5 Best Air Fryers for Baking in the UK (2026)
Most air fryers can bake something. Whether they can bake what you actually make, in the tins you already own, is a different question. A cake that’s dark on top and raw in the middle usually comes down to things that barely matter for chips: how much flat floor space the basket has, how close the food sits to the element, whether you can see what’s going on, and how much control you get below full whack.
So this isn’t a list of the best air fryers overall. I’ve looked at five UK models purely as baking machines, and each one is here for a different job.
Quick verdict: the best air fryers for baking in the UK
- Best overall: Philips 3000 Series NA342/09. The biggest single basket here (7.2L), a viewing window, and settings down to 40°C for proving dough.
- Best for bread rolls and cookies: Cosori TurboBlaze 6L. A proper Proof function, a square basket, and a Bake mode that doesn’t run the fan flat out.
- Best for batch baking: Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK. Two separately controlled drawers and two racks, so you can do a double batch or a bake alongside dinner.
- Best for pastries and crisp bases: Bosch Series 4 MAF462B0GB. Heaters above and below the food, which helps with pale undersides.
- Best compact choice for small cakes: Ninja Air Fryer MAX AF160UK. A rounded 5.2L basket for small round tins, in the narrowest body of the five.
Best air fryers for baking: comparison
| Model | Best for | Score | Capacity and layout | Viewing window | Proof / ferment setting | Baking-relevant extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips 3000 Series NA342/09 | Best overall | 9.3/10 | 7.2L single basket | ✓ | ✓ (from 40°C) | Muffins preset; optional Philips baking kit |
| Cosori TurboBlaze 6L | Bread rolls and cookies | 9.0/10 | 6L square basket | ✗ | ✓ (Proof) | Bake and Proof functions; 30–230°C |
| Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK | Batch baking | 8.8/10 | 9.5L total (2 × 4.75L stacked drawers) | ✗ | ✗ | Two independent zones; two racks |
| Bosch Series 4 MAF462B0GB | Pastries and crisp bases | 8.5/10 | 6.1L square basket | ✗ | ✗ | Top and bottom heating; Small Pastries preset |
| Ninja Air Fryer MAX AF160UK | Small cakes, compact kitchens | 8.4/10 | 5.2L rounded basket | ✗ | ✗ | Bake function; 25cm wide |
The scores are my own ratings for baking, not customer ratings. I’ve weighed basket space, heating design, temperature control, visibility, how easy it is to get a hot tin out, and how much use you’ll get from the machine on non-baking days.
How I chose the top 5
I started with air fryers that are well established in the UK and properly supported by their makers, not short-lived marketplace finds. Popularity was a sanity check, nothing more. An air fryer can have thousands of five-star reviews for chips and still be awkward for a Victoria sponge.
These picks come from research, not from baking in each machine myself. I compared manufacturer specs, published basket sizes where I could find them, heating layout, temperature range, fan behaviour, accessories and cleaning. A Bake button didn’t earn much credit. What I looked for was hardware that changes how a bake cooks: a second heating element, a low-temperature proving setting, a basket shape that takes real tins, or two zones that can run different settings. Specs were checked against manufacturer and UK retailer listings in September 2026.
And since hardly anyone buys an air fryer just for cupcakes, each of these also has to pull its weight on a Tuesday night.
What makes an air fryer good for baking?
Baking in an air fryer isn’t quite like using a small oven. In most basket models the element sits just above the food and a fan drives hot air round a compact chamber. That’s great for crisping. For cakes and pastries, it means the outside can colour well before the middle has set. These are the things that make the difference.
Floor space beats litres
The litre figure includes height you often can’t use. For baking, what counts is the flat area at the bottom of the basket, and whether your tin fits with a gap around it for air. Round baskets suit round tins. Square baskets use their corners, which helps with cookies, brownie tins and pastries. Dual-drawer models have plenty of total capacity, but one drawer on its own may still be too small for a bigger tin.
Where the heat comes from
With the element above the food, the top of a deep cake is much closer to the heat than its centre. That’s why tall bakes colour first and cook through later. It’s also why pastry bases often come out paler than the tops. An air fryer with a heater underneath as well, like the Bosch here, tackles that second problem head-on.
Airflow and fan speed
Strong airflow is brilliant for chips and less helpful for a light batter. It can dry the surface of a sponge before it’s risen, and it’ll happily lift a loose paper liner into the element. Some newer models link fan speed to the cooking function, so Bake doesn’t necessarily run the fan as hard as Air Fry. Worth knowing before you trust a delicate bake to one.
The bottom of the temperature dial
Most baking happens well below an air fryer’s maximum, so a 230°C or 240°C ceiling isn’t much of a selling point here. The low end matters more. If a model can hold 30 to 40°C, you can prove dough in it, which is handy for rolls.
Seeing your bake, and getting it out
A viewing window is nice to have, not essential. You can check colour without opening the drawer, but a golden top doesn’t mean the middle is done, so you’ll still need a skewer. Also think about removal. Lifting a hot tin out of a deep basket is fiddly. Tins with small handles, or a folded strip of foil underneath as a sling, make it a lot easier.
Cleaning
Sugar and batter bake hard onto non-stick, so use a tin or silicone case instead of pouring batter straight onto the crisper plate. All five models have dishwasher-safe removable parts, although I’d hand-wash coated parts most of the time to keep the non-stick going longer.
Which bakes suit an air fryer (and which don’t)
Some bakes suit an air fryer far better than others. Small and flat is easy. Big and tall usually belongs in the oven.
| Bake | How well it suits an air fryer | What to look for | Strongest pick here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muffins and cupcakes | Very well, in small batches | Floor space for six or more cases | Philips NA342/09 |
| Cookies | Well, a few at a time | Flat, square floor so they can spread | Cosori TurboBlaze |
| Brownies and traybakes | Well, if the tin fits | A square basket and a small square tin | Cosori TurboBlaze; Double Stack for two small batches |
| Sponge cakes | Fine in smaller tins; tops colour quickly | Room around and above the tin | Philips (larger tins); Ninja AF160UK (small round tins) |
| Bread rolls and small loaves | Rolls work well; loaves need headroom | A Proof or low-temperature setting | Cosori TurboBlaze; Philips NA342/09 |
| Pastries and tarts | Good, though bases can stay pale | Heat from below as well as above | Bosch MAF462B0GB |
| Large celebration cakes and full-size loaves | Poor fit | A full-size oven | None of these |
1. Philips 3000 Series NA342/09: best overall air fryer for baking
Score: 9.3/10
I’ve put the Philips 3000 Series NA342/09 first because it gets the most right across the widest range of bakes. It has the biggest single basket here, a window, and a low setting for dough. It isn’t the best at any one bake, but it isn’t weak at any of them either.
The 7.2L basket is the main attraction. You get one open cooking area for cake tins, small loaves and muffin cases, instead of the same capacity split between two smaller drawers. Philips says it takes up to nine muffins, which tells you more than the litre figure does. Philips also lists an optional Baking Kit XXL for this model, with a 2.5-litre baking tray and nine silicone muffin cups, so you don’t have to guess at tin sizes. For bigger households, our guide to the best large air fryers has more options at this size.
The window earns its keep with baking. Cakes and pastries can go from pale to too dark fairly quickly in an air fryer, and being able to glance in without pulling the drawer out helps. It won’t tell you whether the middle’s cooked, mind.
Philips rates it at 2000W, with a 40–200°C range and its RapidAir Plus airflow. There are 12 presets, one of them for muffins. The detail I like most is at the bottom of the range: Philips says it’ll run from 40°C for up to 24 hours, which it pitches for dehydrating and fermentation. In plain terms, that’s a warm box for proving dough before you bake it in the same basket. The 200°C top end is lower than some rivals, but you won’t miss it for baking.
Downsides? It’s about 45cm deep, so measure your worktop, and with one basket you can’t run two bakes at different settings. For most households who want one air fryer that bakes properly and still handles weeknight dinners, this is the one I’d buy.
Key specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 7.2L single basket |
| Power | 2000W |
| Temperature range | 40–200°C |
| Cooking zones | 1 |
| Viewing window | Yes |
| Presets | 12, including Muffins |
| Stated baking capacity | Up to 9 muffins |
| Optional baking accessory | Philips Baking Kit XXL (2.5L tray, 9 silicone muffin cups) |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher-safe removable parts |
| Dimensions | Approx. H30.4 × W33.3 × D45.3cm |
| Guarantee | 2 years |
Pros and cons
- Biggest single basket here: up to nine muffins or a small loaf
- Window for checking colour without opening the drawer
- Runs from 40°C, so you can prove dough in it
- Official Philips baking kit available
- Dishwasher-safe removable parts
- One basket, so no running two bakes at different settings
- About 45cm deep
- Heat from above only, so pastry bases may need longer
- Don’t assume a standard 20cm tin will fit with enough clearance
Verdict: The best all-rounder for baking in this Top 5, and still a very good everyday air fryer.
Buy it if: you want one family-sized machine for cakes, muffins, small loaves and dinner, and you like watching your bake.
Skip it if: your worktop is short on depth, or you often want two bakes going at different settings.
2. Cosori TurboBlaze 6L: best for bread rolls and cookies
Score: 9.0/10
The Cosori TurboBlaze 6L is second for one reason: its controls suit baking better than most. It runs on a DC motor with five fan speeds, and each function has its own fixed speed that you can’t change yourself. Air Fry, Roast, Grill and Frozen are Cosori’s full-speed “Turbo” modes. Bake and Proof aren’t, and that’s what you want for batters and doughs.
The Proof function is why I’d pick it for bread rolls. The range starts at 30°C and goes up to 230°C, so you can prove dough in the basket and bake it in the same place. Handy in winter, when a cold kitchen means a slow rise. I’d stick to rolls, though. A proper loaf needs more headroom than most air fryer baskets have.
Then there’s the basket. It’s square, and for cookies that matters. They need room to spread, and the corners give you space a round basket of similar size doesn’t. A small square brownie tin sits in there nicely too. You’re still baking cookies a few at a time, just a few more per round.
The UK model is the CAF-DC601-KUK, rated at 1725W. There’s no window, so you’ll be opening the drawer to check, and the heat comes from the top, so deeper cakes will still colour on top first. For rolls, cookies and small traybakes, though, I think it has the most baker-friendly controls in this group.
Key specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | CAF-DC601-KUK |
| Capacity | 6L square basket |
| Power | 1725W |
| Temperature range | 30–230°C (minimum varies by function) |
| Functions | Air Fry, Roast, Grill, Bake, Proof, Dehydrate, Frozen, Reheat, Keep Warm, plus Preheat |
| Fan | 5 speeds, set automatically by function |
| Viewing window | No |
| Dimensions | Approx. H30 × W30 × D37cm including handle |
| Weight | Approx. 6kg |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher-safe basket and crisper plate |
| Guarantee | Check Cosori UK terms at purchase |
Pros and cons
- Dedicated Proof function for rolls and other yeasted bakes
- Bake isn’t one of the full-speed Turbo modes
- Square basket suits cookies and small square tins
- 30–230°C covers everything from proving to high-heat cooking
- No window
- Fan speed is fixed by the function
- Happier with smaller, flatter bakes than deep cakes
Verdict: My pick for rolls, cookies and small traybakes.
Buy it if: you bake rolls, cookies or brownies and want proving and baking in one compact machine.
Skip it if: you want a window, or deep round cakes are the main reason you’re buying.
3. Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK: best for batch baking
Score: 8.8/10
The Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK isn’t the one for a single big cake. For cookies, brownies, small pastries and anything in batches, it makes a lot more sense. Its 9.5L is split across two 4.75L drawers stacked on top of each other, and each drawer has its own heat source and rear fan. Ninja includes two stainless steel racks, one per drawer, so you get four cooking levels without the width of a side-by-side dual model. Our guide to the best dual air fryers compares it with other two-zone designs.
For baking, forget the 9.5L headline. What matters is that the drawers are controlled separately. You can set a different function, time and temperature in each, use Sync so they finish together, or use Match to copy settings across for a double batch of cookies. It also means brownies in one drawer while salmon or chicken thighs cook in the other. If that’s how you’d use it, our guides to the best air fryers for fish and the best air fryers for meat and chicken are worth a look too.
The racks work best for flat things like cookies or pastry twists. Whatever’s on the upper level is nearer the heat, so check it sooner and swap levels if one lot is browning faster. Keep tins of batter on the drawer floor.
The catch is tin size. A 4.75L drawer gives you far less open space than a large single basket. The whole unit is 38.5cm tall (Ninja designed it to fit under wall cupboards) and two drawers share that height, so check the inside height of a drawer before planning anything deep. It’s also the heaviest model here at 10.3kg, and the most powerful at 2470W.
Key specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 9.5L total; 2 × 4.75L stacked drawers |
| Power | 2470W |
| Functions | Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate |
| Cooking zones | 2 independent zones with Sync and Match |
| Racks | 2 stainless steel racks included |
| Viewing window | No |
| Dimensions | H38.5 × W28 × D47cm |
| Weight | 10.3kg |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher-safe drawers and crisper plates |
| Guarantee | 2 years upon registration with Ninja (UK and ROI) |
Pros and cons
- Two independent zones for different bakes, or a bake alongside dinner
- Match makes double batches easy
- Racks add extra levels for cookies and other flat bakes
- Narrower than side-by-side dual models
- Each drawer limits tin size
- Wrong choice for one bigger cake
- Heavy at 10.3kg, and more machine than you need for the odd small bake
Verdict: The best batch baker here, as long as your tins fit a single drawer.
Buy it if: you bake cookies or brownies in batches, or want pudding and dinner at different settings without switching the oven on.
Skip it if: you mostly bake one round cake or loaf at a time. A big single basket is easier.
4. Bosch Series 4 MAF462B0GB: best for pastries and crisp bases
Score: 8.5/10
The Bosch Series 4 MAF462B0GB is here because of where its heat comes from. It has heaters above and below the food, not just on top. If soggy or pale pastry bases are what annoys you most about air-fryer baking, this is the one I’d look at.
There’s a Small Pastries preset, which fits that nicely. There’s also a Bread preset, but read the small print: Bosch describes it as being for prebaked bread. So it’s meant for part-baked rolls and freshening up bread, not for baking a loaf from raw dough. You can still bake from scratch with manual time and temperature, and the 40°C minimum leaves room to try proving. There’s just no dedicated Proof setting like the Cosori’s.
The 6.1L basket is square. Supplier information on a UK retailer listing gives its outside dimensions as roughly 22.6 × 22.6cm and 13.4cm high, and the inside will be a bit smaller. I’d plan around tins of 18cm or less; a 20cm tin is probably too tight once you leave room for air. It’s rated at 2050W, runs from 40 to 200°C, and Bosch says it doesn’t need preheating.
No window, no setting actually called Bake, and less batch flexibility than the Double Stack. For pastries, tarts and part-baked bread, none of that is a big loss.
Key specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 6.1L square basket |
| Power | 2050W |
| Temperature range | 40–200°C |
| Heating | Top and bottom heaters |
| Presets | French fries, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, small pastries, prebaked bread, plus Defrost and Keep Warm |
| Basket size (external) | Approx. H13.4 × W22.6 × D22.6cm |
| Viewing window | No |
| Dimensions | H33.2 × W27.6 × D38.5cm |
| Weight | 5.3kg |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher-safe drawer and grid plate |
| Guarantee | 2 years |
Pros and cons
- Top and bottom heating helps with pale pastry bases
- Small Pastries preset plays to its strengths
- Square basket takes small square tins well
- No preheating needed, according to Bosch
- Bread preset is for prebaked bread, not dough
- No window or Proof setting
- Probably too small for a 20cm tin
Verdict: The pick when a crisp base matters more than anything else.
Buy it if: pastries, tarts and part-baked bread are your usual bakes, and you want something simple to use.
Skip it if: you want to bake bread from scratch with a proper Proof setting, or you need room for bigger tins.
5. Ninja Air Fryer MAX AF160UK: best compact choice for small cakes
Score: 8.4/10
The Ninja AF160UK is the oldest and plainest design in this Top 5. It’s here for smaller households who want to bake small round cakes without giving up much worktop. At 25cm wide, it’s the narrowest of the five.
The 5.2L basket has rounded sides. Round tins sold for this model tend to be 15 to 20cm across (about six to eight inches), which is a fair guide to what it can handle: a small sponge, a few muffins or a mini loaf. Not a two-tier birthday cake. Check the tin’s outside diameter, rim included, before you order one.
You get six functions, including Bake. Max Crisp goes up to 240°C, which does nothing for a sponge but helps with frozen food. It’s rated at 1750W. For bakers, the gaps are obvious enough: no window, no proving setting, and heat from above only.
As it’s an older model, stock and prices jump around between retailers, so compare it with newer options before you buy. If price is what decides it, our guide to the best air fryers under £100 is a good place to start.
Key specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 5.2L single basket |
| Power | 1750W |
| Functions | Max Crisp, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate |
| Maximum temperature | Up to 240°C on Max Crisp |
| Viewing window | No |
| Dimensions | H36 × W25 × D32cm (as listed) |
| Weight | 5.2kg |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher-safe basket and crisper plate |
| Guarantee | 2 years upon registration with Ninja (UK and ROI) |
Pros and cons
- Rounded basket suits small round tins
- Narrowest body in this Top 5
- Dedicated Bake function
- 5.2L limits both tin size and batch size
- No window or proving setting
- Older design, so availability varies
- Single cooking zone
Verdict: Fine for small cakes in a small kitchen, as long as you’re happy baking small.
Buy it if: you bake small cakes for one or two people and don’t want a big machine on the worktop.
Skip it if: you want a window, want to prove dough, cook for a bigger household or use larger tins.
Running costs: should they influence your choice?
Running costs are worth knowing, but they shouldn’t decide this. Ofgem’s average electricity unit rate from 1 October to 31 December 2026 is 26.32p per kWh for Direct Debit customers on a standard variable tariff (averaged across England, Scotland and Wales). At that rate, running each air fryer at full rated power for 30 minutes would cost roughly:
| Model | Rated power | Illustrative 30-minute maximum-power cost |
|---|---|---|
| Philips NA342/09 | 2000W | 26.3p |
| Cosori TurboBlaze 6L | 1725W | 22.7p |
| Ninja SL400UK (both drawers) | 2470W | 32.5p |
| Bosch MAF462B0GB | 2050W | 27.0p |
| Ninja AF160UK | 1750W | 23.0p |
Treat these as worst-case numbers. Air fryers don’t pull full power the whole time: the elements cycle on and off, recipes vary in length, and you might only use one drawer of the Double Stack. Your own tariff and region will differ too.
For baking, I’d put reliable results ahead of a few pence. A cake that needs another cycle, or ends up in the bin because the middle’s raw, wipes out any saving. If you’re still deciding whether to bake in an air fryer at all, our air fryer vs oven comparison covers when each one makes more sense.
Buying guide: choosing an air fryer for baking
Start with the tin, not the litre figure
Got a favourite cake tin? Measure it before you order anything, rim and handles included, and compare it with the inside of the basket. Leave some space for air. A 9.5L dual-drawer model can have more total capacity than a 7.2L single basket and still take a smaller tin.
Single basket or dual drawer?
For one cake, loaf or bigger bake, a single basket is simpler. Two drawers come into their own with small batches, two recipes at different settings, or dinner and dessert together. If big cakes are the priority, look at the size of one drawer, not the total.
Don’t buy for the Bake button
A Bake mode is a starting point. It doesn’t guarantee better results, and you’ll still need to adapt recipes, because ingredients, tin material, batter depth and basket shape all change the outcome. A heater underneath, a proving setting or a window tells you far more than the word Bake on the control panel.
Expect to adjust oven recipes
Air fryers are small and fan-driven, so oven timings usually run long. A common approach is to drop the temperature a little from a conventional oven recipe and start checking well before the stated time, especially with cupcakes, cookies and shallow cakes. That’s a starting point, not a rule. The right tweak depends on the recipe, the amount, the tin and the model, and it gets much easier once you know how your own machine behaves.
Keep liners and paper under control
Loose baking paper can get blown into the element. Only use it with food weighing it down, and never preheat with an empty liner in the basket. If a cake top is browning too fast, cover it with foil tucked firmly round the tin. And check what your manufacturer says about liners and accessories.
Leave room for air
Tins get in the way of airflow far more than loose food does. Skip oversized tins and liners that cover the whole base, and leave a gap round the tin. That gap does more for your bake than squeezing in the biggest tin that’ll physically fit.
Plan how you’ll get it out
Baskets are deep, and everything in them is hot. Tins with little handles, silicone moulds you can grab by the edge, or a foil sling under the tin all help. Keep heatproof gloves close.
Know when to use the oven instead
A dozen cupcakes, a two-tier cake or a full-size loaf? Use the oven. An air fryer is at its best for smaller, quicker bakes where heating the whole oven feels like a waste.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best air fryer for baking in the UK?
My overall pick is the Philips 3000 Series NA342/09. The large single basket, window and low-temperature settings give it the best balance for cakes, muffins, small loaves and everyday cooking.
Which air fryer is best for cakes?
For bigger tins, the Philips NA342/09 has the most single-basket space here. For small round cakes in a compact kitchen, the Ninja AF160UK does the job. Either way, measure your tin against the basket first.
Which air fryer is best for cookies and brownies?
The Cosori TurboBlaze 6L. Its square basket suits both, and its Bake mode doesn’t run the fan at full speed. If you want two batches on the go at once, the Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK is the better fit.
Which air fryer is best for bread?
For rolls made from scratch, the Cosori TurboBlaze 6L has a dedicated Proof function, and the Philips NA342/09 can run from 40°C for proving. The Bosch MAF462B0GB does have a Bread preset, but Bosch says it’s for prebaked bread.
Can you bake a normal cake in an air fryer?
Yes, as long as the tin fits with some clearance and the recipe suits a smaller cake. Expect it to brown faster than in an oven, start checking earlier, and trust a skewer over the colour of the top.
Do I need a special air fryer cake tin?
Not necessarily. A standard oven-safe tin can work if it fits with room for air and your manufacturer allows it. Some brands, Philips included, sell baking accessories sized for specific models, which takes the guesswork out.
Is a round or square basket better for baking?
Depends what you bake. Round baskets suit round cake tins. Square ones make better use of the corners for cookies, brownies and square tins.
Does higher wattage mean better baking?
No. Heat distribution, airflow, temperature control, basket shape and the recipe matter far more. Wattage doesn’t give you the exact running cost either, because the elements cycle on and off.
Is an air fryer cheaper than an oven for baking?
For small bakes it can be, because there’s much less space to heat. Once you need several air-fryer batches, the oven often makes more sense. Our air fryer vs oven guide goes into this in more detail.
Should I preheat an air fryer before baking?
Go with the recipe and the manufacturer’s guidance. Some models, like the Bosch, are designed to cook without preheating, while others offer it as an option. Doing it the same way every time matters more than which way you choose.
Final verdict
If I had to pick one air fryer for baking, it’d be the Philips 3000 Series NA342/09. The big single basket, the window and the low-temperature settings make it the best all-rounder, and it’s just as handy for everyday meals.
The others each have a clear job. The Cosori TurboBlaze 6L is the one for rolls, cookies and brownies. The Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK suits batch baking, or pudding and dinner at the same time. The Bosch Series 4 MAF462B0GB is best when crisp bases matter, and the Ninja AF160UK works for small cakes in a small kitchen.
Whichever you go for, don’t buy it just because it has a Bake button. Check the basket takes the tins you actually use, think about how you’ll see and lift out your bakes, and look at where the heat comes from.
