Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven review: a large-capacity, time-saving gadget

Overall star rating: 4/5

Price on writing: £109 | Buy now from Amazon

In case you missed the memo, air fryers are big news in 2023. Cost-effective and time-saving, the best air fryers work by circulating hot air around the device to cook your food quickly. As they are usually cheaper to run than a conventional oven, their popularity has risen as many families cut back because of the cost of living crisis.

There are two main types of air fryer: small basket-style models and larger oven-style fryers. The Proscenic T31 falls into the latter category, which means it's ideal for families thanks to its impressive capacity. But does it really save time compared to traditional cooking methods without sacrificing on quality? I wanted to find out, so I put this air fryer to the test, using it for a range of dishes, including chips, the classic side air fryers are synonymous with.

Our verdict on the Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven

• Set up: 4/5

• Design: 3/5

• Ease of use: 4/5

• Results: 5/5

• Ease of cleaning: 5/5

• Value for money: 4/5

Is it worth buying the Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven? Ultimately, it depends on what you want from an air fryer. After using it for a range of dishes, I can't fault the results; it particularly excels at cooking frozen food like chips. It's also fairly easy to use and set up once you've got to grips with the instructions and different settings. It's mainly just its bulky size and large footprint that I struggled with.

If you're regularly cooking up big batches for your family, and want an energy-efficient, time-saving gadget that produces delicious food without breaking the bank, then this is the one for you. If you're cooking for one or two, however, or kitchen space is limited, you're probably better going with something more compact.

What we like

• Large capacity

• Some parts are dishwasher safe

• Comes with lots of accessories

• Easy to operate

• Fast cooking times

• Alert that tells you when to shake the tray

• Specific settings for different food types

• Inner light so you can see your food cooking

• Can be controlled through an app

What we don't like

• Very bulky

• Quite noisy

• May take some getting used to the controls

• Internal light switches off after a few minutes

For more kitchen gadget reviews, we've also evaluated the best slow cookers and the best bread maker.

Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven: design and features

Unboxing the Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven, the first thing I noticed was its vast size. The clue is in the name here; it's more of a mini oven size (or a large microwave) than a compact basket-style fryer. It's also pretty heavy, weighing in at over 11kg.

If you're feeding a large family, this is ideal - with a whopping 15-litre capacity, it can easily host four to five portions. Still, you'll need the space to store it. I struggled with this as cupboard space was at a premium, already overstuffed with Tupperware and other kitchen gadgets.

Bulkiness aside, I loved the sleek design of the T31. It has a glossy black finish and clean lines, with an easy-to-use dial that controls the temperature and the timer. On first impressions, the rest of the control panel isn't visible, but when you turn the air fryer on, the different settings light up so you can see them clearly.

It comes with an abundance of accessories, including two cooking trays, a drip tray, a rotisserie fork, cage and tongs, and a small recipe book, although you may want to consult an air fryer cookbook to get the most out of your new gadget.

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Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven: how easy is it to use and clean?

Once you get to grips with the different settings and functions, it's pretty easy to use and can even be controlled remotely via the app. I found this simple to set up through my Wi-Fi network, following the step-by-step instructions on the app. Once connected, I could start, pause or stop the device on my phone, and it notified me at the end of the cooking time, which was useful as I was in a different room. It was a nice-to-have feature, although not entirely necessary, and I thought it gave this air fryer a high-tech feel for the price.

You can also operate the device manually through the control panel. Aside from the air fry, dehydrate, keep warm and preheat settings, the rest of the presets are depicted by icons. Most are pretty obvious what they depict, but I'd recommend a thorough read of the instructions before starting so you know which function each image represents. You can then adjust the dial to change the timer and the temperature if needed.

Thankfully, it was a doddle to clean. Both the cooking tray and drip tray are dishwasher safe, and the drip tray meant there was minimal cleaning and spills to sort in the interior of the air fryer, too.

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Proscenic T31 Air Fryer Oven: performance

If there's one dish synonymous with air frying, it's chips, so I wanted to test out how well it could handle fries compared to a traditional oven. Some Mumsnetters are evangelical that deep fat fryer chips are the only way to go, but others swear that healthier air fryer chips are just as good.

I used the 'chips' settings, but it wasn't clear from the instructions how long to cook frozen chips for compared to normal ones. Still, I persevered, popping them on the tin-foil lined tray, giving them a few quick spritzes of olive oil spray, and cooking them for 20 minutes (they would have taken 25 minutes in an oven) after quickly preheating the air fryer. The fan was noisier than I expected when it kicked into action, but it wasn't too obtrusive.

There was a useful 'shake' alert halfway through cooking time, but as shaking is much easier in a deeper basket than on a shallow tray, I flipped the chips over instead for ease.

The results were wonderful; think crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside perfection. Another highlight was chicken breasts; I was impressed that they took around 10 minutes less than they would have in the oven, and they were still tender and juicy without drying out.

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Key specs

• Size: 30D x 25W x 20H centimetres

• Weight: ‎11.4 kg

• Capacity: 15 litres

• Cooking modes: 12

• Accessories included: Skewer; rotisserie basket, tongs and fork; drip tray; 2x cooking trays

• Power: 1700 watts

How we tested

I put the Proscenic T31 through its paces in my north London kitchen, whipping up a variety of treats with it including chips, sweet potato fries, hash browns, and chicken. I tested it thoroughly over a week, rating the air fryer on its set up, ease of use, ease of cleaning, design, value for money, and those all-important results.

About the author

Natasha Gregson is a writer and Affiliate Content Editor at Mumsnet with a specialism in kitchen, lifestyle, and home product round-ups and reviews.

With several years of editorial experience under her belt she has written on many topics, covering everything from fashion to health, parenting to entertainment, and has had work featured in national publications including The i Paper and Stylist Magazine.

A keen foodie, she loves nothing more than trying new culinary creations in the kitchen, which often includes testing out and researching the latest time-saving gadgets for Mumsnet.

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