Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer Review

Make healthy eating easier with a Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer. With a generous nine-litre capacity, this countertop appliance caters for the whole family. When it comes to the best air fryers, choose from single-drawer models, dual-drawer, and hybrid air fryers with multiple cooking options. The benefit of a dual-drawer air fryer is that it has the Goldilocks appeal of being "just right" in size and everyday functionality.

Think of an air fryer like a small fan oven. Hot air rapidly circulates food, cooking fast and evenly. It's healthier, as crisp and succulent results are achieved with minimal oil. Although the wattage can be just as high as an oven, most air fryers don't need to pre-heat, and they cook faster due to their smaller capacity and convection technology.

Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer Overview

Save time, energy and money with the Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer. While it's never going to replicate the deep-fried taste of the chip shop, air fryer cooking is an opportunity to embrace new and novel cooking hacks that make everyday meal preparation easier. Expect consistent results, with one-touch controls to customise cooking temperature and time with precision. Cook frozen food directly without thawing. Make it even easier on yourself and get your partner to press a pre-set function. Have a Spanish omelette and Mediterranean vegetables cooked to perfection simultaneously using the Sync function. Use all nine litres to Match Cook a big batch of buns. Just how big are the cooking drawers? Well, you can fit a whole chicken in Drawer 1.

Yes, they're a modern kitchen essential, but with so many air fryers out there, it can be a brain-teaser to know which one to go for. Competing appliances from Ninja, Tower, Russell Hobbs, and Cosori all have their USPs. But rely on Salter to be consistently great value for money, with intuitive usability and better-than-good performance.

The Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer currently retails at £134. While at the budget end of the two-drawer air fryer market is the Tower T17099 Vortx Dual Basket 8.5L Air Fryer at £70. Or, for a premium pick, the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer has a £269.99 RRP.

For more information on energy efficient cooking, read our guide on appliances to save money on bills.

Testing The Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer

This family-size dual air fryer arrived just in time for Christmas, to my great relief, as I don't have an oven. It presented options for meals over the festive season that I had ruled out. Finally, after many years, I'd be able to roast chicken again.

I've tested a Salter Aerogrill and it was great for chips or a couple of chicken breasts. The downside was that it had to pre-heat for five minutes every time before cooking. In all honesty I found that my partner and I defaulted to using our little Lakeland air fryer for instant convenience.

Now, we're saucer-eyed at the potential for this Dual Sector Air Fryer. It can fit a whole chicken in one drawer and roast potatoes (or tons of pigs in blankets) in the other drawer. In addition, it cooks instantly at the touch of a button.

What was the product tested for?

In the first instance, let's find out if it's worth upgrading from a single drawer air fryer to a dual drawer model. Can this appliance offer versatile cooking or is it only good for chips?

The wattage is as high as some standard ovens, but the fact is, an air fryer will still be more efficient and cheaper to run because it cooks faster. So, I wanted to test whether I could make a full roast dinner in under an hour.

The drawers are different sizes, so will the cooking results be consistent in both drawers? I test the Match Cook function by baking dough balls, to see if I get an even batch from Drawer 1 and Drawer 2.

Finally, I'll sum up if healthier air fried food – to feed the whole family – is making cookers and deep fat fryers redundant.

How were the tests carried out?

The Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer was tested over the course of a month. It got daily use in a domestic environment. I cooked a variety of foods and used both manual and pre-set functions for myself and my partner. This included frozen, vegan, vegetarian, meat, fish and potatoes. Although I'm no Paul Hollywood, I did a bit of baking and batch-cooked some dough balls. Also, I did the melted cheese test and got it all over the cooking drawer (all in the name of research, of course).

What Were The Results?

I don't have a kitchen cupboard that's big enough to fit this dual air fryer. So, I have to love this appliance to give it prime position next to a plug socket. That's another thing, I find that small kitchen appliances, in general, have short power cables these days. I don't want extension cables trailing all over my worktops, gathering dust and overheating. But the good news is that I did fall in love with the Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer.

In short, it's convenient and easy to use. On the manual setting, literally press Start and it defaults to 180°C for 15 minutes, which is enough to cook most things. The digital display alternates between the temperature and the timer. Manually setting the time and temperature in my Salter appliance seemed to be more straight forward than Alex Boyd's experience with the Tower Dual Basket Air Fryer.

Capacity and perfectly cooked fast food is where it comes into its own. I couldn't burn anything if I tried. I made party food, including a potato sharing platter – some containing cheese – keeping that separate from vegan snacks. Not a singed bit of filo in sight, all evenly cooked.

Performance

Making perfect roast potatoes using the pre-set potato function

This is a plug in and play appliance with touch controls. There's no pre-heating and it doesn't fill your kitchen with steam and odour. Expect a new machine smell on first use. It's noisy because a high powered fan is constantly circulating hot air. To my great surprise the icons were in colour. It's instinctive to press them, thinking that's how to select the desired pre-set, however this is not the case. I pressed the Menu button repeatedly to illuminate the Chips icon, not the most intuitive.

For the crispiest Marmite potatoes, air fry on the non-stick rack. A little shake, half way through cooking, proved that all sides were crisping and cooking evenly. After disastrous chips in my seven inch diameter single drawer air fryer, I was impressed with the cooking performance. In my old air fryer, food on top burnt, whist food underneath was under-cooked.

Potentially, I could stack food with additional air fryer racks to increase the capacity, but I found the drawers ample for cooking the biggest meals of the year.

Using the Sync function to cook a roast dinner

Smaller Drawer 2 is the perfect size for a Quorn Roast, which needed 55 minutes at 200°C. It's as simple as selecting Drawer 2 and the temperature and time alternate on the digital display. Using the up and down arrows you can increase or decrease the time. Long press the arrow to move the timer and temperature on faster.

The dual display shows the cooking time and duration for both drawers. I set Drawer 1 to cook my plant-based pigs in blankets for 20 minutes at 180°C. I pressed Sync to ensure my roast and pigs would finish cooking at the same time. Also, I popped some stuffing balls in the drawer towards the end of cooking the Quorn roast, which is as simple as opening the drawer. Cooking pauses and then resumes when you close the drawer again. The exterior doesn't get too hot when cooking and the handle stays cool, but as always, take care around counter-top kitchen appliances.

Making dough balls using the Match Cook function

I had prepared a large batch of dough balls for a dinner party and needed the capacity of both drawers to cook them. This is where the Match Cook function is super handy. Simply press Match Cook and it defaults to 15 minutes at 180°C. The digital display alternates between the time and the temperature. It's easy to adjust. Match Cook remains illuminated on the display.

If in doubt as to the temperature and time needed for a particular recipe, use a pre-set function. Alternatively, you could refer to the recipe book and cooking chart that comes with the air fryer. It's a handy reference guide on cooking times and temperatures for a range of meat, fish and vegetables. In addition, it lists frozen foods, such as fish fingers, breaded mushrooms and onion rings. There's some tasty recipes too, perfect for expanding your cooking skills.

During cooking, I opened one drawer to check on progress and it paused the cooking for both drawers. In the end, I had perfectly cooked dough balls and there was no difference in the results even though one drawer is bigger than the other.

The air fryer has an automatic switch-off. Handy when you're entertaining. After the cooking time has elapsed, a timer will sound and the air fryer will turn itself off.

Usability

The beauty of this appliance is the ability to cook a variety of foods at different temperatures and times. I made potato rosti in a variety of sizes, the larger rosti took longer at a slightly higher temperature. I used silicone cases (safe to use here) to hold the delicate rosti together.

The Sync function is really useful when you need food to finish cooking at the same time. You can open the door during cooking to add extra food. The cooking drawer must be securely closed, otherwise the air fryer won't operate. Take care to only hold the drawer by the handle, as the rest of it will be hot.

Cleaning the rack after cooking greasy foods

I've cooked a variety of greasy foods in this air fryer and the rack and cooking basket look brand new every time I wash then. It's a good idea to cook fatty foods on a rack. The grease runs off into the cavity below the rack.

I was liberal with the cheese on my party food and it got caked on the rack, but it was an absolute breeze to clean. I hand-washed the rack and drawer in warm soapy water and wiped them dry with a tea towel. If you have a dishwasher, it's fine to put them in and it won't damage the non-stick coating. One note on cleaning: I found that the stainless steel was prone to water marking. Also, finger prints show up on the main unit. I left marks on the buttons that I used the most. It's simple to wipe clean with a damp cloth and kitchen towel.

Using the pre-set buttons

At first I thought I had to press the coloured pre-set icons directly, but actually you need to press the menu button repeatedly to select the required cooking function. If you cycle past the function that you want – no worries – just keep pressing Menu until you return to the desired pre-set. You can also adjust the time and temperature of pre-set cooking functions using the control buttons. The pre-set cooking functions all have a default time, temperature and min-max quantities listed in the instruction manual. Expect perfectly cooked chicken (100-600g) in 20 minutes at 200°C. If you're cooking chicken and vegetables, these require different cooking temperatures (vegetables is 160°C). Using the two drawers, press the Sync button so that both compartments finish cooking at the same time.

I found the Time and Temperature button useful when cooking on Manual. The display alternates between time and temperature every few seconds, but if you want to speed things up, use this dual function button and the arrow control buttons to increase or decrease the time and temperature.

Build

There was something big under my Christmas tree. Like many households, I'd put an air fryer on my wish-list. At just under 10kg, I could lift it, but it was cumbersomely large.

My initial thought was: "is it going to fit on my counter-top?" I'm used to juggling my Crockpot Turbo Multicooker with the kettle, but this air fryer looked too big to move.

The boxed dimensions were: H35 x W47 x D44cm. Unboxed, the air fryer measured: H32 x W39.5 x D35cm. All in all, a chunky bit of kit.

Aesthetically, it belongs in a professional kitchen or an airplane. The sleek black plastic and shiny stainless steel drawers complement my Salter Aerogrill.

I give the racks and drawers a clean in warm, soapy water and dried with a tea towel. The racks have little silicone pads which makes them sit snuggly in the drawers. The main unit cannot be immersed in water, so wipe it with a damp cloth. Because the surface shows marks and smears, I buff it to a shine with paper towels.

The holes in the middle of each rack act as thumb holes so they're easy to remove for cleaning.

The drawers and and cooking racks have a non-stick coating. Therefore, only use plastic, silicone and wooden utensils. Abrasive cookware, like a metal spoon, will scratch the surface.

The power cable was bound up with a little bit of wire - nothing unusual there - but the cable had a noticeable kink as a result. It's enough for me to comment on it because the black casing around the wire was strained with slight dents in it. The power cable measures just over 70cm – but the kink makes it a good 5cm shorter than it should be. I hope the kink relaxes over time.

Final Verdict: Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer

Compared to a standard oven, it's a more energy-efficient way of cooking, especially for one or two people. In fact, for one person, you'll likely use one drawer, which is even more energy-saving. Additionally, 7.6 litre, 8.2 litre and 12 litre air fryers are available from Salter to suit all households.

It was a Christmas miracle, allowing me to batch-cook party food and sides for the main event. We're a small household, but I can save a fortune on food by setting aside half a day to cook various things and fill up the freezer. Oh, and reheat them, too. So, the Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer marks the changing face of Christmas dinner and made this kitchen novice shine like a master chef.

For aesthetics and practicality, I prefer the build of the SALTER Dual View Pro EK5196GW 7.6L Air Fryer (RRP £144.99). The viewing windows in the drawers mean you can watch food as it cooks. Also, I like the USP of the Salter EK5728 Fuzion Dual Air Fryer. It has a divider so the drawer can be compartmentalised. I would use this for separate portions. For example, if I was cooking two pies and wanted to keep one cheesy and one different from the other.

Rating 4.5/5

The Salter EK5729 instruction manual is available online along with a recipe booklet and cooking chart.

Order spare parts, such as racks and replacement drawers, directly from Salter.

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FAQs: Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer

What is the cost per use of the Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer?

The Energy Saving Trust states that between 1 January and 31 March 2024, the unit cost of electricity is 29p per kilowatt hour (kWh). Under Ofgem's energy price cap a typical UK household will pay £1,928 a year for their energy costs. The Energy Saving Trust warn that energy bills will be higher than what they were and remain high throughout the 2020s. That's why is essential to make smart choices when it comes to energy efficient appliances.

A simple way to monitor your household's energy consumption is with a smart meter. You can see the effect of running a particular appliance. Additionally, there is a sum to give you a rough estimate as to how much an appliance costs per use.

Appliance Power (W) x Amount of Time Used (p/h) x GBP per kWh (0.29) / 100 = Price Per Use

Amount of Time must be in decimals (0.5 is 30mins, 1.5 is 90mins)

For example, cooking a baked potato in a 5000W oven for one-hour costs 14.5p (5000 x 1 x 0.29 / 100). In comparison, a baked potato that's cooked for 15mins in a 2500W air fryer costs 1.81p (2500 x 0.25 x 0.29 / 100).

Embrace the possibilities – with nine litres over two drawers to fill you can cook an entire Sunday roast in less than an hour.

An air fryer is not necessarily a low wattage appliance, like a slow cooker. Just like a microwave, air fryers cook faster and that's what makes them energy efficient.

Is an air fryer worth it?

Yes, an air fryer is worth it for its versatility, cooking speed and ability to produce crispy and delicious results with less oil – making it a healthier option. You might have a fan oven and be wondering why you need an air fryer. In short, an air fryer is easier to heat and clean than a standard oven. It cooks faster and with minimal preheating time. Unlike an oven, it doesn't heat up your kitchen.

In Lakeland's Trend Report 2023, the kitchen brand claim that: "Sales of the family-sized dual basket air fryer grew by 163% in the first 6 months of 2023". Additionally, Lakeland reports that "45% of UK households now own an air fryer". Air fryers are the favoured kitchen appliance of 35-44 year olds, beating microwaves and slow cookers. Astonishingly, the demand for air fryers grew by +1175% in 2023.

Who Tested It?

Natalie Knowles is a Commercial Content Writer for A Modern Kitchen. She's been testing small kitchen appliances for well over a year at Bauer Media. She provides relatable accounts of using air fryers, multicookers and coffee machines in her own home as she equips her rented flat with kitchen essentials. Having previously tested Salter's Aerogrill in 2022, Natalie was interested to compare improvements in features and performance.

How The Product Was Tested

The Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer was tested in Natalie's kitchen over the course of a month. This real-world testing happened over Christmas, so this showcases how well the appliance performed when producing the biggest meals of the year. Silicone bakeware was also used in the Salter Dual Sector Air Fryer to demonstrate its suitability.

Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in kitchen appliances. When she's not testing coffee machines, she flexes her creative flair as an artist.