AIR FRYERS: nice or needless?

They're all the rage - so do these kitchen appliances deserve a place on your worktop?

- RACHEL OGDEN

With all the hype, you'd be forgiven for thinking that if you don't own an air fryer, you're missing out. Well, it all depends on how and what you like to cook.

What is an air fryer?

Think of air fryers as small conventional fan ovens: they generate heat by convection, and distribute it with a fan, so that your food doesn't just get a blast on top, but all the way round.