6 best family-sized air fryers to cook for large meals in 2023
Shoppers say their only regret was not buying this 3-in-1 air fryer years ago, plus what to look for when buying an air fryer for the whole family.
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Air fryers have given a whole new meaning to ‘fast food’, slicing a chunk off cooking time – and not to mention oil and grease on your favourite fried drive-through treats.
But the best part? Air fryers are the perfect kitchen appliance for any size household, even large families with the pickiest eaters.
Just ask our resident Food Expert Kim Coverdale, former Food Director of Australia’s top food site Taste.com.au.
“Air fryers are quicker to cook than your standard oven which means you can have juicy pork belly with the crispiest crackling in no time. From roast chicken, pasta bakes and pies to cakes, brownies and pavlova – basically anything you can cook in an oven can be cooked in an air fryer,” she told news.com.au checkout.
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When finding an air fryer for your family, Kim’s hot tip is to avoid simply steering towards the largest option because it might not actually offer as much space as you might think.
“Keep in mind that sometimes bigger just means a deeper basket, so this will only come in handy for foods that need the depth such as a whole chicken or items that can be stacked for cooking and not kept in a single layer,” she explained.
“There are two types of air fryers available on the market. A deep fryer basket-style air fryer and a benchtop oven-style of air fryer, with the first being the most popular choice for consumers. If you need something with a large cooking space, I’d suggest going with the air fryer oven.
“Air fryers can range from around 3L up to 10L (along with dual basket options). Just heating up chips for the kids? No problem. Choose any of the air fryers available. But if you’re wanting to cook a meal for around four to six people, opt for one of the larger air fryers on the market.”
To help you out, we’ve rounded up the very best airfryers for families, including the 3-in-1 Tefal Easy Fry Grill and Steam, which has been dubbed “the best kitchen appliance ever”. The “so easy to use” appliance is also currently $150.95 off — score!
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OUR TOP PICKS
In this article
- How is cooking with an air fryer different from traditional frying?
- Do I need to preheat the air fryer before cooking?
EDITOR’S PICK: BEST AIR FRYERS FOR FAMILIES
Tefal Easy Fry Grill and Steam XXL FW2018, $399 (down from $549.95), Amazon Australia
Tefal Easy Fry Grill and Steam XXL FW2018
What You Need to Know
Craving more healthy cooking methods? Dubbed “the best kitchen appliance” by one shopper”, this 6.5L three-in-one Tefal unit lets you steam as well as air fry and grill delicious meals. It also has seven automatic cooking settings for quick and easy cooking. And for those who love steamed fish and veggies, this Tefal air fryer has a 1.1L water tank and a timer that can be adjusted up to 85 minutes so there’s plenty to work with.
“Love it! Been using it almost every night now instead of my gas oven,” a happy shopper posted.
“It cooks everything in a small percentage of the time my oven used to take! Wish I’d bought one years ago. Love the steamer function that many other air fryers do not have.”
“Exactly what we wanted. (G)reat for our large family meals! Cooks well and the food is always delicious,” agreed another.
“Best pork crackling I have ever tasted,” a third reviewer added.
Baccarat The Healthy Fry 9L Air Fryer, $179.99 (down from $359.99), House
Baccarat The Healthy Fry 9L Air Fryer
What You Need To Know
It’s not a family size air fryer unless it can fit a whole roast chook. Thankfully, Baccarat’s The Healthy Fry Air Fryer can do exactly that. This large capacity 9L offers 10 pre-programmed settings so you can easily fry, bake and roast all your favourite meals faster and with less oil.
You can also expect up to 1800W of cooking power, along with a non-stick drawer, removable non-stick frying tray and non-slip base.
“Such a great little kitchen necessity! Food comes out golden crispy and the fat is left in the bottom of the pan. (S)uch easy clean up and very easy to use, would definitely recommend,” praised a shopper.
“We love this air fryer. (A)fter being quite sceptical of these, we experienced some amazing fries at a friend’s place and that was all it took,” agreed another.
“Since receiving ours we have had the BEST chicken schnitzels and even the steak turns out perfect. This model isn’t offensive sitting up on your kitchen bench either... classy looking and not too big.”
Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer BOV860BSS4JAN1, $499 (down from $629), Amazon Australia
Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer BOV860BSS4JAN1
What You Need To Know
For a large family size air fryer, Kim recommends opting for an air fryer oven since they offer much more space than a regular basket model. Breville’s the Smart Oven is a classic when it comes to air fryer ovens, offering a 22L capacity and a whopping 2400W of cooking power. You can expect 10 heat settings and a 10 versatile cooking modes such as air fry, slow cook, bake, roast, crumpet and pizza. This model also uses an Element IQ system, which apparently uses sensors to get rid of cold spots and ensure even cooking.
If you’re curious about how much it fits, there’s enough space for a 30cm pizza pan, whole chicken, nine-cup muffin tray or up to six slices of toast.
This air fryer oven is available in different colours, including brushed stainless steel, sea salt, black truffle and black stainless steel.
BEST DOUBLE-DRAWER, DUAL AIR FRYER FOR FAMILIES
Instant Vortex ClearCook Dual Air Fryer, $369 (down from $429), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
The hugely popular Instant Brands range strikes gold once again with the Instant Vortex ClearCook Dual Air Fryer. Boasting two baskets and a total 8L capacity, this unit is ideal for whipping up two small dishes at the same time. For convenience, you can use SyncFinish to ensure the baskets finish cooking at the same time (despite using different settings and programs).
Otherwise, you can set the air fryer to SyncCook which automatically matches the programs and settings for both baskets. This is perfect for when you’re cooking similar items or just want an extra large batch of the same food.
This Instant air fryer also comes with a wider adjustable temperature range than many other models, plus touchscreen controls with step-by-step instructions.
BEST PHILIPS FAMILY AIR FRYER
Philips 5000 Series XXL Connected Air Fryer HD9285/90, $379 (down from $449), The Good Guys
Philips 5000 Series XXL Connected Air Fryer HD9285/90
Tried and Tested by Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito, Shopping Writer
I absolutely love this Philips air fryer and highly recommend checking it out. It’s basically replaced every other appliance in the kitchen. I find myself using the air fryer most days to make lunch and dinner, and have ditched the oven when making treats like cookies, shortbread and even cake. It’s simple to use and just as easy to clean. Plus, there’s not much of a learning curve required because the programs are mostly straight forward.
The Philips 500 Series XXL Connected Air Fryer packs a 7.2L capacity (which is equivalent to a 1.4kg bag of frozen chips). It’s loaded with 16 cooking programs, such as one-pot cooking, stir fry, stew, ferment, roast and air fryer.
Find the review here, along with our other top-rated air fryer picks.
*Product was loaned by Philips for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
BEST TEFAL FAMILY AIR FRYER
Tefal Easy Fry & Grill XXL FlexCook Air Fryer EY801D, $299 (down from $499), Myer
Tefal Easy Fry & Grill XXL FlexCook Air Fryer EY801D
What You Need to Know
For those wanting an upsized version of the popular 4.2L Tefal Easy Fry & Grill Deluxe Air Fryer, then take a look at Tefal’s Easy Fry & Grill XXL FlexCook Air Fryer. This 6.5L capacity model dishes up to eight serves and packs a die cast aluminium grill with non-stick coating and grill holes to drain fat and minimal to no smoke.
Reviewers “love” how “super convenient” this Tefal air fryer is, with the divider being a particularly handy accessory. Shoppers also say it’s easy to clean, adding extra brownie points.
“Love my Tefal Easy Fry and Grill as (it’s the) perfect size to fit on a kitchen bench. Similar products are too big and bulky. (T)he basket size is perfect for our family and love that can make it a single drawer or use the divider and have two compartments,” praised one a customer on The Good Guys website.
“Took some years to make the final decision to purchase an air fryer. (S)o glad I waited and got the best one.”
“The Tefal Easy fry and grill has replaced about 5 of my appliances. I use this nearly every single night for dinners,” one commented.
HOW IS COOKING WITH AN AIR FRYER DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL FRYING?
Air fryers are designed to require little to no oil, which is why they’re often seen as a healthier cooking method.
“Traditional deep frying involves plunging food into a pot of hot oil to cook through and crisp the outside. The air fryer circulates hot air around the food in the basket which is sprayed lightly with oil,” Kim said.
“Frying in an air fryer can reduce the fat used in frying up to 80 per cent and can cook faster than in an oven.”
DO I NEED TO PREHEAT THE AIR FRYER BEFORE COOKING?
Kim says food typically cooks faster in an air fryer so there’s usually no need to preheat the appliance, unlike deep fryers and ovens.
In fact, not preheating the air fryer is “better” for certain foods like pastries because “it gives the food time to cook through before becoming crisp and golden on the outside and avoids you burning the food”.
“You may find the odd recipe which requires the air fryer to be preheated but in most cases this is not needed.
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Kim Coverdale, news.com.au Checkout Food Expert
With more than 25 years of experience in the food publishing industry, Kim certainly knows her gadgets. Aside from taste.com.au, she’s also written content and developed drool-worthy recipes for major foodie titles including Delicious, Best Recipes and Better Homes and Garden.
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