Once considered mostly in terms of getting the best flavour out of 'beige' food, air fryers have exploded in popularity over the last few years as energy costs have risen, and are now viewed by countless households as the better alternative (in terms of cost as well as health) to conventional cooking methods.

While it might be too hefty for smaller kitchens, this is the air fryer you should opt for if you can stretch your budget, and if you're cooking for more than one. If the budget is your only concern, then do take a look through our Ninja Kitchen discount codes to make sure that you're getting the best deal possible.Basket style with heating elements: tall, slim air-fryers feature a main unit with heating elements and fans. These have slide-out baskets or trays that slot into place inside. As they tend to have a smaller cooking area than oven-style fryers, in testing we found even results were more likely if the cooking was paused occasionally to rearrange or toss the food around. Some fryers will cut out automatically when you do this, some will need to be paused if you want accurate timings. Just make sure to go into owning your Ninja with an open mind, and join online communities if you're looking for recipe inspiration and tips. Having said that, if you’re looking to limit how often you need to turn on your big, power-guzzling oven then look no further than the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer - it's answered every air fryer conundrum out there.

If you know you want a dual-zone air fryer but don't necessarily need two sections all of the time, then the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer is the one for you. Instead of choosing, you get both, giving this model ultimate versatility. You can insert a divider when you want to use the two drawers separately or keep the mammoth single drawer for cuts of meat and larger portions. 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. The best thing about the air fryer is that it is low energy, high heat and no oil. We use it for BBQ skewered anything, homemade oat biscuits, pitta bread from scratch, pizzas from scratch, tear and share bread from scratch, dough balls from scratch, panko breaded anything, chips (and cheese) sausages, goujons, burgers, quesadillas (flat bread cooks up well) etc."(Recommended by Mumsnet user BobbyGentry) Our verdict Stirring paddle – Some air fryers have a stirring paddle so that you don’t have to shake or stir your food during the cooking process to ensure an even fry, although the jury’s out on whether stirring paddles improve the finish or not. You can sometimes remove the stirring paddle if you’d rather not use it. 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.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. Molly is the Ecommerce Editor for Ideal Home and is always on the lookout for the next must-buy product for your home. Covering all things appliance related, with an emphasis on floorcare and air fryers, she regularly joins Millie at Future's Test Facility in Reading to thoroughly put products through their paces.