I’ve been testing appliances, kitchenware and general homestuffs (mattresses, hot tubs, candles, you name it!), for the best part of 8 years. So, it’s safe to say I can tell a good air fryer from a bad one. The same goes for coffee machines, toasters, and the rest of those appliances that you use every day.
With this job comes a lot of recycling and donating. I get to test appliances that aren’t a necessity that I wouldn’t otherwise buy, and don’t have space to store in my kitchen long-term. But that also means I’m uniquely placed to let you know when a buy is truly worth taking up space in your kitchen cabinet or on your worktop.
1. Our Place’s Wonder Oven Air Fryer
The Wonder Oven’s design is the 1 appliance that always has my guests asking “what is that?” The clue is in the name with this one — the Wonder Oven can literally cook anything, from toast to a small chicken and salmon fillets.
This air fryer sits firmly on my worktop, and it’s used several times a day, whether for baking cakes with my toddler or cooking hash browns for breakfast. It’s super intuitive, it comes in several colourways, and right now, it has £50 off, which is rare. Normally, this air fryer is only on sale for big events like Black Friday.
We rated it 4/5 stars in our Wonder Oven air fryer review, and it impressed both our Kitchen Appliance Editor, Molly Cleary, and me with its versatility and good looks. It has 3 dials, one for temperature, the other for mode and the last for the timer. It’s so easy to use and you get a metal wire rack included, which I use for toasting. It also comes with a metal air fryer basket and a non-toxic coated baking tray which is great for cookies.
Although this air fryer isn’t dishwasher-safe, its trays are easy to clean, and it comes with a removable crumb tray, which makes cleaning its interior a total breeze. It might not be your traditional-style air fryer, as it doesn’t have baskets or cooking zones, but this air fryer can be used for multi-layer cooking.
As well as air fryer mode, other settings include: bake, grill, toast, roast and reheat. It also has a steaming function, which I have yet to test.
2. Cuisinart’s FreezeWand Ice Cream Maker
Cuisinart
Freeze Wand® Ice Cream Maker
I truly didn’t know how easy it is to make your own ice cream. And now, thanks to this handy Cuisinart Freeze Wand, my toddler won’t ever eat store-bought dessert again.
I used this ice cream maker for vanilla ice cream, and truly, I couldn’t believe how nice it tasted. It does require some pre-prep, so you need to make the ice cream recipe around 24 hours beforehand, to allow it to freeze. Once ready, I found this super easy to use and then afterwards, I just stored it in a drawer. Its tubs are stackable, and they fit in an under-counter freezer with ease.
When in use, it has a light on the device which guides you — when it’s green, you keep pushing. If it turns red, you’ve reached the bottom of the tub, so the ice cream has been churned. Simple!
It has several settings, for sorbet to ice cream and even milkshake, and it’s so easy to use. You get 3 freezer tubs included, which are colour-coded and dishwasher-safe, and the manual features easy-to-follow recipes.
3. Beko’s Caffeexperto Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine
Beko
Caffeexperto Bean to Cup Coffee Espresso Machine
This Beko coffee machine always gets questions from my guests — even more so after they’ve tried one of my famous lattes. It is my day one coffee machine, which my Dad (a coffee connoisseur) introduced me to. It is so easy to use, and it takes beans or ground coffee.
It can make 5 types of drinks and is pretty intuitive with a touch screen. It also cleans itself after each use, which ensures the coffee tastes even better. Its tank is pretty sizable at 2L, so I rarely need to refill it. On top of the machine, there’s a cup warmer, which can hold up to 6 cups at a time.
If you’re a coffee lover, trust me when I say that it’s worth it — especially for only £235, which is affordable for a bean-to-cup coffee machine.
The Amazon Spring Deal Days are only on until 16th March, so if you want to get your hands on one of these appliances at a bargain price, I’d recommend you act fast.
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