Price Points: Air fryers

Air fryers

Do you have an air fryer? Would you recommend us getting one?

We love home-made chips, we don’t make them often because it takes a lot of vegetable oil to cook them. That’s a bit of a waste if you’re only cooking chips once in a while. Also, unless you have a deep-fat fryer, it can be a dangerous undertaking cooking them in a saucepan on the stove. Here are 3 air fryers that we’ve found to buy online, each has its pros and cons.

#1 is compact; perfect for a small, space-challenged kitchen like ours… and it’s the cheapest by far.

#2 has two separate cooking compartments; again, ideal as I’m veggie and Justin isn’t. He’d be free to cook his chips with a spoonful of dripping if he wants! Also, it can be used as a dehydrator – which is something I’d be interested in learning to do.

#3 is a beauty! It has a massive capacity, lots of bells & whistles… but at over £300, I’d want to be sure it’s an appliance that gets regular use!

  1. Lakeland digital compact air fryer: £59.99, Lakeland
    5 pre-set functions: poultry, steak or meat, bakes, fresh fries and veg, frozen fries and veg – plus a manual option
    1200W power output
    (H)30cm (W)25cm x (D)18cm
    Heat settings: 60°C-200°C
    Capacity: 2.25 litre pan; working capacity 1.6 litres
  2. Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK: £179.99, Argos
    6 pre-set functions: crisp, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate and air fry
    2 independent cooking zones
    2400 watt power output
    (H)31.5cm x (W)37.5 x (D)35cm
    Heat settings: 40°C to 240°C
    Capacity: 7.6 litres
  3. Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer: £330.00, AO
    10 pre-set functions: toast, crumpet, bake, roast, grill, pizza, air fry, reheat, warm and slow cook
    2400 Watt power output
    (H)48cm x (W)27.8cm x (D)40.3cm
    Heat settings: 50°C-230°C
    Capacity: 22 litres

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Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
£330.00
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
£179.99
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
£59.99
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
£330.00
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
£179.99
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
£59.99
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
£330.00
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
£179.99
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
£59.99
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
£330.00
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
£179.99
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
£59.99
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
Sage Smart Oven™ air fryer
£330.00
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
Ninja 7.6L Foodi dual zone air fryer and dehydrator AF300UK
£179.99
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
Lakeland digital compact air fryer
£59.99

Price Points: Nut milk makers

Nut milk makers

I’ve been a vegetarian for over 30 years and a vegan for five of them in between. One thing that I’ve never been able to go back to doing, is drinking cow’s milk. My tea, coffee and bowls of cereal always need to be had with soya milk. One of these nut milk makers would come in really useful.

The Kilner example (#1) is the cheapest by far. It produces 2 x ½ litre batches; which means you can rotate them – using one batch while the next is being processed. If (like me) you’d prefer to make a litre at a time, two jars make it doubly time-consuming to make. Also, you need something like a Billy to process the nuts/beans/rice. In my opinion, the Kilner is no more than a cafetière.

Next, on to my favourite of the trio. The Soybella model (#2) makes 1.3 litres of milk at a time – this should see me through for about 2 days. It produces soya milk in 20 minutes, and other nut milks in less than a minute. Although it costs over £100, a litre of soya milk from a supermarket currently costs between 85p and £1.50. A kilo of dried soya beans costs £3 per kilo – even less if you buy it in bulk. You’ll need no more than 95g of beans per batch. Without taking the cost of 15 minutes of electricity consumption into account, the cost of making your own would be around 23p per litre. I think I’d recoup my money in no time at all! As an added bonus, it comes bundled with a tofu maker – an ingredient that we cook with regularly.

Finally, the NutraMilk processor (#3). It costs a whopping five hundred pounds; now, is that good value for money? Yes, it produces 2 litres at a time. Yes, it takes little over 10 minutes. Yes, it’s an attractive appliance. However, it would take me four times as long as the Soybella to make back the outlay.

  1. Kilner® nut drink making set: £22.00, Wayfair

    The Kilner® Nut Drink Making Set makes it incredibly easy to create plant-based drinks from nuts, oats, coconut or soya. This simple, easy-to-use set gives you total control over what is added to your drinks, allowing you to cater to individual tastes. The two jars in the set gives you the option to soak a second batch, whilst you store or consume your original creation.
    Included in the set are two Kilner® 0.5 Litre Wide Mouth Jars, a silicone splash guard which prevents spills during blending, a stainless steel filter plunger which separates the liquid from the nut pulp, silicone pouring lip and a stainless steel lid which secures the contents, making it ideal for storage.

  2. Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit: £123.21, Amazon

    Soyabella makes fresh soy milk in as little as 20 minutes and raw almond, cashew, and other nut milk in as little as 30 seconds. It also includes a tofu press that squeezes soy curds into delicious homemade tofu.

  3. NutraMilk nut processor: £499.00. Coffee Box

    NutraMilk’s patented, revolutionary method of making delicious, healthy nut milk from virtually any type of nut makes the once tedious process simple and fast. With NutraMilk, you can make up to two litres of your favourite nut milk in less than 12 minutes, compared to the hours or days it takes using other methods, and at half the cost.

shop nut milk makers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00

Price Points: Soup makers

Soup makers

Winter is the time that we turn to soup to warm us up from the inside out. Hearty bowlfuls full of chunky potatoes and beans or smooth versions containing puréed vegetables and pungent cheese.

Soup makers are relative newcomers to the kitchen appliance world, but boy, are they useful! You can simply fill the jug with your ingredients, turn it on and time the cycle to when you want your meal.

Let’s say you’re planning on going for a lovely winter walk – you can switch on your soup maker as you step out the door… and have a hot, satisfying, tasty meal ready & waiting on your return!

If there are only a couple of you, the basic Morphy Richards compact example would be a good option. It make 1 litre of soup in 19 minutes flat and you can choose either a chunky or smooth setting.

We were sent the Simplissimo to review some time ago, and as its name suggests, it’s really simple to use. You can cook your soup and then keep it on a ‘keep warm’ setting until your ready to eat. This is a great choice if you’re going to be out all day, it has an 8-hour timer function. And to top it off, it’s self-cleaning!

The Vitamix is waaaaay more expensive than the other two models, so what do you get extra? There are 5 settings compared to Simplissimo’s three. It has wireless connectivity technology which Vitamix says, “will not power on until a container is properly seated on the motor base, and certain programs are automatically disabled if the wrong container is used”. Also, I’ve read many customer reviews that claim that the interior of the plastic jug is easily scratched, making it look opaque and worn (The Simplissimo’s jug is made of tough glass). Are these features worth over £450.00? The choice is yours.

Finally, as well as hot food, you can use a soup maker to make cold smoothies – so it will get used in the winter AND summer.

  1. Morphy Richards soup maker 501021: from £29.99 “buy it now”, eBay
  2. Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender: £195.95, Wayfair
  3. Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i: £675.00, Lakeland

shop soup makers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"

Price Points: Slow cookers

Slow cookers

Autumn’s here, and it’s the perfect time for those comforting slow cooker dishes. Think about all those bubbling stews, casseroles and curries to be enjoyed. One of my favourite things to make in the slow cooker is tarka dhal to serve with a paratha and basmati rice.

There’s a huge range in prices, from less than twenty quid to almost two hundred. Personally, I’d pick the Swan Retro model; the cream colour would go with the rest of our kitchen décor and the huge 6.5 litre capacity means that I can cook up a big batch of my dhal and store most of it in the freezer divided up into 2-person portions.

Slow cooking is one of the most economical cooking methods. Even though you’re cooking for hours at a time, slow cookers don’t use much electricity. I’ve read that it uses about the same amount of juice as a single light bulb; whether that’s an old fashioned one or those new-fangled energy savers, I don’t know…

  1. Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver: £14.99, Robert Dyas
    1.5 litre capacity
    3 heat settings
  2. Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream: £39.99, Currys
    6.5 litre capacity
    3 heat settings
    glass lid
  3. Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal: £199.00, John Lewis
    6 litre capacity
    6 heat settings
    Dual slow cooker and pressure cooker functions

shop slow cookers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99