Best air fryer in South Africa: Top 10 list with images

Best air fryer in South Africa: Top 10 list with images

We live in an era where most South Africans are too busy with life. As a result, easier and faster cooking methods have been adopted widely, especially the use of air fryers. Not only are these gadgets faster, but they also use less fat or cooking oil, making them a healthier cooking option. Find out the best air fryer in South Africa today.

Ninja Max XL, Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1, and Philips Essential XL air fryers
The Ninja Max XL, Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1, and Philips Essential XL air fryers. Photo: @isabelmtz14, @instantvortexplus, @lemagiedimary (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

There are multiple air fryer brands in the contemporary market. The best air fryer in South Africa is easy to use, durable, affordable, easy to clean and maintain, has a good cooking capacity, saves on energy, and has reasonable additional features. These elements are considered in this list of the top options in present-day South Africa.

Overview of the best air fryers in South Africa

RankingBrand and model
1Ninja Air Fryer Max XL
2Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook
3Dash Compact Air Fryer
4Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1
5Kenwood 11L kHealthy
6Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer 5.8QT
7DNA Smart 5.7L DNASAF01
8Philips Essential XL
9 Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone
10Philips XXL

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Best air fryer in South Africa: top 10 list

Air fryers allow you to enjoy your fried chicken and chips without worrying about consuming excess calories. There is no denying that having one would make a great addition to your kitchen.

When you visit stores, you will be torn for choice because you will find many brands and models in different colours, sizes, shapes, and designs. We are here to make it easier to choose the best.

10. Philips XXL

The Philips XXL airfryer
The Philips XXL airfryer in action. Photo: @willeheikki, @philipsairfryertariflerim (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Philips XXL has a new fat removal technology that extracts and captures fat from food, making it a healthier way to fry for you and your family. You get to enjoy delicious food that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Best for: Small and medium families that love convenience and are health-conscious

Pros

  • Relatively large capacity
  • Cooks fast and evenly
  • No need to preheat

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Cons

  • Takes some time to figure out
  • Quite pricey
  • Challenging to clean

9. Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone

The Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone on a white background
The Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone on a white background. Photo: @instantvortex (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Instant Vortex Plus VersaZone has an 8.5l capacity across two baskets, which are separated by an easily removable divider. The machine can air fry, bake, grill, roast, dehydrate, reheat, SyncCook and SyncFinish.

Best for: Large families

Pros

  • Easy to programme
  • Variety of cooking settings
  • Transparent panels on the drawers

Cons

  • Relatively heavy build
  • Has an initial plastic smell
  • Automatically jumps into cooking mode after preheating

8. Philips Essential XL

The Philips Essential XL air fryer
The Philips Essential XL air fryer on a kitchen countertop. Photo: @lemagiedimary
Source: UGC

This Philips air fryer is a family-friendly machine. When it comes to air fryers, you will always find Philips among the frontrunners. Philips Essential XL has a starfish design at the bottom of the basket to maximise air circulation.

Best for: Large families that love convenience

Pros

  • Reliable and even cooking
  • Generous basket capacity
  • Quality design
  • Designed to circulate air more efficiently

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Cons

  • Presets are not necessary for some users
  • Quite bulky and heavy
  • Unusual and clunky basket design
  • Only has modes that air fry

7. DNA Smart 5.7L DNASAF01

The DNA Smart 5.7L DNASAF01 air fryer
The DNA Smart 5.7L DNASAF01 gadget against a white background. Photo: @the_culinarium, @dnahealthsa (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The DNA Smart 5.7L DNASAF01 comes with 12 different preset functions. You get to choose your preferred time and temperature. You can even operate the gadget from your mobile device.

Best for: Medium families that love convenience

Pros

  • Clear window to monitor your cooking
  • Relatively large capacity
  • Digital touch-sensitive control panel
  • Digital touch-sensitive control panel
  • Easy to program and has high performance

Cons

  • Takes some trial and error to figure it out
  • Easy to burn food

6. Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer 5.8QT

The Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer 5.8QT in pink and black
The Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer 5.8QT in pink and black. Photo: @lecuine.pt, @cosorihrvatska (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer 5.8QT comes with 13 one-touch functions and 100 recipes, so you can enjoy a variety of dishes. It has a large 5.8-quart square basket and is easy to use and clean.

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Best for: Medium families that do not want to do multiple batches of food

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Dishwasher safe
  • NTC sensor automatically adjusts cooking
  • Relatively large capacity
  • Cooks food evenly

Cons

  • External basket screw tends to come loose
  • A bit noisy when cooking or preheating

5. Kenwood 11L kHealthy

The Kenwood 11L kHealthy against a white background
The Kenwood 11L kHealthy against a white background. Photo: @trosheed_homespire, @shopeazy_appliances (modified by author)
Source: UGC

You can use the Kenwood 11L kHealthy for frying, browning, roasting, defrosting, heating, grilling, and drying. It comes with an interior light Rotisserie rotating spit for a whole chicken. It has a 60-minute timer, and its temperature range is 80 to 200 degrees Celsius.

Best for: Medium or large families that do not want to cook in small batches

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Rotisserie function is perfect for a whole chicken or large chunks of meat
  • Transparent door and internal light to monitor your cooking
  • Removable door (easy to clean)
  • Has three grids to cook more dishes at the same time

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Cons

  • Bulky and occupies a lot of space
  • Pricey

4. Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1

The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 air fryer
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 fryer. Photo: @instantvortexplus (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 has a square and upright design with matte-finish sides. You can create healthy versions of your favourite fried foods with this machine. It can roast, air fry, bake, grill, reheat, and dehydrate food. Its capacity is large 5.7l.

Best for: Families with a small or crowded kitchen countertop

Pros

  • Intuitive controls
  • Easy to use digital control panel
  • Machine beeps when it's up to temperature
  • Cooking temperature and time remaining are displayed on the screen
  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • Instruction manual is not prescriptive (box gives better instructions)
  • Food does not always brown evenly
  • The finishing shows fingerprints easily

3. Dash Compact Air Fryer

The Dash Compact Air Fryer in blue and black
The Dash Compact Air Fryer in blue and black. Photo: @dash_electronics (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Dash Compact Air Fryer smaller than most air fryers in the market, so it takes less shelf space. It is quite affordable and has two dials for control, making it pretty easy to use. Its cylindrical shape and glossy finish give it a beautiful appearance.

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Best for: Small households or a couple without kids

Pros

  • Quite affordable
  • Easy to use
  • Baskets are dishwasher safe
  • Compact size
  • Available in a range of colours

Cons

  • Exterior gets hot
  • Small capacity (cannot fit a whole chicken)

2. Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook on a kitchen counter
The Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook on a kitchen counter. Photo: @redline.mu (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook is a revolutionary kitchen gadget. When you look at the current air fryer prices in SA, you will discover that this gadget is on the higher range. Fret not, because it is worth the price.

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook has many useful features. Top of the list is the ClearCook window that allows you to monitor your cooking without opening the basket. This gadget broils, crisps, dehydrates, roasts, reheats and bakes.

Best for: Busy small/ medium families who want meals that do not take long to prepare

Pros

  • Heats evenly and keeps food moist
  • Clear window makes monitoring the food easier
  • Crisper plate and basket are dishwasher safe
  • Intuitive controls
  • Air filter helps contain odours

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Cons

  • Is quite bulky
  • Expensive
  • Crisper plate falls out if basket tipped up too high
  • Takes some experimentation to figure how to use it best

1. Ninja Air Fryer Max XL

The Ninja Air Fryer Max XL on a kitchen countertop
The Ninja Air Fryer Max XL on a kitchen countertop. Photo: @khunthomana, @isabelmtz14 (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Ninja Air Fryer Max XL uses up to 75% less fat than traditional air frying methods. This kitchen gadget heats up to 450 degrees F of air to cook foods up to 30% faster than the Ninja AF100.

The results are hotter and crispier with little to no oil for guilt-free fried foods. Its five cooking modes are air fry, dehydrate, air roast, bake, and reheat.

Best for: This kitchen gadget is best for small/ medium families looking for the ultimate cooking convenience

Pros

  • Powerful and cooks food quickly
  • Cooks food evenly and yields crispy results
  • Straightforward controls
  • Comes with good original recipes

Cons

  • Not readily available in SA stores, but you can import on Amazon
  • Lacks some standard features
  • Not too large, not ideal for large families despite being a Max XL

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Which is the best air fryer in South Africa?

The Ninja Air Fryer Max XL is arguably the best option in SA. Note that you may have to import it because most local stores do not stock it.

Which air fryer is the best?

The best air fryer meets your needs. It is ideal for your family size, is easy to use, and cooks your food well.

Are air fryers losing popularity?

No. On the flip side, their popularity has been booming over the past few years.

Is an air fryer a waste of money?

No, if you crave healthier fried foods or value speed and efficiency in the kitchen, it is a worthy investment.

The best air fryer in South Africa is designed to meet the needs of the present-day person. There are multiple brands to choose from, but those listed above are worth giving priority.

DISCLAIMER: This article is not sponsored by a third party. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied on to make decisions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility.

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Authors:
Cyprine Apindi avatar

Cyprine Apindi (Lifestyle writer) Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and educator with over six years of experience. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She received the 2023 Writer of the Year Award. In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com

Nompumelelo Ngubeni avatar

Nompumelelo Ngubeni (Lifestyle writer) Nompumelelo Ngubeni is an editor of Lifestyle content with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Honours Language Practice from North-West University (2016). She has over 8 years of experience in proofreading, research, subtitling, and editing. Strong media and communication professional. Nompumelelo joined Briefly News in 2022. Email: nompumelelongubeni@ymail.com

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