MENGYUAN Smart Air Fryer, Multifunctional Fully Automatic Electric French Fries Maker, 3.5L Large Capacity, White

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Tefal has a fairly extensive spare parts shop, though for air fryers, you're only likely to be able to get spare paddles, baskets, drawers, components that are readily accessible.

MENGYUAN Household Multifunctional Fully Automatic Oil Free MENGYUAN Household Multifunctional Fully Automatic Oil Free

Some air fryers come with a paddle that automatically moves the food around as it cooks. We've found that some air fryers that stir your food for you don't do a very good job of it, so while a stirring paddle does make it more likely that your food will be evenly cooked, it's not guaranteed. Temperature controlThe smallest air fryers we've tested can hold up to 800g of food – about four portions of chips and roughly equivalent to the amount of food you can fit on two baking trays in an oven. 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.

MENGYUAN Home Smart Air Fryer, 3L Large Capacity, 1400W High

Most have a viewing window on the front so you can keep an eye on your food without disturbing the cooking process. Do you value the fried food taste above all else? We find that foods made in an air fryer, and chips in particular, do have a fried quality. But if you're used to deep-fried food, then you won't be fooled: most people can taste the difference.

Curious to know how the air fryer and an oven compare to a slow cooker? Find out more in our story comparing the cheapest ways to cook . What can you cook in an air fryer? Do you own a dishwasher? If you have a dishwasher, choosing a model with dishwasher-safe parts will help save on cleaning time.

MENGYUAN Air Fryer/Electric Oven/Fume Free Smart Fryer, 1230W MENGYUAN Air Fryer/Electric Oven/Fume Free Smart Fryer, 1230W

Do you prefer digital or manual controls? Digital models can make it easier to see how much cooking time is left. Some air fryer models come with smartphone control via an app. Dual air fryers are also an option if you're cooking for more people. They can fit between 0.6kg and 2.3kg of food. Some air fryer manufacturers offer starter recipes to get you going: take a look at these Ninja recipes and Philips recipes . With most air fryers, you can set the temperature you want the food to cook at. Typically, you can choose anything from 80°C to 200°C. How much do you need to spend to get a good air fryer? In our tests, some cheaper air fryers were so poor, we named them Don't Buys. We also found some pricier models that gave disappointing results –including soggy, limp or tasteless chips.

A 'smart' air fryer is one you can control from your phone or tablet. You select the recipe you want to use from the app, which then sends instructions to the air fryer to cook the food to a particular temperature and length of time. Don't pay over the odds for features that you'll rarely use. Consider this list before before you decide on a model. Digital timer 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.

Best air-fryers 2023, tested and top-rated by our experts

However, if you’re feeding several people, or want to cook a few different food items at the same time, an oven has more space and may work out cheaper than cooking several batches in an air fryer. Air fryer v halogen oven v electric oven You can keep an eye on the cooking time using the app on your phone, and it will let you know once cooking is finished. This is a fairly uncommon feature and products with smart capabilities that we've tested have come and gone from the market. But when we come across any more, we'll be sure to flag them. Stirring paddleRight now, countertop cooking appliances are becoming bigger, bulkier and more feature-laden as they take on a multitude of cooking tasks.