Best Air Fryers UK (2026)
Air fryers now range from compact single baskets to dual-drawer machines that cook a full meal at once. This guide compares models tested by Expert Reviews (chips, hash browns, whole chicken and energy-use tests on more than 30 air fryers) and by Mumsnet's product testers in real family kitchens, so you can match capacity, features and budget to how you actually cook.
We have not hands-on tested these products. Our picks are based on published independent tests and reviews, listed at the bottom of this page. How we pick.
Our top pick
Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer NA555/09
Best overall
Expert Reviews named this its 2026 Air Fryer of the Year. It pairs two baskets with a steaming function, plus a self-cleaning mode, which makes it more versatile than a standard air fryer.
- Excellent cooking results in independent testing
- Steaming adds versatility
- Self-cleaning function
Quick comparison
Our picks in detail
Best overall
Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer NA555/09
Expert Reviews named this its 2026 Air Fryer of the Year. It pairs two baskets with a steaming function, plus a self-cleaning mode, which makes it more versatile than a standard air fryer.
- Capacity
- 9L (6L + 3L)
- Power
- 2,750W
- Baskets
- Two
- Extras
- Steam function, self-cleaning
Pros
- Excellent cooking results in independent testing
- Steaming adds versatility
- Self-cleaning function
Cons
- Controls are not intuitive
- Instructions are poor
Best Ninja all-rounder
Ninja Foodi Dual Zone AF300UK
A long-standing favourite. Sync and match features let you finish two different foods at the same time, and reviewers rate the cooking results highly.
- Capacity
- 7.6L
- Power
- 2,400W
- Baskets
- Two
- Extras
- Sync and match cooking
Pros
- Sync and match features
- Versatile cooking functions
- Great results
Cons
- Limited total capacity for large households
- Large footprint on the worktop
Mumsnet's best overall
Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone AF400UK
Mumsnet's best overall and best dual air fryer. Its tester found the 9.5L split across two generous drawers gave a family of four room for a main and a side, the sync function brought both to the finish together, and the chips were the crispiest she had made in an air fryer. The main drawbacks are the price and the lack of viewing windows.
- Capacity
- 9.5L
- Power
- 2,470W
- Baskets
- Two independent drawers
- Settings
- Six
- Cleaning
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Pros
- Dual drawers with mix, match and sync programmes
- Large 9.5L capacity
- Very easy to use
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Excellent cooking results
Cons
- No viewing windows
- Pricey, though Mumsnet says it offers good long-term value
- No ingredient-specific preset buttons
- Not for tight worktop space
Best mid-range value
Instant Vortex Plus Dual Drawer
Expert Reviews' best mid-range air fryer and Mumsnet's best for chips. Clear windows with interior lights let you check food without opening a drawer, and Mumsnet's tester got consistently strong results with homemade and frozen chips and roast potatoes. At 7.6L it suits a household of around three better than a large family; Mumsnet notes availability is limited.
- Capacity
- 7.6L
- Power
- 1,700W
- Baskets
- Two
- Extras
- Viewing windows
- Modes
- Eight
Pros
- Fast cooking
- Excellent chips and roast potatoes
- Clear windows with interior lights
- Sync and match functions
- Easy to use and clean
- Energy efficient
Cons
- Touchscreen scratches easily
- No recipe book included
- Large footprint
- 7.6L can feel tight for larger families
Best for small kitchens
Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK
Expert Reviews' pick for smaller kitchens and Mumsnet's best dual air fryer for small kitchens. The drawers stack vertically, so it takes far less worktop width than side-by-side designs while still offering 9.5L and up to four layers of food. It is deep front-to-back, so measure first.
- Capacity
- 9.5L
- Power
- 2,470W
- Baskets
- Two, stacked vertically
- Settings
- Six
Pros
- Space-saving vertical design
- Large 9.5L capacity
- Can cook four layers of food at once
- Simple controls and easy cleaning
Cons
- Expensive
- Deep front-to-back
- Some owners report uneven cooking, though Mumsnet's tester didn't experience it
Best for frozen food
Ninja Air Fryer Max Pro AF180UK
A single-drawer model with a Max Crisp mode up to 240°C, which is well suited to crisping frozen food quickly.
- Capacity
- 6.2L
- Power
- 2,000W
- Baskets
- One
- Extras
- Max Crisp to 240°C
Pros
- Max Crisp setting
- Heats quickly
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Cons
- Limited programs
- Pricier than some single-basket rivals
Best for big roasts
Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer AF500UK
A flexible drawer that works as one large cooking space or as two zones, giving excellent results for large joints.
- Capacity
- 10.4L
- Power
- 2,470W
- Baskets
- Flexible single or dual mode
Pros
- Flexible dual or single mode
- Excellent cooking results
Cons
- Very expensive
- Drawer is too large for most dishwashers
Best PFAS-free coating
Cuisinart AirTwin XXL
Expert Reviews highlights its non-stick coating as free from PFAS, which is a deciding factor for buyers who want to avoid so-called forever chemicals.
- Capacity
- 10.4L
- Power
- 2,400W
- Extras
- PFAS-free non-stick coating
Pros
- PFAS-free non-stick coating
- Very large capacity
Cons
- Bulky design
Best budget
Cosori Air Fryer 5.5L
Mumsnet's panel picked this as its budget option. It has a medium-sized basket, 11 presets and a dishwasher-safe basket, and delivers excellent results for the price.
- Capacity
- 5.5L
- Baskets
- One
- Presets
- 11
- Cleaning
- Dishwasher-safe basket
- Power
- 1,700W
Pros
- 11 presets
- Dishwasher-safe basket
- Great value
- Excellent results
Cons
- Single drawer limits multitasking
- Noisy
- Basket is tricky to hand wash
Most versatile
Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry
Mumsnet's most versatile pick converts between a dual-zone and single-zone layout, with sync and match features and app connectivity.
- Capacity
- 10L
- Baskets
- Dual or single, convertible
- Extras
- Sync and match, app connectivity
- Cleaning
- Dishwasher-safe
- Power
- 2,800W
Pros
- Converts between dual and single zone
- Large capacity
- Sync and match
- App connectivity
Cons
- No ingredient-specific presets
- Bulky
- Costly
- Main basket is awkward to hand wash
Best for three-zone cooking
Cuisinart Tri Zone 13.6L Air Fryer & Oven
A very large air fryer and oven with three independent zones and good build quality. Mumsnet's testers found it good value, though it is bulky and noisy.
- Capacity
- 13.6L
- Zones
- Three independent
Pros
- Large capacity
- Three independent zones
- Great build quality
- Good value
Cons
- Opening one zone pauses all three
- Settings reset after use
- Noisy
- Bulky
Best smart
Tower AIRX AI 5L Digital Air Fryer
Mumsnet's best smart air fryer. Its AI mode analyses the food load and adjusts time and heat, though the tester found it worked best with straightforward batches rather than mixed ingredients. Quiet running, a slim shape and good results were the bigger everyday wins, but 5L felt cramped for a family of four.
- Capacity
- 5L
- Power
- 1,500W
- Baskets
- One
- Settings
- Six
- RRP when reviewed
- £80
Pros
- Slim, modern design
- Quieter than most air fryers
- Child-secure drawer latch
- AI cooking is an interesting extra at this price
- Good value for smaller households
Cons
- Touchscreen can feel unresponsive
- AI struggles with mixed foods
- No end-of-cook alert
- Steam can fog the display
- 5L is tight for a family of four
Best small
Ninja CRISPi Portable Air Fryer
Mumsnet's best small air fryer swaps the usual drawer for two borosilicate-glass containers (around 3.8L and 1.4L) under a removable heating pod, so you can watch food cook and store leftovers with the included lids. It needs more turning than a drawer model and has no manual temperature control.
- Capacity
- Up to 3.8L
- Power
- 1,700W
- Containers
- Two glass (approx. 3.8L and 1.4L)
- Settings
- Four
- Cleaning
- Dishwasher-safe containers and plates
- RRP when reviewed
- £150
Pros
- Compact and easy to store
- Glass containers, with no plastic touching the food
- Dishwasher-safe containers and crisper plates
- Two container sizes suit small meals and meal prep
- Good results when used correctly
Cons
- Too small for most family dinners
- No manual temperature control
- Needs more flipping than a drawer model
- Heating pod gets very hot
Best air fryer grill
Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer AG551UK
Mumsnet's best air fryer grill combines a roomy grill, a 5.7L cooking pot and a 3.8L crisper basket with an integrated meat probe. The tester found the controls easy, particularly for steak, chicken and fish, but it is very large and Mumsnet advises buying it for the grill and probe rather than for chips.
- Capacity
- 5.7L pot and 3.8L basket
- Power
- 1,760W
- Settings
- Six
- Extras
- Integrated meat probe
- Cleaning
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- RRP when reviewed
- £375
Pros
- Large grill area
- Integrated meat probe
- Six cooking functions
Cons
- Very large
- Interior is harder to clean than a standard basket
- Expensive
Best value dual basket
Lakeland Dual Basket Air Fryer 8L
Mumsnet's best-value dual-basket model. It has viewing windows with internal lights, sync (but no match) and strong cooking results, but the baskets must be washed by hand. Mumsnet notes the tested 8L model has been discontinued, so check the current version.
- Capacity
- 8L
- Baskets
- Two
- Extras
- Viewing windows with lights
Pros
- Great price
- Viewing windows with lights
- Decent capacity
- Excellent cooking results
Cons
- Bulky
- Baskets aren't dishwasher safe
- No match function
Buying guide
What size air fryer do I need?
As a rough guide, 3-4L suits one or two people, 4-5.5L suits smaller households, and 7-10L (often split across two drawers) suits families or anyone who wants to cook a main and a side at the same time. Measure your worktop, including depth, before you buy.
Are dual-drawer air fryers worth it?
They let you cook two different foods at once, and most have a sync mode so both finish together. The trade-off is a bigger footprint and a higher price, so they make most sense for families and regular batch cooks.
Do air fryers use less energy than an oven?
Air fryers heat a much smaller space, so for small and medium portions they typically use less energy than a full-size oven. Energy use varies by model, so check independent test results if running cost matters to you.
What does PFAS-free mean on an air fryer?
PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals sometimes used in non-stick coatings. Some manufacturers now advertise PFAS-free coatings. Check the product listing if this matters to you.
Sources
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