Claiming to save up to 55% on energy bills versus other cooking methods, the COSORI Air Fryer is another example of why the air fryer is rapidly becoming the appliance of choice when it comes to cooking family meals on a budget. Stirring paddle – Some air fryers have a stirring paddle so that you don’t have to shake or stir your food during the cooking process to ensure an even fry, although the jury’s out on whether stirring paddles improve the finish or not. You can sometimes remove the stirring paddle if you’d rather not use it. It might be too big for single-person households unless you host a lot. And if you have a teeny kitchen, you’ll need to be prepared to find space for it, since it’s quite wide and tall. Furthermore, it’s one of the most expensive Ninja air fryers - a fact that can’t be ignored in your decision about whether to buy.

Offering 13 preset cooking functions and a digital one-touch LED control screen if you don't want to use the app, this air fryer is simple to get to grips with – perfect if you’re a newbie to the world of air fryers. The removable basket is dishwasher-safe too, which is always a winner when it comes to cleaning up after family meals. Other useful settings include preheating and keeping warm options in case you can’t sit down to eat as soon as the food is ready. A big selling point for most air fryer enthusiasts is their money-saving capabilities, but there's no point in making the initial investment on a machine that ends up gathering dust in the cupboard. We scrutinised the cost of each of our chosen air fryers to make sure they represented good value for money in the long run.

Best air fryer 2023 at a glance

An avid foodie, she loves nothing more than trying new culinary creations in the kitchen, which often includes testing out and researching the latest time-saving gadgets for Mumsnet. She has also had work published in The i Paper, Stylist Magazine, Gransnet and Exposed Magazine. Why you should trust us Style: Basket | Capacity: 7.6L | Size: 38.4D x 31.7W x 40.3H centimetres | Cooking modes: Air fry, roast, grill, bake, reheat and dehydrate | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 1700W What we like Style: Basket | Capacity: 6.6L | Size: ‎35.56 x 27.94 x 38.35 cm | Cooking modes: Air fry, bake, dehydrate, plus more | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 1500W What we like There are a number of different types of air fryers on the market, which tend to vary in terms of capacity, number of programmes and method of cooking. Claiming to cook up to 75% faster than using a normal frying pan, the Ninja allows you to spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your meal, not to mention the significant savings made on energy costs. It's a little on the bulky size, but that's to be expected given the capacity and dual-drawer feature, and reviewers agree you can't go wrong with this exceptional air fryer. Be warned though - Ninja air fryers are selling incredibly fast at the moment!

To do this you can make the most of Sync or Match modes, which will either sync the finish times of your food to make sure everything is ready at the same time or use Match to duplicate the cooking settings from your first drawer across to the second. How much does a dual zone air fryer cost? Style: Basket | Capacity: 7.3L | Size: 39.5D x 39.5W x 39.8H centimetres | Cooking modes: Fry, bake, grill and roast | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 2225W What we like Smart controls – It’s an uncommon feature, but some air fryers have smart controls that can be controlled by your phone or tablet. Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family. Another firm favourite brand on the Mumsnet boards, Gourmia is recommended time and time again for its reliable results teamed with a more affordable price tag than the likes of Ninja and Philips.Style: Air fryer oven | Capacity: 11L | Size: ‎‎28 x 35 x 32 cm | Cooking modes: Air fry, bake, rotisserie, grill, dehydrate, plus more | Dishwasher-safe parts: Not specified | Wattage: 2000W What we like

The digital display is clear and easy to use - there's even a handy key of cooking times and temperatures for popular dishes. Reviewers did note that it came without instructions though, so you may need to read up online which button is for which function, but on the whole those who tested the air fryer found it was simple to use and operate. Style: Basket | Capacity: 9.5L | Size: H32.5, W41.5, D27cm | Cooking modes: Max crisp, air fry, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 2470W What we like However, you shouldn't use air fryers for sauce-based dishes or popcorn. How to convert recipes for an air fryer

If you know you want a dual-zone air fryer but don't necessarily need two sections all of the time, then the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer is the one for you. Instead of choosing, you get both, giving this model ultimate versatility. You can insert a divider when you want to use the two drawers separately or keep the mammoth single drawer for cuts of meat and larger portions. One of the benefits of using an air fryer is that they are typically more energy efficient than traditional cooking methods like using an oven. Jenny Tschiesche, a nutrition expert and author of the Air-Fryer Cookbook, attributes their recent surge in popularity to the cost of living crisis: "An air fryer can cook pretty much everything an oven can, albeit in a smaller capacity, but use far less energy." We found several other reasons to buy this excellent air fryer during our review process. Our expert reviewer Helen mastered everything from a leg of lamb to a toastie during tests, with a perfect cook every time. And seeing as this is a Ninja air fryer, it goes without saying that it’s simple to use, with well-thought-out settings and controls. Style: Health grill with air fryer | Capacity: 3.8L | Size: 270 x 390 x 410 mm (H x W x D) | Cooking modes: Air fry, bake, roast, reheat, dehydrate and grill | Dishwasher-safe parts: Yes | Wattage: 2460W What we like