Air fryer dithering please come help /enable me

[babystep]

A family member kindly gave us money towards an airfyer as hosting gift after Christmas. We've wanted one for a while but dithering about what is best option. We are family of 5 including a teen and preteen. would like something which lets them/me make quick afterschool snacks and also speed up some aspects of dinner making on busy days. Ideally something big enough to do at least part of our dinner in (ie chips for 5 or chicken for 5). But probably not something which could do all our dinner at once since we are slightly limited in worktop space - I can make space but would like to keep it as small as I can. Have narrowed it down to:

Philips 3000 dual basket - I like that it has a smaller and larger basket, plus it is a good deal and not too ugly. BUT is the small basket too small to be of any real use?!

Ninja double stack - would take up less space but when I looked at it in person I think the drawers look small, does anyone have one and can you get that much in it? I worry I'd not be able to get much more into it than the one above, and have spent 100 more.

Any air fryer experts have a view?

I had a small Tower air fryer which was given to me. It was way too small to cook much for two of us and it recently broke. We asked for a Tower T17088 from our family Secret Santa and it is huge! We are also limited to worktop space and it takes up so much room. Our Tower one is 9L, the Phillips one is 9L and the Ninja is 7.2L. Although the Ninja will take up less space, you would likely be better going for the Phillips due to the bigger capacity and either finding a cupboard to keep it in unless you are using it or sacrificing some of your worktop space. Our new Tower one is also very heavy and not something I would really want to be lifing in and out of cupboards. Not very good advice I'm afraid but just my take on things 😊

Thanks @Diversion yes I have a space in mind for both of them, the Philips will require a bit more re-jigging but I can't see the teen getting it out of a cupboard/putting it back and one of the main things I'd like is for them to use it when back from school to have protein instead of just cereal or toast as a snack.

Though now you've made me look it up the Tower one you mention is actually a few centimetres smaller in width - but I like the idea of one big 6L basket and asmaller 3L one cos I feel like the big basket would fit enough for all of us easily. Then I worry the small one won't git enough for the second part of a meal and I'm back to square one of dithering

Following for ideas, another family of five intrigued by how big one needs to go to make it worthwhile

there are only two of us but we now own three air fryers. We cook individually so he absolutely loves his ninja double stack. It does have a lot of capacity but I prefer the single one that I have. Some things I have learned.
They are a absolutely worth the money. They are so easy to clean and versatile.
EVERYONE I know has up dated to a Larger model.
if you go for the double you learn to be clever with how you cook. As they are so fast it is easy to leave the first batch keeping warm while you do the next.
kids in the family range from 7 to 15 and love to use it.
You are right about capacity and size not comparable.
remember that the double gives you four compartments as you use the base as well as the shelves
i have never used my oven since owning one. The oven is used to store the oven pans that are now redundant. Thus makings way for the air fryers

This has reminded me to clear out those pans.

The ninja is amazing I can't live without mine

I’ve got the double stack due to worktop space issues. It’s slightly less efficient than a side by side one. We are 3 adults normally but used it successfully over Xmas when we were an 8 adult household for a few days.

We have just upgraded to the ninja double decker one and are very pleased. It replaces a single ninja and gets used a lot, it's been worth the money.

We had tower and it wasn't reliable the screw in the drawers that held the handle on needed tightening all the time and it gave up the day after the warranty expired.
I wasn't impressed and thought air fryers were not for me. We then got given a Ninja 9 in 1 because of the pressure function and bake (I am disabled so getting things in and out of the oven is a challenge) and the air fryer was a game changer. We then bought a Ninja dual drawer on a Prime day sale and it's great especially used together as some are veggie some are not. Next I want a flex drawer then I would never need the oven even for full turkeys etc, if money was no object!

I upgraded to this one recently and can highly recommend it!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Salter-EK5668GW-Dual-View-Fryer/dp/B0CDGQJZMD?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

It can be used as one big oven, which is ideal for chips for all of us or I use half of it for smaller items.
I much prefer the drop down door and metal baskets than the draws, I think the food cooks better.

I’ve just ordered the Philips one on Amazon but have no previous experience with air fryers. I did look at some of the Ninja’s as well so interested if anyone else has experience of this one

I spent a fortune on a Ninja with 9 functions and am not impressed. Customer service was rubbish when I had a problem too. I've got a Tower Vortex, with two drawers, and it's brilliant at a fraction of the price.

I cook big meals regularly and have this one. It’s big enough to fit a large chicken and then I have the normal oven to do sides or whatever. I use it for a part of most meals and it’s really worth the space it takes up.

For a family of 5 it will be of limited use for meals, I find the oven is needed! Consider what it's going to be used for, like all gadgets, some love them but the number that are available free locally as people didn't like them tells another story. I have a 12 in 1 multi cooker that includes air fryer but is far more versatile

I have the Ninja with the side by side drawers.

Couldn’t be without it now- a full chicken in 45 mins without having to fanny about with washing a roasting pan.

Some of the functionality is a bit overengineered- I wonder how many people use the dehydrate function for example. My parents have the slightly fancier model with the meat temp probe, which also seems a bit pointless.

Dehydrate is fantastic for making sundried tomatoes. I made loads over the summer and they were delicious just as good as the bought ones and no preservative (dd2 has a sulfite allergy) I have also dehydrated beetroot and parsnips for crisps, and carrot and cabbage for food colouring.