About Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customers Air Fryers Award
Canstar's Most Satisfied Customers Air Fryers Award reveals the air fryer brand that delivers the best consumer satisfaction to its customers.
We ask Kiwi air fryer owners to rate their satisfaction with their choice of air fryer brand by Overall Satisfaction, as well as important criteria such as Cooking Performance, Features & Functions and Value for Money.
Numbers crunched by Canstar’s researchers:
- 1326 Customers Surveyed
- 18 Brands Assessed
- 11 Brands Shortlisted
- 1 Award Winner
The best air fryer brands in NZ
The brands rated are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
1. NutriBullet
A first-time winner of our award, NutriBullet earns a perfect set of 5-Star ratings across all our award categories.
From such an amazing set of top consumer ratings, it's clear that NutriBullet's air fryers deliver outstanding value and user satisfaction, as well as perfectly cooked food!
A household name in the world of blenders, NutriBullet retails three top-quality air fryers:
- NutriBullet Twin Drawer (2x4L) Air Fryer (approx $400)
- NutriBullet CrispLite Vision 8L Air Fryer (approx $350)
- NutriBullet CrispLite 6L Air Fryer (approx $280)
2. Ninja
Ninja was founded in 2009 by SharkNinja USA. SharkNinja has carved out a significant market share in the housewares industry by offering highly functional, innovative products. Its products include cutting-edge, market-leading nutrient extraction blenders and high-quality cooking appliances.
Its range of air fryers covers single, double and FlexDoor models, ranging in price from around $200 to $600.
3. Brabantia
Founded in 1919, Brabantia is a four-generation family company, which has grown from producing milk cans and jugs to a wide range of home appliances. Brabantia's range can be found at Briscoes and includes a small a 5L unit ($379), two larger models – a double-draw 9L and a single drawer 10L fryer, each $550– and a 23L air fryer oven ($500).
4. Russell Hobbs
Founded in England in 1952, Russell Hobbs offers a range of kitchen staples, including kettles and toasters, alongside other household appliances. The brand has six air fryers in its range. There are single- and dual drawer models, the smallest model is 4.3L and the largest fryer is 9L, and cost between $300-$400.
5. Anko (Kmart)
Anko is Kmart's house brand of affordable products and appliances. Its air fryer range includes seven models, ranging from a mini 1.2L model ($45) to a large 24L oven-air fryer ($155).
6. Philips
Philips retails a selection of ten air fryers, all featuring stylish designs and a wealth of functions and features. Models include smaller 4.2L models and a large, stacked model that feature two 5L baskets.
7. Kogan
Aussie brand and online retailer Kogan sells a range of five air fryers. There are two conventional fryers, 10L and 11L, and three large oven-air fryers, in 18L, 25L and 30L capacities.
8. Sunbeam
Sunbeam retails nine air fryers, including one with steam, and five oven-air fryers.
9. Living & Co
Distributed by The Warehouse, Living & Co offers a range of affordable appliances and homewares. The range includes seven air fryers, from a 2.5L model ($49) to a 10L twin-basket stacked fryer ($125), and a 23L oven-air fryer ($155).
10. Breville
Founded in Sydney in 1932, Breville is a global brand. In NZ, it retails three air fryers, alongside three oven-air fryers. Prices range from around $250 to $1000.
11. De'Longhi
De'Longhi's IdealFry air fryer range encompasses just two models: the Low-oil Fryer IdealFry and the IdealFry Digital, which features digital controls.
Choosing the right air fryer for you
Air fryer needs vary from person to person, depending on household and kitchen size and the food being cooked. But whether you're a family of six or a single living in a studio apartment, one thing is paramount: cooking performance.
In our award survey, this year Cooking Performance just pips Value for Money as the No.1 concern for air fryer buyers.
It's interesting to see that Design is ranked almost as important as Value for Money by the consumers in our survey, which is a reflection of all the time an air fryer spends sitting on a kitchen benchtop.
Here's the full rundown of what the consumers in our survey say are the main things they consider when rating their air fryer picks:
- Cooking Performance: 23%
- Value for Money: 19%
- Design: 18%
- Ease of Use: 15%
- Ease of Cleaning: 12%
- Functions & Features: 13%
What are the best foods you can cook in an air fryer?
Frozen foods
Whether you're serving up tasty appetizers to party guests, cooking a side of fries to accompany a homemade meal or craving a late-night bar snack, air fryers are the perfect option for cooking any frozen food that you would usually put in an oven. The circulation of hot air in the unit will help you achieve your desired crispiness and flavour, using little to no added fat. Plus, it's an easy clean-up job afterwards. What's not to love?
Cooking times may vary depending on the frozen food, but most will be ready in about 10 minutes. With appropriate pre-heating, some frozen snacks can take as little as six minutes to cook, which cuts the oven time by half!
Baked goods & pastries
Contrary to popular belief, air fryers aren't just for savoury foods. Prepare to have your mind blown − an air fryer can bake cupcakes, cookies, brownies, lava cakes, cheesecakes, doughnuts and many more indulgent desserts! As an air fryer does not have the same capacity as a traditional oven, preparing certain baked goods may require you to cook in multiple batches. Just make sure you follow an air fryer-specific recipe, and get a fryer that comes with a baking dish to avoid a kitchen nightmare.
Raw meats & proteins
Air fryers that come with accessories such as a grill pan or baking cage allow you to cook certain meats and proteins. Air frying raw meats and proteins can take around 10 minutes, depending on their thickness and how well done you want your roast pork, steak or fish. Bacon, sausages, and eggs (hard-boiled or fried), similarly, take about eight to 10 minutes, meaning you can have a stress-free full English breakfast to start your day.
Cooking raw chicken in your air fryer is claimed to produce much juicier results than either an oven or a cooktop, and in just 15 minutes. However, it's best to avoid entire roasts or whole chickens. Other than the obvious question of whether an entire roast will fit in your machine, a whole chicken may not cook evenly, leaving you with a half-cooked bird.
Vegetables
The air fryer is a champ when it comes to making veggie-based dishes and sides with a crisp texture. You can roast certain types of vegetables in the machine if they are the kind you can grill or fry. Common veggies like potato, tomato, capsicum and cauliflower can be grilled in the machine, along with peppers, corn, zucchini, brussels sprouts and asparagus.
Reheated food
How many times have you reheated last night's leftovers in the microwave or oven, only to be greeted with food that's soggy, overcooked, tough or not at all crispy? For many foods, the re-heating process can be just as time-consuming as the original cooking method, and often nowhere near as good. The air fryer can make certain leftover foods palatable in a matter of minutes, saving them from going to waste. Leftover pizza, potato gems, French fries, fried chicken and steak all (arguably) cook and taste better reheated in an air fryer!
What foods can't you cook in an air fryer?
Battered or liquid-coated foods
You'll definitely want to avoid putting foods with wet batters (frozen is fine) in your air fryer if you don't want to make a mess of your machine. For example, tempura seafood and corndogs are a big no, as the batter will likely drip off the food and stick to the bottom of your air fryer.
Certain vegetables or greens
As mentioned above, air fryers are great for the types of veggies you would usually roast or fry. In addition to frozen savoury foods, an air fryer can turn frozen veggies into a delicious side dish. However, if they're greens you'd rather have steamed (such as beans) then the air fryer isn't the appliance for the job.
Rice and pasta
The primary purpose of an air fryer is frying, so foods that are typically boiled or need to absorb lots of liquid – like rice and pasta – are unsuitable to place in an air fryer. It's best to stick to the traditional method of boiling water or buying a rice cooker. Alternatively, you can opt for a multi-cooker with both air frying and rice cooking functionalities.
Fresh cheese
If you're thinking of using your air fryer to bake something with fresh cheese as a topping, or by itself, we recommend otherwise. Unless you start with something frozen with an outer crust (like mozzarella sticks), putting fresh cheese in your air fryer may cause a mess that you won't want to be scraping and scrubbing off your machine later.
How to clean an air fryer
How often should you clean your air fryer?
You should give your air fryer a wipe-over after every single use, and give it a more thorough clean which involves soaking and scrubbing the cooking basket, pan and trays every week or so.
What parts of an air fry need to be cleaned?
The removable parts, which include the air frying basket (or rack), any mesh grills, and the tray, should be cleaned in hot soapy water or in a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This can be done either in the dishwasher (depending on your air fryer model) or in the kitchen sink.
How to clean an air fryer
- Read your machine-specific instructions manual to see how the manufacturers recommend cleaning it.
- Ensure your appliance is unplugged and completely cool before cleaning.
- Remove the basket and tray and either put them in the dishwasher or handwash with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge.
- Wipe the outside of the appliance with a soft cloth.
- Check the fans and heating element for any remaining food particles and give a wipe-over with a soft cloth.
- Ensure everything is completely dry before reassembling your air fryer.
5 reasons why you should buy an air fryer
There are benefits to buying an air fryer, whether for convenience or to reduce the amount of oil in your cooking. Here are a few advantages that might make an air fryer worth purchasing:
- Can save you time and energy
- Easy to use and clean
- Versatile enough to cook all types of foods
- Provides a healthier alternative to traditional frying
- Compact and easy to store away
1. Saves time and energy
It's no secret that an air fryer can cook food in record time. But something you may not know about this miracle worker is that it can be energy-efficient as well. Due to its compact size, it typically doesn't require as much power to run as an oven.
2. Easy to use and clean
Most units are designed to be very user-friendly and easy to operate – just place your food in the basket, set the temperature and time, and walk away (with the occasional check-up, of course). A typical air fryer doesn't have dozens of cooking options, just simple controls that are basic and easy to understand.
Because air fryers don't use much oil, they're also typically very easy to clean.
3. Versatility
If you want a machine that will do more than just fry food, then an air fryer is the appliance for you. An air fryer will cook your favourite frozen snacks, roast meat and veggies, reheat last night's dinner and bake some pretty cool desserts.
4. Healthier alternative
A little bit goes a long way when it comes to using oil in your air fryer, meaning you can easily reduce levels of fat in your meal while ensuring food comes out tender inside and crispy on the outside. Unlike a traditional oven, speedy air-frying cooking times are said to ensure excess oil doesn't soak into your food.
5. Compactness
Typical air fryers are small and usually no larger than a coffee machine. Some small-scale and super compact units are perfect for households with limited benchtop space, like dorm rooms, apartments and kitchenettes. Essentially, an air fryer can replace an oven when you find yourself in a situation that lacks one! You can also buy an air fryer for under $100, which is not too shabby for such a versatile gadget.
