For a more in-depth explanation of how air fryers work and their benefits versus standard ovens, you can read our full-length What is an air fryer? explainer. If you’ve settled on buying an air fryer from Ninja but would like to take a more in-depth look at the range, be sure to take a look at our best Ninja air fryer roundup. Despite being a budget-friendly option, the T17023 was no slouch in testing, cooking oven classics such as spring rolls and hash browns to a commendable crispness and performing solidly when tasked with more delicate items like meat and vegetables.

In our testing, the FlexDrawer proved to be just as efficient as the Dual Zone and we found the addition of the removable divider incredibly useful. Foods cooked faster and more evenly than in both our oven and some other models of air fryer. It’s an excellent all rounder for large capacity cooking. If you want to learn a little more about how air fryers work, and what benefits they have compared to a standard oven, then have a read of our handy explainer here: What is an air fryer? How much should I spend? Other notable features of the Dual Zone include modes for baking, roasting and dehydrating, though its standout ability in our opinion is its Max Crisp function. Designed to cook thinner, frozen foods, the Max Crisp function works well on items such as onion rings, skinny fries and nuggets, cooking them to a brilliant level of crispiness in a much shorter amount of time than most standard ovens.

How to choose the right air fryer for you?

All that space isn’t just there so you can bulk fry chips, though. The extra-large capacity houses Tefal’s 2in1 function, which enables you to cook two different elements of your meal in one place. With a rotating stirring paddle on the bottom and a static upper tray on top, you can cook a curry and air fry samosas in the same machine, saving on time and washing up. Like its predecessor, the FlexDrawer comes with an array of thoughtful functions including its match and sync settings, the former of which allows you to match the time and temperature of both sides of the fryer without having to input all the information twice, while the latter syncs up both sizes of the fryer, so they finish at the same time, even when at different temperatures of cook times. You’ll also recognise all the classic settings for air frying, roasting, baking, reheating, proving and dehydrating, as well as the Max Crisp setting, which allows you to crank up the heat to a whopping 240ºC. The short answer is yes. Even the simplest dual air fryer can make a whole meal thanks to its twin basket setup allowing you to cook two things at once, whether that’s two kinds of veg, potatoes and protein, or breakfast foods such as hash browns and bacon. The handy sync and match features available on many models takes things a step further, allowing you to better coordinate the cooking of your two items. Additionally, accessories such as grill plates let you cook a wider range of foods more effectively, fully opening up your mealtime possibilities. The best models will have a number of basics you should look out for. These include weight and temperature settings, so you can adjust the heat and cook time to suit your ingredients.

The ability to use different modes in each basket – for example, grilling bacon in one drawer while air frying hash browns in the other – gives the Instant Vortex Plus a real edge for people seeking to make whole meals in their air fryer.Alongside a varied set of preset functions, the Genius XL’s standout feature is its rotating paddle, which does away with the need to pause your cook and shake midway through, instead gently stirring your food throughout for consistent results. The air fryer’s 1.7kg capacity is split between two cooking compartments, with the bottom compartment utilising the stirring paddle and a second static section sitting on top – though the latter can be removed for extra room if needs be.

There’s no doubt that Tefal’s Genius range is expensive, but you really won’t find a line of air fryers that do the job better. The digital controls allow you to easily choose from 7 pre-set cooking functions, or adjust the 60-minute timer and temperature settings for perfectly-cooked results from the first use. Given their higher price point, some extra functionality beyond the norm is to be expected with dual fryers. This can include additional settings for roasting, dehydrating and grilling, or special features such as the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone’s Max Crisp setting or the Tefal Genius XL 2in1’s self-stirring paddle, both of which we’ll discuss in more detail below. Can you cook whole meals in a dual air fryer? Alternatively, if you already have an idea of what you’re looking for, our at a glance list takes you straight through to buying some of our favourites. Good models will come with dishwasher-safe removable parts and a pull-out loading tray that slots into the machine. For easy cooking from the get-go, look out for models with preset functions for popular dishes too. These work out the timings and temperatures for you.

What is an air fryer?

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a versatile air fryer that is decidedly mid-range in price, this is the best option we’ve come across. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ The Vortex’s clever design is matched by its great performance and range of features. Its twin baskets benefit from Sync Cook and Sync Finish features: Finish will make sure your two baskets are done at the same time, even if they require different times or temperatures, while Cook mirrors the settings on your baskets, for when you’re cooking two portions of the same thing.