Lara explained: "Air fryers have come a long way over the years and they’re not just for chips: you can bake, roast and even dehydrate ingredients too, depending on the model."

It looks great too, and is going to be one that’s staying on our kitchen worktop until Alexa tells us it’s time to go on a diet. Basic models will air fry, but some will use different elements and heated trays to bake, grill or even toast. We had a bake-off afternoon, using the Proscenic to whip up a superb apple pie (we used an enamel pie dish sitting in the basket) and a savoury quiche. No soggy bottoms in sight, as the heat was evenly distributed.For big families, the Tefal ActiFry Genius XL only needs one spoon of oil. Its extra-large, 1.7-litre fryer cooks family meals like curries or tajines. Its touch-screen interface makes everything simple and comes with lots of different meal ideas. There's also a delayed start function so it'll have food ready in time for when you get home. And it'll keep meals warm until you're ready to eat. The actual drawer space in this compact model could handle four sausages or enough fries for two side portions, so we’d say it’s ideal for singletons or couples with smaller appetites. It's true; airfryers really do change the whole cooking game. This Breville offering is unbelievably straight forward to use, with predetermined categories handily represented by diagrams that include chips, poultry, vegetables, red meat and fish which are pre-set to the exact time and temperature each one needs. It's an easy one to get around, however: as presets have a shake reminder, we just selected one and manually adjusted the time and temperature from there. Sorted! verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

Air fryers are best for things you want crisp up, and while you can't use them for batter, there are plenty of other uses. If you want to cook whole pizzas, an air fryer with a pull-out basket may only be able to handle one or two individual slices, so you may be better off with a wider, oven-style version. What can you cook in an air fryer? Essentially, the electrical gadget circulates superheated air around your food to cook it, says Lara.

Best small air fryer: Magic Bullet air fryer

Pros: Alexa compatible, has recipes to choose from, large capacity, keep warm function, great design With a bit of jiggling, we ended up with a lovely moist Sunday roast — cooked thoroughly and with crispy skin. Its aluminium and Teflon basket was good quality and generous in size, with enough room to cook for the whole family. Adjusting the temperature and timer manually is just as straight forward, with clear plus and minus signs that you simply tap to change. The Vortex Plus is a great deluxe choice for fussy families as it allows you to cook two dishes simultaneously.