I’ve been reviewing air fryers here at Ideal Home since 2022 – a dream job for someone who loves cooking all sorts of things but is very much partial to an oven chip.
It’s hard to think of a cooking appliance that’s had an impact as big in our kitchens in the last decade as the air fryer. Time-saving, more convenient to use than an oven, and guaranteed to give you a crispier end result, they’ve become a staple of homes up and down the UK.
And seeing as I get pretty much all of my home advice and vision from my esteemed colleagues at Ideal Home, I thought it was high time I took a peek at how they’re using and storing their air fryers, too, for a healthy dose of inspiration. Here’s how they’ve integrated these ‘ugly’ but super useful appliances into their homes.
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Heather Young – Editor-in-Chief
I draw endless inspiration from our Editor-in-Chief Heather’s home, especially her gorgeous kitchen which is packed full of hidden features to make everyday life easier. One of those clever hacks is how she uses her air fryer to maximise use and minimise worktop scratches.
Heather swears by the Instant Pot Duo Crisp (£229.99 via Amazon), which is a multi-cooker, arguably a better space saver than a standard air fryer. With 12 different functions in total it means she can save space over investing in many different appliances. It’s a slow cooker, steamer, air fryer, pressure cooker and more in one but its footprint is relatively small.
But that’s not all. To make using her multi-cooker even more convenient, Heather also added castor wheels to the bottom of the pot which allow her to move it across her worktop.
That means cleaning around it or taking it out of a storage spot instantly becomes easier, especially if you’re tucking it into a pantry like Heather . If you have a hidden mini kitchen appliance garage, this under £10 hack could be a game changer for you.
Rebecca Knight – Editor, Digital
After buying her Victorian flat conversion last year, our Editor has been sharing her home improvement progress including her living room makeover and outdoor hosting upgrades. But one thing that has stayed the same is her air fryer.
‘I have the Ninja Dual Zone,’ says Becky. ‘I know everyone says it’s meant to be ugly, but I find its boxy shape and black matte finish just disappear into the background on my kitchen worktop.’
I think this Ninja air fryer remains the most popular pick in the UK despite being released years ago. And when I recently retested it to see if it still holds up against newer releases, I found that it was still as supremely powerful as I remembered.
Becky has adopted Heather’s castor wheels hack too, so that she can ‘push it right to the back of the counter out of the way when not in use’ in her kitchen.
Holly Cockburn – Content Editor, Kitchens and Bathrooms
As my fellow Kitchens Editor who knows exactly which trends to follow, Holly is much less of an appliance or gadget fan than I am – favouring a clear worktop over anything else. Our usual dynamic is that I’ll recommend something to Holly for a few years (in this case, an air fryer) and she’ll take up the advice when there’s one that actually looks good.
Enter: the Wonder Oven (£195 at Our Place). This was the one that finally persuaded her over to the air frying side, and it’s little surprise with its pastel colour way and tiny footprint.
When I reviewed this air fryer I called it the prettiest option on the market and I think it still is even two years later. It’s also a fabulous choice for anyone who prefers a screen-free appliance – this air fryer is wholly controlled by the three dials on the front.
Molly Cleary – Kitchen Appliances Editor
I’ve tested many air fryers over the years but the one that suits my small kitchen best is the Ninja DoubleStack in white (£269.99 from Currys). It has similar levels of power to Ninja’s dual-drawer models but is much kinder on worktop space which is always at a premium with all of the cooking gadgets I’m usually testing.
The colour range of Ninja’s air fryers makes them very appealing to me, alongside the sheer power. The control panel is also the easiest I’ve found out there.
If you like the idea of a stacked air fryer for space but you’re on a tight budget then Salter’s £99 alternative went down a treat with our reviewer Annie when she tried it.
The range of air fryers within the Ideal Home team just shows how picking the right appliance for your kitchen is a very personal thing. What are your must-have features or hacks when picking out an air fryer?
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