Review: I tried the 3.5L Cosori Air Fryer and it's a great gadget to speed up the cooking process

I've been hearing great things about air fryers for some time from friends who have all but abandoned their conventional ovens in favour of the hugely versatile appliance.

So I was pleased to get the chance to review the Cosori 3.5L which promises healthier and faster cooking.

As a mum who works full time and seems to spend a fair amount of every day in the kitchen preparing food I was keen to see if I could speed up the process of making meals.

However, I'm also very attached to my ancient gas Rangemaster and wasn't convinced an air fryer could replace it in my affections.

The box arrived and I was dreading the prospect of a manual with complex instructions but actually it was all as straightforward as plug in and off you go.

A good wash of the tray and basket and then a test run and I was actually quite excited it seemed so easy to use.

The Cosori comes with 11 handy presets, a preheat, and a keep warm option.

For my first attempt I did roast potatoes and sliced roasted courgette both with a drizzle of oil. The potatoes looked crispy and golden after 15 mins which was a definite time saver from the oven version. I served them with pork chops dipped in oil, parmesan and paprika. This was tasty although I guessed at the timings so probably over cooked slightly but the parmesan crust stayed crispy and in place rather than slipping off in parts as it can do in the oven.

For my next go I made gochujang salmon which was marinated in ginger and soy sauce and then brushed with a gochujang glaze. I used the preset seafood time but added a few extra minutes as I like my fish more well cooked.

The salmon was juicy and flavourful with barely any effort.

Last week I tried air-fried sweet potatoes. I rubbed them in salt and oil and popped them in for 20 minutes. I think I should have used a hotter temperature as they were still quite hard so I put them back in on full power for another 10 minutes along with seasoned chickpeas which did come out lovely and crispy. I probably didn't save much time on the potatoes but that's more because I'm still getting used to the temperature and how long to cook things for, plus they were massive. In the end it made a delicious tea.

My final go, and possibly my most successful yet, I cooked peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion and garlic and blitzed into a tasty soup. I served with air-fried cheese toasties which were a revelation and definitely something I’ll be doing again for a quick lunch.

My first impressions are good and I can see how I can incorporate an air fryer into our everyday meals. I've only cooked meals for myself and my other half so far as mine is the 3.5L version which I think is more suited to single people or couples.

I can see how when making a roast dinner I'd do certain parts in the air fryer to save time and I'm looking forward to giving this a go.

I also like the shake function halfway through which means you can make sure food is cooking evenly.

The design and overall appearance are important if you plan on having your air fryer on show. The Cosori has a stylish black finish and is fairly compact, being the smaller model with a touch-control panel on the front. I actually did wonder if a larger air fryer would take up too much space on our countertop which is something else to consider if you're not using it regularly. It's very easy to keep clean with the basket and tray pulled out and can be washed in the dishwasher.

I like to do a weekly meal plan and often make dishes I can bung in a roasting tin and stick in the oven. To use the air fryer for meals I had to seek out ideas as, at first, I wasn't sure how I'd use it to make a full meal. I love the cookbook that came with it and already have selected things to try including the ginger and blueberry scones.

I've been using mine for a couple of weeks now without any issues and I can honestly say it makes a great addition to your kitchen.

If I had purchased it, I would probably have gone with the bigger model for our family of four.

So far I can't say it would completely replace my beloved gas oven but it's certainly a very useful multi-purpose gadget to have in the kitchen, to speed up the cooking process for a busy family and is reasonably priced.

Cosori 3.5L Air Fryer £65.97 from Amazon.