If you’re at all tempted by the prospect of crispy chips and sizzling fried chicken with a fraction of the oil of conventional cooking, you may have been taken in by the air fryer’s golden promises. This funny-looking kitchen gadget only entered the market a decade ago, but the air fryer has won a place on millions of kitchen counters ($412 million dollars were spent on them in the US in 2019), taken off on TikTok, and even managed to convert select members of the culinary elite, such as Gordon Ramsey. 

As a keen but time-poor home cook, I’m interested in anything that promises quick results and an easy clean-up. Plus, who could resist the prospect of chips as golden and crisp as if they’d come out of a restaurant deep fat-fryer? 

But what I want to know is if they actually work; because for every air-fryer super fan, there is a detractor and critic, who say they cook unevenly, have a small capacity and produce dry, slightly rubbery results. Read on for my verdict.

How do air fryers work? 

Air fryers use technology almost identical to a convection oven, but on a smaller scale. A heating component heats air, which is circulated by a powerful fan around the food to cook it and produce a ‘frying’ effect with minimal oil. It’s quicker, too – the small chamber of an air fryer only requires a couple of minutes of pre-heating. 

They almost always come with a basket or drawer, to hold the food you’re cooking, a timer and pre-programmed settings for different foods. Depending on your budget, they’ll be controlled with either manual buttons or a touchscreen display. So far, so easy, and they make bold promises about being 75 per cent healthier than conventional fried food, too (more on that below). 

Are air fryers healthier than regular frying? 

In short, yes. “Air fryers require less oil and so help reduce the calorie content of the overall meal; it’s definitely a healthier way to cook whilst preserving taste and texture,” confirms nutritionist Jenna Hope. It’s also markedly less messy than regular frying. In my tests, I used one or two teaspoons of oil (and that was on the generous side) or, for some dishes, none at all. 

How I tested the best air fryers 

I cooked the same food in each model: chips, roasted vegetables, sausages and fish fingers. I was looking for tasty, healthy, appetising results (everything took a little experimentation to get right) but I also wanted to see how easy each machine is to use, how much space it takes up and how easy it is to clean. 

Prices for air fryers vary considerably. Having lived with them for several weeks, here’s my verdict on the best air fryers on the market… 

The best air fryers for 2022

1. Tefal ActiFry Air Fryer

Best for: cooking chips

We liked: the crispy results

£169, ao.com