If you were alive in the late ’80s, early ’90s you’ll remember when microwaves were the newest and most exciting kitchen addition. Today, they’ve been surpassed by multi-function appliances like the air fryer.
How does an air fryer work?
Air fryers cook food by circulating hot air through the vessel and tray that the food is on. Air fryers come with a basket ‘tray’ or oven-style trays that acts as a cooking chamber, a small amount of oil is then added and the fan inside uses rapid air technology to heat up to temperatures of 200 degrees to evenly distribute the minimal oil and heat to give a deep fried, crispy texture. They are very easy to use and your food comes out evenly cooked and browned.
Air Fryer Pros
- Easy to use – air fryers have a simple design and little prep is needed.
- A healthier alternative – it uses up to 80 per cent less oil than a deep fryer but still achieves a crispy texture.
- Convenient – food can be cooked in 10-20 minutes, making it a great choice for busy families.
- Even cooking – as an air fryer cooks from all angles, every last bite will be enjoyable.
Air Fryer Cons
- It can’t cook all foods – wet foods, pasta and rice, and certain vegetables can’t be cooked in an air fryer.
- They can be big – these are bulky items that take up a lot of shelf or cupboard space.
- Can be hard to clean – unless your air fryer is dishwasher-friendly there may be a bit of work involved after use.
- Price – this varies but the average spend is around $160 so it is an investment.
Ready to give one a go? Here are our top 10 air fryers…
#10 Tefal Easy Fry
Fry, roast grill or bake to your heart’s content with the Tefal Easy Fry. You can even make muffins in this thing!
The hot airflow technology turns out air fried food that’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and barely any oil in sight.
Linds in Brisbane says, “Our deep fryer died so I opted for the healthier option. Great appliance, easy to use, great results. Super handy and easy to clean!”
Available from myer.com.au
RRP $149.95
#9 Devanti Air Fryer
The Devanti Air Fryer has a removable pot and basket and holds either 3L or 10L and comes in white or black.
It uses 80 per cent less fat than traditional deep frying so get one of these and you’ll be dishing up the healthiest fried chicken this side of New Orleans.
Available from myer.com.au
RRP $193.95
#8 Healthy Choice Digital 10L Air Fryer
It looks a bit like a motorbike helmet, but this sleek and black bench top air fryer will cook chips, pizza and vegies in around 15 minutes.
The glass panel at the front lights up when cooking so you can see your food turning golden brown.
Available at Catch.com.au for $109.
#7 Healthy Choice 12L Digital Air Fryer
This 12L air fryer from Healthy Choice is perfect for larger families or people who love to entertain.
With 18 preset functions you can use it as a rotisserie and dehydrator as well as the usual baking and air frying.
RRP $299.95 but on sale for $199 at catch.com.au
#6 Kmart 3.2L Air Fryer
The Kmart 3.2L air fryer has a removable frying basket and 7 different functions.
Simple to clean and stores easily and doesn’t create extra heat like a regular deep fat fryer.
Violet A says, “Love this so much. Our family bought it to use instead of buying take aways so often. We make so much more than just fries in this baby!”
“We make mini pizzas, spring rolls, crumbed fish, potato gems and even did a roast chicken! Works amazing and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.“
RRP $69
#5 DeLonghi 1.5L IdealFry
The DeLonghi Ideal Fry is the Rolls-Royce of airfryers, with an upper and lower heating element. The transparent veiwing window and adjustable timer makes this a great choice of low-oil fryer. It also comes with a free recipe app featuring more than 200 recipes, so you’ll never be stuck for new ideas of what to cook.
RRP $319, available at myer.com.au
#4 Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
This stand alone oven is small enough to fit on your bench top but packs enough punch to cook an entire meal. Including air frying. Higher temperatures and super convection speed up the cooking time for perfect crispness.
Debbie E says, “The smart oven air fryer is one of the best compact ovens that I have ever used.”
“I have used other air fry ovens and air fryers and they don’t hold up against this oven, in fact I have not used my normal oven since purchasing this product and will recommend this to everyone. Okay the price is a bit high but it is worth every cent I paid for it.”
RRP $549, available at myer.com.au
#3 Kitchen Couture 7L Digital Air Fryer
Fat free healthy cooking is easy with the Kitchen Couture Air Fryer and there are great deals to be found on Kogan.
Jane R says, “Easy to use. Everything cooked so far has been great. I love I don’t have to use oil and I didn’t realise pastries could cook so well in the air fryer.”
RRP $499, or$109 at kogan.com.au
#2 Maxkon Air Fryer
This little silver and white space bubble is the best-selling air fryer on eBay. The cute appliance comes with recipe booklet, instruction manual, tongs and food divider and gets our vote for second best air fryer.
One thing to note is you need to be careful with the basket as it takes a bit of getting used to but like most air fryers it has an auto shut off function which keeps it safe to use.
Witchy says, “Love this product real easy to use and it does exactly what it says it does. Fries are nice crispy and crunchy. Nice and big for families. Highly recommended.”
RRP $179.88 at crazysales.com.au
#1 Philips Digital TurboStar Air Fryer
Not just an air fryer, the Philips Digital TurboStar can heat up leftovers in next to no time.
One of the main benefits of this model is that you don’t need to turn the food part way through cooking. Stylish and easy to use, Philips gets the vote for the best air fryer.
Diz78 from QLD says, “After many months of research, I chose to purchase my new Philips Air fryer. Cooks all food with a lovely crisp without the fat. The chips and nuggets come out perfectly, My food critics (Kids) love them! Very happy and looking forward to using it more and more.”
RRP $399, available at thegoodguys.com.au
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