Latest news with #counterspace
The Independent
31-07-2025
- The Independent
The best Ninja air fryers for all budgets, tried and tested
In a market flooded with kitchen appliances and gadgets that rarely deliver on their Instagram-worthy promises, Ninja's air fryers often stand out as genuine game-changers. These cleverly designed appliances have genuinely transformed everyday cooking, turning tedious meal prep into streamlined culinary sessions without sacrificing flavour. After extensively testing Ninja's air fryer lineup across various home kitchen setups, we can confidently say the brand's models consistently outperform competitors on the metrics that actually matter: cooking efficiency, temperature precision, versatility across different foods, and overall value. Their appliances' powerful heating elements, sophisticated air circulation technology, and genuinely intuitive controls elevate these air fryers from trendy gadgets to essential kitchen tools you'll actually use daily. But which Ninja air fryer deserves that precious counter space in your kitchen? Whether you need a space-saving model for compact kitchens or a multi-function powerhouse that might replace several existing appliances, our comprehensive testing reveals exactly which options deliver meaningful cooking transformation, rather than just flashy features. How we tested After spending countless hours with Ninja's air fryer lineup, in multiple kitchen environments, the team has developed a clear understanding of what makes these appliances worth your counter space. Our testing process evaluated each model across several key criteria: Cooking performance: We assessed evenness and speed of cooking across various food types. Each air fryer underwent multiple cooking cycles to ensure consistent performance. Usability: We wanted simple control panels and easy cleaning, as well as any unique or standout features. Versatility: We examined the range of cooking functions included and how well these cater to everyday meals. Value for money: We assessed build quality and considered practical elements such as energy consumption We wanted models that are worth their price tag. Noise levels: Not wanting to upset the neighbours, we also assessed how much noise was generated while the air fryers were in operation. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews The Independent 's dedicated shopping section, IndyBest is committed to providing unbiased reviews and expert advice. Our team of editors and writers have years of experience in testing products and trialling them within their own homes. Caroline Preece is an expert product tester and journalist with years of experience. She specialises in home and lifestyle topics, including kitchen appliances such as air fryers. The best Ninja air fryers for 2025 are:
The Sun
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Dunelm's £5 tool will declutter your countertops & make the most of tight spots – plus it's half price of Lidl's version
A BUDGET decor buy can help to create room in the most cramped spaces. And Dunelm shoppers can pick up the handy gadget for a fraction of the price of the Lidl version. 2 Dunelm shoppers can maximise their counter space with a budget-friendly buy (stock image) Credit: Alamy You can maximise your counterspace and organise your belongings with this handy decor feature. The Chrome Extendable Shelf is currently available for just £5 from Dunelm. Product details According to the product description, this shelf is "crafted with an extendable design that increases/decreases its length". "This steel shelf is a great way to help you organise your kitchen items where space may be limited," manufacturers said. "Made from steel and complete with a chrome finish, the shelf is suitable for a range of kitchen decor styles." And you don't even need to install this decor buy, simply place on your counter to instantly double your surface space. The shelf measures 16 centimetres in height, leaving plenty of space between it and your counter for additional storage. You can easily wipe the homeware buy clean with a damp cloth. Lidl version Dunelm shoppers can make significant savings, with a similar buy listed for almost three times the price from Lidl. The Livarno Home Extendable Metal Shelf is will be available for £14.99, from Thursday, July 24. Dunelm shoppers are scrambling to their local store and their 'massive sale' kicks off with posh glasses for 89p and £8 gadgets to keep the Spring chill out Described as a "practical kitchen shelf", this buy is also used to give you the "most efficient use of your space". As well as an extendable width, ot features three adjustable hanging hooks. Manufacturers recommend using it to store small kitchen appliances "such as a microwave, panini press, or sandwich toaster". The shelf is easy to assemble and comes with suction cups for secure positioning. With a total load capacity of 10 kilograms, this shelf measures 41.5 centimetres in height. Dunelm's top interior design trends for 2025 Maximalism Maximalism is about unleashing your creativity and bringing joy to everything around you, day in and day out. Bold pattern combinations of florals, checks and geometrics set the tone with a bright joyous colour palette that holds everything together. Don't mistake Maximalism for having loads of stuff, it's about mixing and matching florals, layering key pieces and storytelling throughout your home, and ultimately doing things your own way. Dunelm's new collaboration with Sophie Robinson is all about that. Minimaluxe The interiors world has witnessed the evolution of "minimalism" into a richer, more luxurious iteration. The goal is quiet luxury - simplicity with a sense of sophistication. Minimaluxe focuses on creating spaces that are pared down yet warm, elegant, and inviting. Gloriously tactile textures, in a palette of warm neutrals, with hints of caramel and gold, complete the look. Introducing softer forms and round edges to avoid a space feeling overly stark The Edit Built on the philosophy that having fewer thoughtfully designed and well-made things helps us leave a lighter imprint on the earth. Interior design is shifting to be inspired by the natural world, and all its perfect imperfections. Take Dunelm's The Edited Life collection, it focuses on natural materials like wicker, jute and linens - as well as décor pieces and hand-thrown pottery vessels that feature forms dictated by the artisan's mark. Soft relaxed fabric textures mixed with uneven wood grains help bring this neutral, look together. New Nouveau Blending 19th century inspired maximalism with a contemporary colour palette this collection takes inspiration from the ornamental art form from the Nouveau era. Rich and luxurious, blending a little bit of history with a more modern aesthetic you can mix and layer into your home. Stylised Lily motifs adorn sumptuous textiles and wallpapers mixed with marbling & stained glass vintage style lighting for a vintage inspired look, with a modern twist. More Dunelm buys Plus, a £12 buy from Dunelm helps to make your home look bigger, and it's renter-friendly. And you can make your garden chic with Dunelm's "elegant" rattan buy. Dunelm has slashed the price of high-end garden furniture this summer. Another Dunelm buy will leave your garden looking "chic" and lasts throughout the winter. And a Dunelm furniture buy is currently scanning for £10 instead of £103.
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
I was an air fryer skeptic until I tried this model with its hidden gadget
Design and setup Compared to other basic air fryer models, the Ninja Foodi dual basket air fryer is a hefty machine. I won't go so far as to write it off as an eyesore, because surprisingly, even with its enormous size, it doesn't look that bad. Plus, its flat top surface doubles as a mini shelf for spices or random other knick knacks. And while I eventually came around to its size, it still takes up a lot of precious counter space. So I have to dock some points. Its interface is fairly intuitive, although I would suggest checking in with its manual to really understand how to use all of its settings. Buttons for its special smart finish and match cook settings, along with its six cooking modes — air fry, bake, roast, reheat, air broil, and dehydrate — are prominently displayed front and center. You can manually control the temperature for each mode but there are restrictions. For example, the air fry setting doesn't go below 300F. I understand this is for safety reasons, but it was frustrating when I wanted to hard-boil eggs at 270F. On one side of the machine sits the meat thermometer probe (a great hidden feature), which I found to be a clever placement — hooray for machines that include built-in storage for additional tools. There's a plug-in next to the left basket, where a meat dish is intended to cook if you're looking to use the probe. The top of that particular basket has a small divet where the wire is supposed to go, so it doesn't get crushed when it's closed. Additionally, the baskets have a capacity of 5qt, making a total of 10qt. They felt a bit small in comparison to my Cosori's 6qt basket, but in the end, they were spacious enough for every dish I prepared. I generally did like that there were two separate baskets that both conveniently included crisper plates and a removable tray that allowed heat to circulate around food to create a crispy texture. One feature that I missed from my Cosori was its 'shake' timer, which allows you to program a basket to alert you when it's time to flip or shake its contents for more even cooking. Of course, the simple solution for this is to set a separate timer for the Ninja foodi. Cooking Packed with six different cooking modes, the Ninja foodi could be an easy replacement oven for those living in a place without one. I personally favored the air fry and reheat modes, as I don't often need to do much more than that, as I prefer to defer to my oven when possible. To put the smart finish technology to the test, I cooked pork chops and fries. On the left side, I baked the pork chops, using the probe thermometer to alert me when they hit the desired medium-well-done temperature I was looking for. (I followed the manual's suggestion to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees when converting traditional oven recipes.) On the right side, I air-fried waffle-cut fries. After programming both baskets at different temperatures and cook times, I let the machine do its thing. It started by cooking the pork chops. Then, when just 15 minutes remained on the clock, the fry side kicked in, so that both could finish at the same time. Once the timer went off, the pork chops were perfectly cooked, but the fries needed a little more time, likely because there wasn't enough room in the basket to cook them in a single layer. By the time dinner was served, everything tasted solid. The fries were nicely crispy, though slightly overdone in some spots. And the pork chops turned out a bit drier than they would've been if I had cooked them in the oven, but still flavorful. This was definitely a trend I noticed whenever I cooked meat in the air fryer — it tended to lack that juice I usually get from oven or stovetop cooking. Though honestly, an air fryer would never be my first choice for cooking meat, anyway. Its reheat setting was nifty and convenient when I needed to warm up a pesto chicken sandwich and didn't want it getting soggy in the microwave. However, admittedly, I had no idea how long or at what temperature to set it, so it also came out a bit crispier than intended. After cooking several more dishes, I started to realize that Ninja's air fryer might be a bit more powerful than my Cosori. The temperatures and cook times that worked perfectly in the latter usually needed some tweaking to get right in the foodi. But with a little more time — and a few minor adjustments — this will become an indispensable kitchen companion. Cleaning This machine is one of the easiest things to clean. The baskets are made of a certain non-stick material that makes it quite easy for you to wash away any mess, either by hand or in the dishwasher. After simpler recipes, I washed both baskets and crisper plates in the sink with warm water and soap. But when it came to cooking a more messy meal or when I felt it required deeper cleaning, I used the dishwasher, and it came out spotless.
