Zwilling air fryer review

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How easy is the Zwilling air fryer to use?

The controls are relatively intuitive, apart from some initial confusion. There's a menu of functions across the top of the air fryer that look like they could be buttons, but they're just for show. Instead, navigating the settings is done by pressing the three dots on the left-hand side – this allows you to flick between each option. We also found we had to press the controls quite firmly to get them to respond.

The air fryer can reach a maximum of 200C and the timer goes up to 30 minutes, which is about all you would need for most dishes – though other models can reach higher temperatures. During use, the body of the gadget is warm but safe to touch, and the air fryer doesn't start working until the basket is locked in.

That said, it doesn't feel particularly solid on the counter, and we were surprised by how easily it slides across the worktop when pushed. Its lightweight build may be the cause, but it's worth considering if you have little ones in the kitchen.

This model also heats up quickly, and has a powerful fan that gets to work from the moment you switch it on.

Cooking results

We used the chips preset for our thick-cut chips and had mixed results: the texture and seal were good, but the colour was pale and a little patchy. Five to 10 minutes longer than that the preset suggests may have helped us achieve better crispness – or it could be worth cutting the chips more thinly.

Our air-fried chicken breast was better, with even browning and succulent meat – for this, we used the poultry function. We then used the fish setting for our salmon fillets, which had a good even colour but the texture was a bit dry.

We also air-fried slices of aubergine, which turned out crisp and evenly cooked. Our halloumi also crisped up quickly but lacked stretchiness – less time in the air fryer would help us to achieve a better texture. As this model doesn't have a manual function, for these ingredients we used the chips preset (set to 200C) and reduced the time to 10 minutes.

How sustainable is the Zwilling air fryer?

We found some non-recyclable packaging when unboxing this model, but not an excessive amount: there was plastic wrap around the air fryer and its cord, but otherwise cardboard moulds had been used around the body to keep it secure in transit.

The air fryer comes with a two-year warranty, and there aren't currently any spare parts available to buy on the Zwilling website.

It's also more expensive to run than other models – 4.22p based on a standard tariff of 31.8p/kWh – which is surprising given its compact size.

Conclusion

If you own a small, modern kitchen, this gadget will slot in seamlessly – and its small footprint and sleek design are selling points. It also produced a decent batch of chips that were well sealed and flavoursome, if a little uneven.

The fact it slides around on the counter so easily could be a concern, particularly if you have young children. It's more expensive to run than other models we've tested, too, and the lack of cooking charts in the manual could be a frustration.

That said, it performed well in certain areas and would be a solid choice of air fryer for a single household or couple.

Zwilling air fryer specifications

Food capacity: 4 litres
Wattage: 1400W
Dimensions: 34.7 x 29.1 x 30cm
Guarantee: 2 years
Presets: 6
Made in: China

All costs-to-run calculations were done against the variable tariff at the time of testing (31.8p/kWh), which may have since changed – read more on the current energy price guarantee rates.