals more frequently, and I've even found myself motivated to bake with it.

In fact, I really don’t have anything negative to say about the Iconic. Every meal I’ve cooked in it has been delicious and cooked to perfection — once I learned that I had to shorten my cooking times due to the powerful heating element and motor. I even baked a cheesecake! I followed a recipe and everything!

The Iconic has become a staple in my kitchen, and I imagine it will stay there for a long time because it’s so easy to use and produces such consistently delicious results. Here’s what happened.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Price and availability

The Iconic is available for purchase now for $249 at Amazon. Cosori offers free shipping, 30-day returns, and a 5-year limited warranty. It is also available for purchase at other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Design

The Iconic Air Fryer’s exterior is made of stainless steel, while the top is tempered glass. All the touch-sensitive controls live beneath that glass. The basket slides out from the front of the unit and is also faced with stainless steel, as well as a large handle with a button-release on top. All told, it weighs 14.1 pounds, making it easy to move around the kitchen.

The 6.5-quart basket’s inside features a nonstick ceramic coating, and it’s dishwasher-safe. Cosori says you can feed 3-5 people with the basket’s capacity, though that, of course, depends largely on what you’re cooking.

The Iconic comes with a crisper plate that fits perfectly within the basket. It’s removable for easy cleaning, and it’s also dishwasher-safe.

All of the cooking functions rely upon a DC motor, which Cosori says is more powerful and energy-efficient than a traditional AC motor. There are six cooking functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate, Proof, and ReHeat.

There are five fan speeds, and temperature range settings from 90 degrees to 450 degrees. And you can operate the Iconic anywhere from 1 minute up to 24 hours.

Aside from the main unit and crisper plate, the Iconic doesn’t include any other accessories. However, it does come with a brief recipe book — a good place to start if you’ve never used an air fryer before.

Like other air fryers, the Iconic cooks food by using a powerful fan to circulate hot air around the food. The small basket makes this an efficient process. One of the big benefits of an air fryer is that the exterior of the food crisps quickly, sealing in moisture and providing an even cook on all sides. The crisper plate creates a gap between the bottom of the basket and your food, through which the hot air can circulate.

The heating element is situated above the fan at the top of the Iconic’s internal structure. The fan then transfers this heat downward toward the food in the basket. Cold air around the food is quickly forced away, allowing the hot air to crisp the outside of the food quickly.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Cooking performance

My biggest question when I took on the Iconic review was how much more convenient it could be over a conventional oven. It is, in a lot of ways, just a small oven, after all. But the forced air cooking system does have its benefits, as does the super small size of the cooking basket.

I found that cooking with the Iconic is vastly more convenient than a conventional oven for a lot of reasons. For starters, it’s far more efficient in terms of power use and cooking time. Since it’s small, it heats up quickly, using less power and getting to the important work of cooking almost immediately, rather than wasting lots of time and energy on pre-heating a larger space.

Secondly, the Iconic does an incredible job of crisping the outside of food, sealing in moisture and flavor. I cooked chicken thighs during my first use, and they came out exceptional — I would say even better than my usual method, which involves a cast-iron pan in the oven at a high temperature, usually 425 degrees or higher, for up to 40 minutes. With the Iconic, I had crispy, moist chicken thighs ready to eat after just 20 minutes of cooking.

After my initial success with chicken, I took the plunge and put a New York Strip steak into the oven. I don’t eat steak often, so when I do, I want it to be perfect, especially since beef is getting more and more expensive. The Iconic was up to the task.

The internet recommended 7 minutes per side for my cut of beef. I found this to be too long, however, and I ended up slightly overcooking the steak, even though I cut down the cooking time to five minutes on one side and three on the other. I ended up with a medium cook, though I much prefer medium rare.

The outside was crisped beautifully, almost as well as I could have done with a sear in a pan. On my second run through with steak, I did do a quick sear in a pan after cooking in the Iconic, and this time, it was an absolutely perfect finish.

To complement both the steaks and the chicken, I also cooked some potatoes sliced thin. I marinated them first, then tossed them in the basket with the crisper plate at the bottom. In just ten minutes, the potatoes were perfectly cooked: tender and soft in the middle, crispy on the outside.

Over the last few months of testing, the Iconic has become my go-to method of cooking chicken dinners. I’ve cooked a few steaks in it too, and even tried a cut of fish. The latter was a bit tougher to nail down in terms of cooking time, so I would recommend checking in frequently when you’re cooking fish. And a simple meat thermometer helps a lot with beef. Even better, a wireless meat thermometer is ideal so you can check on the internal meat temperature without opening the unit and letting out the heat.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Bread and baking

I love homemade bread, so I was thrilled to see there’s a proofing function on the Iconic. Basically, this is just a super-low setting. It automatically sets the Iconic at 90 degrees, and you can adjust the time to your liking. It defaults to 90 minutes.

The idea of proofing my bread and then just baking it right in the Iconic was super appealing. It didn’t quite work out that way, however. The proofing function is definitely handy if you want to cut down your proofing time. No complaints there.

But when it comes time to bake, you need to be very aware of how much your bread will rise. I kept my dough in the unit and then hit bake for 25 minutes. About 20 minutes in, I smelled burning. The bread had risen during baking and was touching the top of the unit.

The solution is, of course, to measure out the dough more carefully, so this isn’t an issue. I could have cut my dough in half and baked two loaves instead. Ultimately, this largely indicates there’s a learning curve to using the Iconic, as is the case with just about any air fryer.

The recipe book that comes with the Iconic includes a recipe for cheesecake. I’m not much of a baker, but I sure do love cheesecake. In fact, I’ve never actually made one before, so this seemed like a great opportunity.

I had to get a 7-inch spring pan, which proved surprisingly difficult. But once it arrived, I modified the cheesecake recipe slightly (I don’t love cottage cheese, so I subbed that out).

Once again, the cheesecake batter rose while it baked, and I ended up scorching the top a bit. Luckily, I had peeked in to see how it was coming along and shortened the recommended cooking time. Other than the thin layer on top, the rest of the cheesecake was cooked to perfection. Once again, the trick here seems to be keeping a very close eye on the food while it’s baking. A viewing window would be wonderful here. As it is, you’ll need to open the basket and peek in periodically.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Cleaning and maintenance

I found clean-up to be super easy. I ended up washing both the crisper plate and basket by hand.

However, both components are dishwasher-safe and the crisper plate's design makes it a breeze to handwash.

The stainless steel exterior does get fingerprints on it super quickly, and it streaks if you wash it with a paper towel and some spray. But if you’ve got a microfiber cloth handy, you can get a nice, streak-free, and fingerprint-free finish.

So far, my only complaint with the Iconic is the relatively short power cord. It would help if this were longer to make it easier to place it in various locations in my kitchen.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: App

You can control the Iconic using Cosori’s VeSync app. It’s a quick and easy setup once you register your account. You’ll pair the Iconic to the app via WiFi, which only took seconds when I did it.

Once in the app, you can choose recommended settings for any number of meals, and it’s easy to cycle through the options to find what you’re looking for most of the time. The odd thing is, you can’t start the Iconic remotely, even with the app. You can basically send the cooking time, temperature, and settings straight to the unit from your phone, but in order to start the Iconic, you will need to physically walk over to it. That’s likely a safety feature, but no less annoying because of it.

The app also has other nifty features. You can monitor the cooking progress of your food and activate voice control, too. There are other resources in the app so you can learn more about how to cook, what to cook, and what you’ll need to prep certain meals. Overall, it’s a well-thought-out app, if not a little cluttered.

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Accessories

Cosori sells plenty of accessories specific to air fryers, and others that are more multi-purpose. The Air Fryer Accessories bundle ($32) includes a cake pan, pizza pan, silicone mat, metal holder, egg bites mold, and a rack with 4 skewers. This will likely cover most of the cooking you’ll do with the Iconic.

You can also get a Smart Meat Thermometer which I would highly recommend, so you can monitor your food’s internal temperature without opening the basket. Other nifty accessories include a food dehydrator, fruit roll sheets ($20), Cosori Air Fryer Liners ($12), and a Cosori NutriLens Smart Nutrition Scale ($50).

Cosori Iconic Air Fryer review: Verdict

Overall, I really don’t have anything negative to say about the Cosori Iconic. It’s been a fantastic addition to my kitchen, and it makes my life much simpler come dinner time. It cooks quickly, efficiently, and with an ease that makes me actually want to cook.

While its small size might be limiting if you’re cooking for a lot of people, I’ve found it’s an ideal size for my family of three.

Granted, there is a learning curve to it, even if you’ve owned an air fryer before. Perhaps it’s because of the DC motor, which is quicker and more efficient than AC motors, but the cooking times seem to be shorter than what’s often recommended. So, as you learn the particular features of the Iconic, be sure to keep an eye on the food within.

Cuisinart has just dropped its answer to the Ninja Crispi, and my first thought is that execs at Ninja will be catching their breath.

I’m an advocate of air-frying and am even swapping my traditional double oven for a single one, as my air fryer takes a lot of the load. So, when there’s a new air fryer on the market, I’m keen to investigate and discover whether it’s as good as it appears. I still need to test this new air fryer, but how does Cuisinart’s ClearView stack up?

Air frying with a clear view

Cuisinart has launched not one, but two new nontoxic ClearView air fryers with glass baskets, offering a 4-quart glass basket version for 1-2 people and a larger 9-quart model with a PFAs-free basket, designed for families. Will it rival the Ninja Crispi, which ranks in our best air fryer buying guide? Without testing, I can't be sure — but it certainly looks impressive.

Just like the Ninja Crispi, the 4-quart version dispenses with the traditional air fryer slide-in drawer in favor of a removable lid. And the glass bowl lets you watch your food cook without opening a drawer and releasing heat as you peek inside.

You can also use the bowl to prepare your food ahead, cover it with a lid, refrigerate it and remove it once you’re ready to cook; the bowl can also be used to store leftovers.

What cooking options do you get? Air fry, bake, broil, recrisp and keep warm, with two custom presets for the 4-quart version, and five presets for the larger model. That’s one more mode than the Ninja Crispi, along with the additional preset features.

Budget over brand

The Clear View 4-quart version also beats the Ninja Crispi on price, coming in at $139 at Amazon, where it’s exclusively available. The black version of the Ninja Crispi is currently reduced to $159 at Amazon, although its MSRP is $40 above its new rival. This is the same price as the larger 9-quart version, which is $159 at Amazon.

Why would you opt for a Ninja over the Cuisinart? At this point, the ClearView seems the best buy, but we’ll let you know our thoughts once we’ve tested the new air fryer. The only thing where Ninja scores above Cuisinart is in its wider color choice.

More from Tom's Guide

• I finally bought my first air fryer — 5 ways it’s changed how I cook
• Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer review: Superb results, easy to clean
• Cuisinart Precision Master Stand Mixer review: Design meets function without a premium price tag

Air fryers are highly sought-after kitchen appliances, and for good reason. They offer the pleasure of crispy, fried dishes while drastically reducing the oil, fat, and strong odors associated with traditional deep-frying. But with so many air fryers to choose from, how can you pick the best one?

The Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer also functions as a convection oven and toaster, and certainly looks the part. And with a 5-quart capacity, it was plenty big enough for my family of four. However, you’ll want to measure your countertops before buying this appliance, as it will take up a good amount of space.

I tested the Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer to see how it compared with other popular choices. My verdict? I’d put it up there as one of the best air fryers for a medium-sized family who enjoys pizza, fries, bagels, and more. Here’s how the Ninja performed during my testing.

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer: Price and availability

The Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer is available on Amazon for $181. You can also purchase the air fryer on SharkNinja’s website or at major retailers like Target, Kohl’s, Best Buy, and Walmart. Currently, it’s not available in the U.K.

In addition, there’s only one color option: stainless steel with black accents. However, this classic design should look at home in most kitchens, regardless of color scheme.

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer review: Design

The Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer is a sizeable appliance that arrived in a large box, and at 16 x 15 x 13 inches, it will take up quite a bit of room on your countertop. It’s well-designed, however, and pairs well with other appliances. But if you’re short on space, you’ll need to make sure you have a place to store it when not in use.

It comes with several accessories: an air fry basket, a wire rack, a sheet pan, a broil rack, and a crumb tray. Each component is easy to clean with warm, soapy water; Ninja does not recommend putting any of them in the dishwasher. After washing and rinsing, pat the accessory dry and replace it in the air fryer to store until next use.

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer review: Performance

I tested the Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer for two weeks. I looked for a mix of recipes and meal ideas that would let me test several functions. Here’s how the appliance performed in my kitchen.

Air-Fried Sweet Potatoes

To test the air fry setting, I peeled and chopped a sweet potato into cubes rather than into fry shapes. Per the instruction booklet, I soaked them in cold water for 30 minutes, then patted them dry. I tossed the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil, then threw them into the air fry basket and set the Ninja to “Air Fry” at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 minutes.

About halfway through, I took the sheet pan out and shook the sweet potatoes to ensure even crisping. I liked that the timer paused when I opened the doors, so I didn’t have to worry about losing time or ending up with undercooked veggies. After about 15 minutes total, the sweet potatoes looked done, so I removed them. The resulting sweet potatoes were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside — just as I like them.

Sausages and Peppers

To see how the air fryer handles protein, I followed a recipe from the guide that came in the box: Sheet pan sausage and peppers. The recipe uses the air roast function and the sheet pan. I sliced the bell peppers and onions and tossed them with oil as directed. Then I placed them on one side of the sheet pan and added the sausages to the other.

The recipe says to set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and the time to 25 minutes, flipping the sausages and tossing the peppers after 10 minutes. The sausages needed to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be done.

After 20 minutes in total, everything looked very crispy, so I tested the sausages and found they were done. I served them on buns with the peppers on top, and they were delicious.

Bagels

The Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer has both a bagel and a toast setting. I decided to test the former while making breakfast. Both settings let you choose the number of bread and bagel slices (1–6) and the shade level (1–7). I set the appliance to toast two bagel slices with a shade level of 4.

Using these settings, the air fryer was automatically set to 5 minutes. However, after 4 minutes, I noticed that the bagel looked a little browner than I like, so I took it out. It was definitely overdone and chewy when I ate it. I’d stick to choosing lighter shades or keeping a closer eye on the appliance when making toast or bagels in the future.

Pizza

My family loves homemade pizza, so I was excited to test the Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer’s pizza setting. I’ve made pizzas in a toaster oven before and liked the way they turned out, so I wanted to see how the Ninja would measure up.

I set the temperature at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and the time for 45 minutes. In my full-size oven, it would easily take that long to make four pizzas (one at a time) for my family. The air fryer preheated within 90 seconds. I added the first pizza and kept a close eye on it until it turned golden, about 8 minutes. In total, I had all four pizzas ready in less than 30 minutes — much faster than my usual method.

The pizzas were perfectly cooked, and my entire family devoured them. My favorite part was that the fresh mushrooms I added to my pizza didn’t make the dough soggy, as they usually do in my oven. I will definitely use the Ninja for future family pizza nights.

Noise

As with any kitchen appliance, noise is a concern—especially in my open-plan kitchen, where it travels to the living room. I noted that the Ninja French Door Premier was much quieter than I expected.

While traditional air fryers vary in noise level depending on the fan setting, the Ninja French Door Premier’s noise range was similar across all settings. I measured a maximum of 64 decibels during preheating and periodically during cooking — that’s similar to the quiet drone of a business office.

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer review: Ease of use and cleaning

I found the Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer extremely easy to use, and all my questions were answered in the owner’s guide or quick-start guide. The first couple of times I used it, I got a little confused by the settings — for example, I kept hitting “start” in the middle of the dial when trying to toggle between modes, temperatures, and cook times. But after a couple of uses, this wasn’t a problem anymore.

Similarly, cleaning the appliance is easy. After each use, simply remove the sheet pan or rack and wash it with warm, soapy water. There’s also a crumb tray at the bottom that you can remove after each use and wash or wipe clean to remove crumbs and other residue.

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer review: Competition

Since the Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer also functions as a convection oven, it’s hard to compare it to a typical air fryer. This appliance is designed to be a jack-of-all-trades, whereas our best-rated air fryer, the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1, only has four functions (air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate). The Pro 4-in-1 performs these functions extremely well, but it can’t toast, bake, or make pizza like the French Door Premier can.

Another option to consider is the Cosori Turboblaze, which has bake and grill settings comparable to those of the Ninja French Door Premier. The Cosori also has a higher maximum temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit (the Ninja tops out at 400 degrees) and is smaller than the Ninja, which might make it a better fit (literally) if you have a small kitchen or limited counter space.

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer review: Verdict

After testing the Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer in my kitchen for two weeks, I can highly recommend it — as long as you have the space. Its large size could be off-putting if you have a smaller kitchen.

But if you have the space to store it, it’s worth the money. It will certainly become a mainstay in my kitchen, if only for its ability to make perfect pizzas and fast weeknight meals.

Let’s get one thing straight: if you haven’t at least considered buying a Ninja appliance in the last five years, you’ve probably been living off grid. The company is synonymous with the rise of air fryers, at-home ice cream makers, and blenders. And honestly, when an Amazon sale comes around, it's the first brand I look for.

Nowadays, I don't think I could live without my Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer, which allows my wife and me to cook a full meal without turning the oven on. In fact, our oven broke three weeks ago — and we've opted to go without it during our kitchen renovation, because our Ninja does the job just as well, if not better.

At the moment, Amazon's Spring Deal Days is in full flow, and with that comes some excellent savings on some of Ninja's best products. I've scoured the sales event to find the best options from air fryers to knife sharpeners, and everything in between.

Why I think everyone needs a Ninja Air Fryer

When I first saw the hype about air fryers, I thought it was a fad that would quickly disappear. But after finally taking the plunge and surrendering my countertop, I have to admit defeat: you absolutely need a Ninja Air Fryer in your life. It fundamentally respects your time in a way few other appliances do. Going from frozen ingredients to a perfectly crispy dinner in under twenty minutes means I actually cook instead of mindlessly ordering takeout after a long day of staring at screens.

If you grab one of their dual-basket models, the "Smart Finish" feature is a legitimate game-changer. Roasting veggies in one drawer while air-frying chicken in the other, and having the machine sync them up to finish at the exact same second, takes away all the stress in the kitchen. It isn't just a passing TikTok trend; in fact, I'd go as far as to say that it’s easily the most impactful piece of tech in my house that doesn't have an Apple logo stamped on the back.

Ninja changed the air fryer game when it released the Crispi in 2025, but can the new Crispi Pro do the same? A larger, more permanent addition to your countertops, this modular glass cooking system can accommodate food for up to 10 people.

The new Crispi Pro also resolves one of my main gripes with the original Crispi and offers precise temperature controls instead of a range of preset cooking modes. This air fryer can cook from 80 to 450°F, which is pretty versatile, and the timer can run up to one hour.

After using the Crispi Pro to make everything from a roast chicken to frozen french fries, my only real gripe is the price tag. $279 is hard to justify, even for the very best air fryers.

If you're happy to pay, though, the Ninja Crispi Pro is a worthy addition to any kitchen countertop. I was impressed by its build quality, which felt sturdy and expensive, and its cooking performance is hard to fault. Here's what you need to know.

Ninja Crispi Pro review: Price and availability

The Ninja Crispi Pro is astoundingly expensive, and once you've invested, you'll pay handsomely to upgrade your cooking system further. At $279, you could buy two of my top-rated Ninja Pro air fryers, and have a little pocket money to spare.

What's more, you only get two cooking containers included with your Crispi Pro: the 2.5 quart and 6 quart containers. Want to try the 4-quart container? You'll need to spend an extra $50 at SharkNinja to get your hands on it.

It does look fantastic on a kitchen countertop, and I enjoy the range of colors to choose from. I tried it in the shade Cyberspace, but if I were buying it for my home, I'd definitely opt for Rose Quartz. Mark my words: one of these days, I'll get my hands on a pink air fryer.

Ninja Crispi: Design

Both glass containers included with the Crispi Pro have a removable nonstick plate insert and a lid that can be used to store leftovers or meal prep directly inside the containers.

They also come on plastic bases, which allow you to lift your hot cooking container and place it straight on your dining table for serving up family-style meals.

To cook with the different sized containers you'll need to move your stand up or down to accommodate. The middle setting is effectively defunct until you buy a 4-quart container, so you'll be using the top height for your 2.5-quart container and the base for your 6-quart container.

The settings are clearly marked on the display of the Crispi Pro: there's Air Fry, Max Crisp, ReCrisp, Roast, Bake/Proof and Dehydrate. That's two more than the original Crispi, which just had Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Recrisp.

You're also able to toggle the temperature and timer using a dial on the front of the display. It feels great to use, with a tactile clicking sensation as you twist it and a button finish to start and stop cooking.

I found that the Crispi Pro automatically paused cooking when I took out the cooking container, meaning you can stir or shake food mid-cook, just like you would with a regular air fryer.

Ninja Crispi review: Performance

Air frying frozen food

I can't remember the last time I cooked frozen food in the oven. That's my air fryer's job! When I tested the original Crispi, I found that it was a worthy competitor to most traditional air fryers, and the Crispi Pro is no different. It cooked some tasty gochujang chicken wings from frozen to juicy and sizzling in just 18 minutes, which was 7 minutes less time than the packaging instructions.

Halfway through cooking I added some frozen french fries in with my chicken wings, and they came out golden and crunchy — perhaps a little overcooked!

This is largely down to the fact I was cooking in the smaller 2.5-quart container, which meant my frozen food was very close to the heating element. Because of this, the pre-heat time needed was minimal, and the crisper plate allowed air to circulate both above and underneath the food, resulting in an even finish without having to flip my food.

Roasting chicken and potatoes

Ninja boasts that the Crispi Pro can cook an entire chicken, but considering I was just cooking dinner for two, I decided to test this theory with half a chicken sat atop some potato wedges.

I first cut some potatoes into thick wedges and tossed them in oil and seasoning before sitting my criper plate and my peri-peri half chicken on top. You'd struggle to fit a large chicken on a crisper plate, but if you removed it, there's no reason why you couldn't cook an entire bird in the Crispi Pro.

The results were impressive. Yes, the seasoning on top of the chicken skin browned a little faster than I'd have liked on the Roast setting, but it was sat very close to the heating element. I didn't flip the chicken midway like I usually would, but the finished meat was still very juicy and well-cooked, and after 40 minutes it was ready to serve.

What wasn't ready were my potato wedges. In the oven, these would typically take 45 minutes, but because they were sat under the crisper plate and removed from the heating element, they were almost-cooked and not very crisp after the chicken was removed. I removed them from the glass container and slotted them on top of the crisper plate, where it only took an extra 10 minutes to take them from pale and soft to brown and crispy.

Reheating mac and cheese

One of my favorite uses of the Ninja Crispi is to reheat or add a crispy top layer to sauce-based dishes. Because the crisper plate is removable, it means you can cook directly on the glass base, just like a typical baking dish. To test this in the Crispi Pro, I reheated some mac and cheese and topped it with panko and parmesan to give it a new lease of life.

I was surprised at just how much mac and cheese fit into the 2.5-quart container. It was easily enough to feed two as a main, or four as a side dish. Using the Max Crisp setting, I was left with a browned and bubbling pasta dish in just 8 minutes.

How does the Ninja Crispi Pro compare?

While they're both part of the same line, the Crispi and Crispi Pro are very different air fryers. You'll have to make the Crispi Pro a permanent feature on your kitchen counters, whereas the original Crispi is compact and ideal for storing in kitchen cupboards when not in use. For usability and versatility, I'd opt for the Pro over the original every time, but if you're short on space, the Crispi is a great choice.

At half the price of the Crispi Pro, you might enjoy the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 if you want a countertop fryer. It's not got the glass aesthetics or modular design, but it's a fantastic drawer-style air fryer that aced every test I put it through, and currently sits at the top of our best air fryer guide.

Should you buy the Ninja Crispi Pro?

If money were no object, I'd be giving the Crispi Pro five stars. But it's so hard to recommend a $279 air fryer that doesn't outperform the cheaper options I've tested. If all you want is a great air fryer and you don't mind about nonstick interiors or the lack of modular storage, you could save yourself a lot of money by picking up another one of Ninja's excellent fryers.

That's not to say that the Crispi Pro is bad, because it's not. This is a fantastic air fryer — it did a brilliant job of cooking my chicken evenly, left me with a bubbling, crisp mac and cheese and would also be a fantastic option if you love to meal prep. I also love how it looks, and can't fault the user experience. If you can stomach the price tag, you'll enjoy everything else about the Crispi Pro.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to use the Ninja Foodi Max Dual air fryer
• Air fryer dos and don'ts — 7 safety tips I recommend for everyday use
• How to clean your air fryer's heating element

I’m planning a kitchen renovation this year, and it’s been a long wait. I’ve lived in my house for over 25 years, and my current kitchen was installed soon after I moved in. There’s not much that my kitchen hasn’t been put through in that time, and it’s showing clear signs of wear. However, it’s not just the aesthetics that need addressing.

Having researched what I want from my kitchen renovation, I've been thinking about how appliance use has changed over time, and how this will inform my new kitchen checklist.

I have accumulated a stack of kitchen appliances — and it's not just the case that I've built up a bigger collection over time — we are all enjoying a greater choice of kitchen gadgets than ever before, which, hopefully, make our lives easier.

Prioritizing my appliances

My countertop is almost bending under the weight of the small kitchen appliances taking up space, and I struggle with where to store small kitchen appliances. From my blender, to my bread machine and air fryer, not to mention my prized KitchenAid stand mixer and coffee machine. And I know I am not alone in how my kitchen is being taken over by these gadgets.

To tame my cluttered countertop, I’m considering adding an appliance garage to store items I don’t use every day, such as my blender and bread maker. However, my air fryer is another matter, as it gets more use than my double oven, and it has prompted me to think hard about my new kitchen redesign.

At one time, my oven was used most nights, but now it is rarely switched on, except when I bake. Even when I cook a traditional roast dinner, I turn to my air fryer for a succulent joint and crispy potatoes.

Why I rely on my air fryer

At first, I was skeptical, thinking air fryers were just a gimmick. But, after testing one for myself I have to admit my skepticism was ill-founded.

I now use my air fryer every day, and rely on it to cook a whole heap of meals. What’s more, I even use it to prove dough and bake rolls, when a recipe won’t work as well in my bread machine.

This has left me with a dilemma about my new kitchen design, as I can’t remember the last time I needed to use both ovens, and I barely even use the main one. While I won’t be ditching my oven entirely and relying on my air fryer alone, I’m not going to invest in another double oven, as it simply won’t get used.

This decision affects the design of my kitchen. Although I will still keep my cooktop within the golden kitchen triangle, where the sink, refrigerator, and stove are positioned in close proximity for optimal efficiency, I’m going to be placing my oven elsewhere. In fact, my air fryer will be placed within the golden triangle, keeping it close at hand.

Two years ago, I would never have thought that my air fryer would become a central point of focus within my kitchen design. I thought of it as another kitchen gadget that saved me a bit of time, used less energy and delivered healthier food. Little did I think that it would become the central focus of my next kitchen reno.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to use your new air fryer — 7 essential tips for beginners
• Air fryer dos and don'ts — 7 safety tips I recommend for everyday use
• I finally bought my first air fryer — 5 ways it’s changed how I cook

I love a versatile kitchen appliance. If it can do more than one cooking mode or preset, consider me sold. Air fryers are perhaps the pinnacle of versatile kitchen appliances, and I’m happy to report that this is especially true for my kitchen’s latest addition, the Ninja Crispi.

Ninja's newest air frying device launched in Australia late last year to near universal praise, flying off shelves in an instant. What's even better is that right now, the Ninja Crispi is discounted by 29% on Amazon.

Sure, there's also a nice 17% discount directly at Ninja, but this AU$211.65 Amazon price is the second-cheapest it's been since the Crispi's Aussie debut in November. (If you were quick, it was just AU$196 on Christmas Day.) And better yet, this discount is across all three colourways: Cyberspace, Sage and Stone.

Note that this discount is exclusive to Amazon Prime members – and you'll likely need to act fast, as Amazon has flagged that this is a ‘limited’ promotion.

In our Ninja Crispi review, we gave it a massive 4.5 stars, as it was super quiet and delivered surprisingly crispy results. Our reviewer was pleasantly surprised by the device, and found the gadget "reinvented the traditional air fryers" they've used in the past.

I've really appreciated the simplicity and convenience that come with the Crispi. It's become an integral part of my daily routine — from frying up chicken tenders to roasting salmon perfectly, I've enjoyed every meal and side I've made with my Ninja Crispi. But something I've appreciated even more than the tasty results is the fact that I can pop a lid on my leftovers and chuck them in the fridge almost immediately, saving me the painstaking task of finding a plastic container and matching lid in my endless pit of a Tupperware drawer.

Unlike traditional air fryers, the Crispi doesn’t use traditional temperature adjustments and houses just four settings: Roast, Recrisp, Air Fry and Keep Warm. While the presets don't specify an exact figure on the device, the handbook says that temperatures start at 70°C on the lowest setting and go up to 200°C, which is a comparable range for most air fryers.

The timer on the Crispi can be adjusted in minute increments, and you can also add or reduce your cooking time. And to turn off the device, you'll need to hold down the 'Start' button, as it doesn't have a labelled off switch.

It has some quirks, then, but they haven’t stopped me from loving the result I’ve achieved with my Ninja Crispi.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the Ninja Crispi for a week and it made me rethink everything I knew about air fryers
• This Ninja Crispi dupe was so close to being life-changing — but it has one fatal flaw

With both Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day just around the corner, I've found the perfect opportunity to save big, and save your date night at the same time. Although I love to cook, searing steak always makes me nervous, so when I discovered an air fryer that can cook steak to perfection (yes, really) I knew it needed a permanent spot on my kitchen counter.

This smart air fryer takes the reins and does all the hard stuff for you, which is why we awarded it an Editor's Choice award when we reviewed it. In fact, the only downside to the Dreo ChefMaker is that it's quite expensive, so I couldn't believe it when I saw that it was reduced by 25% at Amazon for Presidents' Day.

Why I love the Dreo ChefMaker Air Fryer

I've spent over 500 hours testing the best air fryers, but I was able to narrow our guide down to just three products. So the fact that the Dreo ChefMaker made the final cut should tell you a lot about how amazing this machine really is.

In our review, we used this air fryer to cook everything from cake to steak, and it did a phenomenal job of cooking everything to perfection thanks to its intuitive cooking modes and the smart meat thermometer that can be paired with the touch control panel.

It's great at air frying, but it can also steam cook and features a combi setting to crisp up meats without drying them out. Its Chef Mode allows you to follow step-by-step recipes from your phone, and even monitor your food using the in-built meat thermometer.

Out of all the features that come with the Dreo ChefMaker, it was the Chef Mode that impressed us the most. It comes with a range of step-by-step video-guided recipes, and a temperature probe that allows you to monitor your meal remotely.

The air fryer will even stop cooking when your food reaches its desired doneness, which is how we achieved some unbelievably tasty steaks without any of the stress when we tried this machine.

While it's super smart, it's also good at the basics. When we used it to make French fries, one of the standard tests we do with every air fryer we review, they came out incredibly crisp and evenly-browned. And when using steam combi cooking, we were even able to make a delicious cake with the surprisingly wide cooking basket.

Im a big air fryer fan. In fact, since they've become a signature kitchen appliance, I've tested more than 15 models of air fryers. Single, dual-zone, tri-zone, an air fryer that doubles as a slow cooker — you name it, I've cooked in it. So, it came as a rather big surprise when I recently learned something you're not supposed to do with an air fryer, which I've been doing for years. And stupidly, I hadn't even realized this was one of the most common air fryer mistakes.

Yes, the rumors are true: just like your non-stick fry pan, you're not supposed to use metal utensils in an air fryer. This is because of those easy-to-clean grates, which sit in your air fryer baskets — they're dipped in a special non-stick coating that is easily scratched when it comes in touch with anything sharp. And once scratched, it could release those 'forever chemicals' into your food.

Here's what else we know about the dangers of using metal utensils in an air fryer — plus air fryer accessories you can buy so that your metal utensils can still be used. And if you're concerned about the non-stick coating of the grates in general, we've even got a non-toxic air fryer recommendation.

Metal utensils in an air fryer — is it really that bad?

The short answer is no, so long as you're careful about scratching. The long answer is that you really need to be aware that if you do end up scratching this coating, you'll need to buy a replacement grate — and if this isn't available, a whole new air fryer.

So, it's not really worth the risk, in my opinion. There are things you can buy to use in your air fryer so that you can still (cautiously) use metal utensils, if you're not willing to let go of your metal spatula yet.

As frustrating as it is that these grates (and in some cases, the baskets, too, it all depends on the air fryer) are coated with non-stick, this is one of the reasons your air fryer is so easy to keep clean.

What to use instead?

Metal utensils aren't a complete no-go — you can, of course, use metal tongs to take food out of your air fryer, so long as they're not touching the baskets or grates, only the food.

Otherwise, wooden and silicone utensils are always a great option. You could also invest in some air fryer basket liners like this $9 2-pack on Amazon (these are usually made from silicone), which can be used with metal utensils as there's no scratch risk.

If you're not a big fan of using a lot of plastic in the kitchen (arguably, me too!), then a great alternative is these paper air fryer liners, $23 at Amazon. They are disposable, so you get 100 in a pack. They also hold oil and liquids, and are available in several sizes to suit the shape of your air fryer baskets.

Can I buy an air fryer without a non-stick coating on its baskets?

These are commonly known as non-toxic air fryers, and they are rapidly becoming popular — it's easy to understand why.

The tried and tested Ninja CRISPi is a great glass alternative, which benefits from zero coating but is still easy to clean. It doesn't offer separate drawers, however, and doesn't quite pack the power that your usual air fryer does. One of the biggest pros about this air fryer's design has to be that its glass cooking bowl can also be used as a container, as it comes with lids. It's totally detachable from the main unit, making the main unit easy to store away.

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I'm an air fryer fanatic and a microwave skeptic. However, when I took IKEA's new 3-in-1 microwave, which works as an oven, air fryer and grill, for a spin in my kitchen, I was admittedly impressed.

Not only is IKEA's new GÅTEBO microwave only $199, it also comes with everything you need to grill and even air fry, including a basket and grate that slots neatly inside the appliance for any possible use.

But while the GÅTEBO can air fry, can it beat an actual air fryer? And if you're short on space, which is the appliance you should choose for your kitchen? I put the IKEA GÅTEBO microwave head-to-head with one of the best air fryers, and here's what happened.

Challenge 1: French fries

When testing an air fryer, one of the first things I do is to cook frozen french fries. In an air fryer this only takes a few minutes, and will usually leave me with a super crisp exterior and soft, fluffy inside. Best of all, I can tip them straight out from the basket and onto a plate.

By contrast, I needed to pour my frozen fries onto the raised air frying basket included with the GÅTEBO, and then pre-heat (which took about five minutes) before adding it in. You can choose your temperature up to 240°C / 460°F, which is actually hotter than the maximum temperature in my air fryer, which is 210°C / 410°F.

I followed the air fryer instructions on the bag of fries, cooking them at 190°C / 370°F for 12 minutes. According to the GÅTEBO instruction manual, you should expect french fries to take 21 minutes on the maximum temperature, which is almost twice as long as they'd take in an air fryer.

Sure enough, the fries did need the full 21 minutes to come out hot and sizzling, and even when they were ready, they weren't nearly as crisped or browned as those I cooked in my Dreo ChefMaker in half the time.

With that being said, they did taste nice. My partner said they reminded him of McDonald's fries — hot and greasy, but not very crispy. I personally preferred the fries that I made in the air fryer, but the GÅTEBO put up a good fight.

Challenge 2: Grilling chicken skewers

My air fryer has a grill setting, and so does the GÅTEBO microwave oven. So to test these additional features, I put a chicken skewer in each.

One commenter in my initial story on the GÅTEBO pointed out that they could see the microwave getting messy if you use it as an air fryer, so the bright red spicy marinade on my skewers seemed the perfect test on how high-maintenance this cooking method could be. With my air fryer, the grate and basket can go straight in the dishwasher, making cleanup a breeze.

Again, the GÅTEBO took much longer to cook my chicken than the air fryer, and I was left with a less browned, less crispy result. It still tasted perfectly nice — very juicy and full of flavor, but it took twice as long as the air fryer to cook through.

As for the mess? Honestly, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. Some juice had dripped onto the glass plate below, but this was easily wiped clean and didn't require any scrubbing to remove.

Can the GÅTEBO replace your air fryer?

I use my air fryer most days, so there's no way I'd replace it with this 3-in-1 appliance. But as I said at the very beginning, I'm not a huge fan of microwaves, and I don't typically keep one in my house. I'd much rather heat up soup on the stove, and I'm not a fan of microwave meals. So if you're anything like me and you use an air fryer more than you'd use a microwave, I'd stick to your trusty Ninja.

For those who love microwaves but are intrigued by the idea of having a multi-functional upgrade, I do think the GÅTEBO is a great option. While it's slower, it does air fry, and I was happy with the way it cooked both my chicken and my french fries. They weren't crisped up or significantly browned, but they tasted nice and weren't too messy to clean up after.

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• I just upgraded my home with these 5 IKEA items
• You don’t need an appliance garage — I’ve been using this $29 IKEA classic for years, and it keeps my gadgets neatly stowed away

My air fryer often makes its way around my kitchen, as I'm always rearranging the layout of my countertops. Truthfully, although it's handy, this slightly obtrusive appliance slightly ruins my aesthetic. It's big, bulky, and in comparison to my white and sage green kitchen, it sticks out like a sore thumb. But the placement of your much-loved air fryer is often overlooked as a mere suggestion in the manual, but really, it's the difference between your air fryer overheating and setting on fire in your kitchen, and not.

After placing my dual-zone stacked air fryer in my pantry for a few weeks, I quickly realized how dangerous this was. It was getting hot in there! It's such a tight space, with three large shelves and a small countertop area on offer. This countertop area also plays home to my microwave and milk frother. So, eventually, I came to peace with the fact that my air fryer had to be on display, for safety reasons.

Now, after reading the manual (and actually abiding by the recommendations), my air fryer is on show on my countertop, but I've got peace of mind that it's is a lot safer. Even when I throw frozen fodder in the drawers and walk out of the room for 20 minutes, I'm assured it's as safe as it can be. It's recommended, really, that you leave around 10cm of clearance space on either side of the air fryer — that's back and sides. Yes, you should never be pushing it right up against your backsplash.

Wasn't aware of this? Me too, for some time. But you'd rather be safe than sorry! Right, off you go to move that air fryer of yours.

Keep your kitchen safe

There are so many air fryer dos and don'ts, but the number one safety hazard has to be wrong air fryer placement. Other than keeping it somewhere that's easy to reach, especially if, like me, you use it a lot, you also have to allow for ventilation. It's recommended that you leave at least 10cm of space on the back and sides of the air fryer to allow the air vent to breathe. This air vent pushes out a lot of hot air, so if it's pressed against something, like a wall, tiles, or even another appliance, this could cause a fire.

Once the air vent has overheated, there's a chance this appliance could catch on fire. And we all know how fast that spreads. I've heard of many a case of an air fryer being the cause of an entire house fire.

So, when it comes to rearranging your countertops, you need to consider two things: where your closest (and free) socket is, and how you'll ensure that your air fryer has 10cm of free space around it. You can, obviously, push it into a corner, and when you're using it, pull it away from the wall. Just always ensure that when it's plugged in, it's away from the wall.

More air fryer safety must-knows

• Always unplug your air fryer when it's not in use
• Never add too much oil
• Don't use its top for storage purposes
• Clean it after each use
• Always use the correct air fryer accessories

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Whether or not you're concerned about so-called "forever chemicals", the conversation around non-stick coatings is only growing. And with it comes an increasing market of buyers who want the option of buying a toxin-free air fryer.

Well, with demand comes supply, and Cosori is stepping up to the plate with its new Iconic air fryer. Cosori makes some of the best air fryers we've tested, but the Iconic model is special. It ditches the conventional plastic coating for a stainless steel exterior, and its nonstick insert uses ceramic coating over the more conventional PFAS lining. The Cosori Iconic air fryer is $249, making it Cosori's most expensive air fryer to date. Here's what's new.

What's new?

I think this stainless steel air fryer is going to be very popular, both because of its PFAS-free credentials and its chic exterior.

Of course, with stainless steel finishes, you do have to deal with the easily smudged exterior, and you're also missing out on the added benefit of a transparent viewing window, but I think this finish looks classy and would slot right alongside a Breville coffee maker or brushed stainless steel refrigerator.

Under the hood, there are six cooking functions on offer: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dry, Proof and Reheat. The Iconic's max temperature of 450°F is higher than alternatives from Ninja and Philips, and the glass-topped design means you'll still benefit from touch controls.

Switching to ceramic coating

Ceramic coating is a popular choice for those who want to ditch Teflon-style nonstick coating but still wish to benefit from easy cleaning. I've used ceramic-coated frying pans before, and while they don't quite match up to Teflon, they're still a durable choice without the potential risks.

Speaking of, what are the risks? Personally, I'm reluctant to ditch my air fryer purely because it's got nonstick lining. But in our article 'Is your air fryer really toxic?', we asked James LeBaigue, MSc, Head of Nutrition at Hurry The Food Up, if this was cause for concern.

“Historically, worries about toxicity seem to stem from Teflon, which was known to release harmful chemicals when overheated," he told us. "However, manufacturing techniques and legislation have improved significantly since then.”

LeBaigue went on to explain that “modern air fryers, especially those from reputable brands, use safer materials like ceramic nonstick coatings, which should not be a concern if you purchase a good-quality model.”

In addition to worries about nonstick coatings, plastic within the appliance seems to be another component causing people to worry. However, LeBaigue isn’t too concerned, stating, “plastic in air fryers is typically limited to the exterior, with food-contact parts made from safer materials like metal or ceramic-coated baskets.”

"If you choose a well-made air fryer, the risk of exposure is minimal.”

What other air fryers are PFAS free?

Released last year, Ninja's Crispi Pro air fryer also seems to be a bid for the PFAS-free air fryer market with its glass construction. It's still being reviewed by the team here at Tom's Guide, but its smaller counterpart, the Ninja Crispi, won a 4.5-star rating when I tested it last year.

Another good option is Our Place's Wonder Oven, which is compact and aesthetically pleasing to use and display in your home. With a toaster oven-style design, it's a good option if you want to opt for a stainless steel interior, too.

We'll be reviewing Cosori's new air fryer shortly. Would you consider switching?

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• You can remove stubborn air fryer grease with just a dishwasher pod — here's how
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When I first started reviewing air fryers, many were questioning whether they were just a fad appliance. But now, even my grandparents have an air fryer in their kitchen, and they use it every day.

But even though many of us have fully converted to the air fryer life, occasionally, I see strange guidance online that only serves to make air fryers more confusing, and for new users, more intimidating.

The truth is, air fryers are just tiny ovens, so anything you'd cook in your oven can go in the air fryer — so long as it fits, that is.

I recently came across an article claiming that you shouldn't roast chickens in your air fryer. And as someone who does it weekly, I think that's nonsense. Here's why it's perfectly safe to cook chicken in the air fryer, and how to make it juicy and evenly-cooked every time.

Is it safe to roast a chicken in the air fryer?

In its article, The Mirror quotes Better Homes & Gardens, which says, "The air fryer won't evenly cook the meat, and you may be left with overcooked or raw portions when it looks like it's done."

While it's true that you may need to make adjustments for a good cook, in my experience as an air fryer expert, it's perfectly safe to roast a chicken in your air fryer.

If your chicken fits — and by that I mean, if it slots into the basket with clearance between the top of the chicken and the heating element — you shouldn't have any trouble roasting a chicken.

The reason it needs that clearance is twofold. Firstly, if it comes too close to the element, it'll likely burn the top of the chicken, which will result in the bird cooking unevenly.

Secondly, even if it doesn't touch the element, fat can spit up from the chicken skin and burn onto the element, which (from experience) is a complete nightmare to clean!

However, while you should adjust your settings accordingly, it's perfectly safe to cook a chicken in the air fryer. In fact, in my experience, you'll often be left with a better result.

How to roast a chicken in the air fryer

When roasting a chicken in the air fryer, there are three things I always do to make sure it cooks evenly.

1. Adjust your temperature settings

As a general rule, I recommend a little lower and slower than you would in an oven. Air fryers are incredibly effective at crisping up food because they have a smaller cooking area than an oven, and use a fan to circulate hot air around your food. In practice, this can often mean you need to use a lower heat to ensure your food doesn't burn when cooking larger meals.

For a roast chicken, don't default to the highest heat, as you might do with french fries or chicken nuggets. I recommend starting at 350-375°F / 180°C. The time required will depend on the size of the bird.

2. Use a meat thermometer

While your chicken may appear cooked earlier when roasted in the air fryer, the key indicator that it's ready to eat is that it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before resting.

I use a meat thermometer when roasting my chicken to ensure it's always juicy and never overcooked.

Ideally, it's best to opt for a smart meat thermometer that can both go inside the air fryer itself and connect remotely to your phone to alert you when your desired temperature is reached. We've got a number of options in our guide to the best meat thermometers. In fact, roasting a chicken is one of the tests we use when reviewing!

3. Flip it halfway

If you're not careful, it's easy to dry out a large cut of meat when air frying it. This isn't inevitable; it's just a result of that heat circulation I mentioned earlier.

I recommend giving the chicken at around the 30-minute mark, which will mean it not only cooks more evenly but also becomes less dry. This is because the juices that run from the chicken will flow downwards, ensuring the down-facing side of the bird remains juicy.

Bonus tip: One of the best parts of air frying a chicken is that the base of the basket collects those delicious juices that can drip away when cooking. Don't waste those! I either pour them over my veggies for a boost of flavor or add them to a chicken stock, which I make with the bones of my roast chicken.

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I've been using my air fryer for years, and it took me way too long to figure out the tricks that actually make a difference. When I first got my air fryer, I made every mistake in the book — overcrowding the basket, skipping oil completely, forgetting to shake things halfway through.

My results were hit or miss until I learned a few key techniques that transformed how I use this device. Now my air fryer is one of the most-used appliances in my kitchen because I know how to get consistent, crispy results every time. Even the best air fryers won't perform well if you're not using them correctly.

Whether you just got an air fryer or you've been using one for a while, these five tips will help you get the most out of your appliance.

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• Air fryer dos and don'ts — 7 safety tips for everyday use
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Whether you’re trying to limit your fat intake or simply not a fan of greasy fried food, the Chefman Crispinator delivers on that promise. Whether you want to recreate your favorite fried chicken recipe or jazz up your vegetables, this air fryer has your back.

With its large 8-quart fryer basket, the Chefman Crispinator is ideal for a small to medium-sized family. Bear in mind, it’s not the smallest air fryer, so make sure you have room for it on your countertop or in your cabinets.

I tested the Chefman Crispinator for two weeks, and I can confidently say it’s one of the best air fryers I’ve used. It was the perfect size for my family of four, who especially liked how it crisped up frozen fries to perfection. Here’s how the Crispinator performed when I put it to the test

Chefman Crispinator review: Price and availability

The Chefman Crispinator is sold on Amazon for $149.99. It’s also available at major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. The Crispinator is not currently available in the UK.

It comes in two color options — Midnight and Concrete — and I tested the Midnight version. The black color matched perfectly with the other appliances in my kitchen.

Chefman Crispinator: Design

The Chefman Crispinator arrived neatly packed into a box, using cardboard rather than styrofoam to keep everything in place. The box contained the main unit, an 8-quart capacity basket, and a non-stick basket rack. Setting it up was as easy as placing the rack in the basket and sliding the basket into the air fryer.

The Crispinator has a sleek look, with primarily digital controls that prevent the display from appearing cluttered. There’s a time and temperature adjustment knob on top, and the start/stop button is right in the middle of that knob. There are two selector buttons to the left of the adjustment dial: one for selecting cook mode, and one for toggling between cook time and temperature.

The air fryer has six cooking functions: air fry, broil, bake, reheat, keep warm, and dehydrate. Each function has a default time, temperature range, and fan speed, though you can adjust these as desired. Plus, the air fry function includes a shake alert halfway through cooking to ensure your food browns on all sides. And two functions — broil and reheat — have a flip alert.

The Crispinator also came with an instruction booklet, which explains each function and offers cooking tips. But my favorite part of the booklet was the QR code that led to a digital cookbook. Whether you’re an air-frying pro or a newbie, you’ll find a recipe to suit your tastes. Some of my favorites included French toast sticks, stuffed mushrooms, blackened salmon, and mini hasselback potatoes.

Chefman Crispinator review: Performance

I put the Chefman Crispinator to work by planning most of my weekly meals around different cooking functions. In all, I tested the air fry, broil, reheat, and dehydrate settings.

French Fries

My first test was with a bag of frozen French fries. I usually have a bag in the freezer for a quick side that my kids will actually eat, but heating up my oven and cooking the fries can take time.

I tossed half the bag into the air fryer basket, taking care to space them out as much as I could. Then I selected the air fry setting, which defaults to 15 minutes at 400 degrees. The Crispinator instruction booklet includes a handy guide to cooking times and temperatures for different foods, so I set the temperature to 425 degrees and left the cooking time at 15 minutes, as recommended.

I kept an eye on the fries through the basket window as they cooked and noticed they looked nicely done after 13 minutes. At this time, the fries were evenly browned and nicely crisp, so I decided to pull them out early to avoid overcooking. We ate them with cheeseburgers and enjoyed them sprinkled with salt at the perfect level of crispiness.

Salmon and Tofu

Since I don’t really eat chicken or red meat, I opted to try the blackened salmon recipe from the Crispinator recipe book. The recipe looked simple enough, though one instruction stumped me. The recipe said to use the “roast” setting, of which there is none. I considered two options — air fry and roast — and ultimately decided air fry was probably the best choice, since salmon was listed as an air-fry-compatible food in the Crispinator instruction booklet.

Per the recipe, I patted the fillets dry, seasoned them, and placed them in the fryer basket. I air-fried them at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, then let the salmon rest for an additional five minutes. The fish was perfectly cooked and tasted delicious — much tastier than when I make salmon in the oven.

I eat a lot of tofu and often bake it in my oven, so I decided to use the Crispinator instead. I pressed and cubed the tofu, then tossed it with a small amount of olive oil, cumin, salt, paprika, and cornstarch before placing it in the air fryer basket.

I set the timer for 15 minutes and shook the basket halfway through, as directed. The tofu came out crispy and delicious, though it was a little dry. Cutting the cooking time down to 10 minutes should remedy that the next time I air fry tofu.

Vegetables

My family hates Brussels sprouts, so I rarely make them. But what better vegetable to test in the air fryer? My favorite way to prepare Brussels sprouts is to remove the stems, pick off any loose leaves, and drizzle olive oil over them. Then I sprinkle salt on top and pop them in the oven. So, I was interested to see how they would turn out in the Crispinator.

First, I placed the sprouts in a bowl and tossed them with olive oil and salt. Then, I placed them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. I chose the “air fry” setting and changed the temperature to 375 degrees, leaving the timing at 15 minutes. After shaking the sprouts halfway through, I noticed they were looking brown and crisp, so I ended the cycle early after about 12 minutes to prevent overcooking.

The Brussels sprouts were delightfully crispy on the outside and thoroughly cooked through. I’m not ashamed to say I ate half of them immediately as a snack. The entire process was quick and easy — I think the air fryer will be my new go-to for roasting vegetables.

Dehydrated Fruit

The Crispinator has a “dehydrate” setting, which intrigued me. Chefman has a recipe for sea salt and cracked pepper beef jerky, but I’m not much of a meat-eater. So, I decided to dehydrate some fruit instead!

I chose to dehydrate an apple. I cored it, then thinly sliced it and placed the slices in the basket before sliding the basket into the air fryer unit. The “dehydrate” setting defaults to six hours and uses the lowest fan speed, so I made sure I didn’t need to use my air fryer for anything else while the apples dried.

Ultimately, I removed the apples from the machine after about five hours, and they were perfectly chewy with just a hint of juice and a whole load of flavor. But I don’t see myself using this function much — the fruit has to be spread out during drying, which limits how much you can put in the basket.

Noise

It's worth noting that the air fryer’s noise level depends on which cooking function you choose. In general, the higher the fan speed, the louder the air fryer. Here’s what I measured using a decibel meter app on my phone:

• Air fry: 60 dB
• Broil: 51 dB
• Bake: 47 dB
• Reheat: 56 dB
• Keep warm: 51 dB
• Dehydrate: 44 dB

The loudest, 60 dB, is comparable to normal conversation, which is definitely manageable. However, I have an open-plan living area, so the air fryer noise was a little distracting while I was working or watching TV.

Chefman Crispinator review: Ease of use

The Chefman Crispinator is simple to operate, thanks to its intuitive design and easy-to-understand instruction booklet. Selecting a cooking mode is as easy as twisting a dial and pressing start. Adjusting the temperature and cook time is simple, as well. As a relative newbie to air fryer cooking, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the Crispinator was to use.

After each use, Chefman recommends removing the basket, pulling out the rack, and washing both with warm, soapy water before rinsing and drying thoroughly. Both the basket and the rack are dishwasher-safe if you prefer hands-off cleaning. Chefman warns against using glass cleaner on the basket window; a thorough wash or trip through the dishwasher is all it needs.

Once the basket and rack are clean and dry, simply replace them in the air fryer and store the machine for next time.

How does the Chefman Crispinator compare?

As a mid-range air fryer, the Chefman Crispinator has plenty of competition, including the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 and the Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer.

The Ninja Pro 4-in-1 is slightly cheaper than the Chefman Crispinator, making it a solid choice if you’re on a tighter budget. However, the Ninja’s four cooking modes don’t quite match the Crispinator’s six. It also has a smaller basket, which might make it better suited for a two-person household, while the Crispinator is big enough for a family of four.

Meanwhile, the Philips 3000 Series has a higher list price than the Crispinator. However, that price can be justified by the fact that the Philips air fryer has two separate drawers rather than a single large one, so you can heat up smaller items faster or use both baskets for bigger meals. The Philips also has more cooking functions than the Crispinator, though it focuses more on food type rather than cooking mode.

Should you buy the Chefman Crispinator?

After testing the Chefman Crispinator for two weeks, I can safely recommend it as an excellent mid-range pick. While it’s not as cheap as some options, its performance justifies its $150 price tag. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the food I cooked turned out — especially the salmon — and it saved me a lot of time and effort when preparing dinner for my family and me.

I also liked that I could monitor the cooking progress through the clear window in the fryer basket, which let me remove food before it became too well done. Overall, I think the Crispinator will become a daily staple in my kitchen.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to use the Ninja Foodi Max Dual air fryer
• Air fryer dos and don'ts — 7 safety tips I recommend for everyday use
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When you test as many air fryers as I do, you'll get sick of the freezer food diet pretty quickly. I use french fries and chicken strips as part of my standard reviewing routine for ranking all the best air fryers, but in reality, my diet is (thankfully) a lot more varied.

I've made everything from poached eggs (bad) to cookies (surprisingly good) in my air fryer, and if you're only using it to crisp up frozen treats, you're making a big mistake. Air fryers are, essentially, tiny ovens, which means that they're just as versatile. If you'd cook it in the oven, you can cook it in the air fryer. Plus, because it heats fast and often comes with a removable basket, you can also use it in the place of a frying pan or even a baking tray.

Here are five things you should try cooking in your air fryer to make it even more of a daily driver. And yes, I've air-fried all of these foods myself!

1. Steak

You heard me: you can get a really great sear on a thick cut of steak when you flash (air) fry it. I was nervous to try this for myself. After all, steak is expensive, and if cooked wrong it can turn grey and rubbery. I like mine medium-rare with a blistered crust, which requires ramping up the temperature.

But, if you use a good air fryer, you can get a good result on an expensive cut of meat like a steak. My secret is to leave the steak in the fridge overnight, coated in a layer of fine salt to age the outside and encourage a crust when it hits the fryer. The other big trick is to always pre-heat your air fryer before adding the steak.

I cooked mine in the Dreo ChefMaker, which is an astoundingly good fryer that comes with its own temperature probe and will even cook your meat to your desired doneness. So in theory, it should be impossible to overcook it.

2. Pastries

I actually did this on Christmas day. Pastries come out so crisp and perfectly browned when you cook them in the air fryer. And even if you buy them pre-made, giving them a couple of minutes on a low heat to warm through makes them an even tastier treat when you're serving them up to a crowd.

I've done everything from frozen pain au chocolat to cinnamon rolls from a can in my air fryer, and they always come out crisp and even. It's because the air in the fryer circulates, cooking your food from underneath and not just above, like a typical oven.

This cooking style means your food will never come out burnt on top but soggy on the bottom, and you won't have any raw dough to contend with when you get to the center of your cinnamon swirl. Just heed my advice and cook a little lower than the recommended temperature: air fryers are so effective, they can often brown sugary foods before they're fully cooked, which makes them look burnt.

3. Vegetables

In my household, boiling vegetables was the norm until we picked up an air fryer. Now, the majority of our greens are cooked with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Adding some texture and brownness to your vegetables is a really great way to add some diversity to what may otherwise be a very beige plate.

I love to toss carrots in some honey and mustard and roast them off for a delicious caramelized finish. And if you're cooking brussels sprouts, halving them and tossing in parmesan before finishing in the air fryer is the perfect way to get that salty crunch that will keep everyone coming back for seconds.

4. Soup

Before I blend them, obviously.

I love to make tomato soup, especially this time of year. But the problem with soups is that they can often require a lot of nursing. That's why I now cook all my ingredients in the air fryer, baking in loads of tasty caramelized flavor and collecting all the drippings at the base of the basket to go straight back in the finished meal.

I recommend doing this slow and low, shaking occasionally to ensure your garlic, onion, tomatoes and red peppers are soft and evenly browned. Then, just throw your ingredients in the blender with some stock for the easiest soup ever.

5. Grilled sandwiches

Save a frying pan and use the air fryer instead! Bonus trick: make your tomato soup, then make a grilled cheese to dip in it.

Making a grilled sandwich in the air fryer really couldn't be easier. Just assemble it and pop it in, remembering to flip halfway through. The fryer will warm your ingredients through, leading to a gooey cheese pull, but because it's not in a pan you won't need nearly as much oil to get that crispy exterior.

Is there anything weird you think I should try cooking in my air fryer next?

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Black Friday is long gone, but someone forgot to tell Ninja! Right now, the Ninja Crispi is $40 off in this holiday deal, matching its all-time-low Black Friday price.

I test a lot of air fryers, but few have impressed me more than the Ninja Crispi. With a removable lid and glass cooking chamber, this fryer had every chance of being a gimmick. So I was shocked when I tested it and, actually, really enjoyed everything I made in it.

Best of all, because it's a modular cooking system, you can prep a range of different meals in the Crispi's selection of glass containers and simply click the cooking lid into place when it's time to cook. If you're hoping to make more healthy and organized meal planning choices in 2026, this is the fryer for you.

Why I recommend it

I've recommended this gadget to a range of friends in the past year, particularly those who live alone or in small homes. It's the perfect choice for those who really want an air fryer, but don't have the counter space to add one as a permanent fixture in the kitchen.

When I tested it, I was pleasantly surprised at how this air fryer crisped up my buffalo wings and added a bubbling top to my mac and cheese. Because its crisper plate is removable, you can cook directly on the base of the fryer (like a baking dish) even layer your vegetables and proteins to cook multiple elements of a meal in one container.

This deal is available in a range of fun colors, from Mint Pond to Mango Clouds. Ok, the names could use some work, but they're certainly a quirky way to bring some color to otherwise dull kitchens.

This is the lowest ever price we've seen on the Crispi, making it the ideal buy ahead of New Year festivities. Trust me, you'll be churning out plates of chicken wings and mozzarella sticks with this gadget, making it a hosting must-have.

I've been testing air fryers for well over five years, so when it comes to finding a great Cyber Monday air fryer deal, I know how to tell a dud from a great deal. And while the Ninja AF101 is a reliable fryer that can always be found on sale for Cyber Monday, it's not the one you should buy in today's sales.

Right now, Ninja is selling two air fryers for $75. One is the Ninja 4-in-1 Pro Air Fryer, reduced from $129 to $79 at Amazon. The other is the aforementioned Ninja AF101 Air Fryer, down to $79 after a 33% saving. And there's only one I recommend.

So which should you buy? Of these two fryers, the Ninja 4-in-1 Pro Air Fryer is by far the superior choice. That's why it sits at the top of my best air fryers buying guide, after all.

Why you should buy the Ninja Pro 4-in-1

More recent model

If you were to try and find the AF101 on Ninja's website, you'd fail. That's because Ninja actually stopped selling this air fryer directly a number of years ago. And what replaced it? The Pro 4-in-1.

It's not that the AF101 is a bad air fryer. When I first tested it four years ago, it was pretty revolutionary! But air fryers have improved since it was first released. The Pro is quieter, quicker, and easier to clean.

A (slightly) better saving

The AF101 retails for $119, whereas the Pro 4-in-1 sells for $129. In reality, both air fryers go on sale relatively frequently, but I can say with confidence that $79 for my top pick is a really good deal. Whereas the AF101 is almost never at full price. It's like someone has a never-ending stockpile they just can't shake. Is it worth $119? Absolutely not.

Better layout

These air fryers claim to have the same capacity of four quarts. And while that is technically true, it's based on the capacity they'd offer if you were to fill the basket right to the brim.

In reality, the metric that matters is the dimensions of the base of the fryer basket. This is what determines how much food the fryer can comfortably fit, without adding a big pile of fries or chicken that won't crisp evenly.

And on that front, the Pro 4-in-1 wins easily. Its low, wide basket is surprisingly large for its neat dimensions. It can fit four chicken thighs or enough fries for a family with relative ease. By contrast, the round and deep basket of the AF101 is rather limiting. You won't mind too much if you're cooking for one or two people, but it lacks the flexibility of the Pro.

For more discounts, check out our Black Friday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Cyber Monday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Typhur is passionate about making kitchen tools that make cooking more enjoyable and efficient. I'm sure we could all do with a little bit more of that in our lives, and thanks to the Typhur Black Friday Sale, you can save up to 45% and make it a reality.

Every single Typhur product is beautifully designed and perfectly crafted to deliver outstanding results. That's why we're glad to recommend any Thyphur product, including the top three picks below.

So, whether it's an air fryer, meat thermostat, or the first-ever all-in-one sous vide station that you need, Typhur has you covered.

What are you waiting for? Shop Typhur now and get top-rated smart kitchen tools at their lowest prices of the year.

Black Friday sale offers at Typhur

These incredible deals end December 1, so if you're interested, we don't recommend hanging around. If you missed out and would still like to save money at Typhur, simply head over to our dedicated Typhur Promo Codes hub.

Air fryers have become kitchen essentials, promising crispy food without the oil and hassle of deep frying. When I bought my first air fryer, I thought it would be straightforward — plug it in, throw food in the basket, and enjoy perfectly crispy results every time. Turns out, there's a lot more to air frying than the marketing materials let on.

From dealing with stubborn grease buildup to discovering that silicone accessories can trigger your smoke alarm, I learned several lessons the hard way. Some of these discoveries improved my cooking, while others just saved me from ruining dinner or setting off alarms at midnight.

If you're considering one of the best air fryers, here are seven things I wish someone had told me before I started cooking.

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I regularly cook a whole chicken in one of the best air fryers; it not only saves me time but also leaves me with less mess to clean up. What’s more, I find the meat is perfectly moist, and doesn’t suffer from this different style of cooking.

So, with Thanksgiving and Christmas on the horizon, it got me thinking — can you cook a turkey in an air fryer? I know some traditionalists will instantly dismiss the suggestion, but I wanted to find out what the experts think and whether it’s a good idea.

Apart from whether an air fryer roasts a turkey as well as a conventional gas range or electric range, I’m also concerned by the size. Turkeys are a popular choice when hosting for a crowd because they provide plenty of servings, and let’s not forget about the leftovers, but this raises the issue of whether you can fit a turkey into an air fryer.

Is a turkey too big to air fry?

“The main problem you can run into when air frying a turkey is the size of the air fryer and the size of the turkey,” says Jessica Randhawa, chef and recipe developer at The Forked Spoon. “Finding a turkey small enough to fit in your air fryer basket can be a real challenge with American-sized turkeys. You don’t want to get home with a small turkey only to find it won’t fit on Thanksgiving morning.”

You also have to ensure that the turkey doesn’t touch the heating element," Ed McCormick, Founder and CEO at Cape Crystal Brands, says. "It’s not the case of stuffing the turkey into your air fryer, there needs to be some extra room. Common countertop air fryers only allow for small whole birds weighing four to six pounds to be cooked this way.”

And he adds, “This makes it unsafe to cook large turkeys, as large turkeys will create poor air circulation, which will produce uneven cooking results.”

As a compromise, Bridges says, most people prefer air-frying turkey parts, such as breasts, legs and wings, over making a whole turkey.

What’s the main problem of cooking a turkey in an air fryer?

Apart from fitting a turkey into your air fryer, another concern is that it’s harder to cook a moist turkey this way. And as the perfect host, you won’t want to serve dry meat to your guests.

“Air fryers cook faster, which actually helps preserve moisture, but because the airflow is strong, the surface can dry out if the turkey is not coated with oil or brined first,” explains Andreas Hansen, CEO at Fritaire.

However, the simple solution is to prepare your turkey correctly before cooking it in an air fryer.

Despite these concerns, when cooking a chicken, I’ve always found that the skin is crisp and the insides are moist and tender.

How to cook a turkey in an air fryer?

First of all, think size. If you’ve got a dual-drawer air fryer, such as the Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket model, which is $149 at Amazon, it’s not going to be roomy enough, even though it offers 9.5 quarts of capacity overall.

You’ll be better off sticking with a single-drawer air fryer, such as the Instant Pot Vortex Plus, $90 at Amazon, which offers 10 quarts of capacity in one space.

Then, once you’re ready to cook your turkey, prepare it so it doesn’t dry out.

“Rubbing the turkey under the skin with softened butter or your favorite cooking oil will help keep the turkey moist,” says Lynne Just, Chef and Consumer Test Kitchen Manager at Hamilton Beach.

The next step is to place the turkey in your air fryer. “Make sure it fits comfortably without touching the sides,” says Campbells Meat. “It’s important to make sure your turkey isn’t too big for your air fryer because air needs to circulate to ensure it’s evenly cooked. If you have a rack, place the turkey on top of it to help create an even crisp throughout.”

Just recommends cooking the turkey, or turkey parts, skin-side down at 350°F. “This helps the bird to ‘baste’ itself as it is cooking,” they explain.

It will also help to flip the turkey to the skin side up about two-thirds of the way through the total cooking time, which should take between 8 to 10 minutes per pound.

Check the temperature

The safe internal temperature for a whole turkey or turkey parts is 165°F, advises Just. “Check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast and thigh. If that temperature is not reached, add time in 5 to 10 minute increments until it is safely cooked.”

I’d recommend using one of the best meat thermometers to check the internal temperature of your turkey. The CHEF iQ Sense Smart thermometer, $64 at Amazon, comes out best overall in our buying guide, and it’s the one I use at home. However, if you prefer an instant-read thermometer without the smart tech, you could try the ThermoWorks Thermapen One for $89 at Amazon.

Leave it to rest

Once your turkey is cooked, cover it in foil and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes after carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring it's moist when you are ready to carve it.

What should you avoid?

While it’s common practice to use aluminum foil in an oven to cover your turkey, it’s not advised in an air fryer. “I am always careful not to block the airflow with foil or let the foil get too close to the heating elements or the fan,” says Randhawa.

It’s best to be cautious with how you use it. “Aluminum foil is only recommended directly under the bird to make clean up easier,” explains Just. “If you use foil, make sure to poke holes in it so air can flow around the turkey. Blocking the air flow will cause uneven cooking.”

Conventional oven vs air fryer

If you want to cook a large turkey, it won’t fit into an air fryer, so you'll have to resort to a conventional oven or one of the best turkey fryers. If you do want to cook a turkey in an air fryer, you'll have to size down, or chose a crown, or smaller sections, such as breasts or legs.

Both methods can produce a beautifully cooked turkey, so your decision is down to what’s practical for you and how many you're catering for.

“In my experience, air-fried turkey does not have to be drier than oven-roasted turkey, as long as you do not overcook it and give it a rest time after it comes out of the air fryer,” says Randhawa.

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We love testing air fryers here at Tom’s Guide, and the very best air fryers can make your life in the kitchen so much easier, especially during the holiday season. Air fryers can help reduce cooking times while delivering food that's healthier to eat than traditional frying. And they give you more cooking capacity during the holidays.

That’s why I’ve taken a look to see which of the best air fryers are on sale right now, so you can make the most of the best early Black Friday deals. Not only can you save up to 42% right now, all of the air fryers I’ve selected have been tested by our team and include big names like Ninja, Philips, Cosori and Instant Pot. In fact, I’ve been using one of these top air fryers for over a year.

Quick links

• Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer, 6-quart: was $139 now $81
• Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1, 5-quart: was $129 now $89
• Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer, 6-quart: was $119 now $89
• Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer, 6.5-quart: was $141 now $89
• Philips 3000 Series Dual Zone Air Fryer, 9.5 quart: was $249 now $149

Best Air Fryers Deals

Air fryers have soared in popularity in recent years. If you'd have asked me in 2022 if I wanted to cook something in the air fryer, I would've looked at you like you were speaking a different language – and now, they're a kitchen staple in most homes.

The best air fryers are super convenient, capable of making naughty food a little bit healthier, and take up far less room, which are just three enticing factors that have put these compact appliances firmly on the map.

But, as many of us have started to use our ovens less, a new survey from Wickes suggests we might even end up getting rid of them entirely. Well, that's at least Gen Z's vision of the future.

"By 2075, the kitchen won't just be where we cook – it will be the smartest room in the house," says Dan Ferrari, Head of Kitchens at Wickes.

"Hidden appliances, self-cleaning surfaces and AI chefs will take care of the hard work, while modular layouts and mood-responsive lighting will adapt in seconds to whatever the day brings."

As a certified millennial, I can't imagine a kitchen without an oven. But, then again, I quite like the sound of an AI chef. Alexa, whip me up a tasty supper.

Did air fryers kill the oven?

Wickes' survey put a big question to its cohort: "What will a kitchen look like in 50 years?" And of 2,011 UK adults, 1,010 of whom are aged 18-27, it seems that kitchens of 2075 will no longer use kettles, toasters and even ovens.

"For Gen Z, the kitchen of the future is effortless, sustainable and always ready for its close-up," says Ferrari.

Gen Z's answer for its ideal kitchen is instead focused on sustainability, health and digital living – with a particular shift away from bulky, wired appliances.

In fact, 23% of Gen Z predicted these bulky appliances will no longer exist at all, instead replaced by future tech like AI cooking hubs, integrated hydroponic walls and zero-waste systems.

All this points to a big reason why air fryers have become so popular and why they're such an appealing option, especially for Gen Z chefs. Essentially, they're smaller, cheaper and faster ovens, but is this the end of the oven?

John Davies, Head of Marketing at Smeg, suggests that it doesn't have to be quite so linear and that ovens are "evolving to meet their [younger generations] needs."

He adds: "While an air fryer is convenient and easy to use for those getting started on their cooking journey, today's ovens are increasingly multi-functional – so it's less about choosing one or the other and more about finding an oven that can do it all."

So, maybe it's less about putting ovens on the 'endangered list' and more about finding ways to make ovens act a little more like air fryers. After all, our Homes editor, Millie, swears by her smart oven with an air fryer setting.

What else does Gen Z have in store?

With ovens, microwaves and kettles on the Gen Z hit list, it's hard to imagine what you'd use instead. Air fryers are an obvious choice, but when it comes to 2075, the survey results envision much more – and there's a clear focus on futuristic tech.

Yes, in 2025, we already have fridges with AI and WiFi-enabled pressure cookers (like the Instant Pot Plus), but this vision leaps far beyond this.

In Wickes' study, Gen Z predict holographic AI chefs, hydroponic gardens that grow your herbs and greens in a soil-free system, a waste-to-energy chute system, hidden multi-use appliances in an in-built 'garage', mood-responsive lighting, and even a content creation zone for filming recipes and hosting live streams.

Now, I can certainly get on board with an AI chef holding my hand through a recipe or a zero-waste solution turning my leftovers into house-powering energy, but you've lost me at social media setups and lighting that'll match my cooking mood.

I don't doubt the kitchens of 2075 will look a little different, though. As Professor Deborah Sugg Ryan, design historian and author, puts it: "The kitchen has always been a mirror of the times – from the post-war prefab kitchen to today's open-plan living spaces.

"By 2075, the kitchen will be a multifunctional hub that reflects Gen Z's values: sustainability, wellness and digital connectivity. Expect seamless integration of AI, eco-innovation, and spaces designed as much for broadcasting as for cooking."

As long as I can still cook my dinner in it in 50 years, without requiring lessons from my grandchildren, sign me up.

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We're keeping track of all the best Black Friday deals so you don't miss anything in advance of the big day. We're finding everything from air fryers to soundbars to laptops, so hopefully there will be plenty of deals to tickle your fancy.

I'm already seeing some major deals on brands like Ninja and Breville. As we get closer to the end of the month, I'm hoping more brands will lower their prices.

However, I've already found one of the best Black Friday deals: the Ninja Pro XL 6-in-1 air fryer, now 50% off on Amazon — that makes it just $89. This is the Ninja Pro XL 6-in-1's lowest-ever price, so I'd grab this before the deal comes to an end.

The Ninja Pro XL 6-in-1 air fryer is one of the most beginner-friendly air fryers I've ever seen. It's got six cooking modes, including: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Air Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. Yes, you can dehydrate food in this air fryer. If my air fryer could dehydrate, I'd be making fruit leather like there's no tomorrow.

Although I tend not to use the cooking modes on my air fryer, Ninja's "Max Crisp" setting is actually really useful. This mode increases the temperature to 450°F to give your food that satisfying deep-fried-but-not-deep-fried crunch. Many of the best air fryers need this feature to be really effective, you know?

Another pro is the size. As it has a massive 6.5QT-capacity, the Pro XL 6-in-1 is ideal for big families. You can cook up to nine pounds of chicken wings in one go — simple math says that's approximately 50 wings. I don't know about you, but that's more than enough to feed my family.

You might think a 6.5QT air fryer would be an utter behemoth, but it's actually only 11 inches wide. For comparison, my Philips 2000 Series Air Fryer is 12 inches wide, and it fits perfectly in my compact kitchen. I never think it looks too big.

Ninja is famous for its air fryers for a reason — they're of such high quality. My parents own a Ninja air fryer, and every time I visit, I get told how good it is and how much they love it. If you've ever owned a Ninja kitchen appliance, you'll know what I'm talking about. And the cute little beeping sounds it makes when it's finished? Chef's kiss.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, Under Armour and more
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia and more
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $249
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + 66% off bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster laptop deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Nike: apparel/sneakers from $7
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Black Friday is a month away, and while we typically see epic deals on air fryers and other kitchen gadgets, there's one major downside to waiting for the big day to make your purchase. Without my air fryer, I'd find it impossible to cook for guests over the holidays. And the Dreo ChefMaker is my top pick if you want a capable kitchen sidekick to steam sprouts, roast carrots or crisp up a casserole this Thanksgiving.

Best of all, the Dreo ChefMaker is 25% off on Amazon right now, making it $269 after a $90 saving.

I've been using this air fryer for a year since I first tested it for our best air fryer guide, and it's still going strong.

The feature I love the most is its steam setting, which I use to prepare veggies and cook chicken breasts without drying them out. I also love to use its smart temperature probe, which makes it impossible to under- (or over-) cook your meat.

Why I love the Dreo ChefMaker Air Fryer

I've got this air fryer in my own kitchen, but our full review was written by our capable freelancer, Helen McCue. I've been working with Helen for years, and she doesn't give out top ratings lightly, so her 4.5-star review should tell you just how good this fryer is.

In the review, Helen used this air fryer to cook everything from cake to steak, and it aced every test thanks to its intuitive cooking modes and the smart meat thermometer that can be paired with the touch control panel.

It's great at air frying, but it can also steam cook and features a combi setting to crisp up meats without drying them out. Its Chef Mode allows you to follow step-by-step recipes from your phone, and even monitor your food using the built-in meat thermometer.

Ninja's new air fryer toaster oven features a brand-new design: French doors. Brands such as Gourmia and Midea have sold French door air fryers for years, but according to Ninja, its new French Door Premier Air Fryer, $279 at SharkNinja, is the largest on the market. And it sounds like it could replace my entire oven.

Ninja's new French Door Premier can pre-heat in just 90-seconds, which is significantly speedier than many of the best air fryers on the market. It also claims to deliver up to 60% faster results than conventional ovens, and its internal coating is made without PFAS.

Another major claim is that this toaster oven has a larger air frying capacity than any french door model on the market. Its 5-quart air fry basket can fit up to 5 pounds of french fries, which is ideal for game days and easy entertaining.

Here's what's new

French door air fryers have been around for a little while, but this is the first version that Ninja has released. The term 'French door' refers to its design, which (like a French door refrigerator) has two vertical doors which open to the side, as opposed to a traditional toaster oven, which has a door that pulls towards you and down.

The outward-opening doors are attractive, but also create more space inside your oven. And according to Ninja, its new French Door Premier Air Fryer has the largest air frying capacity of any french door toaster oven on the market.

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I test a lot of the best air fryers, and I like to think I have a close connection with the distinguished kitchen appliance. I know what to look for when I'm reviewing them: even cooking, straightforward cleaning, fast heating time, and reliability.

But even if an air fryer ticks all those boxes, there's still one major factor that is, arguably, the most important of all. Price.

If an air fryer performs all its cooking roles admirably, then it should be at least a 4-star product, right? Wrong. Value is one of the most important parts of product evaluation, and if something isn't good value, then I struggle to recommend it. The Kismile Roasti is one of those.

What is the Ninja Crispi?

The Ninja Crispi is a glass air fryer. It's the first of its kind: a completely transparent air frying bowl. Yes, you can watch every crevice of your chicken or fries or tater tots crisp up in real time.

As someone who's very guilty of sitting in front of the oven while watching baked goods rise (yes, I'm lame), this is like hitting the motherlode. You're telling me I can park up and watch my food cook like a hawk watches a mouse? Yes, please.

We gave the Ninja Crispi 4.5 stars in our review. Our Homes Editor Millie reviewed the product and wrote, "This gadget re-invents the traditional air fryers I've tested in the past, but can rival them all in terms of cooking quality and ease of use."

Millie even made a pasta bake in the Ninja Crispi. I've made pasta bakes and brownies in my Philips 2000 Series air fryer, but Millie made a pasta bake in the Ninja Crispi. As in, in the air fryer basket. No separate baking dish required.

This feature is so unique, and definitely one of the main reasons why I was desperate to test out the Kismile Roasti. When I first found about about it, I couldn't wait to get testing the Roasti. I had really, really high hopes.

As the Ninja Crispi is quite expensive — $179, eek — I was excited to get my hands on a more affordable alternative.

Unfortunately, the Kismile Roasti is not a more affordable alternative.

The Roasti is a pricing blunder

I suppose one could argue that the Kismile Roasti isn't a Ninja Crispi dupe — it's its own product, capable of being discussed without the big-name version rearing its ugly head.

In my opinion, however, that would be wrong. The Roasti is the Crispi. The two products are intimately bound, now and forever. Everything from the design, to the functions, to the controls, to the name is the same. Come on — Crispi/Roasti. It's the same product.

I feel like that Office meme with Pam saying "They're the same picture."

The picture above is the Roasti, not the Crispi, by the way. As I said — identical.

Now what you're all here for: the Roasti's fatal flaw. I spoke about this briefly above, but I'll go into detail now.

The Ninja Crispi is available for $179 on Amazon. The Kismile Roasti is available for $179 on Amazon.

No, that's not a typo. Both of these products have the same MSRP. I don't know about you, but to me, that's just baffling.

If I'm spending almost $200 on an air fryer — which is expensive already, by the way, my air fryer is $99 and works just as well if not better than the Crispi — then I'm going to put my faith in the bigger-name brand.

I don't think I'm alone in this, either. If there are two near-identical products at the exact same price, what would you do? Would you buy the big-name brand, safe in the knowledge that this brand has an established reputation for quality, or would you take the risk with the smaller-name product?

I would always go for the Ninja. Not because it performs better, but because Ninja has established itself as a high-quality manufacturer. Why would I risk it with something no one has ever heard of? In this economy, I simply don't have money to burn.

If Kismile had priced the the Roasti a bit lower — a max of $149, for example — then I would be more inclined to praise it. I would confidently say it's a cheaper version of the Crispi, perfect if you're on a tighter budget.

But, alas, that is not the case, and I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it as a fantastic Crispi dupe.

The Crispi is a better air fryer than the Roasti, so, as a result, I'd still recommend the big dog here.

Help! What do I do?

If you really want a glass air fryer, I think you have to go for the Ninja Crispi. Seeing as it's the same MSRP as the Kismile Roasti, it's a no brainer.

Even though it's discounted to $159 right now, the Ninja Crispi still doesn't come cheap. Those who know me in real life know that I'm really stingy, so I want to spend as little money as possible.

Unless you're dead set on getting a glass air fryer, I would always recommend the best-value product. In that case, my best-value air fryer is the near-perfect Philips 2000 Series, which is the air fryer I use at home. And the best part? It's got a window, so you can still sit and watch your food cook.

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It’s no secret that the Kismile Roasti is a Ninja Crispi dupe, even down to the “i” at the end of its name. The Roasti has the same portable glass container and air fryer lid. But, strangely enough, the two battling air fryers are exactly the same price. This is a little bizarre, as I’d assume most customers would opt for the big-name Crispi over the more niche Roasti, but let’s see how well the Roasti performs. Could it be one of the best air fryers?

Yes and no. The Roasti cooks most types of food evenly, preheats quickly, and is easy to clean. However, it doesn’t fare well with things prone to soggy bottoms like pastries, and if you’re cooking for more than a few people, you might be sorely disappointed. I would only recommend the Roasti for small households — people who live alone, or couples at a push.

My only main issue with the Roasti is the price. If it were a little cheaper, it'd be a great Crispi duep. But, if you’re interested in finding out how well this Crispi dupe works, then keep reading this Kismile Roasti review.

Kismile Roasti: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Small households
• What does it do well? It cooks really well and is easy to store and clean
• What are its weaknesses? It’s weirdly expensive
• What should you use it for? Cooking for one or two people

Kismile Roasti: Specs

Kismile Roasti review: Price & availability

The Kismile Roasti is available for $179 on Amazon U.S., although it’s often on sale for around $120. This is the same price as competitor Ninja Crispi, which is also $179 on Amazon U.S.. As I’ve mentioned before, I think it’s a bit bizarre that the Kismile Roasti has been priced the same as the Ninja Crispi.

At an identical price point, I feel most customers are more likely to go for a big-name brand (i.e., Ninja) over a smaller-name brand (i.e., Kismile). Kismile could have undercut Ninja with a price of $120-$150 and taken some of the less-loyal customer base.

If you can grab the Roasti at a discount, then it’s a better deal. However, there are much better air fryers out there for cheaper. My favorite air fryer in the world is the Philips 2000 Series, which is just $99. Unless you seriously want an all-glass air fryer, I will always recommend the Philips 2000 Series over any pricier competition.

Kismile Roasti review: Design

I’ll start by establishing that this is not just a Kismile Roasti qualm, it’s a Ninja Crispi qualm, too. One of the main marketing points of the Crispi — and, consequently, the Roasti — is the “portability”. However, it’s not portable in an off-the-grid sort of way — it’s portable in that you can technically plug it in anywhere and get air frying.

But… you can also technically plug in any air fryer anywhere and get air frying. I could take my Philips 2000 Series on vacation and it would be “portable”.

I suppose the Roasti (and the Crispi) are smaller than the average air fryer, but not small enough to be classed as a “portable” air fryer.

Anyway, I suppose if you want to take your Roasti (or Crispi) on trips, then be my guest. I would never take mine on vacation, but that’s just me.

In terms of aesthetics, the Roasti is a lovely air fryer. As I’ve mentioned many times already, it looks basically identical to the Ninja Crispi.

The Roasti works a little differently than other air fryers: the air frying component is the lid (heating pod). You plug in the lid, secure it to the glass cooking container, and then input temperature and time settings from the touch controls on the lid itself.

I found the touch controls mostly reliable, but there were a few times when I had to tap the screen more than once. I prefer the standard controls you’d find on air fryers like the Ultenic K10 and the Laura Ashley Air Fryer, but the Roasti is still very usable.

What isn’t very usable is the glass containers. There are two glass containers, each with a grill insert. The larger glass container is 4.7 quarts and the smaller one is 2.6 quarts. Even though 4.7 quarts sounds like a decently well-sized container, it’s still a bit tricky to cook enough for more than a few people. As the containers are deep rather than wide, getting food crispy is a bit of a challenge. When I made sausage rolls, the bottom of the pastry was soggy.

As a result, I only used the larger container for baking muffins, as I found the smaller container better for air frying and roasting food.

I wish the containers were wider rather than deeper, but perhaps Kismile can make a wide “Roasti XL” or something for bigger families.

Kismile Roasti review: Cooking performance

The Roasti operates at just 50dB, which is the quietest air fryer I’ve tested thus far. It beats the Laura Ashley Air Fryer (51dB) and the Philips 2000 Series (67dB). If you need an ultra-quiet air fryer, the Roasti is a great option.

The Roasti has two cooking modes: auto and DIY. DIY mode is where you can manually select temperature and time; auto mode is where the machine selects temperature for you (well, you choose ‘Air fry’, ‘Roast’ ‘Bake’ etc) and you adjust the time.

Pastries & tater tots

I made a British classic using the Roasti: sausage rolls. I bought pre-made rolls from the grocery store and cooked using the ‘Air fry’ mode for 30 minutes, as advised on the package. Here’s a photo of the cooked pastries. The first photo is the top, and the second photo is the bottom.

As you can see, the pastries are beautifully golden-brown on the top, but soggy on the bottom. This was majorly disappointing, as I used the crisper grill and hoped that the air would circulate to the bottom of the pastries.

As a result, I wouldn’t recommend using the Roasti for pastry.

Next, I cooked tater tots using ‘Air fry’. These were delicious, crispy, and evenly cooked — much better than the disappointing sausage rolls.

You can see how even the crisp is, and that’s without shaking halfway through. It’s quite difficult to shake in the cooking container, so I’d recommend just mixing with a spatula, but you may not even need to shake.

These tater tots were delicious and got eaten in about 0.3 seconds in the office.

Vegetables

After the pastries, I cooked Mediterranean vegetables according to package instructions. I cooked for 20 minutes, then mixed, and added sauce. I then cooked for an additional 10 minutes at a lower temperature in DIY mode.

As you can see, the onions are very crispy, and the zucchini are pleasantly moist. There were no overly charred pieces and no undercooked vegetables. This was much more successful than the pastries.

Pizza

After all the oh-so healthy food, I decided to make my colleagues some pizza. I used frozen deep dish cheese pizza.

I was only able to fit one mini pizza in the Roasti at one time, which would be a little annoying if you’re cooking for more than a few people at once. I think I’d just recommend using the normal oven at that point.

Even so, the Roasti cooked the pizzas evenly, including the base. This pizza was cooked in a preheated air fryer, so I’d recommend you preheat for at least five minutes or so before cooking.

As you can see, the top is golden brown and oozing with cheese. The base is equally as well-cooked, with no sogginess or dry areas. My colleagues reported that this pizza was utterly delicious.

Cupcakes

Usually, I love making cupcakes in air fryers.

However, not with the Kismile Roasti. This was the worst cupcakes-in-an-air-fryer experience I’ve ever had, and I wanted to love it so much.

The prevailing issue with the Roasti is that the circulation is quite poor. As with the sausage rolls I made earlier, the heat just doesn’t get to the bottom of the air fryer. As a result, the cupcakes took 51 minutes to bake.

Here’s a photo of the cupcakes when they were done after 51 minutes.

Don’t mind that they’re all a little ugly — this is expected when making cupcakes in an air fryer. I’ve never made a pretty cupcake in an air fryer, as they all slump in the basket like melted butter. Funny, that, seeing as they are mostly melted better.

They tasted great, but are obviously a bit ugly. They cooked from the top down, kind of like a grill, and the bottom is much too soggy. They’re basically cooked on the outside and a little raw on the inside.

Meat

Although I usually cook a whole chicken in an air fryer, the Roasti is too small (unless you’ve got a really, really tiny chicken). As a result, I just got a chicken cut from the grocery store. The package instructions read 375°F for 55 minutes, but the Roasti’s max temperature is 365°F, so I had no choice but to disregard the package instructions. I’m rebellious by nature, clearly.

The top temperature being 365°F is very off-piste — most air fryers can reach at least 390°F, if not more. This is one of my biggest cons with the Roasti, but it’s not unprecedented. The Ninja Crispi tops out at 365°F, too, so it’s clearly just a “portable” glass air fryer issue, not a Roasti issue.

Anyway, back to the actual cooking. This actually finished cooking in 35 minutes, so I didn’t need the package temperature anyway.

I flipped the chicken halfway through. Even though the chicken fit within the container when it was raw, as it cooked, it rose so that it ended up touching the heating element. Cleaning this was really annoying as the heating element has a plug attached, but I managed.

The chicken wasn’t that juicy, but it was cooked evenly and the skin was crispy. My colleagues reported that it was delicious, so I’ll take that as a win.

Overall, the cooking performance is good. I wouldn’t recommend it for baking, but cooking meat and frozen food was good. One of my colleagues has a Ninja Crispi and told me that the Crispi doesn’t suffer from the same issue — it’s capable of circulating air around the bottom of the air fryer. As a result, I’m inclined to say that the Ninja Crispi might be better than the equally priced Kismile Roasti.

Kismile Roasti review: Storage & maintenance

The Roasti’s glass containers are dishwasher safe, as are the lids (not the heating pod lid, the non-electric bog-standard container lid for storing cooked food post-air frying) and the grills. However, obviously the heating pod lid is not dishwasher safe.

I washed everything by hand as I’m not a huge fan of putting anything but crockery and cutlery in the dishwasher, and it was very easy to clean.

As I’ve mentioned before, this air fryer is ideal for smaller households. It’s just 11.6 inches wide, which is an inch smaller than the Philips 2000 Series and about 0.3 of an inch smaller than the Ninja Crispi. Due to its small size, you can’t actually cook enough for large families in the Roasti anyway.

I’ll end on a nice positive note: as standard, Kismile offers a 1-year warranty, which is the same as Ninja’s standard warranty.

Kismile Roasti review: Verdict

If it was $30-50 cheaper, the Kismile Roasti would be a fantastic Ninja Crispi dupe that I would recommend with my whole chest. However, it is not $149-$129 — it’s $179, and in that case I can only compare it to the $179 Ninja Crispi.

The Roasti is not as good as the Crispi. It doesn’t circulate as well and it feels less secure during cooking. However, that doesn’t mean the Roasti is a bad air fryer. It’s actually a really good air fryer, but it’s not priced competitively enough to be a 4-star product.

If you can find the Roasti on sale, though, it’s definitely a great air fryer that can rival the Crispi. Although personally I would just go for a standard air fryer (I’m thinking the Philips 2000 Series that has a window!), the Roasti would be a great Crispi alternative if it was cheaper.

Ninja dubbed its Crispi air fryer a "portable cooking system" when it was released last year. Released today, the Ninja Crispi Pro keeps the glass, modular appeal, but adds an XL cooking capacity that can cater to up to 10 people.

According to Ninja, the Crispi Pro can cook an entire eight-pound chicken, with vegetables, for 10 people. It's now got an XL eight-quart capacity, but still works with the 2.5 and four-quart containers included with the original, meaning it's able to expand on your existing modular setup. So while it loses the portability claim of its predecessor, it now offers an excellent meal prep setup for larger households.

But that's not all. The Crispi Pro also offers precise temperature controls, making it a serious contender against the best air fryers on the market. It retails for $279 at SharkNinja, which is $100 more than the original.

Here's what's new

The Crispi is one of the most interesting air fryers I've ever seen, but one of my biggest complaints about the original was its lack of precise temperature controls. Users can choose between Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry and Recrisp settings, but there's no onboard indication of what temperature your food is cooking at.

The Crispi Pro addresses this, introducing two additional settings (Roast and Dehydrate) along with precision digital temperature control. Its display is also front-facing, with a real-time monitor of the cooking temperature that should give a bit of extra precision.

Instead of featuring a removable lid, the Crispi Pro appears to have an adjustable stand that lets you lift your glass container up to the heating element. This makes the whole thing feel a bit more permanent, giving your lid a permanent home on your countertops.

More from Tom's Guide

• Ninja's Creami ice cream maker just got a limited-edition update
• Ninja Slushi review: Should you buy or skip it?
• Ninja just launched its first ever firepit — meet the Ninja Fireside360

There’s only one day left of the October Prime Day now, and that means time’s almost up to grab this awesome air fryer deal. This might be one of the best prices we’ve seen on the Ninja 4-in-1 Air Fryer, as it’s down to just $89 from its usual $129 at Amazon. That’s a big $40 discount on a seriously useful kitchen upgrade.

I use mine every single day for quick lunches, crispy dinners, and even reheating leftovers. It’s fast, easy to clean, and way more convenient than turning on the oven. I loved it so much, I even bought one for my dad (and he’s obsessed too).

The Ninja Air Fryer Pro has seriously changed my at-home cooking game. If your life is anything like mine (constantly balancing work, meals, and a dozen other things) you’ll love how this little gadget speeds up cooking without skimping on flavor.

It’s a multitasker too: roasting, reheating, even dehydrating, all in one compact unit. That’s fewer appliances crowding your kitchen and more room for the stuff you actually use.

The basket is a perfect size for one or two servings, yet it doesn’t hog countertop space. I’m obsessed with how fast it crisps up fries or veggies using just a fraction of the oil you’d need with a traditional fryer, so you get tasty, healthier meals every time.

After putting the Ninja Air Fryer Pro to the test, it quickly earned a top spot in our best Ninja air fryers guide. It’s speedy, powerful, and nails all the essentials, whether you’re whipping up crispy fries, golden wings, juicy salmon, or perfectly roasted veggies. With its roomy 5-quart basket and versatile functions, it’s ideal for everyday cooking without crowding your kitchen.

I honestly can’t picture my kitchen without it anymore (and my dad agrees). Right now, it’s $40 off on Amazon, making it the perfect time to grab one. For extra deals, check out our Amazon promo and Ninja discount codes for October 2025, or take a peek at our Amazon Prime Day deals live blog.

For more of our top picks, take a look at our Prime Day live blog with our editor-curated savings.

How many boring, black air fryers do you see? Pretty much all of them, right? Well, I guess the Laura Ashley Air Fryer is trying to change that. I mean, just look at it. It’s like a work of art.

I don’t think looks alone is enough to make it one of the best air fryers, though. Obviously an air fryer needs to cook food well, otherwise what’s the point? Thankfully, the Laura Ashley Air Fryer isn’t style over substance. Everything I made in the air fryer was evenly cooked and delicious.

So is it good enough to earn its place in your kitchen? The Laura Ashley Air Fryer would definitely be the focal piece on any countertop: I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ll discuss everything in detail in this Laura Ashley Air Fryer review.

Laura Ashley Air Fryer: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? If you’re desperately in need of a beautiful air fryer to liven up your kitchen, and you’ve got a small family
• What does it do well? Well, it looks unique, that’s for sure. Oh, it also cooks food really well
• What are its weaknesses? For the size and 1500W power, it’s pretty expensive
• What should you use it for? Everything from frozen meat to fresh veggies and even baking

Laura Ashley Air Fryer: Specs

Laura Ashley Air Fryer review: Price & availability

The Laura Ashley Air Fryer is $149 from Amazon U.S. and £129 from Amazon U.K., although it’s often been on sale for under £100.

This price puts it in the middle range of air fryers: the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 ($129) is our best air fryer, you’ll pay around $200 for a dual-zone like the Philips 300 Series, and $350 for our best smart air fryer, the Dreo ChefMaker Combi Air Fryer.

My personal favorite air fryer — and the one I use every day at home — is the $99 Philips 2000 Series Air Fryer, and has the same maximum temperature as the Laura Ashley model. I definitely think you’re paying $50 extra for the design, but if you want a pretty air fryer, there aren’t really any other options.

Laura Ashley Air Fryer review: Design

As you might’ve read from the headline, the Laura Ashley Air Fryer is… a sight to behold, let’s just put it that way.

Heck, you might think it’s gorgeous. I do like the style; the dark blue flowers are pleasantly designed and objectively pretty. The print is hi-res, clear, and expertly applied, and doesn’t show any signs of bubbling or distortion. It’s a well-made piece of tech.

But is the design for me, personally? No. I would never pick this up in a store, purely because it’d mean I’d have to match the rest of my kitchen appliances to it. Laura Ashley makes a whole range of kitchen gadgets in the same print: there’s an $89 toaster, a $79 stovetop kettle, a $71 slow cooker, and an $199 stand mixer. I suppose if you’re dedicated to the vibe, then you might as well get the entire range.

Whether you like the design is up to you, of course. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

In terms of functionality, the Laura Ashley Air Fryer combines elegance and usability quite admirably. The control panel is a black touchscreen on the top of the product, so it doesn’t disrupt the pattern.

I actually love the touchscreen. It’s bright, responsive, and the icons are clear. It is a little annoying that you can’t skip from 20 minutes to 60 minutes quickly, but this was relatively easy to deal with. The numbers do skip if you hold them down, but it takes a few seconds to activate the long press.

Another great design feature is the basket: it’s nearly invisible. I’m not a huge fan of the plasticky silver handle, but I’ve been trying to think of an alternative color for it and, so far, have no ideas.

Thankfully, the Laura Ashley Air Fryer has no app, which is a breath of fresh air in the world of smart home everything. My phone can finally relax and enjoy the show (of me eating an ungodly amount of potato fries).

Laura Ashley Air Fryer review: Cooking performance

To test the Laura Ashley Air Fryer, I tested out its cooking modes with a variety of fresh and frozen food, and baked goods. The cooking volume is just 51dB; noticeably quieter than the Philips 2000 Series and Ultenic K10.

One of my biggest qualms with air fryers thus far is that each cooking ‘preset’ does little to actually change the cooking style, and this is true on the Laura Ashley model too. All it does is adjust heat and time. You can achieve the same results by simply manually altering the heat and time or following package instructions.

Fries

Fries are kind of the air fryer control test — I always associate air fryers with potato fries in my head. I’ve also made fries on every air fryer I’ve tested, so I like to think they’re the pinnacle of air fryer delicacies.

I made fries and cooked frozen fries. First, I made homemade fries. I cut potatoes into ½ inch strips, then coated with oil, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Then I put them in for the default ‘fries’ setting, which was 20 minutes at 390°F. By default, there’s a ‘shake’ reminder, but bizarrely, this occurred at 14 minutes in.

Here’s a photo of the fries after 20 minutes, and then the fries after a total of one hour.

As you can see from the photo, the fries were not done after 20 minutes. I put them back in for another 40 minutes for a total of one hour, which you can see in the second picture. I shook three times during cooking. These fries were cooked to perfection, with crispy exteriors and fluffy insides.

After, I made frozen fries. I chose to go for the package instructions this time as opposed to the air fryer’s attempt at mind-reading (guessing temperature and cooking time).

I put the fries in for 12 minutes at 390°F. Here’s a photo of them after cooking.

As you can see, the fries are evenly browned, and there are no burned sides. The fries were greasy and fluffy inside with a crispy exterior. In my opinion? Perfect fries. 10/10, no notes. I devoured these.

Roast chicken

Initially, I selected the ‘meat’ cooking mode. However, this mode only ran for twenty minutes, so I knew I needed to up the cooking time. This goes back to what I was saying earlier about air fryer cooking modes being a bit useless. You should just input your intended heat and time manually.

I roasted/air fried a 3-pound chicken. At first, I wasn’t sure the chicken would fit, as the Laura Ashley Air Fryer is on the smaller side. However the chicken fit diagonally in the air fryer basket, and didn’t burn during cooking.

The chicken package claimed it would take one hour and five minutes to roast in the oven, but after 59 minutes in the air fryer, the chicken had reached the ideal internal temperature of 165°F.

The chicken was cooked evenly, and the small wings didn’t burn despite me not wrapping them in foil. The skin was crisp, albeit a little dry in places, but overall, I was impressed with the cooking process.

Here’s a photo of the cooked chicken.

As you can see, the skin is crisp and there’s a decent amount of juice. The chicken wasn’t as juicy as I’d like, but it was still delicious and quick in the air fryer.

Vegetables

I also cooked Mediterranean vegetables in the air fryer. I followed the package instructions, which told me to air fry at 375°F for ten minutes, then pour on the sauce, and air fry for a further two minutes.

As you can see, the vegetables are a little on the anemic side. I would probably cook them for an extra seven minutes or so. Even so, they are cooked evenly and there are no burned or charred areas.

Cooking the vegetables was as easy as you’d expect from an air fryer, though, and was much quieter and cheaper than turning on my oven.

Fish

I cooked a frozen white fish fillet in the Laura Ashley Air Fryer on the ‘Fish’ setting. I didn’t adjust the setting manually this time, as I wanted to see what the air fryer thought I should do.

This is after 16 minutes at 375°.

As I wanted to see the doneness, I didn’t season the fish before cooking. As you can see from the photo, the fish is cooked evenly, but it’s a little dry at the smaller end of the fillet. I would recommend not using the ‘fish’ preset, and instead manually selecting the time and cooking to 145°F, the internal temperature of cooked fish.

Cupcakes

I made some box cupcakes to test the ‘bake’ setting. By default, the ‘bake’ setting runs at 340°F for seventeen minutes, but the cupcake box advised fifteen minutes at 375°F. I decided to let the air fryer run the show and used the 340°F/seventeen minutes setting.

As you can see, the cupcakes are a little malformed, but not burned on top. Inside, the cupcakes were moist and fluffy, and directly comparable to oven-baked cupcakes. I’d say this was a major win — much fluffier than when I made them in the Ultenic K10.

Bacon

Lastly, I used the ‘meat’ mode to cook bacon. The package instructions advised me to pan fry for six minutes, so I set the air fryer at 390°F for six minutes. However, it wasn’t crispy enough, so I let it cook for another four minutes, to a total of ten.

As you can see, the bacon is juicy and a little crispy on the fatty sections, but evenly cooked overall. This is an easy way to cook bacon, but the basket is quite small, so I couldn’t cook enough for two servings in one go.

While I wouldn’t trust the cooking presets (and this is true of any air fryer), the Laura Ashley Air Fryer performed extremely well with every food test and would be a great addition to any floral-themed kitchen. Some cooking times took a little longer than expected, but that’s due to the 1500W power. My personal air fryer, Philips 2000 Series, has a 1700W so cooks faster.

Laura Ashley Air Fryer review: Storage & maintenance

The Laura Ashley Air Fryer is quite compact; it’s just 14 inches wide. This means it’d be a great option for compact kitchens. I was able to fit it perfectly on my countertop next to my spice rack and Nutribullet Pro 900W.

You’ll be pleased to know that the basket is dishwasher safe, which makes cleanup easier. However, I don’t have a dishwasher, and I can confidently say that hand-washing was easy, too. The basket has a nice non-stick surface so grease and grime came off with just a little hot soapy water.

Laura Ashley Air Fryer review: Verdict

All in all, the Laura Ashley Air Fryer is a great air fryer. It cooks food evenly, heats up quickly, and is really quiet during cooking. While it’s probably not big enough for large families and the design is a bit of an acquired taste, it performs its job as an air fryer extremely well.

As I’ve said before, I’d skip the food presets — but this is more of an air fryer problem than a this air fryer problem — and trust your package instructions or instincts. Thankfully, adjusting the temperature and timings is super easy thanks to the responsive and bright touchscreen.

The price is the only reason why this air fryer didn’t get a higher rating. While $149 is quite pricey for this specific air fryer due to the lower wattage and size, if you’ve got a floral-themed kitchen or other Laura Ashley kitchen appliances, then it’s really a no brainer. This would be the perfect air fryer for you.

With an ever-increasing number of households owning one of the best air fryers, there’s clear evidence that air frying isn’t just a fad, and it’s found a permanent place in our kitchens. I, for one, use my air fryer every day, while my electric range rarely gets a look in.

However, while we are accustomed to cleaning our ovens and finding tips to keep our ovens cleaner for longer, air fryers are often forgotten. In fact, a study by HelloFresh discovered that 47% of people don’t clean their air fryer after each use.

While it’s rare to clean your oven every time you cook a casserole or bake a cake, cooking in an air fryer presents a slightly different scenario, and more cleaning is required.

The nature of air frying involves a fan that blasts heat around the air fryer’s food compartment, and it does this much faster than air is circulated around an oven. This is why food and grease build up more quickly in an air fryer, making it essential to clean it after every use. It also relates to the type of food that is more likely to cook in an air fryer, as it tends to have a higher fat content and crispy coatings.

The danger of not cleaning your air fryer

If you ditch cleaning your air fryer, you could be putting your household at risk, as a buildup of grease and food residue can become a fire hazard.

But this isn’t the only risk that you are taking. Neglecting to clean your air fryer increases the risk of food contamination. “There’s a general misconception that the heat in your air fryer will kill any bacteria, but this isn’t always the case,” says Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Development Manager, at HelloFresh.

“The likes of Salmonella, E. coli might actually be able to grow and can be a hazard to your health. That’s why cleaning your air fryer after every use is recommended,” she adds.

Apart from the health risks associated with a dirty air fryer, it can also compromise the flavor and taste of your meals.

If baked-on grease and food residue are left in the air fryer basket, they will start to smell. Not only is this unpleasant, but the odor will transfer to any subsequent cooked food. And that leftover residue can smoke and burn each time the air fryer is turned on for another cook.

Grease and food residue can also hamper the airflow within your appliance, as they block the vents, leading to unevenly cooked food that takes longer to cook and lacks the crispiness we associate with air fry cooking.

How to clean your air fryer — for tastier food and safer cooking

More from Tom's Guide

• You can remove stubborn air fryer grease with just a dishwasher pod — here's how
• Can't keep your air fryer clean? These foods could be the culprit
• How to clean your air fryers splatter guard — and why you should

If you haven’t already got one of the best air fryers, you really don’t know what you’re missing. I’m a real air fryer advocate, and I use mine every day, from warming pastries and proving dough to roasting whole chickens and grilling burgers.

I was an air fryer sceptic, thinking they were yet another kitchen appliance that I didn’t need. But, boy, I’m glad I can laugh at myself. Now, I can’t get enough of the convenience and speed that my air fryer offers, not to mention the tasty, crispy food.

This Labor Day, I’ve found three top air fryer deals, including my favorite appliance — Corsori’s TurboBlaze Airfryer which is down to just $89 at Amazon. And our top model for most people, the Ninja 4-in-1 Pro Air Fryer has also dropped to just $89.

So, if you haven’t already dipped your toe in the air frying market, or you’re ready to upgrade, check out my top Labor Day recommendations.

Quick links

• Ninja 4-in-1 Pro Air Fryer: was $129 now $89
• Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer: was $119 now $89 @ Amazon
• Ninja AF161 Max XL Air Fryer: was $179 now $109 @ Amazon

Air fryer deals

As the Tom's Guide reviews editor, my team of expert reviewers and I put tech through its paces to figure out whether it's worth your money. Naturally, a big factor in our analysis is pricing, so I'm always having to check the prices of products and monitor cost changes over time. That means I've permanently got a Chrome tab open for Amazon.

As I was checking prices for some camera gear, I couldn't help but notice that quite a few of my favorite budget products are on sale.

For instance, the EarFun Air Pro 3 are currently on sale for just $47 at Amazon, and these are some of the best wireless earbuds around if you're on a budget. Looking for a new Bluetooth speaker? The JBL Go 4 is now only $43 at Amazon — I reviewed this speaker personally and loved it! And if you're a gamer, check out one of our favorite budget gaming keyboards, the Lemokey X1, which is just $22 at Amazon.

And there's more where that came from. To help you guys save money, I rounded up my favorite sub-$50 deals here. And don't miss out on these Amazon promo codes.

Quick list

• Redragon M916 8K wireless gaming mouse: was $39 now $18 w/ Prime
• Lemokey X1 gaming keyboard: was $36 now $22 at Amazon
• Anker Nano II multi-charger: was $39 now $25 at Amazon
• Gamakay TK75 mechanical keyboard: was $49 now $34 at Amazon
• Amazfit Band 7 fitness tracker: was $47 now $37 at Amazon
• JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker: was $49 now $43 at Amazon
• GameSir G7 SE gaming controller: was $49 now $44 at Amazon
• EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds: was $65 now $47 at Amazon
• Cosori Mini Air Fryer: was $59 now $49 at Amazon

Editor-approved deals under $50

Who said cooking is just a functional necessity? It certainly wasn't anyone at Typhur who are passionate about making kitchen tools that make cooking more enjoyable and efficient.

Every single one of their products is beautifully designed and perfectly crafted to deliver outstanding results. That's why we're glad to let you know that this July Typhur are running a sale that enables customers to save up to $600.

So, whether it's an air fryer, meat thermostat, or the first-ever all-in-one sous vide station that you need, Typhur has you covered.

If you'd like to explore other ways of saving on kitchen appliances, then head over to our dedicated Typhur promo codes hub.

Prime Day sale offers at Typhur

We tested the Ninja Air Fryer Pro, and it quickly shot to the top of our best Ninja air fryers guide. It’s fast, powerful, and handles all the basics brilliantly, from crispy fries and wings to juicy salmon and roast veggies. With a generous 5-quart basket and four cooking functions (air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate), it’s perfect for everyday meals without taking up too much space.

Personally? I use it every single day. It’s my go-to for quick lunches, lazy dinners, and even reheating pizza (honestly, even pizza tastes better in it). I love this air fryer so much that I bought one for my dad, and now he can’t stop using it.

Right now in early Prime Day sales, it’s 31% off at Amazon — down from $129 to just $89. That’s a fantastic deal for a versatile, mid-size air fryer that fits comfortably on most countertops. If you’re cooking for one or two people, or want a reliable appliance for everyday meals and batch-prepping, this is the best air fryer to grab while it’s marked down.

The Ninja Air Fryer Pro has honestly changed how I cook at home. If you’re anything like me (always juggling work, meals, and a million other things) you’ll appreciate how this little powerhouse makes cooking faster and easier without sacrificing taste.

This particular air fryer roasts, reheats, and even dehydrates food, all in one compact machine. That means fewer appliances cluttering your kitchen and more countertop space for the essentials.

With its decent-sized capacity, the basket is roomy enough for meals for one or two people but doesn’t take up a ton of space. I love how quickly it crisps up fries or a mix of veggies with just a fraction of the oil you’d use in a traditional fryer. That means better, healthier meals without the extra grease.

Dehydrating fruit or making snacks is a bonus feature I didn’t expect to use so much either. It turns out that it’s a great way to prep healthy treats and saving money on store-bought snacks. For the price, this air fryer delivers serious versatility, speed, and convenience. No wonder we rate it our favorite Ninja air fryer.

Whether you’re cooking a quick solo dinner or batch prepping meals for the week, it’s worth every penny, and honestly, I can’t imagine my kitchen without it now (neither can my dad). The Ninja Air Fryer Pro is definitely worth grabbing now that it's $40 off on Amazon.

For more savings, see our Amazon promo and Ninja discount codes, or check out the best early 4th of July sales.

I've reviewed loads of the best air fryers now, and the Philips 2000 Series air fryer is the one I want to take to the grave. It's compact, pretty, it works, and my favorite part? It's got a window!

Sometimes I find myself leaning on my kitchen countertop just watching my food cook, because, well, why not? It's low-key better than Netflix or TikTok.

Now the Philips 2000 Series air fryer is $20 off at Williams Sonoma, and for U.K. readers, it's a whopping 50% off at Amazon! This is the one air fryer I recommend for small households. If you're tight on space or only cooking for a couple of people, then this is the top air fryer for you.

Why I love it

Oh, where do I start? This air fryer is just chef's kiss. It's worth noting that if you've got a large family or want to make tons of food in the air fryer, you might be better off getting a dual basket like the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone (my parents have this air fryer and won't stop telling me about how good it is).

However, seeing as I'm just cooking for myself and one other person, the Philips 2000 Series is perfect for me. Last week I made a full basket of fries and they were so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside — in just 24 minutes!

I've also roasted a whole chicken in 52 minutes (yes, I checked its internal temp with one of the best meat thermometers) and baked lasagnes in the air fryer to save $$$ on electricity bills. The basket can fit an 8-inch baking dish, which is perfect for me.

While this is more anecdotal than anything else, I also find that my Philips 2000 Series air fryer is way cheaper than turning my oven on. This obviously depends on where you live and your energy supplier, but my air fryer is literally a fraction of the cost of my oven, according to my electricity meter. It might not be the same for you, but that's my personal experience.

And now that it's just $79? This is a severely competitive price for such an adept air fryer. I would run on over to Williams Sonoma and snap this up before the deal ends.

The Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer is unlike any air fryer I have tried before. The draw is one large tray that can be converted into a dual basket fryer. Sounds good on paper, but this setup didn’t suit me.

The air fryer is easy to use and has presets, like most of the best air fryers, to make setting up cooking times that much faster. And it is fast since it uses RapidAir Plus Technology which forces the air to circulate around the fryer.

However, I found the large tray awkward to use when split in two as I couldn’t give the food a quick shake without disturbing the other side. The contents at the top of the basket also cooks faster when the tray is split in two.

You can find out more about how I got on in my full Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review.

Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review: Specs

Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review: Price & availability

Unfortunately, for any Americans looking to upgrade their trusty air fryer, the Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer is currently only available for purchase in the U.K..

The air fryer is priced at £159 on Amazon U.K., but can also be purchased directly from the Philips online store for £133. If you would rather have an air fryer with two fixed drawers, the Philips 3000 Dual Zone air fryer is priced at £179/$199 and also has the rapid air technology but has two fixed trays.

It is currently unclear whether the FlexDrawer style air fryer will become available in the U.S. but we will update this page when we find out more.

Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review: Design & setup

The Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer has more of a basic design when compared to other models like the Philips Air Fryer 3000 Series and the Philips 3000 Dual Zone — but the FlexDrawer is designed to be a cheaper offering.

The air fryer has a plain matte black finish with a glass finish on top for the touch screen controls. It has a cooking temperature range of 104 - 392ºF, so it is perfect for a range of cooking needs. It has six preset cooking modes, including frozen potato snacks, steak, chicken, muffins, vegetables, and reheat. I was most impressed with the muffin preset, as it gave a perfect bake.

The FlexDrawer means that the air fryer can be turned into one large tray or two compartments, with the addition of a divider in the middle. However, the two compartments are conjoined, and I found this to be really inconvenient.

Usually when making tater tots I would take the tray out and give them a shake to make sure they were cooked evenly. But since I was using the other compartment to cook pizza at the time I couldn’t do that, and the tots ended up being crispier on top.

When the large tray is split into two sections, the temperature and cooking time can be altered independently for each, and they can be synced or matched. To switch between the single or dual zone settings is easy with a click of the ‘XXL’ basket button.

The two compartments are far smaller than a normal air fryer drawer. The total capacity is 7.5 quarts, so each tray is about 3.75 quarts. This is about the same as the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer, which also splits one large tray in two. However the 1000 Series has less cooking room than the dual basket fryer I’m used to, like the Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer.

The large tray has two handles on either side of the drawer, and while this was easy to pull out, it was a little awkward to maneuver compared to the usual pull out drawers with the handle on the front.

That being said, for cooking larger things like fish or a whole chicken, the option for a larger tray is perfect to cater to both needs.

The cord at the back of the Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer is very short at about two feet, so the unit has to sit next to a power outlet. There is storage on the back of the fryer to wrap the cord if you need to store the fryer elsewhere though.

Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review: Cooking performance

The Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer did a great job at evenly cooking my food, but I still prefer the results I got from the Philips Air Fryer 3000 Series (which is available for purchase in the U.S.) as I felt the RapidAir Technology worked better in a single basket setting.

Both air fryers use RapidAir Plus Technology. This means the base of the air fryer basket has a star shape with peaks and troughs that aid the circulation of air through the tray. The FlexDrawer Air Fryer has two of these star shapes to cover both compartments.

Pastries

I cooked some frozen sausage rolls, and each one was evenly cooked on the top and bottom without the need to flip them over thanks to the RapidAir Technology. This is the most even cook I have achieved when testing out air fryers.

I was also impressed at the puff from the pastry — further testament to how even the cook was.

Tater tots

I cooked some frozen tater tots to test the frozen potato snacks preset on the air fryer. They were finished cooking in just 12 minutes and were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

I did notice that the tots on top of the basket were slightly more browned, but I couldn’t combat this since the basket is hard to shake anyway because of how large it is, and I had a small pizza in the other half of the basket.

Pizza

The cheese on top of the pizza was pretty well done, but still tasted fine. Despite this, the air fryer was able to cook the pizza base all the way through.

The Philips 3000 Series was able to cook the pizza without burning the cheese so I think the FlexiDrawer may have let in some heat from where the tots were cooking. The cooking zones are described as independent by Philips, but since the zones are conjoined, there is bound to be some heat transfer.

Halloumi sticks

The air fryer was able to perfectly cook halloumi sticks in just six minutes at 320ºF using the timer and temperature control for the independent zone.

The air fryer is incredibly quick and works well for cooking party food for big groups of people when you need to keep up with demand. Needless to say, everyone in the office loved these.

Vegetables

To see how the air fryer worked with hard vegetables I cooked some butternut squash and zucchini croquettes.

The veggies became really tender and stayed juicy. The outside crisped up nicely to hold it all together. These only took 12 minutes to be perfectly cooked.

Muffins

Let me start by saying, these turned out to be the ugliest muffins ever… but they were so good!

Now that we are past their looks, I’ll tell you that they were perfectly cooked with a slight crunch on top and moist in the middle while using the muffin preset on the air fryer. Despite appearances, they lasted all of three minutes in the office and had glowing reviews!

Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review: Storage & maintenance

Clean-up with the Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer is very easy. The whole tray is dishwasher safe so you can save on washing up by hand.

I decided to wash it by hand as I think the entire tray of the FlexDrawer is far too big to justify taking up space in the dishwasher. The fryer has a non-stick coating so with a little dish soap and a wipe it was sparkling again — no scrubbing required.

The cord wraps around the back of the air fryer for easy storage and at only 5.8kg it is light enough to pick up and move when not in use.

Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer review: Verdict

While the Philips 1000 Series FlexDrawer Air Fryer is easy to set up and operate, I don’t think the flex drawer is for me. While it is a great space saver as you get a large tray and two smaller baskets in one, it is just awkward to use.

The basket is hard to shake since it is so large anyway, but you also can’t check how one side of the dual tray is doing without disturbing the other since they are conjoined.

That being said, the air fryer is fast and the RapidAir Technology works well to evenly cook the contents, but when the tray is split the top of the tray cooks much faster.

Although I was originally reluctant to use an air fryer, I've become a convert. Not only does my air fryer save me energy, as I no longer have to heat my oven for small meals, but it saves me time, too.

After using the Cosori TurboBlaze air fryer with a single drawer for nine months, I am currently reviewing Cuisinart’s AirTwin XXL Dual-Zone Air Fryer (currently only available in the UK).

You’ll have to wait a bit longer for my review of Cuisinart’s double-drawer air fryer, but while you’re waiting, I can give you my insight into cooking with a double-drawer air fryer vs a single-drawer air fryer, and the benefits and drawbacks of each.

1. Real estate

Size matters. If you’ve got limited countertop space, a dual-drawer air fryer will take up precious inches. While swapping my single air fryer for a double version, something else had to give. Reluctantly, I’ve had to move my bread machine elsewhere.

There are ways to get around this issue if space is at a premium. Ninja’s double-stack air fryer is a prime example of a design that goes up instead of out, and it’s currently available at Amazon for $219.

So before you go ahead and buy a dual basket air fryer, consider if it's worth giving up the countertop space, as it's not an appliance you'll want to keep in a cupboard for occasional use.

2. Basket size

One thing I love about my single-basket air fryer is that it’s large enough to roast a large chicken. I literally bore everyone talking about how much less mess it makes than roasting a chicken in an oven. And it cooks much faster.

However, with a single basket air fryer, it does mean that I either have to cook my roast potatoes in the oven, or leave the cooked chicken to one side while I air fry my spuds, which isn’t ideal.

But, with a dual basket air fryer, you may find the baskets are too small to roast a large chicken unless you choose wisely and opt for one with two drawers of different sizes. The Philips 3000 dual-basket air fryer, already mentioned above, is a perfect example of a dual-basket air fryer with flex power. It really comes down to personal preferences. If you are only cooking for one or two, the basket sizes probably won’t be a problem, but if you have more mouths to feed, you’ll need to consider if the capacity is sufficient.

3. Cook two things at once

I’m all for saving time in the kitchen and this is where a dual-basket air fryer can help. It will allow you to cook two foods at once. Think chicken tenders in one side and roasted vegetables in the other. Or, if you have fussy eaters or those with food intolerances to cook for, you can cook two meals at once or keep food types separate.

And you no longer have to think about keeping one part of your meal warm while the other half cooks. In fact, it’s worth looking out for a cooking sync feature which will ensure the food in each drawer is ready at the same time, even if they have different temperatures and cooking times. Cosori’s 9-quart dual air fryer will do just that and is available at Amazon for $169. As a bonus, it also features viewing windows, so you can take a peek at how the food’s progressing without opening the drawers.

4. Flexible cooking

Just because you have an air fryer with two baskets, it doesn’t mean you have to use both drawers all the time. The appliances are super flexible, and you set each zone up individually, choosing a cooking mode, temperature and time. You don’t have to use both baskets for the air fryer to work.

The second drawer is there when you want the extra capacity to cook another food, saving you time, and removing the hassle of keeping one food warm while you wait for another to cook. It does the multi-tasking for you.

5. Price

As you would expect, a dual-basket air fryer, compared to its single-drawer competitor, is going to be more expensive. You can find some double air fryers for less than the price of single air fryers, but this will be down to buying a cheaper brand.

In fairness, with a dual-basket air fryer you are buying more capacity, so you would expect to pay more for an upgrade in space. For instance, Ninja’s 4-quart single-drawer air fryer retails for $89 at Amazon, while Ninja’s Foodi 8-quart dual zone air fryer retails at $191 at Amazon.

More from Tom's Guide

• Discover ditch the oven — these foods always taste better when I air fry them
• And 9 things to think about when buying an air fryer
• Plus, I review kitchen gadgets — these are the 6 best Ninja air fryers

It was the novelty of the Crispi that had me excited to try it. A glass air fryer with a removable lid? That sounds a lot like a halogen oven, and I am a halogen oven hater. So I didn't have the highest hopes for how this air fryer would hold up during testing.

And boy did it prove me wrong.

This gadget really shakes up the air fryer market, allowing you to bake dips and pasta dishes directly onto the glass base of the container, use the crisper insert to get an air fried finish, or even double-stack your meals to make the most of this fryer's neat dimensions.

Here's why this nifty little air fryer converted me. And how the Ninja Crispi stacks up compared to the best air fryers on the market.

Ninja Crispi review: Price and availability

The Ninja Crispi costs the same — if not more — than most regular air fryers, which would be a problem if it didn't offer the same level of performance.

The bundle I tested is currently on sale for $179 at Amazon, or in the U.K., it's £179. I tried the 'Stone' colorway which was surprisingly chic and neutral so much so that it looked right at home in Tom's Guide's very glamorous test kitchen. You can also buy it in Sage Green and Blue, which look very classy.

You can spend a bit more and buy extra glass containers to expand the functions of your Crispi, meaning you can use this gadget for meal prep or reheating leftovers.

Ninja Crispi: Design

My first impression of the Ninja Crispi was that it's got a lot of extra items that will all need to find a home in your kitchen. There's a central air frying lid that fits directly onto the smaller container, but can be converted to fit the larger size using the included attachment that clicks into place.

There are also two lids included to allow you to store leftovers from your meal, or take them on the go — although you'll also have to take the hefty air frying lid with you if you want to cook outside the home.

I was pretty surprised to see that there's no temperature adjustments available with this air fryer, just four buttons: Roast, Recrisp, Air Fry, and Keep Warm. In the U.S. those modes are slightly different: Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Recrisp.

But while these settings don't offer specific temperature adjustments, it's broadly easy to get used to them. According to my handbook, temperatures start at 158°F / 70°F on the lowest setting and go up to 350°F or 180°C, although it does claim that it will give the results of a 400°F oven (possibly due to the small dimensions), which if true makes it comparable to most air fryers.

The timer can be adjusted by minute increments, and you can also add and lower. One thing I found a bit odd is you can't quit your cooking setting early. Once you've lifted off the lid and decided it's done, there's no 'Off' button, so I resorted to switching it off by default.

Ninja Crispi review: Performance

Mozzarella Sticks

I first cooked some mozzarella sticks in the 4QT basket to see just how much the crisper insert can fit, and I was pleasantly surprised that all but 2 of the mozzarella sticks from my pack of 12 slotted into place.

They were well cooked after 15 minutes, although I'd have expected them to be a lot more browned if I'd have cooked them for this long at maximum heat in a regular air fryer.

If anything, the sticks were better than a regular air fryer because they were less obliterated, which is likely a result of me whacking on the highest temperature and leaving virtually everything to cook for 15 minutes.

Chicken Wings

I was really excited to cook some chicken wings in the Ninja Crispi after seeing a lot of people on social media do the same over the Super Bowl weekend. There was also a recipe in the included Ninja Crispi Quick Start guide, so I took inspiration from that and made some buffalo wings.

I used the larger glass container for this and slotted six wings into place, cooking them on the 'air fry' setting for 20 minutes before tossing them in sauce and cooking for another five.

I was totally wowed by how delicious these were. And if you wanted to do a batch, I could totally imagine putting on the lid and shaking some sauce into a more full basket to evenly distribute buffalo coating without adding to your pile of dirty dishes.

Once again, I was struck by the fact this dish wasn't as crispy as the wings I cook in my usual air fryer. I'd be willing to bet that the Crispi simply can't pack the power of a typical air fryer such as the Ninja 4-in-1 into its small cooking lid, but it still does a great job.

Stacked Beans and Chicken

So far, I'd been conscious of the limited capacity of this air fryer. I prefer to cook things in one even layer without stacking to ensure every item is cooked evenly, and I wasn't sure if this air fryer could cook an entire meal for one the way I'd usually do with my Ninja Pro air fryer.

So, I decided to cook some green beans in the air fryer and slot my protein, some breaded chicken, onto the crisp shelf above. I left the Crispi to cook this unattended for 25 minutes on the 'Roast' setting, enjoying how quietly it cooked while I got on with some work.

This machine hit only 68dB in testing, which is really quiet compared to my favorite Ninja Pro 4-in-1, and comparable to the Philips 3000, which I also praised for how quietly it cooks.

The finished result was pretty good. The green beans still had a good bite to them, but the chicken was very well cooked without needing to turn it over.

I expect the beans were shielded from the full heat of the cooking element by the chicken and the air fryer shelf, which is why they were crispy after 25 minutes. I didn't mind that, but it would've been a problem had I cooked potatoes or another starchy side.

Pasta Bake

A lot of the videos I've seen online of the Ninja Crispi showed it being used to bake dips or create a crispy layer of cheese on top of a pasta bake, so I decided to take advantge of the ReCrisp setting and reheat some creamy chicken and bacon pasta.

This is the sort of dish I'd reheat in our office microwaves, so I was interested to see if the Crispi could essentially replace this function. It did take a lot longer than a microwave to reheat the pasta — 15 minutes in total, but I was left with a browned and bubbling dish of pasta that I could happily have eaten straight out of the glass container.

This is one of the main benefits the Crispi offers over a traditional air fryer, because while I cook directly on the base of my air fryer from time to time, it definitely couldn't replace a microwave with its reheating capabilities, and it's best suited to much larger servings.

How does the Ninja Crispi compare?

This is a tricky air fryer to compare, but I've tried a couple of other glass air fryers in my time. The most notable alternative is the significantly larger Fritaire air fryer.

But despite both having a glass construction, they're worlds apart in terms of usability. The Fritaire is not nearly as powerful, and getting food in and out of the large glass bowl is inconvenient at best, and dangerous at worst.

Turning to regular options, the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 is the best air fryer on the market for most people, so long as you're ok with the lack of glass housing and the nonstick interior.

It's got a classic design and a 5QT capacity, with traditional time and temperature controls on the main dial. This is also a drawer-style option that's best suited to families who want an option that can get super hot, crisp up fries and frozen food, and will be easy to clean in the dishwasher.

Plus, unlike the Crispi, there's no extra accessories to store.

Should you buy the Ninja Crispi?

I really wasn't sure if the Crispi would be for me. And while I don't think I'd replace my regular air fryer with this gadget, I do think it offers a completely novel way of air frying. If I had a smaller kitchen, lived in a dorms or apartment, or even wanted an option to take in an RV, this would absolutely be my air fryer of choice.

Although I was nervous about the lack of specific temperature settings, the Crispi did a good job of cooking everything I threw at it. It's less powerful and speedy than most air fryers, but in some cases, this led to a tastier finished result. It'll also be a lot more difficult to burn food in this air fryer compared to leading drawer models.

If, like me, you've been on the fence about picking up this glass air fryer, I'm confident the Crispi won't disappoint.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to use the Ninja Foodi Max Dual air fryer
• Air fryer dos and don'ts — 7 safety tips I recommend for everyday use
• How to clean your air fryer's heating element

Large families require a lot of feeding — and a dual-zone air fryer like the Cosori Dual Basket could be one of the quickest and easiest ways to accomplish that. The best air fryers cook evenly, quickly, and are easy to use.

The Cosori Dual Basket has two and a half of those things: it cooks evenly and quickly, although it’s quite finicky to use. You’ll need to master the art of trial and error to get the best out of it — in fairness, much like you’d expect on a conventional oven.

Like other air fryers, it has a range of modes: roast, grill, air fry, and dehydrate, alongside the less impressive preheat and reheat. I tested all of these with a wide variety of foods, which I’ll discuss in full below. So, is the supersize Cosori air fryer worth its $169 price tag? Find out in this Cosori Dual Basket air fryer review.

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Air fryer enthusiasts with a decent chunk of kitchen space free
• What does it do well? It cooks evenly and quickly
• What are its weaknesses? It takes a little more trial and error than other air fryers I’ve used
• What should you use it for? Everything — it can replace your conventional oven, no problems

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer: Specs

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer review: Price & availability

The Cosori Dual Basket air fryer is $169 at Amazon U.S. and £199 at Amazon U.K.. This is pretty pricey for an air fryer — the Ninja Foodi DualZone is $179 and has a removable divider, so isn’t restricted to two baskets like the Cosori.

My personal air fryer, the Philips 2000 Series, is just $99. This air fryer has a capacity of 6.6QT in one basket compared to the Cosori Dual Basket’s 4.5QT per basket. While the Cosori has an overall capacity of 9QT, its individual baskets aren’t big enough to roast a whole chicken, unlike the Philips.

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus is a dual basket air fryer with an overall 8QT capacity, and will set you back $219 — but its controls are more intuitive than the Cosori Dual Basket. The Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket air fryer is $199, which appears to be one of the priciest dual basket air fryers.

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer review: Design & setup

The Cosori Dual Basket air fryer looks like a treat. It’s smooth and sleek, with a monochromatic black finish, and two windows. I’ve said before that I’ll only buy air fryers with windows from now on — and it’s still so true. I love a window.

It’s quite large, at 17 inches long, so I wouldn’t recommend it for small kitchens, but it would be a great option for larger family homes.

Unlike the Ninja Foodi DualZone, the Cosori Dual Basket has two separate baskets. There’s no removable divider, so you can’t transform this air fryer into one large basket. While this makes it a little more restrictive than the Ninja Foodi DualZone, each basket is still quite large, at 4.5QT compared to the Ninja’s 3.5QT.

What I found most disappointing about the Cosori Dual Basket air fryer are its counter-intuitive controls. Often, once I’d set up both sides, I couldn’t then alter settings afterwards. I had to turn the air fryer off and back on again to reset the settings.

This was quite frustrating to use, and would be difficult to maneuver in a busy household. The ‘Sync Cook’ and ‘Sync Finish’ settings often didn’t work. When I pressed ‘Sync Cook’, if I decided I wanted to change the settings, I had to do the aforementioned reset.

While controlling the individual baskets was a little frustrating, I enjoyed how easy it was to rifle through modes. To change presets, you simply press the touch controls. The air fryer responds relatively instantaneously, but it’s not as intuitive or responsive as my Philips 2000 Series, or even the beginner-friendly Ultenic K10 ($79).

As with cooking, which I’ll discuss in the ‘Cooking performance’ section below, mastering the controls and setup requires some trial and error. The Cosori Dual Basket air fryer wouldn’t be my first recommendation for a beginner-friendly air fryer — that title would also go to the Philips 2000 Series, or Ultenic K10.

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer review: Cooking performance

Given that the Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer has a range of different cooking modes, I tested a variety of food that kept me and my colleagues full all day long.

Air fry

As the Cosori Dual Basket air fryer is too small to roast a whole chicken as per our usual testing, I cooked a crown of chicken instead.

The package instructions recommended 430°F for 55 minutes, but I cooked at 350°F for 35 minutes and it was a little too done. However, the inside of the chicken was still moist and juicy, and the air fryer basket drained a decent amount of grease.

Next, I cooked curly fries. I filled the basket to the maximum capacity. The package advised 22 minutes at 380°F, but I had to cook them for 35 minutes with three shakes throughout. They were a little too hard, so I’d recommend cooking for less time, or keeping a better eye than me.

Lastly, I air fried sausage rolls. I did a little experiment here: one basket I cooked at 350°F for 15 minutes, and the other at 400°F for 15 minutes.

The 350°F rolls were delicious and not too crispy on top, whereas the 400°F rolls were a little crispier, so the Cosori can cook for everyone’s preferences.

Bake

To test the ‘bake’ setting, I cooked pain au chocolats and red velvet cupcakes. I bought frozen pain au chocolats, which recommended cooking for 10-15 minutes at 350°F. I put them in the air fryer at 350°F, but in 7 minutes they had almost burnt on top, so I took them out.

They were still delicious, don’t get me wrong, but the insides were semi-raw/doughy and the top was veering towards charcoal city. I would definitely recommend practice runs with the Cosori Dual Basket before prepping family dinners for the first time.

After the burnt-and-raw-but-still-yummy pain au chocolats, I decided to make red velvet cupcakes. I prepared the cupcakes according to the package instructions and put them in at 320°F for 10 minutes, instead of the recommended 350°F for 15 minutes.

The lack of muffin tray meant that a few of the cupcakes were oddly-shaped, but they tasted delicious. They weren’t too crispy on top, and they were still a little moist in the middle. They were a little drier than I’d normally expect from cupcakes, but by no means were they bad. Again, you’d need to experiment to get the best texture, as with any conventional oven.

Roast

To give the ‘roast’ setting a good test, I cooked stuffed peppers. The package recommended 25 minutes, but they were done in just 15. The top was crispy and gooey, with the melted cheese and tomato mixture grilled to perfection.

There was no dryness or char to any part of the pepper. These peppers were probably the highlight of my testing.

Dehydrate

To test the dehydrate setting, I chopped up two apples into rounds and put them on the default temperature and time, which was 130°F for 6 hours. After a painstaking 6 hours, I opened the basket to reveal deliciously dehydrated apple rounds. This is a great setting to have to make healthy snacks for kids, like fruit leather.

Volume

I used DecibelX to measure the volume: at just 61dB, the Cosori Dual Basket is one of the quietest air fryers I’ve used. However, it’s worth noting that it’s not whisper-quiet, it’s just quieter than the Philips 2000 Series’ 67dB.

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer review: Storage & maintenance

As the Dual Basket air fryer is pretty large: 17 x 15 inches wide and high respectively, this makes it pretty impossible to fit in cramped kitchens, so I’d only recommend it for large family-sized kitchens.

The dual basket design means it would be good for large meals, too, as you could theoretically cook protein in one side and veggies or carbs in the other.

Cosori asserts that the baskets and provided grills are all dishwasher safe, which makes for an easy cleanup. I washed everything by hand and was pretty impressed with the nonstick coating, which enabled me to clean up in seconds.

Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer review: Verdict

While mastering the finicky controls can feel a little frustrating, it’s worth it to push through. Like many kitchen gadgets, the Dual Basket seems to have a mind of its own sometimes, but this doesn’t get annoying enough to detract from the overall experience.

I was able to cook a literal feast of freezer and ready meal delights in the dual basket — simultaneously. I roasted chicken and fries at the same time, and made a load of cupcakes in one go.

For convenience, the Cosori air fryer is fantastic. Just bear in mind that learning the controls might make you a little irritated… but hopefully the chicken nuggets and fries you’re cooking will make it all better.

I’ve tested dozens of air fryers over the last few years, so I thought I had seen it all when it comes to these popular countertop appliances. However, the new Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer offers not one, but two unique features that I had never encountered before!

What makes this new model stand out from the crowd? First, this air fryer has a “folding” design that nests inside itself for more compact storage, which is handy for anyone short on space. Second, it has a glass basket and inner light that let you monitor your food while it's cooking—it’s much easier than peering into a tiny tinted window.

While it definitely has some interesting features, we wanted to know if this air fryer can compete with the other top-rated models we’ve tested in terms of cooking performance, too. I put the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer through its paces in my kitchen for a few weeks, and while it’s a solid mid-priced option, it does have a few downsides you’ll want to know about before you buy.

Gourmia Fry 'N Fold review: Price and availability

The Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer is exclusive to Target and retails for $79.99. This price point is middle-of-the-road compared to today’s best air fryers, which can cost anywhere from $40 to $200.

Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold review: First impressions

The 7-quart Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer is made up of three different sections. The top piece, which is the most substantial, contains the control panel, power cord, and heating element, and it sits on top of the base, which is U-shaped and doesn’t contain any electronic components. When these two pieces are slotted together, you can slide the glass cooking basket into the middle. I was a bit surprised at the weight of the basket—it’s much heavier than expected, likely because its walls are made from thick glass.

As you may have guessed, the air’s fryer’s multi-part design makes it easier to store. When the unit is off (and cooled down), the top piece can be flipped upside down and nested inside the basket. This reduces the unit’s size by around half, making it much more manageable to stash in a cupboard or cabinet. It’s a handy option if you want a large-capacity air fryer but are short on space.

The other unique feature on this air fryer is its cooking basket, which is made from glass and allows you to easily see inside while it’s cooking. It’s much easier to monitor the doneness of your food compared to other air fryers that just have small windows. However, if you’re specifically looking at this air fryer because of its glass basket, it’s important to note that the cooking area isn’t fully glass—something that’s not clear if you’re looking at the product photos. The bottom of the basket is covered with a mirrored material that seems to be glued into place, and the crisping tray (which is necessary for proper air circulation) is metal with a PFOA-free nonstick finish.

Beyond these key features, the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold is straightforward to use. It has a digital control panel with 10 one-touch cooking functions for foods like French fries and bacon, and you can also adjust its time and temperature to suit your own recipes. The control panel is very intuitive, and it also includes an optional pre-heat cycle to warm up the appliance and/or a mid-cycle alarm that lets you know when food needs to be flipped.

Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold review: Performance

To see how the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold compares to other air fryers that I’ve tested, I tried it out in my kitchen for two weeks. Between my partner and I, we generally use the air fryer every day to whip up a quick lunch, make a side dish for dinner, or reheat leftovers, so the Gourmia had its work cut out for it. Here are some of the foods we cooked in the air fryer and how it performed.

Cooking frozen food

In my house, we frequently use the air fryer to cook frozen foods, including things like French fries, chicken, taquitos, and pizza rolls. One of the first foods I cooked in the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Air Fryer was a batch of premade chicken tenders. The product says to air fry them at 350 for 6 minutes, but I’ve found that’s generally not enough time for them to crisp up. Instead, I programmed the unit to air fry at 350 for 10 minutes, and I turned on both the pre-heat and mid-cycle alarm options.

The air fryer took three or four minutes to heat up, after which it beeps and displays “Add food” on its digital screen. It beeps again halfway through the cycle, prompting you to turn your food, and the noise is loud enough that I can easily hear it from the next room. After 10 minutes, the chicken tenders weren’t quite as browned as I like, so I put them back in for an additional two minutes. When the timer went off again, the chicken was perfectly cooked with a beautifully crispy exterior.

Over the course of testing, my partner and I used this air fryer to make a variety of other frozen foods, and we found that it often needed a few extra minutes to properly cook them. We quickly learned to just tack on a few extra minutes when cooking frozen foods.

Baking biscuits

The Gourmia has a designated bake setting, and I used it to make some biscuits for dinner one night. I followed the directions on the package, setting the air fryer to 400 degrees and allowing it to come up to temperature before inserting the dough. I was able to fit five biscuits in the basket with lots of room to spare—I would guess that you could cook around eight to 10 biscuits comfortably, which is nice if you have a bigger household.

This was an occasion when I was glad the air fryer has a see-through basket. The package said to cook the dough for six to 11 minutes, so I set the timer to eight minutes. However, I glanced over after just five minutes of cooking, and the biscuits were almost done! They only needed another minute before they were nicely puffed up and golden brown, and if I had left them in for the full eight minutes, I think they would have burned. Based on this experience, I’d recommend opting for a shorter cook time if you’re using the appliance for baking.

Making french fries

I love making homemade French fries with leftover potatoes, and an air fryer is, by far, the easiest way to cook them up to perfection. To see how the Gourmia would fare with this classic cooking task, I sliced up two white potatoes and tossed them with some oil and seasoning. The unit has a designated French fry setting that defaults to 400 degrees and 15 minutes, and it automatically turns on the mid-cycle shake setting, too.

The Gourmia’s basket is just the right size to hold two servings of French fries without too much overlap, but if you’re cooking for a crowd, you’ll have to work in batches. Halfway through the cooking cycle, my fries were just beginning to turn crisp up. I did find that the basket is a bit hard to shake—because it’s heavy and the glass gets very hot while cooking, I had to use two hands to carefully jiggle the basket to agitate the fries so they would cook evenly.

By the end of the 15 minutes, my fries were lightly browned around the edges, but I prefer them to be a bit cripsier. I put them back in for two additional minutes, after which they were perfectly cooked and tasted great.

Cooking bacon

I’m a big proponent of cooking bacon in the air fryer, so I whipped up a batch one day for breakfast using the Gourmia. I was able to fit five strips in the basket with minimal overlap, but the strips were a tiny bit too long and had to fold over on themselves a bit. The air fryer has a one-touch bacon option that automatically sets the unit to six minutes at 375 degrees. This seemed short to me, and I was surprised to find that it doesn’t include a preheat cycle or mid-cycle flip. However, I decided to just use the pre-programmed settings to see how the bacon turned out.

As I suspected might happen, the bacon wasn’t even close to being cooked after just six minutes. I flipped the strips, then put them back in for six more minutes. When the timer went off again, the bacon was well cooked and crispy, though they might be too well-done for some people. Next time, I'll probably start the bacon at around 10 minutes and go from there.

Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold review: Cleaning

While this air fryer’s glass basket makes it easy to monitor food as it cooks, it’s also quite the hassle to keep clean. Only the crisper tray is dishwasher safe, so the basket has to be hand-washed. The see-through walls let you see all the crumbs and grease inside, and the mirrored bottom actually reflects the gunk, making it even more visible. I always felt like I needed to clean it right away after use, and I found the glass requires more effort to get clean than a classic nonstick basket. On more than one occasion, I washed out the basket, only to realize the walls still had some unsightly grease streaks. If you’re someone who likes your appliances to look immaculate, just know that you’ll have your work cut out for you with this air fryer.

I also noticed that some grease and gunk tends to accumulate around the edges of the bottom mirrored plate, and it’s tricky to get out. The best option I found is to go in with a wet paper towel to clean around the edges, as a normal sponge generally can’t get into the tight area.

Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold review: How does it compare?

If you have a small kitchen, the best compact air fryer we’ve tested is the Instant Vortex Slim, which has a small overall footprint but still boasts a 6-quart capacity. We love that it has intuitive controls, and it’s much easier to keep clean than the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold, thanks to its nonstick finish. However, it’s a bit more expensive than the Gourmia, retailing for around $120, and it doesn’t break down into a smaller form for storage.

The new T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer, which costs $130, is another compact option for your kitchen. We love that it’s small and lightweight, making it easy to move around as needed, and its infrared cooking abilities aced all our tests. The only downsides of this model are that its basket is only suited for one or two servings at a time and there’s no mid-cycle shake alarm.

Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold review: Verdict

In the ever-expanding lineup of air fryers available today, the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer definitely stands out thanks to a few interesting features. Its foldable design is quite handy if you’re short on space, and its glass basket is unbeatable if you want to monitor your food as it cooks. It also performed well in all of our cooking tests, though a few of its one-touch settings did miss the mark.

Our biggest complaint about this air fryer is that it’s hard to keep clean. The glass walls often get splattered with grease, and the mirrored bottom reflects crumbs and other gunk. If you like things to look pristine or just don’t like hand-washing appliances, this might not be the best appliance for your kitchen.

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Some of today’s best air fryers are quite large, taking up a big chunk of real estate on your kitchen counter. However, if you have limited room, you may want something a bit smaller, and the new T-fal Infrared Air Fryer definitely fits the bill.

While it has a decently large 6.3-quart capacity, this air fryer’s footprint is only 14 x 15 inches, so it’s easy to tuck into a corner of your kitchen. It’s also surprisingly powerful for its size, boasting 1550 watts of power and an infrared heating element that can reach high temperatures in less than a minute.

To see if this new, compact air fryer is worth adding to your kitchen lineup, I tested it out for several weeks, using it to cook everything from chicken tenders to Frozen french fries and bacon, and while it's on the smaller side, it aced every cooking test. Here’s what I liked about the T-fal Infrared Air Fryer, as well as a few caveats to know before you buy.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Price and availability

The T-fal Infrared Air Fryer was released a few months ago, and it has an MSRP of $129.99, which is fairly average for an air fryer of its size. You can purchase the model directly from the brand’s website, and it’s also available from major retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: First impressions

When I first unboxed the new T-fal Infrared Air Fryer, I was quite surprised at how small and lightweight it is. It’s several inches smaller than my existing air fryer, and at under 10 pounds, it’s very easy to pick up and carry around.

The unit has a touchscreen display across the top with seven cook settings, including air fry, broil, roast, bake, toast, and reheat. It also has buttons that turn on its “Crispy Finish” setting, as well as the unit’s inner light. I noticed that, with the help of the light, the window on the front of the basket is much easier to see into than other air fryers, which makes it easy to monitor your food as it cooks. The light also stays on throughout the duration of the cooking process.

While this air fryer technically has a capacity over 6 quarts, its cooking basket is fairly small but quite deep. This isn’t great for cooking large quantities of food, as it needs to be arranged in a single layer for even cooking, though you might be able to fit larger items like a whole chicken inside. Because its cooking space is limited, I think this model is best suited for one- or two-person households.

One of the big marketing points of this air fryer is its “infrared heating,” and I wanted to see what makes it different from other air fryers. The brand explains that the air fryer has a carbon fiber heater that can reach temperatures as high as 750 degrees in just 45 seconds, and as such, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer before use. Beyond that, there’s really no information on what infrared heating actually does.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Performance

To see how the T-fal Infrared Air Fryer performed while cooking different foods, I used it in my kitchen for a few weeks. My partner and I used the appliance to make a variety of foods, including both frozen and fresh options, and overall, I was impressed by how much power is packed into the small air fryer.

Cooking frozen fries

When testing air fryers, I always start out by cooking frozen French fries—this time, I opted for cute smiley face ones! Based on the directions on the bag, I cooked them for 12 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through the cooking process. This air fryer doesn’t have a mid-cycle shake reminder, which is inconvenient, as you have to keep an eye on the timer. The brand says that you don’t have to flip or shake food, but I found that the tops of the fries were browning much faster than the bottoms, so a flip was definitely needed for even cooking.

I was in the next room when the air fryer finished cooking, and I didn’t hear its end-of-cycle beep at all—I only realized it was done because the low hum of the air fryer had stopped. On subsequent uses, I paid closer attention, and while the appliance does beep a few times, it’s fairly quiet and easy to miss if you’re not listening for it.

Despite this one small hangup, I have to admit that I was impressed by the air fryer’s performance. The fries were perfectly cooked on the inside and nicely golden brown on the exterior. I probably could have taken them out a minute or two earlier, but I like my fries extra crispy.

Air frying chicken tenders

I used the T-fal Air Fryer to cook homemade chicken tenders two times. The first time, I breaded them with a mixture of bread crumbs and shredded coconut, and the second time, I used just panko crumbs. I could only fit four or five average-sized chicken tenderloins in the air fryer’s basket, so you’d have to cook in batches if you’re feeding more than two people.

I cooked the chicken on the air fry setting at 375 for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking cycle. (Again, I think the flip was necessary, as the bottoms weren’t nearly as browned as the tops.) When the cycle was finished, the tenders were perfectly cooked and the bread coating was nicely browned. I was impressed that they were fully cooked in such a short time.

With the second batch of tenders, I also tried out the air fryer’s “crisp finish” option, which adds on an extra two minutes of cook time and cranks the temperature to 425. The brand claims it helps to crisp up food even more, but honestly, I didn’t notice any difference from the first batch.

Baking cinnamon rolls

To try out the air fryer’s bake setting, I purchased a package of premade cinnamon rolls (which were more like cinnamon biscuits, truthfully). For the first batch, I followed the directions on the package, which said to bake for 12 minutes on 320 degrees, flipping halfway. However, the dough sagged into the crisper plate, leaving funny patterns on top of the rolls, and I also ended up taking them out two minutes early because they were extremely brown and bordering on burning.

I cooked the rest of the package the next day, and I opted not to flip them this time. This worked much better, helping the rolls to maintain their shape, and again, they only needed 10 minutes of cook time. It was a quick and easy way to cook these pre-made treats, and I loved that I didn’t have to wait for the oven to preheat.

Roasting potatoes

I used the air fryer to roast some sweet potatoes as a side dish for dinner one night, cooking the cubed potatoes for 12 minutes at 400 degrees on the roast setting. I did need to toss them halfway through the cook cycle—another instance where I wished the air fryer had a mid-cycle alarm.

At the end of cooking, the potatoes were nicely crisp on the outside and perfectly tender inside, and it was much faster than cooking them in the oven.

Cooking bacon

For my final test, I wanted to cook up some bacon in the T-fal air fryer—it’s one of the easiest (and least messy) ways to cook bacon, if you ask me. I was able to fit five strips in the basket, but they had to be slightly folded over at the ends, as the basket isn’t quite long enough for them to lay completely flat. I cooked them at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and flipped them halfway through the cooking cycle.

When the air fryer was finished cooking, the bacon was nicely crisp, further cementing the gadget’s solid cooking abilities. If you like your bacon super crispy, I’d say to add on another minute of cooking time, but otherwise, it’s a pretty foolproof way to whip up some bacon for breakfast.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Cleaning

When it comes to cleaning out the T-fal air fryer, the basket itself needs to be washed out by hand. It has a nonstick finish, so most crumbs just fall off. I only ever needed to give it a quick scrub with soapy water and a sponge to get the interior clean, and I paid special attention to the interior of the window, which tends to get a bit grimey if it's not washed regularly. The removable crisper basket is technically dishwasher safe (you have to take its rubber feet off first), but I usually just scrubbed it down while I was cleaning the basket.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: How does it compare?

If you want a compact air fryer, another option to consider is the Ninja Pro 4-in-1, which has a similar capacity of 5 quarts and is one of the best air fryers we’ve tested. Its basket is wider and shallower than the T-fal’s, giving you more space to arrange food. It’s easy to operate, and it retails for a similar price of $120.

The Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer is another solid option that’s a bit more budget-friendly, retailing for around $90. It has more cooking modes, including proofing bread and dehydrating, as well as a customizable preheat program. This air fryer also has a 6-quart capacity, and many of its components are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. However, it’s worth noting that neither of these models have a window on the cooking basket, so you aren’t able to monitor your food as it cooks.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Verdict

The new T-fal Infrared Air Fryer is compact and lightweight, yet still powerful enough to cook just about any food. It aced all my cooking tests, yielding well-cooked French fries, chicken, and baked goods, and I loved that it didn’t take up too much space on my counter. It also has a handy window and inner light that lets you monitor the doneness of your food without opening the basket. The only major downside is the machine’s limited capacity—you can really only cook two servings at a time within its basket, so it may not be the most practical option for larger households.

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If you're one of those people who uses more than one temperature on your oven, the Philips 3000 is the air fryer for you. Some of the best air fryers I've tested will turbo blast everything from veggies to bacon, no matter how low I set the temperature. The Philips 3000 Dual Zone though? This is an air fryer designed by people who cook more than just nuggets. I've tested Philips air fryers before, and always found that they put in a premium performance that won't dry out chicken or burn potatoes. This Dual Zone is no exception.

One of its most interesting features is its unevenly-divided cooking sections. The smaller drawer fits around 3 quarts, and the second 6 quarts, making it comparable in size to many standalone fryers. This interesting design is ideal for cooking smaller items without having to heat up a full, large fryer, and won't make you feel like you're losing out on a large cooking space when you want to roast a big batch of vegetables.

I've been testing the Philips 3000 Dual Zone in my kitchen for well over a month, and while there are a few quirks, there's no denying that this is a quality air fryer that's perfect for couples. Here's my verdict.

Philips 3000 Dual Zone review: Price and availability

I think you do well for your money with Philips air fryers. They're some of the sturdiest I've tried, and they cost around the same as Ninja and Instant. With that said, they're a premium price compared to the likes of Bella and Dash. The Philips 3000 Dual Zone retails for $199 at Amazon, although it's currently down to $149.

In the UK, where I tested, you'll pay £179 for the Philips 3000 Dual Zone. Again though, it's down to £149 at Amazon right now.

Philips 3000 Dual Zone review: First impressions

The Philips 3000 Dual Zone looks modern without being garish. I really like the design of the handles, and the control panel offers the convenience of touchscreen without feeling too plasticky or flimsy. As you can see in the photo above though, I found that my greasy fingerprints marked the plastic exterior of this machine relatively easily.

All Philips air fryers feature a patented starfish-shaped groove on the base of their baskets. This is designed to increase airflow in the basket, and in my experience, it's always worked quite well. However, it does make cleaning trickier, and it also means you can't take out the basket insert and cook straight onto the base, like you can with air fryers that have a flat bottom.

The larger removable basket has a high-sided insert that will take up a bit more space in your dishwasher, but I do like how well it stays put inside the basket thanks to its rubberized grips. Interestingly, the smaller basket has a plate-like insert that's more akin to the inserts you'll find with Ninja and Instant air fryers. This does leave you with more cooking space, which is handy for such a small cooking compartment.

The Philips 3000 has a max temperature of 400°F, or 200°C. That's pretty standard for most air fryers. There's also the option to sync the cooking times across the baskets to cook two elements of a meal with the same finished cooking time. You can also copy across your temperature and time settings from one basket to another, which is good for when you're cooking a big batch of something and want to use both baskets for one type of food.

This air fryer comes with pre-set cooking modes for fish, frozen food, chicken, etc. It's well-documented in just about every air fryer review I've ever written that I find these a bit useless, because not all frozen food will take the same amount of time to cook, or require the same temperature. The same is true for fish, and chicken, and all of the other pre-sets on this (or any) fryer. Luckily though, they're quite discreet on the control panel, and they didn't get in the way or become annoying like I found with the Cosori TurboBlaze 6-quart.

Philips 3000 Dual Zone review: Performance

Roasting vegetables

One of the first things I cooked in the Philips 3000 was some cubed butternut squash. That's right, I cook vegetables in my air fryer, and you should too! These came out well caramelized, and despite forgetting to shake them halfway through cooking (the air fryer does remind you, so that's on me) they still came out caramelized and evenly-cooked, although not as crispy as I expected. I was able to fit an entire squash inside the larger basket, which was pretty impressive.

I've also used this air fryer to roast broccoli, and while I've found it easy to scorch the stems in other air fryers I've tested, the Philips 3000 did a good job of cooking the broccoli on a lower temperature without burning it to a crisp. If you like cooking at lower temperatures, you can feel confident with this air fryer that it's actually adjusting its heat levels accurately.

Air frying frozen food

It wouldn't be an air fryer review without some oven fries. I set the oven at its maxiumum temperature of 400°F and left it running for 20 minutes, which would usually be more than enough time in my Ninja Pro 4-in-1. After the 20 minutes was up though, I actually thought the fries could be a bit crispier, so I put them in for a bit longer.

If you want to blast your food with heat for the crispiest finish in the fastest time, I'll cut to the chase and tell you to look elsewhere. This air fryer cooks very evenly, and it's also quite quiet, but there are air fryers that go hotter and cook faster on the market. I didn't mind the extra wait though, and the fries were some of the tastiest I've made in an air fryer. They were fluffy on the inside and crispy outside.

I also cooked some frozen chicken tenders in the smaller drawer, and was impressed at how much actually fits inside. My chicken came out well-cooked and juicy in 20 minutes. I suspect that it took less time to cook than the fries because the basket is smaller.

Cooking bacon

Last time I tested a Philips air fryer, I was impressed (and a bit shocked) at how much oil would always fall underneath the basket inserts. This air fryer renders fat much better than other air fryers I've tried. Again though. when air frying bacon, I was surprised at how long it took. I'm used to air fryers crisping up a few slices of bacon in 6 minutes, but I ended up cooking this bacon for 10 minutes at 350°F.

The result was worth the extra few minutes though. The bacon wasn't overcooked, but because the fat had rendered from it, it had a lovely crispy texture.

Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket review: How does it compare?

Dual Zone air fryers are great, and if you're interested by the fact that this one comes with one larger drawer and one smaller one, there aren't many alternatives like it. But if you're more interested in dual zone fryers more generally, the Ninja Foodi DualZone is worth considering. It has a removable insert that can turn its huge 9-quart basket into two 4.5-quart sections, making it more versatile than the Philips 3000.

The Philips cooks very well, and if you're interested in something that can be trusted with everything from fries to steak, the Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer is definitely worth considering. It's smaller than the Philips 3000, but has an in-built temperature probe that allows you to monitor food as it cooks.

Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket review: Verdict

I'd trust this air fryer with more than just frozen food. From reheating leftovers to frying salmon, it's got well-controlled heat settings and a smart design that's ideal for couples who tend to cook their entire dinner in the air fryer.

I frequently found myself cooking meat in one drawer and veggies in the other, and when working from home alone I would often throw chicken strips or fishcakes into the smaller drawer for a lunch-for-one. For lack of a better word, this air fryer cooks sensitively. I'd have enjoyed a higher max temperature, and found that food typically took a little longer to cook than I'd expect in your typical air fryer, but the results were definitely worth the wait.

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