There's no denying that cooking meals with an air fryer has become the norm with how cost effective and time saving they are, so if you're looking for the best air fryer for a large family, you've come to the right place.
Standard air fryers might not be big enough if there are four or more of you in your house, so choosing a dual air fryer or large air fryer is the best way to ensure you have enough space for cooking big portioned, family meals.
Best air fryer at a glance:
• Best overall air fryer for large family: Ninja 7.6L Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer and Dehydrator - buy here on Argos.
• Best digital display air fryer for large family: INNOTECK Kitchen Pro Dual Digital Air Fryer - buy here on Currys.
• Best flex drawer air fryer for large family: Ninja Food FlexDrawer Air Fryer - buy here on Amazon.
What is an air fryer?
Becoming a popular kitchen appliance, an air fryer is used to cook foods such as meat, vegetables and other food products, by circulating hot air around the food.
It requires minimal oils or fat to help cook the food, and gives a crunchy exterior. It's a convenient way of cooking food, without hovering over a pan and next to the oven. It's also safer for when cooking around children.
Best overall air fryer for large family
www.argos.co.uk
The Ninja 7.6L Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer and Dehydrator has six different cooking settings which can be adjusted with time cooking and how hot you would like it to be cooked at. There's a sync and match option too, which can sync the drawers to cook at different times.
One review said: "I love this air fryer and the kids do too as it's so simple and easy to use. Wish I bought it earlier!" Another said: "I’m really pleased with this purchase. I use it nearly every day and have had mostly great meals. Any mistakes have been mine. I’ve made cooked meals, meals with chips and even lasagne. Can definitely recommend it."
Pros
- 6 pre set programmes
- Two cooking compartments
- Can make up to 6 or more portions
- Safety cut out
Cons
- Some mentioned that it does take a bit of getting used to
| Capacity: | 7.6L |
| Colour: | Black and silver |
| Weight: | 8.2kg |
| Cooking functions: | 6 |
| Watts: | 2400 |
| Variable temperature: | 40 to 240 degrees |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 31.5 x 38 x 26.5cm |
- 2 x 3.8L non-stick drawers
- 2 x non-stick crisper plates
- 1 x recipe guide
- Digital timer
- 6 x program settings
Best air fryer for large family with large portion servings
With ten different pre-set cooking functions, the LLIVEKITDigital Dual Zone Oil Free Air Fryer cooks with 80 per cent less fat, making meals healthier. It has two, 4.5 litre drawers that also have viewing windows that allow you to see your food while it's being cooked. It also has two anti-scaled handles, making it safer to cook.
One review said: "Love this item found great that I can see my food cooking and is quicker to air fry small amounts of food for children. Food is crispy and cooks perfect."
Pros
- 6 to 8 servings
- Viewing windows
- Anti-scald handles
Cons
- When using duel cook, one drawer open stops the other timer
| Capacity: | 9L |
| Colour: | Black |
| Weight: | 8.5kg |
| Cooking functions: | 10 |
| Watts: | 2400 |
| Variable temperature: | 50 to 200 degrees |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 36.1 x 40 x 32cm |
- 2 x draws with viewing window
- 2 x 4.5L drawers
- 2 x anti-scald handles
- Non stick coating
- LED touch screen
Best digital display air fryer for large family
www.currys.co.uk
Needing little to no oil to cook, the INNOTECK Kitchen Pro Dual Digital Air Fryer has seven different pre-set settings that make cooking a whole lot easier. The digital display is also touch screen, and uses high speed air circulation to cook food. You can air fry, roast, bake, broil, reheat and even dehydrate!
One customer wrote: "It's really easy to operate and the pre programmed selections (meat, pizza etc) make it even easier to use." Another review said: "Absolutely fantastic product. Fast, efficient and no mess."
Pros
- Lots of safety features including auto-shut off
- Digital display and touch screen
- Requires little to no oil
Cons
- It might be heavy if you need to move it
| Capacity: | 8L |
| Colour: | Black |
| Weight: | 11kg |
| Cooking functions: | 7 |
| Watts: | 1700 |
| Variable temperature: | N/A |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 36.5 x 45.6 x 43cm |
- 2 x baskets
- 7 x pre-set functions
- Sensor touch control panel
- Shake reminder
- Overheating protection
- Auto shut off timer
Best 2-in-1 air fryer for large family
The Duronic Air Fryer comes with two, five litre twin drawers and a single ten litre drawer, so you can cook bigger portions if needed. It's a user friendly air fryer that has ten pre sets and the ability to customise the way you are cooking. It also has lamps and transparent windows, so you can see how your food is cooking.
One review said: "This is a fantastic air fryer – for the money it’s easily the best I’ve ever used. I’ve had mine for 6 months now and used it almost daily with zero issues. It’s certainly the most useful kitchen appliance I’ve ever bought!"
Pros
- Extra large capacity
- Twin or single drawer option
- 10 pre set cooking options
Cons
- Some mentioned the touch screen can be a bit unresponsive if not pressed hard enough
| Capacity: | 10L |
| Colour: | Black |
| Weight: | 12.2kg |
| Cooking functions: | 10 |
| Watts: | 2400 |
| Variable temperature: | 50 to 200 degrees |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | N/A |
| Dimensions: | 37.7 x 39 x 32.5cm |
- Non-stick coating
- 2 x 5L drawers
- 1 x 10L drawer
- Option to sync cook
- 10 x cooking functions
- Extra large capacity
Best air fryer for large family with child safety lock system
The Daewoo Digital Air Fryer has a child safety lock system, meaning you can cook knowing your child won't be able to get into the air fryer. It also has an auto shut off, so when the food is finished cooking the air fryer turns itself off. The Daewoo Air Fryer also has ten different coking options, making mealtimes easier.
One review said: "At first I was worried it will be too big and take up a lot of space, but it actually isn't. It looks so nice and expensive. It has lots if options which I haven't tried yet. I will highly recommend any Daewoo air fryer based on a 2 year experience, they work great and so easy to work with."
Pros
- Auto shut off
- Variety of cooking options
- Child safety lock system
Cons
- Doesn't come with any recipes
| Capacity: | 8L |
| Colour: | Black |
| Weight: | 8.6kg |
| Cooking functions: | 10 |
| Watts: | 1700 |
| Variable temperature: | N/A |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 38.6 x 37.8 x 31.4cm |
- 2 x drawers
- Sync cooking function
- Non-slip feet
- Rapid air circulation
- Auto shut off
Best air fryer for large family with 12 cooking settings
With up to 12 pre set cooking options, including pause, resume, sync and match features to ensure identical cooking times and temperatures. It also has a 60 minute timer and can save up to 59% on your energy bill.
One review said: "Really pleased with it fantastic easy to use easy to keep clean had no problems with it very satisfied with it really recommend it to anybody."
Pros
- Sync and match cook function
- Comes with a cooking chart and recipes
- 12 x pre set cooking functions
Cons
- Some mentioned it can be quite noisy
| Capacity: | 8.2L |
| Colour: | Black |
| Weight: | 8kg |
| Cooking functions: | 12 |
| Watts: | 2200 |
| Variable temperature: | N/A |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | N/A |
| Dimensions: | 39 x 38.5 x 33cm |
- 2 x cooking drawer
- LED display
- 12 x cooking options
- Non-stick
Best flex drawer air fryer for large family
With a divider to turn the drawer from a dual zone into one cooking zone, the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer offers a great range of cooking abilities, with up to seven cooking functions too. The drawer and divider is also dishwasher safe, making it easier to clean too.
One customer wrote: "Amazing air fryer. Has different cooking settings which saves me time when I'm making two or three different meals. Instructions are easy to follow that even my kids can use it too. Would highly recommend!"
Pros
- Uses up to 75% less fat
- Divider for dual zone to megazone
- Crisper plates
Cons
- Some mentioned that the drawer is hard to shake
| Capacity: | 10.4L |
| Colour: | Black and silver |
| Weight: | 9.4kg |
| Cooking functions: | 7 |
| Watts: | 2470 |
| Variable temperature: | N/A |
| Dishwasher safe parts: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 31.6 x 49.6 x 32.7cm |
- 7 x cooking functions
- 1 x divider
- 2 x crisper plates
How big does an air fryer need to be for large families?
If you're looking for the best air fryer for a family of 4, you need to look at an air fryer with at least a four litre capacity, going up to 10 litres. Dual air fryers are particularly good for having large capacity's, however, if you are wanting a single drawer, it's important you check the capacity for that product as it might not be suitable.
How much energy do air fryers use?
All air fryers use different amounts of energy, so it's best to check the one you're looking to buy for their energy rating.
Why are air fryers good?
Air fryers typically use less energy than electric overs, meaning that it's a more energy efficient way of cooking. Some air fryers also come with a range of different settings, including baking, dehydrating and crisping.
When you're a busy parent, a large air fryer means you can just chuck what you need into the tray and select your settings and let the air fryer do the work. You don't have to hover over a pan or keep checking through the oven door.
They are also a lot safer than having pans on the hob cooking and your oven on, especially if you haven't got a high oven. It can help prevent accidents if your little one is in the kitchen.
Samantha Ballis a Commercial Content Writer and freelanced for the Mother&Baby website for two years before joining the team full-time. She's a mum of two and loves browsing for the best products and cute outfits.