Do you need an air fryer in your life?

SINGAPORE – From breakfast frittatas to single-serving brownies, one cannot browse social media without being hit on the head with yet another air fryer recipe.

Since the first commercial air fryer was launched in 2010, the appliance has quickly made its way into millions of kitchens around the world. And depending on who you ask, it is either collecting dust in a high cupboard or has pride of place as the most important appliance. 

But what exactly is an air fryer?

A spokesperson for American consumer tech company SharkNinja, which makes several different versions of the appliance, tells The Straits Times: “An air fryer works like an oven. Food is placed in a perforated basket, and powerful fans circulate hot air rapidly around it. This surrounds the food in heat, creating a crisp outer layer while keeping the inside tender, without the need for large amounts of oil.”

Air fryers are much smaller than built-in ovens, which means they also heat up much faster. And, unlike toaster ovens, the air movement within an air fryer allows for a crispier result for food items like frozen fries and vegetables. 

An efficient air fryer can even replace a toaster, toaster oven and built-in oven, and thereby reduce the need for multiple kitchen appliances. 

There are caveats to this. For instance, a built-in oven remains the most reliable option for full-sized cakes, baguettes and large platters of cookies.

There is one group of people who will find little use for an air fryer: people who primarily cook Asian cuisine. 

“Air fryers are best for dry-heat cooking, so they are not suitable for dishes that require boiling or simmering in liquid, such as soups, stews and curries. And they cannot replicate the intense contact sear of a hot pan or the smoky flavour of wok frying,” says the SharkNinja spokesperson. 

And while an air fryer can double as an alternative to deep-frying in some scenarios, it cannot be used with loose, wet batters, such as those used to make goreng pisang (deep-fried battered banana).

Chef and culinary consultant Lai Lishen, 39, is using the 5.2-litre Ninja Air Fryer Max, which he acquired 2½ years ago. He uses his device five out of seven days of the week to toast bread, cook raw meat and vegetables, and reheat food.

“I was drawn to this model due to the Max Crisp function that pushes the temperature up to 240 deg C, which makes it great for browning stuff – or, as we say in chef speak – the delectable Maillard reaction. It’s also versatile enough to crisp but not burn more sensitive foods like croissants,” says Mr Lai.

Different air fryers for different folks

For many years, air fryers followed a standard template of being a cuboid device, often coloured in black and made of food-grade plastics and non-stick coated aluminium. 

In recent times, however, new formats have landed in the market. The Straits Times picks the best for different needs.

Best for families: Dual/stacked baskets

Dual-basket or stacked-basket air fryers allow cooks to prepare different dishes at different timings and temperatures.

Products on the market include the Philips 1000 Series 7.1L Dual Basket Airfryer ($239). This comes with a detachable divider, which allows users to choose between using two small baskets for two dishes and removing the divider to prepare one larger dish. 

There is also the Ninja DoubleStack ($349), which features vertically stacked baskets. It contains a built-in temperature probe that is useful for cooking proteins such as chicken and red meat.

Mrs Patricia Tan, 42, switched to a dual-basket air fryer in 2025. “With a regular oven, I usually have to keep checking timings, adjust trays midway or cook items separately. Being able to cook different components of a meal at the same time – and have them finish together – means everything can be eaten hot without juggling timings,” says the editor.

Best for those who want a traditional look: Toaster and mini-oven hybrids

For those who want the look and shape of an oven, with an added air fryer feature, Cornell has a 16-litre Air Fryer Oven ($79.90) that is a premium full-sized toaster oven with a built-in air fryer. 

Best for those who want easy cleaning: Glass air fryer

The glass air fryer has become popular as an alternative for those who want to avoid appliances with PFAS/PTFE coatings, which are otherwise used in traditional non-stick cookware. 

With these glass models, users can visually monitor their food throughout the cooking process through the transparent glass bowl. 

Cleaning is also much easier because there are no hidden corners and glass is often dishwasher-safe. Additionally, while many non-stick air fryer pans have the perforations built into the basket, glass models usually come with a stainless-steel rack that is easily removed and washed. 

Simplus, PowerPac and Mayer sell glass air fryer models, with prices ranging from $58.90 to $199. 

Best for small households: Modular air-fryer

The modular air fryer is the newest kid on the block – Ninja’s innovative Crispi device launched in the US in 2024.

Available in Singapore from Feb 3 for $299, the Crispi features a Do-It-All-In-One glass container system with a 3.8-litre glass bowl, a 1.4-litre glass bowl and a removable heating element known as the PowerPod. The PowerPod can be paired with either bowl, but not both at the same time. Just pop it on when you want to air-fry your food.

Each bowl comes with a lid, so you can even prepare your food in advance and simply pop the PowerPod on when needed. 

However, any food preppers who store their Crispi bowls in the fridge should allow the glass bowl to warm up to room temperature before air-frying. This is to avoid rapid temperature changes within the glass bowl. 

The PowerPod has built-in “feet” to prevent the element from coming into direct contact with any counter surface. Nevertheless, if you are paranoid about damaging your countertops, you can place the heating element on top of a silicone or wood coaster when taking it off the glass container.

The device’s compact and modular design makes it an attractive option for small kitchens.

“It is also small enough to be used beyond the traditional kitchen – such as in offices, hostels or shared living spaces,” says the SharkNinja spokesperson. 

There is also a Singapore-based brand, Durra, that is selling a similar device known as the CrispGo ($285). 

Durra works with an overseas manufacturing partner. A company spokesperson tells ST it decided to enter the market because “the modular air fryer format offers flexibility and convenience, but the category itself was still very limited. When we evaluated what was available, we felt there was room for more choice”.

There are minor differences between the two products: The Ninja Crispi is 1,700W, while the Durra CrispGo is 1,500W. The Crispi’s glass bowls are 3.8 litres and 1.4 litres, while the CrispGo’s bowls are 4 litres and 1.5 litres.

The former has an additional “keep warm” function, while the latter’s bowls have detachable bases that make it easier to clean and store. Additionally, the CrispGo comes with a silicone pad to rest the heating element on when you are detaching it from the glass bowl.