The best air fryers have quickly become a kitchen staple rather than a discretionary appliance, ensuring dinner is served pronto for the household. They need much less oil to fry food compared to a skillet on a cooktop, so you know you're eating healthier without compromising on taste.
Air fryers also cook quicker than conventional ovens and are thus more energy-efficient appliances, saving you money on your power bills in the long run.
Despite the name, air fryers don't 'fry' food, at least not in the conventional sense. They're essentially compact ovens that use fans to circulate hot air to 'cook' foods to mimic frying. With the maximised airflow, this results in perfectly crispy results as well as succulent meats, all great tasting and cooked in less fat.
Our expert reviewers have tested dozens of air fryers, from budget models with minimal options to high-end smart models and dual-basket air fryers that enable you to cook an entire meal in one go. They put each model through standardised tests to gauge their performance on basic cooking, assess how easy they are to use and clean, and whether they offer good value for money.
Based on that knowledge and sound analysis, these are the best air fryers in Australia right now.
The best air fryers in Australia – tried and tested
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The best air fryer overall
It would be fair to say that the larger the air fryer (and subsequently the more generous the cooking capacity), the more counter space you'll need to sacrifice. This Ninja model cleverly avoids that issue by stacking its baskets one on top of the other, rather than side-by-side. The main downside here is that the Double Stack can be pricier than other dual-basket air fryers – although it usually receives big discounts during major sales events. If you don't need to save on counter space, you could get something as good for less. But if you have a small kitchen, it could be well worth the extra investment.
Each drawer holds 4.75L, and you can create even more cooking space by slotting in one of the provided trays to split up each basket. A tall-rather-than-wide approach, however, means you won't be able to fit in some food, like an uncut pizza. If you just need something compact and don't need a large capacity, head to our guide to the best small air fryers. Ninja offers a few versions of the DoubleStack in a range of sizes — the 9.5L XXXL model is the one referenced here (available in black or white), and the other is a smaller 7.6L XXL variant.
Our reviewer found no compromise in performance with this design – the Double Stack delivers the same excellent performance as other Ninja air fryers we've tested. A wide range of different cooking modes makes this model ultra-versatile, while the Sync and Match functions take all the pain out of cooking foods with different timing requirements. Select your cooking mode, set your finish time, and if you're synchronising the two baskets, select the cooking times for each, and it'll do the maths for you. There's also virtually no heat leakage between the two trays, which is good news if you’re dealing with precise foods or don't want to waste energy when only using one basket.
The baskets are dishwasher-friendly, as well as the included stainless steel trays. The back of the baskets has a grate with fairly large holes, which means cooking with high volumes of liquid is a no-go (check our guide for the best multicookers instead). Shaking any oily, batter-laden or otherwise messy foods means some liquid may splash onto the back of the air fryer, too, which means cleaning may have to be more regular if you cook these types of foods.
Read our full Ninja Double Stack review
The best budget air fryer
The Russell Hobbs Satisfry is a versatile twin-drawer air fryer that can often be picked up for under AU$200, making it incredible value. It's a great-looking appliance too, with a matte black finish and champagne-toned accents, though it's also relatively large, so you'll need to measure your kitchen counter to ensure it'll fit comfortably.
It has several features common in pricier models, including synced timing so you can cook two different foods and have them finish at the same time. It doesn't have as many preset cooking methods as some other machines, but this is expected at this price. There are a few quirks, and we found that it wasn't ideal for baking, but the Russell Hobbs Satisfry punches well above its weight and you won't find a better air fryer for the price.
The Satisfry’s presets will cover all the essentials (including fries, chicken, and pizza), and in our tests, they performed very well. We also achieved good results for other dishes by paying close attention to the instructions in the manual, which helps take the guesswork out of preparing your favourite meals.
The baskets are easy to wash, requiring a simple wipe-down before handwashing them and the crisping plates. Whether you can actually put parts in the dishwasher is a tad confusing — the user manual says you can wash the baskets and crisping plates in the dishwasher, but Russell Hobbs advises against it. This is likely due to the non-stick coating, as the brand also recommends using plastic tongs to remove food.
Read our full Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer review
The best compact air fryer
The Philips 4000 Series Stacked Dual Basket Air Fryer is an accomplished, premium air fryer that provides solid cooking performance in a space-saving design. It finds itself in a currently small sub-market of air fryers, with only a handful of rivals also offering the dual-stack baskets, like the Ninja Double Stack above.
This air fryer beats the Ninja Double Stack in some ways, like having windows and lights in the baskets for better visibility of your cooking, and the controls are easier to see and more intuitive to use. Inversely, the quick start instructions aren’t as good as the Ninja's, and the full manual is only available through a smartphone app. The Philips 4000 is only available in one colourway, black and gold.
Like the Ninja, the Philips 4000 Series has copy and sync functions to let you match the temperature and time settings for both baskets, or set each basket to finish cooking at the same time. You won’t need to preheat the air fryer prior, meaning you can toss food into the baskets right away and get cooking. Our reviewer praised the baking prowess, but also found the preset programs weren’t quite enough to get the best results, needing a few more minutes of cooking time during testing.
The baskets and base plates are dishwasher-safe, thanks to the ceramic non-stick coating. Our reviewer noted that the basket handles collect water, so baskets should be completely dry before use. The glossy, reflective front of the fryer is also a bit of a dust and fingerprint magnet and needs regular wiping to keep it looking fresh. A damp cloth is all that’s needed for the exterior of the machine, and a soft brush to gently clean the heating element.
Read our Philips 4000 Series Stacked Dual Basket Air Fryer review
The best large capacity air fryer
The Ninja Crispi Pro 6-in-1 Glass Countertop Air Fryer is all about flexibility. Its modular base works with two included glass containers, a 2.3L for snacks and a 5.7L for bigger meals, so you can cook for yourself or a crowd. If you want a reliable cooking appliance that can handle everything from quick snacks to big dinners while keeping your food easy to serve and store, the Ninja Crispi Pro is worth your attention.
The Crispi Pro's glass containers can be used for cooking, serving, and storing leftovers. Handles stay cool, and lids make storing leftovers simple. Compared to the original Ninja Crispi, the Pro has larger containers and more cooking modes, making it better suited for families or entertaining. The interior light also makes it easy to check on progress. It is on the larger side and takes up counter space, but the versatility makes it worth it.
We put all six cooking modes to the test. Max Crisp, Air Fry, Bake/Proof, Roast, Recrisp, and Dehydrate all delivered. Everything we tried came out tasty and well cooked, from crispy sweet potato wedges and roasted vegetables to homemade bagels and even marinated tofu.
Cleanup is pretty easy, as the air fryer mechanism doesn't really need to be cleaned other than wiping it down with a cloth occasionally, and it cannot come into contact with water. The glass cooking dishes, metal crisping plates, and plastic lids can be easily washed by hand or in the dishwasher. The glass containers mean the spatter that gets baked on is more visible compared to conventional air fryer baskets, requiring some serious elbow grease to remove.
Read our full Ninja Crispi Pro 6-in-1 Glass Countertop Air Fryer review
The best air fryer oven
The Sunbeam Multi Zone Air Fryer Oven is a well-performing device that should have plenty of appeal for large families or households that want to cook a lot of food at one time. A generous selection of included accessories opens up the opportunity to cook in a variety of ways, but be prepared to clean an awful lot. Its large capacity means it's also a bulky machine, so you'll need to make sure you have the space to accommodate it.
This one’s a big, boxy appliance that requires a fair amount of space on your kitchen counter – or a large cupboard if you plan to store it away when not in use. Sunbeam has been clever enough to make use of the extra height and integrate multiple sets of runners so you can slide two cooking trays in at the same time, whether you’re using the full 11.4L of cooking space or the two 5.5L cooking compartments. Also included are six cooking trays and two cooking baskets to cook multiple foods at once.
Unlike some air fryers we’ve reviewed, you don’t need to preheat the unit before using. There’s also an option to sync the cooking times and temperatures of both compartments, or have them finish at the same time with different settings. Temperature and time settings can also be adjusted on the fly, instead of cancelling and restarting as other models would.
Because there are so many accessories, cleaning up will be a little tricky, especially if you use multiple trays at once — but they’re all dishwasher-safe, thankfully. What I did find during my testing, though, was that some fats would drip onto the floor of the main cooking compartment, which would mean more cleaning. Compared to other air fryers with a pull-out cooking drawer that can at least be run under a tap, the Sunbeam needs a little bit of extra care.
Read our full Sunbeam Multi Zone Air Fryer Oven review
The best multi-function air fryer
How many air fryers can you think of that harness the power of steam to not only add a whole new cooking mode, but also help make cleanup a little bit easier? Not many, is the answer we expect you'll say: enter the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL Steam.
As the name suggests, steam is the star of the show here, and the Philips 5000 does a great job of helping meat and cakes retain moisture, while also providing the ability to steam vegetables and dumplings. It's not the only cooking method, of course, as it functions like many other air fryers with a huge range of cooking modes.
All of the modes work well, too, as our reviewer noted that "pretty much everything I cooked in the Philips Series 5000 XXL turned out to be really good". But while steam power is a nice feature to have, it only works in the 6L drawer, which is a little bit of a setback in our opinion.
We also found that the steam cleaning function wasn't flawless, and we still had to manually scrub the baskets to remove all debris anyway. And as mentioned above, only one basket can use steam to loosen caked-in grease, although both drawers and baskets are dishwasher safe. The water tank can be removed and washed, and we recommend not leaving any water in there when the appliance is not in use to avoid scale build-up. There’s a built-in descaling cycling mode, but better safe than sorry.
Read our full Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL review
How to choose the best air fryer for you
Preheat times are short when air frying and they also use less electricity than a traditional oven. For more on these benefits, take a look at our dive into the question: 'do air fryers use a lot of electricity?'.
Most modern air fryers consist of a pull-out drawer with a crisper tray inside, similar to the perforated trays found in a fryer or oven. This design allows any excess oil to be removed from the contents, decreasing the eventual fat content on the plate. The handle found on the drawer is also handy for shaking the food part-way through cooking, which encourages an even distribution of crispiness.
Some larger air fryers even have dual-zone modes that allow you to set specific settings for different foods you want to cook at the same time. For more tips and tricks on getting the most out of your appliance, take a look at our guide to how air fryers work.
There are many other benefits to enjoy when switching to one of the best air fryers, including the relative lack of clean-up when cooking traditionally oily foods like sausages. And even if you do end up making a mess, you can take a look at our article on how to clean an air fryer – which may involve just popping the relevant elements into the dishwasher when you're done.
Of course, despite all of these pros to getting an air fryer, sometimes they're not the right fit for every kitchen. If you're short on space, for example, you could consider an Instant Pot or alternative multi-cookers, which includes some models that mimic the effect of a standalone air fryer.
Frequently asked questions about air fryers
What to consider when buying an air fryer
There are a number of considerations that need taking into account when choosing the best air fryer for you.
Start by deciding which type of air fryer you want. Basket air fryers tend to be healthier because they funnel the juices, as well as the fat, away from the food but you can’t check on the food without opening them and letting cold air in, which can stall the cooking process.
Bowl air fryers, however, have glass lids so you can keep an eye on your meal, but the cooking juices remain in the air fryer and in contact with the food, making it tastier but not as healthy.
You’ll also need to check the capacity of the air fryer. If you’re feeding four or more mouths, look for larger air fryers, which can hold around 6 litres, while couples will find designs that have a capacity of around 2.5 litres will be sufficient. Some of the best air fryers also have more than one compartment, which means you can cook multiple foods at the same time.
As we’ve already mentioned, if you’re tight on space look for air fryers that offer a multitude of different cooking methods, to cut down on the number of appliances that clutter up your kitchen countertop. Also, consider whether you want an air fryer with smart features that means you can switch it on or off from your smartphone.
What type of air fryers are there?
There are a few designs of air fryer to consider. The size, functions and over all user experience will play in to the design you end up with.
Basket air fryers: This is the most popular type of air fryer. They have a slide-out basket or tray which slots in to the main unit, and tend to be available as a single or dual-drawer. When cooking food types such as fries, an uneven bake can sometimes be achieved if the food isn't rearranged or tossed around.
Oven-style air fryers: These are much larger than basket air fryers, but are much smaller than convectional ovens owing to their counter-top design; they're about the same size as a microwave. They have a door rather than a drawer, and use shelves rather than baskets. The air frying function is able to circulate air around the food more efficiently to achieve a more even crisp. Some may also include a rotisserie, and other accessories.
Halogen types: This works in a slightly different way than the two air fryer types above. Instead of circulating hot air it uses infrared to constantly heat the food. This means that they can be more versatile than the more traditional air fryer, with a larger capacity and more forgiving shape of cooking area.
Is air-fried food healthier?
There's no denying air fryers use substantially less oil than deep frying, but just how healthy are they? Some foods, most of which are frozen or have naturally occurring fat, like chicken wings, are suitable for air frying without any oil at all. Fries, roast potatoes, and other traditional crisp foods will need some oil, but how much varies between air fryers.
In our tests, manufacturers' instructions have recommended anywhere from 1tsp to 1tbsp of oil per 500g of fries, so if you want to use as little oil as possible – we'd suggest you check how oil is required before you purchase a specific model. It's also crucial to remember the healthiness of what you make in your air fryer, all depends on what you actually put in it, to begin with. To find out more, read how healthy are air fryers?
What can you cook in an air fryer?
Fries, roast potatoes, chicken wings, and other deep-fried favorites are obvious dishes to cook in an air fryer, but that's not all you can whip up in one of these handy kitchen gadgets. You can prepare anything you can cook in a traditional fan oven, space permitting, because they work in the same way.
So whether that's frozen foods, mini pizzas, or even gnocchi and ravioli – it can all be cooked in an air fryer. You can even make fudgy brownies in an air fryer, in less time than it takes in an oven.
In fact, we've spent more than 12 months attempting to cook some of our favourite dishes in this kitchen gadget. We found an air fryer can rival KFC when it comes to fried chicken, and was also the answer when it came to creating crisp, crunchy crackling on pork belly.
It also proved to be the best way to cook cinnamon rolls and Krispy-Kreme-style donuts.
As well as being used in place of an oven, air fryers can be an easier way to prepare dishes usually cooked on a stove, without having to watch them like a hawk and turn them before they burn. In particular, we discovered French Toast and grilled cheese work extremely well in the kitchen gadget.
If you're a fan of fries but unsure how to go about making them in an air fryer, then check out our advice, which even details an air fryer trick that's a game-changer when it comes to cooking fries.
If you're still unsure we've got plenty of inspiration when it comes to what you can cook in an air fryer?.
What can't be cooked in an air fryer
While there are plenty of foods that can be cooked in an air fryer, there are some things you should avoid putting in this cooking appliance. For example, we found 5 foods to avoid putting in an air fryer. These include foods dipped in batter, as the liquid will simply slide off the item and leave a mess in the frying basket.
Anything lightweight such as an individual slice of bread, or leafy greens, is likely to get blown around the cooking cavity, and unlikely to brown and crisp evenly. Similarly, large joints of meat, such as a whole chicken, will fill the air frying drawer and mean the hot air can't circulate, so it also won't be evenly crisped and browned.
Finally, anybody seeking to cook red meat so it's rare or medium-rare will struggle to do so in an air fryer. The cooking duration in this appliance is much quicker than when using traditional methods, which means it's likely to be ready before the outside has had time to brown.
How does an air fryer work?
Despite its name, an air fryer doesn't actually fry. Utilising a very cleverly designed fan oven, it efficiently uses airflow to cook in a way and at a speed that conventional ovens, even fan ones, cannot.
Some of the best air fryers are also multi-cookers, meaning that the air circulated doesn't just air fry. A single countertop device can make tasty fries but also work as a toaster oven, a dehydrator, a slow cooker and a pizza oven, as well as heat up last night's takeout leftovers and bake brilliant bagels too.
How we tested these air fryers
To compare each air fryer, we've cooked up batches and batches of fries and chicken wings. As well as evaluating how, crisp, evenly browned and in the case of chicken wings, how moist and juicy the meat was, we’ve also compared how easy they are to use.
We rated each design on how many settings it offers, how durable and easy to clean the body and parts are, how loud their fans are and how hot the exterior casing gets. For each model we wanted to know whether it was simple to use design and didn’t require reading a thick instruction manual before use, came with useful accessories such as frying baskets, or a recipe book for inspiration.
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