Auto shut-off – This means that the air fryer will turn off when the food is ready. Some air fryers don’t have this function, so you need to listen to the timer beep to know when to turn it off. An air fryer cooks food by heating air up to around 200°C and circulating it around the inside of the appliance. It works a little like a fan oven in this respect and can be used to cook a range of foods, including some frozen foods. A big selling point for most air fryer enthusiasts is their money-saving capabilities, but there's no point in making the initial investment on a machine that ends up gathering dust in the cupboard. We scrutinised the cost of each of our chosen air fryers to make sure they represented good value for money in the long run.

Mumsnet has been helping parents make their lives easier since 2000 and, in those years, we’ve investigated, tried and reviewed thousands of products. Depending on the model and size of air fryer, they tend to have a lower wattage than ovens, and the speedier cooking times also help to cut energy use. To find out roughly how much your air fryer will cost to use, you can use the Sust-it energy calculator - you just need to input the wattage of the machine and the time you'll be using the air fryer for, though bear in mind that this is only an estimation and can vary on several factors. Is air frying healthy? We have the COSORI 5.5L. It's great, easy to use, easy to clean, takes up very little space. We've had it three months or so and I'm very happy with it." (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user TheBitterBoy) Furthermore, the added benefit of not needing to cook with oil or fat means a healthier meal regardless of what you’re cooking. By switching you’ll be using 99% less fat whilst cooking! [3] The Air Fryer also offers a versatile array of cooking methods to maximise its use, such as frying, grilling, roasting and baking. After dinner, the air fryer's easy clean parts and dishwasher safe materials also help save time on cleaning up. Features: Whether you want to upgrade to a newer model, or your air-fryer has reached the end of its life, knowing how and where to dispose of your appliance is important to avoid creating more e-waste.

What type of air fryers are there?

Claiming to cook up to 75% faster than using a normal frying pan, the Ninja allows you to spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your meal, not to mention the significant savings made on energy costs. It's a little on the bulky size, but that's to be expected given the capacity and dual-drawer feature, and reviewers agree you can't go wrong with this exceptional air fryer. Be warned though - Ninja air fryers are selling incredibly fast at the moment! The standout best I've ever had is the Gourmia air fryer... It produces amazing results every time. Fab for roasting veg as side dish or for soups etc."(Recommended by Mumsnet user Elasmotherium) Though it comes with a significant price tag, you'd be hard pressed to find a Mumsnet air fryer thread which doesn't mention the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer. The best air fryer for versatility on our list, it makes cooking for a range of dietary requirements a doddle with its two separate cooking zones. These can be used simultaneously on different modes to help prepare your family’s meals of choice. Style: Basket | Capacity: 7.3L | Size: 39.5D x 39.5W x 39.8H centimetres | Cooking modes: Fry, bake, grill and roast | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 2225W What we like While it's fairly large and will take up quite a bit of space on your countertops, it feels robust and good quality. It also comes with 3.8L cooking pot, crisper basket and a grill plate as well as its own cleaning brush. Several parts are dishwasher-safe too.

It's amazing. You can roast veggies in it to put in soups, it cooks, bakes, reheats, has max crisp (frozen stuff cooked to perfection in 10 mins). It also has a dehydrate function. My husband isn't veggie and one of the drawers is his but we can cook his meal and any of my sides to finish cooking at the same time. It doesn't heat the kitchen up so it uses less energy. I love mine."(Endorsed by Mumsnet user HuffleWoof)Style: Air fryer oven | Capacity: 10L | Size: ‎‎32.5D x 35W x 36.3H | Cooking modes: Air fry, bake, rotisserie and dehydrate | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 2000W What we like

Style: Basket | Capacity: 7.6L | Size: 38.4D x 31.7W x 40.3H centimetres | Cooking modes: Air fry, roast, grill, bake, reheat and dehydrate | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 1700W What we like The digital display is clear and easy to use - there's even a handy key of cooking times and temperatures for popular dishes. Reviewers did note that it came without instructions though, so you may need to read up online which button is for which function, but on the whole those who tested the air fryer found it was simple to use and operate. It has six impressive cooking modes and is large enough to cater for up to eight people, so you can either dish up a family-sized feast to be devoured immediately or make dinner with enough left for your lunch box the next day. Style: Air fryer oven | Capacity: 11L | Size: ‎‎28 x 35 x 32 cm | Cooking modes: Air fry, bake, rotisserie, grill, dehydrate, plus more | Dishwasher-safe parts: Not specified | Wattage: 2000W What we like Calculation based on using a Blaupunkt Rapid 4.5 litre family-sized air fryer cost 18.4p per hour compared to a conventional oven at 62.2p per hour for one hour a day, for 365 days.The ten functions provided include air fryer, rotisserie, dehydrator, baking and roasting. It features Vortex Frying Technology, which means you only need a tiny amount of oil because the hot air circulates evenly around the cooker. There’s an easy-to-use touch-screen digital control and eight auto-cook programmes so you can also prepare steak, fish and dried fruit. Air fryers are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to conventional ovens, partially because with rising energy prices, the cost of running one can be a lot less. Offering 13 preset cooking functions and a digital one-touch LED control screen if you don't want to use the app, this air fryer is simple to get to grips with – perfect if you’re a newbie to the world of air fryers. The removable basket is dishwasher-safe too, which is always a winner when it comes to cleaning up after family meals. Other useful settings include preheating and keeping warm options in case you can’t sit down to eat as soon as the food is ready. We’ve thoroughly researched the best air fryers you can buy this year including tried-and-tested experiences from a wide range of reliable, trusted sources. Here are the features we focused on to carefully curate our shortlist. Like many air fryers, the Blaupunkt drastically cuts cooking times when compared to oven-cooking and requires little to no oil. It can be used for frying, grilling, roasting and baking.