We looked at the manuals for each model and followed their directions for cooking temperature, time and the quantity of oil needed. This Ninja air-fryer stood out to us for several reasons – the first being its fully recyclable packaging, which was a huge plus, not to mention we were able to use the appliance almost straight out the box.

Air-fryers are generally very versatile, but there are certain ingredients you should avoid air-frying for safety reasons, like popcorn and sauce-based dishes.The inner elements are dishwasher friendly for convenience and also BPA-free; a nice health and safety credential. Some cupcakes were undercooked, but this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for an otherwise beginner-friendly machine. It's a little snug, so if she thinks anything deserves to stay there, you know it's something special. Among the eight presets are chips, meat, fish, vegetables, nuggets, roast chicken, pizza, and desserts, plus manual air-fryer and grill options. This list of the best air fryers reflects our historical testing data and the most recent models we’ve tested — some brands still held strong, and others have not advanced in comparison, knocking them down in our ratings.

chicken but because of the relatively shallow depth of the tray, you might find it tricky to fit a tall chicken in. The appliance was ready to fry from cold in just four minutes too, and you can remove the door so cleaning is a doddle. Air fryers began with the reputation of being a “healthy” eating appliance thanks to the lack of oil needed to make classic comfort food like chicken wings and French fries.

The chicken legs we roasted were juicy inside and evenly cooked, while the chips in the next drawer required a little more attention with shakes mid-cook, but had a good crisp finish on the outside. Our chips came out well cooked but – and we’re being picky here – about 20% lacked that golden brown shade we were looking for. It made delicious crispy wedges from scratch and cooked frozen french fries until they were perfectly crisp. Dual-drawer air-fryer models also come with the ability to cook different dishes on different functions simultaneously, while rotisserie fryers can help you create restaurant-quality chicken and chips from home.

Yes, you could opt for an air fryer with one single drawer if you're a chef cooking for one, but it might be restrictive. When set, this air fryer actively shouts at you with loud but useful reminders when it’s fully pre-heated, when the contents needs shaking and when the preset program has finished. There was no transfer of smell or flavours between the two drawers, which would make it a great tool if cooking for a family where the grown ups and kids have different tastes.Air Fryer is not only a marvel of modern technology, but also a stunning addition to elevate your kitchen.

Residual dust or particles will clear out (and any first-use smells will dispel), so you won’t impart odd flavors into your food.

We tested the air-fryers using set criteria and scored each one on the following core areas out of five. The control panel is touchscreen, which gives the model a sleek, minimalistic look when turned off and at 40cm across, its footprint on the countertop wasn’t as chunky as others we’ve tested. Finally, they make fairy cakes, to judge how well the appliance can bake and how evenly air circulates – the better baked and fluffier the cakes, the more efficient the air flow. When the ingredients need to be rotated or shook during cooking, it chimes loudly until you open the door – this ensures more even cooking, though it's a feature we find rarely with other air-fryers. And once you've found your perfect air fryer, head to our round-up of the best air fryer recipes for some cooking inspiration, including a delicious recipe for lemon drizzle cake.