The best air fryers for families in 2024 – tested and top-rated

The team at our sister site Good Food has been testing air fryers for over five years, ensuring every model we recommend has been tried and tested by their experts.

You can trust these recommendations to find the perfect air fryer for your home, whether you have a large family or just want to cook easy dinners for your little ones.

Why air fryers are perfect for families

For families, air fryers offer a variety of advantages:

• Healthier meals: By using less oil, air fryers can make traditionally fried foods, like chicken nuggets or chips, healthier for kids.
• Energy-efficient: Air fryers are smaller and quicker than traditional ovens, meaning they save on electricity – great for keeping household costs down.
• Time-saving: Air fryers heat up quickly and can cook meals faster than conventional methods, perfect for busy family schedules.

Our experts have handpicked the best air fryers for families, focusing on ease of use, cooking capacity, and energy efficiency. From large-capacity models for bigger families to compact options ideal for smaller kitchens, here are our top picks.

Best air fryers for families in 2024 – at a glance

• Best overall for families: Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK, £269.99
• Best for quick meals: Cosori TurboBlaze, £159.99
• Best dual drawer for family dinners: Ninja Foodi Max AF400UK, £229.99
• Best air fryer for baking: Ninja Air Fryer Max 5.2L, £129.99
• Best for cooking full family meals: Cello 2-in-1 Air Fryer and Home Oven, £129.99

The best air fryers for families: Our top picks

1. Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK

Best overall air fryer for families

With its innovative double-stack design, this air fryer is perfect for families who need to prepare multiple dishes at once.

You can air fry two layers of food simultaneously, making it ideal for larger households. Whether you're cooking chicken for the adults and chips for the kids, this model ensures no flavour transfers between drawers.

Tested by Good Food, this air fryer performed exceptionally well with family staples like chicken, chips, and roasted veggies, all cooked to perfection.

• Good Food Star rating: 5/5

Family benefits:

• Capacity: Large enough to cook a family-sized meal.
• Speed: Cooks multiple dishes at once, cutting down on mealtime prep.
• Durability: Built to last, even with regular use by busy parents.

2. Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer

Best air fryer for quick meals

This budget-friendly model is great for families looking for a reliable air fryer without breaking the bank.

With its fast cooking times and easy-to-use touchscreen, it’s perfect for quickly whipping up after-school snacks or dinner for younger children. Good Food testers found it particularly useful for quick bakes and grilling.

• Good Food Star rating: 5/5

Family benefits:

• Quick and efficient: Ideal for time-pressed parents.
• Compact size: Doesn’t take up too much counter space, great for small kitchens.
• Healthy: Uses minimal oil, making healthier meals for kids and toddlers.

3. Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone AF400UK

Best dual-drawer air fryer for family dinners

This dual-drawer model is a game-changer for families, allowing you to cook two different foods at the same time – perfect if your children are picky eaters or prefer separate meal options.

Whether you're cooking chicken for adults and fish fingers for kids, the dual zones ensure everything finishes at the same time with no flavour transfer.

• Good Food Star rating: 5/5 - read the full Good Food Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone AF400UK review

Family benefits:

• Dual drawers: Cook different foods for the whole family without mixing flavours.
• Large capacity: Big enough for large family dinners.
• Easy to clean: Dishwasher-safe components make it easy to tidy up after meals.

4. Ninja Air Fryer Max 5.2L

Best air fryer for baking

If your family loves baked treats, this air fryer is for you. With a round, non-stick tray and easy-to-use controls, it’s great for baking cakes, muffins, or even small whole chickens.

The high-sided tray is also perfect for dishes that need extra space to rise, making this model a hit for parents who love to bake with their kids.

• Good Food Star rating: 5/5 - read the full Good Food Ninja Air Fryer Max 5.2L review

Family benefits:

• Great for baking: Ideal for sweet treats or Sunday roast desserts.
• High capacity: Large enough to handle family-sized portions.
• Easy clean-up: Non-stick trays mean less scrubbing after baking sessions.

5. Cello 2-in-1 Air Fryer and Home Oven

Best for cooking full family meals

This versatile air fryer doubles as a mini oven, perfect for larger families or those who want a multi-functional kitchen gadget.

With two cooking zones and included accessories like a drip tray and crisper plate, you can cook a full meal all in one go. Good Food testers loved how it performed on family favourites like chicken, chips, and even veggie-based dishes.

• Good Food Star rating: 5/5

Family benefits:

• 2-in-1 functionality: Save space and cook a full family meal in one appliance.
• Great for large families: Enough space for big meals or batch cooking.
• Stylish and practical: Looks good in any kitchen and includes easy-to-use touchscreen controls.

Tips for parents: How to get the most out of your air fryer

1. Batch cook for busy days: With a larger-capacity air fryer, you can batch-cook family meals like chicken breasts or roasted veggies. Store them in the fridge for quick and easy reheats during the week.
2. Let kids help: Air fryers are simple to use, so why not let your little ones get involved? Have them help toss veggies in the basket or press the button to start cooking – it’s a great way to introduce them to cooking.
3. Experiment with healthy snacks: Air fryers aren’t just for chips – try roasting chickpeas or making apple chips for healthier snacks your kids will love.

Is an air fryer right for your family?

Air fryers are perfect for families looking for a healthier, faster, and more energy-efficient way to cook. With so many versatile models on the market, there's an air fryer to suit every household, whether you're feeding toddlers or teenagers. Plus, with Good Food’s expert testing behind our recommendations, you can feel confident you're choosing the best appliance for your family’s needs.

Are air fryers energy-efficient?

As a busy parent, you're probably looking for ways to cut costs and save time in the kitchen – and an air fryer could be the answer! Not only do air fryers offer a healthier cooking method, but they are also known for being energy-efficient compared to traditional ovens. This means you can prepare your family’s meals faster and potentially save on your energy bills – a win-win for any household.

To work out exactly how much energy an air fryer uses, you can follow this simple calculation:

• Take the wattage of the air fryer and multiply it by the number of hours you use it per day, then divide the total by 1000. This will give you the appliance’s daily kilowatt-hour (kWh) usage.

The actual cost per kWh will vary based on your energy tariff and location, but if you have a smart meter, you can easily see how much electricity your air fryer uses during cooking.

Because air fryers are compact and heat up quickly, they’re more efficient than a traditional oven when cooking smaller portions – ideal for whipping up meals for your kids or family snacks. The faster cooking time also means less electricity is used, which can help you save on household bills over time.

Is air frying healthy?

If your family loves fried foods like chips or chicken nuggets, an air fryer is a fantastic alternative to deep-fat frying. Air frying uses hot air circulation to create that crispy finish with very little oil, which means less fat and fewer calories in the final dish. For families looking to make healthier choices, air frying is a great way to indulge in favourites without the guilt.

Of course, like any cooking method, air frying should be part of a balanced diet. It’s perfect for making those fun Friday night meals or quick snacks for your little ones without overloading with oil. And with so many recipes out there, you’ll find plenty of ways to create nutritious meals using your air fryer.

What can you cook in an air fryer?

An air fryer isn’t just for chips (though they do make delicious, crispy ones!). You can experiment with all sorts of family-friendly dishes – from healthier chicken goujons and roasted veggies to baked treats like our favourite carrot and courgette muffins or mini pizzas.

If you’re new to air frying, try starting with simple recipes like air-fried potatoes or fish fingers, and then get creative with other family favourites. Air fryers are also fantastic for making meals for children with dietary restrictions, allowing you to bake free-from goodies like gluten-free cakes or dairy-free snacks. Plus, many air fryers have a dehydrate function, so you can make homemade fruit leather – a great weaning-friendly alternative to sugary snacks!

How to recycle an air fryer

If your air fryer is no longer working or you’re upgrading to a newer model, it’s important to dispose of it properly to avoid adding to e-waste. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Check the warranty: If your air fryer is broken, first see if it's still under warranty. If it is, the manufacturer or retailer might replace or repair it for you.
2. Repair it: If the warranty has expired, check with a trusted local repair service to see if it can be fixed. It might save you from having to buy a new one.
3. Look for replacement parts: Some brands sell spare parts for air fryers, so if just one component is broken, you may be able to swap it out.
4. Donate: If your air fryer is still in good working condition, consider donating it. Many families or local charities would benefit from having a kitchen gadget that’s easy to use and energy-efficient.
5. Recycle: Larger retailers like B&Q and Argos will accept small electrical appliances for recycling. You can also use services like the Reuse Network to find local organisations that welcome old gadgets or Recycle Your Electricals to see how to properly dispose of your appliance.

By recycling or donating your old air fryer, you’re not only clearing space in your kitchen but also making a positive impact on the environment.

How we chose the best air fryers for families

When choosing the best air fryers for families, we wanted to make sure they met the needs of busy parents and were ideal for preparing family-friendly meals. Our sister site, Good Food , has been testing air fryers for years, and their rigorous testing process helped us pick the top models that stand out for families. From crispy homemade chips to easy, healthy dinners, Good Food's expert team left no stone unturned.

Here's a peek into how they tested each air fryer:

The Chip Test

What’s the first thing most people think of when they hear “air fryer”? Chips, of course! So, testing for the perfect chip was key.

To make sure our recommendations would help you achieve family-favourite results, Good Food's team used Maris Piper potatoes and soaked them in cold water to remove excess starch, following it up with drying and frying.

For every model, they followed the manufacturer's instructions on temperature, time, and oil quantity (vegetable oil, unless otherwise specified) to ensure consistency.

The size and cut of the potato can affect the results, but Good Food focused on how evenly the chips were fried, their crispness on the outside, and their fluffiness on the inside—making sure these air fryers would do a fantastic job for family meals.

What was scored

To make sure we only recommend the best for families, we looked at how Good Food rated air fryers on several key areas, ensuring that each model offered:

1. Quality of Food
   This was the main criteria, especially when thinking about feeding little ones. Good Food tested how well each air fryer cooked family staples like chips, chicken, and even veggies. They focused on even browning and achieving that perfect crispy texture kids (and parents!) love.
2. Ease of Use
   As a busy parent, you don't have time to waste figuring out a complicated new gadget. We picked models that were quick and simple to get started with. From intuitive controls to easy-to-follow icons, these air fryers scored highly in ease of use so you can focus on getting meals on the table fast.
3. Value for Money
   Whether you’re splurging on a multifunctional air fryer or looking for a budget-friendly option, we understand that every pound counts when you're feeding a family. We made sure to include a range of air fryers that offer great value—whether they’re packed with features or just get the job done without fuss.
4. Ease of Cleaning
   Cleaning up after dinner can be the worst part, especially when you're juggling kids and other chores. That's why we focused on models that are easy to clean, many of which come with dishwasher-safe or non-stick baskets to make your life easier. Good Food's testers made sure these air fryers wouldn’t create a post-meal mess that adds to your stress.
5. Quality of Materials
   Families need kitchen appliances that are built to last, especially when used regularly. Good Food made sure to test each air fryer for durability, looking at the materials and build quality to ensure they can handle regular use and stand the test of time in a busy family kitchen.

With Good Food’s expert testing as the foundation, we selected the air fryers that we believe will suit the needs of families, offering a combination of quality, ease of use, and value. Whether you’re air-frying chips for picky eaters or whipping up a quick dinner for the whole family, you can trust that these models will make mealtime easier and healthier.

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