Air fryers, like other kitchen gadgets we love to have atop our kitchen benches, come in all shapes and sizes. Just as coffee machines and coffee accessories can take a prominent position in your kitchen, so too can an air fryer. But we’re here for something more discreet, something that does the job without taking up all the space.
Why would we microwave, pressure cook, steam or stove-top cook when we can air fry, ask air fryer converts. Even a small air fryer can turn potatoes into crispy fries, batter into cupcakes and a roast chook. An air fryer of any size is the little kitchen gadget that could, showing up for dinner when we don’t have enough time (so … always).
Whether you’re a seasoned air fryer user, with a list of recipes already in rotation, or you like the idea of one small air fryer being able to do so much and quickly (never preheat the oven again!), finding the perfect gadget for your precise needs can take a bit of work. Each model of air fryer is so different, and if you’re a family of six you need to fit more than a few green beans in yours. But if you’re mainly cooking for one or two, you need something that will turn around a small roast, perhaps some brownies, without fuss.
You can find our list of the best air fryers to shop, right here, but for those who don’t have kitchen island and bench space in abundance, or already have it filled with coffee machines and other kitchen essentials, here are the best small air fryers in Australia right now.
2024’s TOP SMALL AIR FRYERS
- The Air Fryer Chef Plus, $199, Amazon
- Prinetti digital air fryer, $139, Big W
- Nutribullet XXL Digital Air Fryer, $149, Myer
The best small air fryers 2024
The Air Fryer Chef Plus
$197 (usually $279), Amazon
Best for: Pre-set dinner ease
Roast chicken at the press of a button, dehydrated fruit at the press of another. Breville is known for doing its research on gadgets, and this small air fryer is no exception. It’s extremely easy to use (we have tried and tested it), and reliably uses hot air to “fry” your favourite food. Turn the dials to find what kind of meal you’re cooking and the air fryer figures out the temperature and timing itself, with great results. You can then tweak the settings as you like, or come up with your own custom ways to grill, roast, dehydrate, reheat, and cook frozen chips, frozen snacks, chicken, vegetables and fish.
Sizes: 43.35cm D x 31.4cm W x 32.57cm H
Colours: Brushed stainless steel
Materials: Plastic and brushed stainless steel
Key features:
- 4.8 litre capacity
- Cooks up to 2.2 litres food
- Comes with a recipe e-book
- 12 pre-set cooking favourites
- 2000-2400W, 220-240V
Prinetti digital air fryer
$139, Big W
Best for: Easy dinners, stat
This neat little gadget has all the bells and whistles we need in a user-friendly appliance. One major bonus is the large basket size internally. There are preset cooking functions that make cooking your favourite meals easier, plus a timer with a ready bell. It only goes to 30 minutes, but that’s plenty of time to make the fries crunchy, and you can simply set it again for a small roast chook. It goes up to 200 degrees, so it has a mighty kick for something that doesn’t take up all your bench space. This air fryer from Big W has taken the world by storm. And, by ‘world’, we mean the Big W Mum’s Facebook group.
Sizes: 40cm W x 38.6cm H x 45cm D
Colours: Black
Key features:
- 8L capacity
- 7 easy preset cooking functions
- Simple digital controls
Nutribullet XXL Digital Air Fryer
$149 (usually $299), Myer
Best for: Big meals, small package
The name says XXL but actually this small air fryer has a very accessible 7 litre capacity. It’s small enough to slip in next to the toaster, and big enough to roast a whole (small) chicken, bake, dehydrate and crisp even family-sized portions vegetables, fries, or whatever is on the menu. There are 8 pre-set cooking modes, and we love that there’s a large cooking basket as well as a “crisping tray”.
Sizes: 34.5cm H x 29.5cm W x 37.5 D
Colours: Black
Key features:
- 7 litre capacity
- 8 cooking modes
- Crisping tray included
Instant Pot Vortex Slim 5.7L Air Fryer
$269, Amazon
Best for: Quiet dinner prep
There’s nothing better than knowing dinner is quietly humming along while you get on with important tasks like pouring yourself a drink – except when the thing actually cooking dinner is making a racket. Noisy machines are a nuisance in the kitchen, but this is not one of them, being “Quiet Mark” certified. This slim air fryer will air fry, bake, grill and reheat your meal, and even roast a whole medium chicken.
Sizes: 45.2cm D x 25.9cm W x 30.1cm H
Colours: Black
Materials: Plastic with non-stick interior
Key features:
- 5-in-1 functionality: air fry, roast, bake, grill and reheat
- Deep-frying crunch with 95 percent less oil
- Uses up to 80 percent less energy than traditional ovens
- Large capacity, cooks up to 1.8kg of chicken or 900g of fries
Philips 2000 Series 4.2L Airfryer
$179, Myer
Best for: Effortless meals
Air fryer converts will talk about the benefits of being able to cook everyone’s favourite meals – think roasts, fries, chicken wings – without using excess oil. Air fryers can add the crispy exterior and tender interiors we crave without having to turn to anything deep fried. But we’re also here for the ease of it all. This elegantly designed small air fryer has 13 cooking methods at the touch of a button, taking the guesswork (and the mental load) out of dinner every time.
Sizes: 36.8cm l x 27.3cm w x 29.3cm h
Colours: Black
Key features:
- 4.2 litre capacity
- Viewing window
- Automatic shut off
- Easy clean up
Tefal Easy Fry Classic Air Fryer
$159, Appliances Online
Best for: Back to basics cooking
When we’re talking small air fryers, we want something that has a large capacity without taking up all the space. Something that doesn’t need to cook an entire Christmas feast, but that can turn out the necessary sides or a whole small roast for a family day in and day out. This is that machine. There are four cooking modes, and it will even make heating up finger food for your next gathering (don’t wait until Christmas) a breeze.
Colours: Black
Key features:
- 4.2L capacity
- 4 preset cooking functions: grill, roast, fry and bake
- Dishwasher safe removable parts
Sunbeam Alinea Digital DiamondForce 4L Air Fryer
$149 , Myer
Best for: Apartment-appropriate dinners
Check on your chips through a little viewing window in your small air fryer and take the guesswork out of whether dinner is ready. This clever design means you can see your meal without having to stop the cooking process when you open the drawer of your small air fryer. The spanking new air fryer family by Sunbeam covers all bases without blowing the budget. But we have our eyes on the smallest member, a diminutive 4 litre air fryer. It has a non-stick interior, interior light and digital controls.
Sizes: 26cm H x 23cm W x 26cm D
Colours: Black
Key features:
- 4 Litre capacity
- Fits 1kg fries
- Durable non-stick interior
- Easy to clean
- Internal light
What are the benefits of a small air fryer?
Air fryers are touted as being the cheat’s way to a healthy dinner without having to give up fried food (as we know it), and it’s not hard to figure out why this air fryer trend goes on and on. They are one of the most popular kitchen appliances out there – and there’s everything to love about a small air fryer that doesn’t take up all your bench space. Many household brands now add this perfect all-in-one cooker to their repertoire.
Air fryers allow the cook to turn to all their favourite recipes without using as much fat as might typically. Chicken wings, fish and frozen chips (or fresh cut potatoes) can turn crispy without being submerged in oil and fats.
Most air fryers take out the guesswork of cooking, a helpful hack when you’re new to cooking or even a new kind of cooking gadget. Most have pre-programmed temperature and timer settings, and have features that give the same effect as baking, roasting, dehydrating and grilling.
Air fryers are more energy efficient than preheating an oven, and in many cases even using the stovetop. Most models – even small air fryers – have automatic shut-off features, preventing unnecessary energy waste. However, the overall efficiency can vary depending on the specific model and how frequently it is used. When used appropriately, small air fryers can be a cost-effective and energy-saving small appliance and a valuable addition to the kitchen.
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
