For potato wedges, choose a basket with room to spread and shake your usual batch rather than relying on its litre capacity alone. A single drawer suits wedges cooked on their own; a flexible divided drawer is more useful when another food needs separate settings. For larger batches, compare the uninterrupted cooking space, appliance dimensions and cleaning routine before choosing a bigger model.
You want space to turn or shake wedges during cooking, rather than a basket filled to its limit. Which? assesses crispness and browning when testing chips; wedges are a related cooking task, though their results will depend on how they are cut, loaded and cooked.
You need enough uninterrupted basket space for the amount you normally serve. A flexible drawer can offer one larger space, but its divided configuration gives each food a smaller zone.
You want wedges and another food to finish together even when they need different settings. A model with separately controlled zones and a synchronised-finish function is worth considering.
Start with the space your usual wedge batch needs, then decide whether cooking a second food separately would justify a divided drawer.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Even browning | Check the basket layout and whether you can shake or turn a loosely loaded batch during cooking. | If I mainly want crisp, evenly browned wedges, I need room to move them rather than pack them tightly. Around 36% of consumers put this need first. |
| Batch size | Compare the usable drawer shape and any stated food capacity, as well as the appliance dimensions; litres alone do not show how wedges will fit. | When I cook for several people, I want one batch that fits without taking up more worktop space than necessary. This is the primary concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cooking two foods | Confirm that the zones have separate controls and whether the model can synchronise finishing times. | I want wedges ready with a second dish even if each needs different settings. Around 21% of consumers chiefly need that coordination. |
| Cleaning and safe use | Check the removable parts’ cleaning instructions, the UK 3-pin plug and fuse, and the exact model’s safety features. | After a seasoned wedge batch, I want manageable cleaning and an appliance suited to UK electrical use. Around 14% of consumers prioritise straightforward, safe ownership. |
A large stated volume does not tell you whether your wedges can be spread and shaken. Dividing a flexible drawer also reduces the uninterrupted space available to each food.
Compare drawer layouts and any stated food capacity against the batch you usually make.
A tightly packed batch is harder to shake or turn. Electrical Safety First advises following the appliance’s maximum-fill instructions.
Treat the maximum fill as a limit, not a target for browning; cook in smaller batches when the wedges need more room.
Electrical Safety First advises buying from a reputable retailer and checking for a UK 3-pin plug and fuse.
Confirm the exact model, plug and fuse, retailer and warranty terms before purchase. Check the manufacturer’s product-registration information so you can receive relevant safety updates.
Electrical Safety First warns that unweighted paper can reach an air fryer’s heating element and catch fire.
Follow the exact appliance manual’s liner instructions; do not put loose paper where it could lift towards the heating element.
Ninja’s AF180UK is a single-drawer option for people who usually cook one wedge batch at a time.
The Vortex Plus VersaZone suits cooks who alternate between one larger wedge batch and two foods needing separate programmes.
The NA565/92 is a larger flexible format for households also interested in cooking modes beyond basic air frying.
Tower’s T17186 is a conventional mid-size single-basket option.
A single-basket model is a straightforward choice if wedges are usually the only food you cook. Look for enough room to shake the batch; choose a divided or flexible drawer if you also regularly cook another food on separate settings.
Use stated capacity as a starting point, then look at the usable drawer shape and the amount of space your usual wedge batch needs for shaking or turning. A divided drawer provides less uninterrupted space in each zone than it does when used as one drawer.
Usually, yes: A UK air-fryer guide advises shaking or flipping food partway through cooking for more even crisping. Follow the cooking and maximum-fill instructions for your exact appliance.
Check that the exact air fryer has a standard UK 3-pin plug and fuse, and buy from a reputable retailer, as Electrical Safety First advises. Review the model’s instructions and stated safety features rather than assuming every air fryer has the same ones.
Search the Office for Product Safety and Standards product safety alerts and recalls service using the exact model. Its notices identify specific affected products and explain what owners should do.