Tower's air fryers offer something a little different from the norm. They always have. Where everyone went boxy and balanced, Tower produced models with different-sized drawers, mini ovens, and curved, rounded shapes. Years later, it's paid off.
I've been cooking with the best air fryers on the market for two years now, which means that I've seen everything. From Ninja's signature air fryers right through to start-ups promising weird and wonderful functions. Tower's models kept coming up when I was doing my research, so I thought it was about time I put them to the test.
I air fried with a few Tower air fryers, but the one that I want to talk about today is the Tower Xpress Air Fryer. This is the best air fryer for converting people who might not traditionally like these appliances. It's a mini oven that could handle roast dinners as well as it could fish fingers and chips. I should know, I've used it for both.
Specifications
Unboxing
I'll ruin the magic here for you, because I wasn't the first person to test the Tower air fryer. Other sister magazines had got to the Tower Xpress Air Fryer before me, so I didn't have the traditional unboxing experience. What I can say is that this wasn't too heavy and that the box was easy to navigate. It had a robust handle for carrying around. The lid of the box gives you a guide to what each button on the screen will do, and then the Tower comes with some really useful accessories. You'll get an air frying grate, a rotisserie, a kebab stick, and a tray. It sets you up for success, not skimping on anything.
On the counter, I loved how this looked. The shiny exterior and curved edges give it a very sleek, modern aesthetic. Whilst it offers huge capacity inside, it doesn't feel like a big blot on the counter, nor is it too tall to fit under cupboards. Overall, it's a nice-looking air fryer.
Who would it suit?
The Tower Xpress Air Fryer is like a mini oven, which is why I often end up recommending it to more reluctant air fryer shoppers. The door opens like a mini oven, the functions look relatively similar, and the way it loads is like a mini oven too. It's simple, straightforward, and familiar to even the most clueless user.
Even though I've pitched this as a compact option, it's actually one of the most spacious models in its size bracket. The big open space inside the air fryer lends itself really well to rotisserie chickens, roast dinners, and trays upon trays of baking. It's a great option for families, bigger homes, and more adventurous cooks. If you like pre-sets and a more traditional air fryer set-up, you might be better off with a different model.
What is it like to use?
The screen for the Tower Xpress lights up with a range of icons when you turn it on. At first, this can seem a little overwhelming, especially if you're new to air fryers. However, if you take a moment, you can correlate some of the icons with air fryer presets (there are s=ones for chips, steak, chicken drumsticks, fish, prawns, roast chicken, and rotisserie), but then there are another thirteen that take you through stopping, starting, timers, fans, heating, and lighting. It's a lot, but once it's in front of you, it all makes sense.
Test 1: chips
The first test that I put every air fryer we review through is chips. They're a classic. The Tower Xpress needed about ten minutes to pre-heat before I could do anything. This is the longest I've had to wait for any model, but when I opened the door, I could feel the full force of the heat.
I put a tray of chips into the air fryer for seventeen minutes, which is the general guide that most air fryers need. I could keep an eye on my chips through the clear air fryer door, which is good, because it stopped me from overcooking my chips or from letting all the heat out when checking up on them.
At seventeen minutes, the air fryer switched itself off and beeped to let me know that the chips were ready. I pulled the tray out and took a look at the chips. They were evenly browned, crispy at the tips, and fluffy on the inside. Overall, it was a faultless performance from the Tower Xpress.
Test 2: nuggets
Even though chips are classified as frozen food, I wanted to get a really concrete idea of how the Tower would handle frozen food. I put nuggets and (more) chips onto the tray, leaving them to cook for seventeen minutes. I could fit five nuggets and a handful of chips on one tray, but there was space for me to do the same on a tier up. In total, if you were smart about how you packed your air fryer, I think you could cook enough food for a family of four in there.
At seventeen minutes, I pulled the nuggets and chips out. Again, the chips looked great. The nuggets, while crispy and warm, were a little dry. I think they could have done with twelve minutes in the air fryer, rather than seventeen. However, doing this could disturb the chips, so you're better off cooking foods that need similar times together. You could open the doors and add a tray of nuggets five minutes into your chips cooking, but it's higher maintenance than other air fryers which can control the two different drawers separately.
Test 3: Mediterranean vegetables
I like to test the versatility of an air fryer, so I put a mixture of Mediterranean vegetables into the Tower. These spanned from courgettes to aubergines and peppers, all coated in spices, with a tablespoon of oil. The air fryer basket immediately let some oil, spices, and small pieces fall onto the base of the Tower, which isn't ideal from a cooking or cleaning perspective. However, I pushed on, setting the air fryer to cook the vegetables for ten minutes.
I watched them through the door and, just before the ten minute timer on the Tower ran out, I decided to add another few minutes onto the clock. At thirteen minutes, I could see the edges of the vegetables crisping up, so I opened the drawer and took the vegetables out. They were cooked right through, tender in the middle, and crisp on the outside. It was perfect.
Test 4: bacon
This is the test that we've all been waiting for. Bacon in the air fryer is a game-changer. However, the design of the Tower Xpress doesn't make for the most straightforward process. The bacon can go onto the tray easily and it cooks in fourteen minutes, with lovely crispy edges and juicy meat in the middle. However, the tray let all the oil from my bacon drip onto the bottom of the air fryer. This happens in normal drawers, but it's concealed and easy to keep clean. In this case, the fat was just sitting on the bottom of the air fryer, which isn't very appetising. I'd recommend investing in a tray to collect any bits that might drop through your grate, for the sake of cleanliness if nothing else.
Cleaning
The Tower Xpress accessories are dishwasher safe, but you're better off handwashing them, especially if you want to keep them in good condition. I'd recommend using a gentle washing-up liquid, such as Ecover.
Lots of air fryers are lined with non-stick, so this is comparatively a little trickier to clean on the inside because it's made of stainless steel. Using a damp sponge, I could wipe away all the oil, splashes, and bits of food that had dropped onto the base of the Tower. It's not too much work and it's useful for those who don't like the idea of cooking with non-sticks too.
How does it compare?
If you like the idea of an air fryer that functions like a mini oven, I have a treat for you. The Breville Halo Flexi Air Fryer Oven works as well as the Tower Xpress, but it's much more versatile. You can split the inside of the Breville into two zones, using it with trays or air fryer drawers. You can sync finish two different cooking settings, so that different foods can be cooked perfectly and then served-up at the same time.
If you want to use the whole space inside the air fryer, the middle section of the Halo slides out, creating enough room for baking a cake, cooking a chicken, or for a traybake. Granted, there's less space and less visibility through the door of the Halo compared to the Tower Xpress, but it covers a lot more than the Breville can.
Alternatively, if you wanted something smaller, simpler, and more similar to an air fryer, you'll want to take a look at the Instant 4-in-1. This has just one spacious basket and four pre-sets. The menu is easy to navigate and the basket is much more friendly for oily foods. It's quicker at cooking too. The only downside is that you compromise on capacity with the Instant (and it doesn't class as a non-toxic air fryer, because it uses non-stick materials in the basket).
Should you buy it?
If you want an easy, non-toxic air fryer that can cook food for the whole family, this is perfect for you. It's smart, sleek and versatile without coming with a hefty price tag. You can't really go wrong, unless you want something that can cook with two zones (and one that's easier to clean too).
How we test
As the air fryer expert at Woman & Home, I oversee the testing process for all air fryer reviews. My team and I follow a consistent method to evaluate each model, ensuring you can easily compare different options and find the best fit for any kitchen.
Before I start testing, I do thorough research to stay updated on the latest air fryer releases. If I spot a model that looks promising, I bring it into the Woman & Home test kitchen for a hands-on review. That's when the cooking begins.
I assess each air fryer by cooking a variety of foods, including chips, frozen fish fingers, roasted vegetables, bacon, and sometimes even a whole chicken. These tests help gauge how well the air fryer performs across different tasks. The chips and fish fingers need to cook from frozen until they’re crispy and hot without becoming dry. Bacon should be juicy yet crisp, and vegetables should come out charred and tender.
Once cooking is done, I also evaluate how easy the air fryer is to clean, noting whether it's dishwasher-safe. A model that’s difficult to clean can discourage regular use.
After testing, I compare the air fryer to others on the market, considering its value, who it's best suited for, and any other useful insights. Finally, I give my overall verdict on whether the air fryer is worth purchasing.
If you want to find out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test air fryers.
