I've tested dozens of air fryers - but these are the 5 things I wish I'd known when I invested in my first air fryer

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I can sometimes have a hard time believing that there are people out there who don't own an air fryer. After years of hype, if you've resisted thus far, the thing that might be about to break you out of it is this year's Black Friday deals, where the price of any given air fryer is bound to fall considerably.

If that is you, and you're teetering on the edge of full-blown air fryer ownership, then allow me to steer you in the right direction. I've tested dozens of air fryers in my day job, and I get all the insights into the newest, shiniest, most advanced new products.

Here's what I wish I'd known when I first bought one of the best air fryers and what any prospective owner will want to have in mind as prices start to drop.

My top-rated air fryers after testing

1. Carefully consider the design

In many ways, waiting to buy an air fryer might have been a wise decision. Since the huge hype of a few years ago, there's been an explosion of different designs on the market. That means that now more than ever there's bound to be an air fryer to suit you.

If you've always thought that standard air fryers looked too small for say cooking an entire Sunday roast, then the Ninja FlexDrawer will suit you down to the ground. It can fit an entire leg of lamb inside (trust us, our reviewer Helen checked) and once you're done, you can turn it into a dual zone air fryer for the rest of your cooking.

If, alternatively, you've always thought that air fryers are too big and bulky for your small kitchen, then there's been some smart innovation on that front too. The Ninja DoubleStack takes the two-drawer design and makes it space-saving, with the two halves stacked one on top of each other.

2. It's basically a small oven

People often try to intellectualise using an air fryer, but if you remember that it's just a smaller, countertop oven and use it like you use your built-in oven (while remembering that it cooks faster), you won't have a problem with getting to grips with it.

3. Factor in space on your kitchen countertop

Turning it on and using it aside, there are so many things I wish I knew to make my day-to-day dealings with my air fryer run more smoothly. The first being where to place it in order to maximise its usefulness, and in all likelihood this is going to be on your countertop.

If you really hate have your air fryer in the best position on your worktop, there are ways to keep it out of site. Since adding my first air fryer to my kitchen I've discovered the hack of putting your air fryer on castor wheels which means I can easily pull it into a safe place to cook on the kitchen counter, away from walls and other appliances.

4. Make sure you like the look of it

Your air fryer will be most useful if it's stored out on your kitchen countertop, so you need to pick an air fryer with a design you like. This will make assimilating it into your kitchen easier. The Our Place Wonder Oven is a favourite of mine and the rest of the Ideal Home team. It's as cute as a button and my review proves it has the performance to match.

If you need to opt for an air fryer you really don't love the look of for functionality reasons, then there are ways to hide your air fryer. One of the best being to hide it away in an appliance garage or a breakfast cupboard if you have the space.

5. Keeping on top of cleaning is essential

When you buy your shiny new air fryer, keep in mind that cleaning it well and often will make it last much longer in your home. Cleaning your air fryer after every use is the most hygienic way to use it, and I find that's easiest to do with a Dishmatic tool which you can pick up for £6.99 from Amazon.

If you're keen to cut down on grime, then many of the Ideal Home team swear by silicone air fryer liners to prevent oily residues from degrading the quality of the trays inside your air fryer. My mum, who swears by air fryer liners, just bought these ones for £5 from Dunelm for her dual-zone air fryer.

Of all of the air fryer lessons I've learnt, it's keeping it as clean as you can that I think is the most valuable. After all, you want to keep hold of this fairly expensive investment in your kitchen for as long as you can.