From confused mid-century bungalow to open-plan Kiwi-style, contemporary home - this stunning home has been completely transformed The exterior stays cool even when it's cooking at 240 degrees. It is on the large side at 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cm, but if you can spare the space, it's a total game-changer. Once considered mostly in terms of getting the best flavour out of 'beige' food, air fryers have exploded in popularity over the last few years as energy costs have risen, and are now viewed by countless households as the better alternative (in terms of cost as well as health) to conventional cooking methods.

Basket style with heating elements: tall, slim air-fryers feature a main unit with heating elements and fans. These have slide-out baskets or trays that slot into place inside. As they tend to have a smaller cooking area than oven-style fryers, in testing we found even results were more likely if the cooking was paused occasionally to rearrange or toss the food around. Some fryers will cut out automatically when you do this, some will need to be paused if you want accurate timings. Another firm favourite brand on the Mumsnet boards, Gourmia is recommended time and time again for its reliable results teamed with a more affordable price tag than the likes of Ninja and Philips. Cook canned potatoes in an air fryer to make these alternative roasties. Though they're not the same as oven-cooked, they do turn golden and crisp

Are air fryers worth it?

Treat yourself to these double chocolate brownies made with dark chocolate and studded with white chocolate chips – they're made in the air-fryer, so they'll save energy extra large capacity with 3 level cooking surfaces allow you to cook an entire meal for the whole family!

There are a number of different types of air fryers on the market, which tend to vary in terms of capacity, number of programmes and method of cooking.While it's fairly large and will take up quite a bit of space on your countertops, it feels robust and good quality. It also comes with 3.8L cooking pot, crisper basket and a grill plate as well as its own cleaning brush. Several parts are dishwasher-safe too. The bigger the basket capacity, the more people you’ll be able to cook for. So if you’ve got a family, then a 5 litre machine (which usually provides a chip capacity of around 800g to 1kg) is probably a must. Use your air fryer to whip up crispy chilli beef for dinner. It takes just 30 minutes to make – perfect for a crowdpleasing midweek meal Overall though it performs well and is easy to use, the decision comes down to price versus size and which is most important to you. Though it comes with a significant price tag, you'd be hard pressed to find a Mumsnet air fryer thread which doesn't mention the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer. The best air fryer for versatility on our list, it makes cooking for a range of dietary requirements a doddle with its two separate cooking zones. These can be used simultaneously on different modes to help prepare your family’s meals of choice.