On trial: Tefal Ingenio Dual Stack Air Fryer

Clever design, crisp results: meet the UK’s first removable front air fryers from Tefal

I am definitely late to the party when it comes to air fryers. In fact, it is possible I am the last person to get one. It’s not for lack of awareness, or trying; I bought one last year, but didn’t bother to unbox it because it was clearly going to take up far too much of my worktop space. I live in a flat in London, where space is at a premium – which is why the Tefal Ingenio Dual Stack Air Fryer caught my eye. It has two drawers but they are stacked, meaning it takes up half the countertop space of similar air fryers. Big capacity but in a clever, compact format? I couldn’t wait to vet it.

I’ve got to start with the clever design. The two stacked drawers – one with a four-litre capacity and one with a six-litre capacity – can handle a lot of food in one go, without taking up my precious countertop space (its footprint takes up 40 per cent less width on the countertop than similar models).

You can cook up to four foods at once, using the six programmed cooking options, and it’s up to two times faster than an oven. But perhaps the coolest feature is the detachable front panel. Need more explanation? This model is the UK’s first air fryer with removable front panels, meaning you can simply click the handled panel on and off – the container can then be used for storage (just put the tupperware lid on), or go straight into the dishwasher. Genius.

As a complete novice, I can say with confidence that yes, it is. The first thing I tackled was hash browns. Start small, I thought. I was able to get them to a perfect level of golden crispiness on the first attempt, thanks to the Even Fry technology. Result!

Having been told air fryers can quite literally cook anything, and as the diligent person I am, I wanted to truly put it through its paces for this review by trying a variety of different dishes in it – from teriyaki salmon to juicy harissa chicken. It cooked everything beautifully, especially the chicken, perfectly crisping and charring the outside, while the inside was succulent and tender.

The dual drawers meant I could also cook accompanying sides, such as chips or vegetables, at different temperatures, with the clever sync option taking the guesswork out of timings to ensure everything is ready at the same time.

The clean-up afterwards was so simple and easy, you just unclip the front handles and the baskets fit neatly into the dishwasher. I also loved how the cooking smells were much more contained within the air fryer – as opposed to frying-pan cooking – so my kitchen felt cleaner, too.

The Tefal Ingenio Dual XXL Air Fryer has two large drawers and an 11-litre capacity. Serving a crowd? Take advantage of the 6.5L drawer for big ingredients, such as a 2kg Sunday roast, and the 4.5L drawer for sides – 1kg of French fries anyone?

The Tefal Ingenio Mega Air Fryer & Tray has a large 7.5-litre capacity packaged in a surprisingly compact design, saving on kitchen countertop space. It serves up to eight people and is perfect for roasting a whole 2kg chicken.

Overall, I would say I am a convert – I’ll confess, I’ve not turned my oven on since I got it. During the working week I really appreciate how quick it is to use, especially if I got in late, as there was no more waiting around for the oven to heat up. Having two drawers of varying sizes, with the option for additional cooking racks, meant I could be much more adventurous, easily tailoring things depending on what I was cooking as well as the quantity I needed.

While I can’t help thinking that no air fryer is ever going to be very aesthetically pleasing, I particularly love that the smaller footprint of the Tefal Ingenio Dual Stack means you can tuck it away out of sight quite easily while still reaping the benefits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★