A few years ago, the mention of an “air fryer” would have been met with blank stares.

But, since then, air fryers have become a must-have in kitchens all over Australia.

Their popularity has stemmed from their ability to make healthy but tasty alternatives to fried favourites with the added convenience of being compact and typically faster and more energy-efficient than other cooking methods.

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All the big brands are in on the air fryer action with some going further and adding roasting, steaming, grilling and baking capabilities to their air fryer models.

It means many households have been able to replace a number of bulky kitchen appliances like the deep fryer, dehydrator, rice cooker and even microwave, by rolling all their needs into one.

1. Best dual air fryer in Australia

Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer AF300, Amazon, $255

With a dual-basket air fryer, you can cook two different foods simultaneously, making it easier to prepare a complete meal in one go instead of back-to-back batch cooking.

The trade-off is that you have two smaller baskets instead of one big one so it can be hard to shake the food in them for even cooking.

That said reviews of the Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer AF300 report that “shaking” is easy and with the “match cook” function you can cook the same in both baskets to make full use of this air fryer’s large capacity.

What’s more, the usual $299 pricetag on the air fryer has been reduced to $229.

The handles are reportedly cool-touch and cleaning is easy too.

“Brilliant item. I use it almost everyday,” said one customer.

“Has totally changed my life in terms of time saved on cooking with excellent results.”

2. Best large capacity air fryer in Australia

Kitchen Couture Air Fryer 30 Litre Oven $219.95, Amazon

With a 30 litre capacity, this beast of an air fryer is perfect for a large family.

A whole chicken is easily cooked inside and besides traditional air frying, this unit can be used as a toaster oven, thaw box and dehydrator.

If size is what matters you’re covered and cost is also a positive.

There are a few complaints about the quality of the roasting tray, which reviewers note is also difficult to clean, but other than that, bigger is definitely better for this air fryer.

“The size of the unit is fantastic. You can prepare a meal for the whole family in it,” said one happy home cook, with another adding:

“This oven has completely amazed me. It is a great size and very sturdy. I have baked heaps and used a lot of the other functions. Many of my baking dishes fit easily into the oven.”

3. Best compact air fryer in Australia

Ninja Air Fryer Max XL, $129, Bing Lee

This epic Ninja Air Fryer Max XL on sale from $129 is compact and easy to use.

It’ll ensure you can cook food quickly and efficiently using little to no oil in a family-sized basket.

The Ninja® Air Fryer circulates super-hot air around your food to remove moisture from its surface to give it that golden-brown, crispy finish.

Shoppers on Bing Lee’s website have given the air fryer a 4.7-star rating.

“This makes great food fast and is easy to clean,” one shopper said.

“I love this air fryer, such great quality,” another shopper added.

4. Best overall air fryer in Australia

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Air Extra Large 8L Air Fryer, The Good Guys, $199

Ideal for large families, this air fryer delivers on cooking convenience with the 8L capacity and 10 pre-set programs including fries, vegetables, bake, fish and dehydrate.

A shake reminder means an alarm will sound halfway through the cooking cycle for foods like chips and nuggets that need a shake for that crispy crunch and dishwasher safe parts ensures cleaning up is as effortless as cooking.

It’s environmentally friendly too, and claims to save up to 47 per cent energy compared to a conventional oven.

“This air fryer was perfect!” reported one satisfied customer.

“The instructions and assembly was simple and easy to follow. The finish on the product was seamless and the large 8L air fryer capacity made it simple to make an easy, oil-free meal for the whole family.”

“The only air fryer you need,” agreed another.

5. Best value air fryer in Australia

Instant Pot Vortex Plus 5.7L Air Fryer, Amazon, $129.60

The Instant Pot Vortex offers six functions in one; air fry, bake, roast, reheat, grill and dehydrate.

And its 5.7 litre capacity fits a 1.8kg chicken or 1kg of fries so it’s great for a family.

Reviewers talk about how easy it is to clean with a non-stick coating on the basket and drip tray.

The stainless steel exterior also resists fingerprints so it stays looking spotless on the outside.

“I must say it’s been a game-changer in my kitchen,” said one customer. “This appliance is a remarkable upgrade from my generic air fryer, and I couldn’t be happier with its performance.”

“I have owned a few air fryers. This one is excellent, I can’t really fault it,” said another.

The only negative mentioned is slower cooking time than with some other air fryers but given the Instant Pot Vortex is said to provide better results the chefs are still happy.

6. Best air fryer oven in Australia

Breville The Smart Oven Air Fryer, The Good Guys, $499

The Breville The Smart Oven Air Fryer claims to speed up cooking time and use up to 35 per cent less power compared to a built-in oven.

Super versatile, it has 10 cooking functions and, as well as air frying, home chefs can toast, grill, bake, roast and even slow cook at low temperatures.

An oven light automatically turns on at the end of the cooking cycle to help you see inside and it can also be turned on at any time to see your progress.

“Since I’ve had a Breville Smart Oven, I never use the built in oven,” said one review.

“It is smaller internally so heats up quicker and is far more efficient to use. I use it regularly to cook pizza, roast veggies or simple tasks such as making cheese on toast.”

The only negative seems to be ease of cleaning and users report that there are several internal parts that are difficult to clean after using the air fry function.

7. Best air fryer for families in Australia

NutriBullet XXL Digital Air Fryer 7L, $149, Amazon Australia

This XXL digital air fryer is the ideal choice for families due to its capacity and family-sized portions it can cook.

It’s large enough to roast a whole chicken or a 1kg of fries.

And it’s also super-efficient with 360-degree vortex convection technology that cuts down on time and reduces the amount of oil and mess required to make your food taste great.

Plus the eight different cooking modes give you the versatility to prepare all your favourite foods or customise you cooking with manual time and temperature settings.

Kitchen Couture Air Fryer, Myer, $69.95

The 3.4 litre Kitchen Couture Air Fryer is lightweight and has a detachable, non-stick Teflon-coated basket allowing for easy cleaning.

Incredibly, for the price it has baking, roasting, and grilling functions too and features like a timer and automatic shut-off function when the cooking cycle is complete.

Currently $69.95 at Myer, it’s about as good as it gets in terms of cost and reviewers recommend it for households of singles or couples.

“User friendly. Suitable for small apartment and for maximum 3 person use,” said one.

“Convenient to use, easy to store and clean, heats up food very quickly and a very healthy way to enjoy food,” said another.

9. Best digital air fryer in Australia

EuroChef 9L Dual Zone Air Fryer, $114, Catch

This EuroChef 9L Air Fryer is your ultimate kitchen companion for healthy, delicious meals made effortlessly.

It’s designed to bring out the best in your cooking, this air fryer combines power, versatility, and durability to deliver perfect results every time.

With 8 pre-set cooking functions, you can select the perfect setting for your meal, ensuring consistent and tasty results every time.

Plus you can easily monitor your cooking progress with the built-in viewing window, illuminated by switchable lights.

10. Easiest air fryer to clean in Australia

COSORI Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo, Catch, $149

With 12 one-touch cooking functions, you’re likely to be using this air fryer a lot which makes it important to be able to clean easily.

The reviews all report that this is a huge positive of the design which has a non-stick and dishwasher-safe basket.

With thousands of positive customer reviews it also comes out on top for ease of use, being compact and “cooking literally anything!”

“Easy to use, easy to clean, easy to get the crispiness that conventional ovens just don’t quite create. I don’t know why I waited so long to make this investment,” said one home chef.

Negatives are that it can be a bit noisy but, for the price, users agree it’s something they can put up with.

So how does the air fryer work and how to use your air fryer?

First of all, air fryers don’t actually fry. Instead, the food goes into a perforated basket or on to a shelf and the machine cooks the food by blowing hot air around it.

The force of the air produces a convection effect that cooks and browns the exterior of the food.

Thanks to their size, they’re a lot more user friendly and easier to clean than an oven, and air fryers are also great for cooking healthier alternatives since they uses less oil or no oil at all.

They are super simple to use and it’s as easy as dropping your food into the basket on popping it on a tray and then setting a timer until, voila! Dinner is served.

What are the different types of air fryer?

There are two types of air fryer – a deep fryer basket-style air fryer and an oven-style air fryer.

The basket air fryers are equipped with removable baskets (similar to deep fryer baskets) which hold the food while the shape of an air fryer oven is similar to that of a toaster oven with racks of shelves to slot your food onto.

Air fryer ovens are the models which have added cooking functions, such as bake, toast, rotisserie and grill but of course there are pros and cons of both so let’s have a look at each.

What are the pros and cons of the deep fryer basket-style air fryer?

On the positive side these units are smaller and take up less room on the kitchen bench. They pre-heat super fast (we’re talking a few minutes) and it’s easy to toss the food in the basket and then remove and clean it.

Just make sure baskets are dishwasher safe if ease of cleaning is on your must-have list.

On the cons side, the basket-style air fryer does have a limited capacity meaning you might have to batch fry if you’re cooking for a lot of people. They can also be a bit noisy and you can’t see the food cooking.

What are the pros and cons of the oven-style air fryer?

Oven-style air fryers are growing in popularity with customers loving their multiple cooking functions and their capacity for cooking large amounts of food.

The fan is often quieter than in a traditional oven and a glass door means you can check on your food during the cook.

Problems include bulky storage and the fact they are often more expensive.

How much do air fryers cost in Australia?

It really depends on what you want from your air fryer and, of course, the more functions it has, the more expensive it’s going to get.

As a general rule of thumb you can pick up an affordable model for around $90 and one with all the bells and whistles can be up to $600.

We have compared the models at every price point, so you won’t need to look any further.

What can you cook with an air fryer?

Popular foods to cook include chunky chips, fluffy roast potatoes and tasty air-fried chicken wings.

Depending on what kind of model you get though, the possibilities are endless and home cooks could pretty much rely on their oven-style air fryer for everything from roast dinners and fried breakfasts to cake baking and dessert delicacies.