Is it socially acceptable to bring an air fryer to Christmas dinner? Yes, if you follow these rules

Ah, Christmas, a time most special for getting all your loved ones together under one roof, and one of the best bits - the Christmas dinner, of course! And when cooking for the masses, a little extra help is always appreciated - but is it socially acceptable to bring your air fryer to Christmas dinner?

The best air fryers have revolutionised how we cook in this day and age. I’m not lying when I say I couldn’t function without mine. And one thing these hand appliances are a Godsend for is cooking a roast dinner.

With some models able to roast a bird, and guaranteed crispy potatoes and parsnips, using an air fryer to help with your festive food preparation is a no-brainer. But if you’re heading to a loved one's this Christmas, I wanted to find out if it’s socially acceptable to bring your trusty air fryer with you to lend a hand.

Is it socially acceptable to bring an air fryer to Christmas dinner?

The concept of bringing an air fryer to your host’s Christmas dinner may seem like a good idea if you’ve been enlisted to help with the cooking. If you can’t live without your mum’s roast potatoes, it makes sense to ask her to help you with them on the big day. Plus, it means the host isn’t confined to the kitchen on their own, whilst everyone else is enjoying a Bucks Fizz in the living room.

A second air fryer (assuming the host already has one) means you can cook more food at one time. For example, you can use both machines to handle the roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots and pig in blankets (and more if you have one of the best dual-zone air fryers).

Of course, it can be a little tricky lugging a bulky air fryer to a second location, so we’d recommend a smaller, portable model like the Ninja Crispi (£129.99 at Amazon). But don’t let the size fool you, our review found the machine to be seriously impressive.

This all sounds great, right? And it is, provided you’ve discussed this with the host ahead of arrival. In other words, don’t just show up with your air fryer.

‘A quick message to the host beforehand makes all the difference. It shows you are bringing it to ease the pressure, not to take over. Hosts usually appreciate anything that frees up oven space or speeds up the sides, especially in smaller kitchens where every centimetre of worktop matters,’ says Gemma Logan, Christmas party expert at Book a Party.

‘When it is offered politely and used with good humour, bringing an air fryer feels like turning up with an extra pair of reliable hands. In that spirit, it sits comfortably within the modern, collaborative Christmas and rarely raises an eyebrow.’

Asking makes all the difference, and if your host accepts, it makes it perfectly acceptable to bring your air fryer to Christmas. It’s when you don’t ask that this act can start to be thought of as rude.

‘It's only rude if you march in without saying hello and start taking over by air frying everything in sight. It's also rude if you make little jibes that the host's cooking can't be trusted and that your air fryer is here to save the day. Framing it as a backup or saying 'you bought a little extra help if needed' will be appreciated,’ says Pippa Masson, a freelance Christmas party expert at Book A Party.

Alternatively, an air fryer can make a wonderful gift for your host - especially if they love cooking. If you’re planning to lend an extra pair of hands and an appliance for this Christmas dinner, the key is to ask first. This way, everyone is a winner.