Concerns about the amount of space air fryers take up, what you can and can’t cook in them and whether they actually save money on energy bills are often raised when people are considering about whether they should buy one or not.
We’ve quizzed four owners - including a sceptical Which? editor - to learn more about the pros and cons of cooking with an air fryer to help you decide if it’s the right kitchen gadget for you.
Eat well, live better and stay healthy.‘I barely turn the oven on these days’
Richard Urwin, 63, a semi-retired software engineer and author from Leicester
What kind of air fryer do you have? What are the best things about cooking with an air fryer?
'The Lidl model was great but the difficulty was that the basket was a bit awkward to clean and eventually the catch broke. The Ninja model has a simpler basket, which is much easier to clean. A small air fryer is ideal for cooking for one or two people and I cook with it almost every day. My gas oven can take 10-15 minutes to heat up, which seems very inefficient compared with the air fryer, so I barely turn the oven on these days. The air fryer is only big enough to do single portions but it does cook things very quickly. I can cook fish and chips or roasted veg and afterwards I use individual pudding basins to make small fruit crumbles - the air fryer gives them a nice, crunchy topping.
'It’s a bit difficult to tell if it saves me money but I’m fairly sure it’s reduced my energy consumption. It’s also much easier than an oven to cook with and you save on a lot of cleaning of oily frying pans and messy grill pans.'
Anything you don’t like?'It’s a bit more aggressive than a fan oven so you have to be careful you’re not overcooking things. If you leave things for the same amount of time as you’d cook them in an oven, you’ll find them burnt. But it’s really just a bit of trial and error.'
Read before you shop:‘I even used an air fryer to cook our Christmas dinner’
Lesley Simpkin, 67, a retired administrator from West Yorkshire
What kind of air fryer do you have?What are the best things about cooking with an air fryer?'I have always loved to cook and I find I can do almost everything in an air fryer. I use them several times a day. I always say the 14-in-1 is my winter air fryer - it stews, steams and pressure cooks. But in summer, I also use it to make yoghurt - it tastes much nicer than the yoghurt you buy in a supermarket.
'The Max Health Grill is my everyday air fryer. I use it daily - sometimes several times a day - to cook everything: chips, jacket potatoes, shepherd’s pie, vegetables. Roast dinners in the Max Health Grill are perfect. I even used an air fryer to cook our Christmas dinner - a turkey crown, and roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips. I also use the Max Grill for cooking pizzas - if I want to cook one that’s too big for the air fryer, I just cut it in half and then cook it. The only things I don’t cook in an air fryer are stir fries - I like to do those on the hob so I have a bit more control over how they’re cooking. I also don’t use air fryers for baking cakes because I wouldn't fit them in.
'A lot of people tell you to start with a small air fryer but I’d say go big, especially if you have a big family, because you’ll need the space. Cooking with them is quite simple. I find they cook much more evenly than an oven. It’s also much healthier than an oven. In an oven things sit in oil, but in an air fryer you really can cut down on oil.'
Anything you don’t like?'The only thing I don’t like about the Ninja Foodi Flexi Drawer is the drawer itself - I find it awkward to handle. I’d also like to know the difference between some of the functions - the roast and bake settings, for instance. I’d love to know how they cook things differently.'
'Some things don't cook as well as they do in an oven'
Barry Cooper, 71, a retired chartered tax advisor, from London
What kind of air fryer do you have?'A Tower T17023 2.2 litre, bought in 2017 from Argos for around £25.'
What are the best things about cooking with an air fryer?Anything you don’t like?'Some things don’t cook as well as they do in an oven. I’ve tried cooking pies in my air fryer, but the inside wasn’t cooked properly. I’ve had a few issues with wear and tear and have had to replace some small parts, but Tower has a very good after-sales service. If you’re thinking of buying an air fryer, I’d suggest you read reviews of the after-sales service - I found several positive reviews of Tower. I think if I have to replace this air fryer, I’d look for one with a pull-out basket, rather than a trivet which has rubber feet that break off.'
Air fryer problems (and how to fix them)
Which? Cars editor Will Stapley recently bought an air fryer and he has a few bones to pick with it.
Here are the things he loathes (and loves) about his new purchase - plus insights from our air fryers expert Manca Virant.
Will's gripes
'You need somewhere to rest the blazingly hot drawers when you take them out. I learned this the hard way, as evidenced by the burn mark on my worktop.
'And my AF400UK has deep drawers, but almost every single recipe tells me to have only a single layer of food.
'The positives are that it's really quick. It’s reduced the time I spend cooking by 50%. It's really easy to clean too.
‘And it's got my kids more into cooking. This is a good and bad thing, depending on what they stuff in there – their digestive biscuits drizzled in golden syrup recipe being a particular low point.'
Our expert says:
‘Some air fryers can be a tad noisy. When we tested Will's Ninja model, we measured the noise it makes at 54.8 decibels, which is moderate - about as loud as a fridge. That powerful fan helps keep the temperature in the cooking chamber consistent, but can also be annoying when air fryer liners or lighter foods get blown around. Weigh down air fryer liners and ensure nothing accidentally covers any heating elements.
'I’ve also read news reports of air fryers melting the kitchen counter underneath them. If you’re worried about your surfaces, stand your air fryer on a heat-resistant surface and protect your counters from blazing drawer damage with a trivet.
'I always say to go for a bigger capacity than you need. When we cook full and half-full baskets of chips in our testing, we consistently find that the half-full basket chips come out a lot better. So don’t stack your food; single layers work best.
'The best models can significantly reduce cooking time when compared to an oven, but that’s certainly not the case for all air fryers. This is why it’s important to do your research before you buy.
'An air fryer isn’t a time-saver if it takes you hours to clean. If you’re lucky enough to own a dishwasher, be sure to choose one with dishwasher-safe parts.
'While there’s certainly variation between models, generally speaking air fryers are straightforward appliances. Pre-set programs can help massively when it comes to selecting the right temperature and cooking time. Most air fryers cook faster than an oven, so this is something to keep in mind if you're manually setting up your air fryer.
'They’re brilliant for beginners and non-cooks. They save time, money and encourage you to experiment with your food. Most people are evangelical about them. You’ll come round Will.’
Manca Virant, Which? researchersource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/air-fryers-whats-it-really-like-to-own-an-air-fryer-aMYji8Y1V55o