The colder weather is here, and that can only mean one thing, Christmas is just around the corner!

That means mince pies, mulled wine, and plenty of festive visitors… which can often lead to a reassessment of our home’s seating options and a slightly panicked search for where to get a new sofa in time for Christmas!

We’ve pulled together our tried and tested favourite seating in our guide to the best sofas, but, Father Christmas operates on a strict timeframe, and both the best sofas and the best sofa beds are renowned for having long lead times – think 12 – 16 weeks, eek! – which doesn’t necessarily gel with the festive hosting you might have planned.

But fear not, we’ve rounded up a crib sheet of retailers offering sofa delivery before Christmas, and many a lot sooner, with multiple options available in just 7 days!

Phew… at least that’s one thing to cross off the Christmas to-do list…

1. Sofa.com

Whether you’re looking for a sofa or a sofa bed, Sofa.com has pre-Christmas delivery available on most orders placed in October – as long as you hit the deadline and order before October 31st. Find the perfect colour and get fabric swatches delivered to your door, or shop online at sofa.com.

2. John Lewis

John Lewis has a wide selection of sofas with delivery available before Christmas, including many options that can be with you in just 7 days! You might need to compromise a little on upholstery choice with one of the 7-day options, but as long as you’re happy with grey or navy – two of John Lewis’ bestselling colour options – then you could be putting your feet up on your new settee before you know it. If you need a sofa that can work a little harder to make guests comfortable this festive season, then there are plenty of sofa beds you can buy in time for Christmas too. Shop today at johnlewis.com.

3. Swyft

Sofa-in-a-box champions Swyft aim to make sofa – and sofa bed – shopping easier in more ways than one, offering flat-packed sofas that are delivered in sections to make manoeuvring your new sofa into rooms with tricky access far simpler, and offering delivery in well under 7 days – just 24 hours in fact, as long as you book before 3pm for next day delivery. We’ve done plenty of testing out of the brand’s range in our Swyft Model 03 sofa review and Swyft Model 04 sofa bed reviews, and if it’s quick and easy convenience you’re after we think they’re well worth the investment – perfect for Christmas seating in a hurry! Shop online at swyfthome.com.

4. Darlings of Chelsea

You’ll have to move fast to bagsy a Darlings of Chelsea sofa in time for Christmas, as you need to order before October 15th to beat the pre-xmas delivery cut-off date. The brand’s pre-festivities sofa selection may be small, but there are some gems in the mix. Shop online at darlingsofchelsea.co.uk.

5. MADE

In our experience, MADE’s delivery estimates can sometimes be a little bit hit and miss – the price you pay for designer-look furniture at high-street prices we suppose. But the brand has a wide selection of furniture that is currently available on its ‘express’ delivery timeframe, meaning many options should arrive with you in under a week – great news if you’re looking for modern design with a super-fast turnaround. Just be careful when choosing your fabric, as different colours and upholstery options can have different leadtimes. Shop online at made.com.

6. Snug

Another worthy sofa-in-a-box contender, Snug offers a similar service with flat-packed sofas meaning even some of its largest designs can still fit into homes with tight access, and 24-hour next day delivery available Tuesday to Saturday as long as you order before 1pm; perfect for festive get togethers. Shop online at snugsofa.com.

7. Sofology

Sofology’s pre-Christmas delivery sofa collection might be a little smaller than some of its competitors, but there are definitely some options that Nan and Grandad will approve of, with several power recliner options available to take you from upright to horizontal at the touch of a button. Sounds like the perfect way to relax after the turkey eating to us. Shop online at sofology.co.uk.

8. Furniture Village

A selection of sofas available in 14, 21 or 28 days means that sofa shopping at the Furniture Village allows plenty of time to get seating sorted before the family descend for some festive fun. Shop online at furniturevillage.co.uk.

As you’ll see, there are plenty of sofas with delivery in time for Christmas to choose from, although we suggest striking whilst the iron is hot, as quite a few retailers have October orders as the pre-xmas cut-off point.

If you need some more inspiration to help you choose the best sofa for your living room, then you’ll find plenty of help in our dedicated living rooms hub, including modern living room ideas, small living room ideas and – all importantly! – how to get your sofa measurements right, as well as some useful advice on your consumer rights when buying a sofa.

The post Where to get a sofa in time for Christmas appeared first on Ideal Home.

Searching for the best reed diffuser for your home? Whether for scenting your bedroom or keeping your living room smelling fresh, we can help. We’ve been tasked with the oh-so-hard job of testing reed diffusers, inside our own homes, and the ones we love are featured in this roundup. Because a reed diffuser is an easy way to ensure your home smells fragrant year-round. They can also help disguise everyday odours from cooking, pets and more.

We’ve found a reed diffuser for each and every room of your home, and for all seasons. You might want to go for something woody, spicy or warm for autumn and winter. We’ve got you covered below. Before you buy a reed diffuser, though, it might be worth considering where you’ll be using it. Why? Some scents are best for certain areas of the home, while others are super strong. Selected reed diffusers can be nice and subtle so best suited for smaller rooms. We’ve listed everything you need to know in our guide below.

Related: the best home fragrance buys from reed diffusers to candles and room sprays

A good quality reed diffuser will last for up to six months of use, depending on how many reeds you are using. Though you might have to replace your reeds before this, as these sometimes get clogged with dust. If you are finding that your reed diffuser isn’t working as well as it has in the past, and you can barely smell anything from the reeds, it’s a sign to replace.  With some reed diffusers, you can buy refills. This means you can top them up after use, instead of buying the entire thing again. Clever!

We’ve rounded up our favourite fragrances of the season below…

The best reed diffusers

1. Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Fragrance Sticks

Image credit: Rituals

This wow-worthy reed diffuser comes in a gorgeous white vessel that’s ribbed and compact by nature. With help from wooden sticks, it works to fragrance an entire room, from corner to corner. Though small in size it’s surprisingly powerful and definitely a unique scent. A blend of rice milk and cherry blossom, this oriental reed diffuser is slightly floral and perfect for year-round use. You needn’t flip the reeds regularly, too. Just a note: due to its slim bottle design, it can be easy to tip over. Place it far away from wandering hands or paws. Oh, and you can buy a refill bottle to top it up when necessary.

Capacity: 70ml/250ml
Refill available? Yes

2. The White Company Fireside Diffuser

Image credit: The White Company

The only reed diffuser you should be buying this autumn, The White Company’s Fireside fragrance replicates the scent of a burning fire – without the fumes or the hassle. You’ll find yourself tempted to flip the reeds every few days as this scent is addictive, whilst it’s super warm to add a cosy vibe to your space. We say to place it in a living room, bedroom or even a hallway, but it really is versatile so you can use it anywhere. We can almost guarantee that your guests will comment on its woody fragrance, whilst it should last for three months on your side. It comes housed inside a classic The White Company vessel and is complete with rattan sticks. It’s perfect for Scandi-style homes. We just wish you could buy refills.

Capacity: 150ml
Refill available? No

3. Orphic Living Black Tea, Patchouli, Peppercorn Scented Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Orphic Living

This reed diffuser from small business Orphic Living is fantastically fragranced – and it comes housed in a lux looking amber glass bottle. It emits a deep scent of leather, tobacco, amber and musk, yet rest assured it’s never too overpowering. It’s great for using at home during the colder months, whilst it works its magic best in smaller, warmer rooms. There’s a matching candle available, plus a room spray, in the same fragrance. It makes a lovely gift idea…

Capacity: 150ml
Refill available? No

4. [Cocod’or/English Pearfree] Lavender Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Cocod’or

If it’s a good looking reed diffuser that you are after, perhaps to both scent your home and make a statement, then we recommend this luxury option from Cocod’or. It looks and plays the part – and it would look lovely in the centre of your coffee table or on display in your bedroom. It uses a mix of reeds and dried flowers to do the job of making your home smell nice. With fresh yet floral notes of white freesia and English pear, it’s subtle enough for guests to notice – and to comment. This reed diffuser should last 60 days, depending on how many reeds and dried flowers you use. We think it makes a lovely gift, too.

Capacity: 200ml
Refill available? No

Buy now: [Cocod’or/English Pearfree] Lavender Reed Diffuser, £15.99, Amazon

5. Skandinavisk Lempi Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Skandinavisk

This is one of our most favourite candles and our top-rated Skandinavisk candle, so why wouldn’t we want to buy it in reed diffuser form? It’s pretty in looks and in scent, with a decorative white glass casing, plus, refills are available to buy, too. We say pop it right in the middle of your living room – pride of place! Boasting aromas of peonies and roses, strawberries and mosses, this sweet-smelling floral fragrance is definitely one for spring and summer. Housed in white glass that’s made of 30% recyclable materials, this eco-friendly fragrance comes with 8 sticks included, while you can top up your existing vessel with fragrance as they sell refills. They say 200ml should last you more than three months.

Capacity: 200ml
Refill available? Yes

6.  Botanica by Air Wick Air Freshener Reed Diffuser Fresh Pineapple and Tunisian Rosemary

Image credit: Botanica by Airwick

If you are looking for something fresh to make a conservatory nice, then we can recommend this Air Wick reed diffuser – it smells lovely, it’s eco-friendly, and it’s very affordable. Perfect for getting rid of damp smells, and making a not-so lived in room smell lovely. Especially great for use in conservatories during colder months. Scented of juicy pineapple and herby rosemary, this unique blend is nice and powerful. It’s infused with natural essential oils, and it’s free from phthalates and dyes. This reed diffuser uses naturally derived rattan stems to make it environmentally friendly. The fragrance should last for around 45 days in your home. You can purchase refills so you needn’t repurchase the glass vessel, and these refills come in lots of scents so you can switch things up if need be.

Capacity: 80ml
Refill available? No

7. Stoneglow Natures Gift Pink Pepper Flowers Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Stoneglow

Looking for a reed diffuser to pop in your living room? This one from Stoneglow should be at the very top of your list. Not only does it look the part – in an oval glass bottle, with visible dried lily of the valley flowers and pink peppercorns – but it smells lovely, too. And by lovely we mean unique – it’ll be sure to banish smells and wow your guests.Just flip the reeds every now and then to release the fragrance. Made from a blend of lily of the valley (muget), rose and geranium, along with base notes of ginger and elemi – to add a luxury feel – this unique blend is ideal for those who love floral smells. This reed diffuser is said to last for up to 16 weeks when using all reeds, and as with all Stoneglow diffusers, it’s made with essential oils and natural waxes, all of which are sustainably sourced. They are also hand-poured right here in the UK.

Capacity: 180ml
Refill available? Yes

8. Floral Street Lady Emma Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Floral Street

This lovely Floral Street reed diffuser is a fab buy for a toilet or bathroom – or if you love a fresh scent. It would equally make a lovely addition to an orangery or conservatory, as its fresh leafy fragrance will help bring the outside in. Lady Emma smells of a mix of fresh leaves, green apple and Bulgarian rose oil, so it’s safe to say it’s one for spring and summer months. This reed diffuser is completely vegan and also cruelty-free, while it arrives in gorgeous recyclable packaging that ought to wow you (and your giftee). It’s housed in a pink glossy glass vessel, to add a pop of colour somewhere that needs it.

Capacity: 100ml
Refill available? No

Buy now: Floral Street Lady Emma Diffuser, £34, Floral Street

9. Aldi Lime, Basil & Mandarin Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Aldi

We’ve heard only good things about Aldi reed diffusers, and one that always comes up is their Lime, Basil & Mandarin scent. A dupe of Jo Malone’s one, but at very small fraction of the price, it’s a great buy if you are on a budget – or if you’re buying a reed diffuser to live in a room you don’t often chill inside – such as a spare bedroom or extra bathroom. This Aldi reed diffuser smells of lime, basil and mandarin, while it comes housed in a glass vessel with a silver lid, to look the part in your home, too. They say it should scent your home for up to 8 weeks, which, considering the price is fab. It even comes with 8 rattan sticks included, and it comes in a fancy box to make it feel and look a lot more high quality than its price tag portrays. There’s a reason Aldi shoppers go mad for this diffuser.

Capacity: 100ml
Refill available? No

Buy now: Hotel Collection No.1 Lime, Basil & Mandarin, £3.49, Aldi

10. Yankee Candle Fluffy Towels Reed Diffuser

Image credit: Yankee Candle

Perfect for a utility room, the Yankee Candle Fluffy Towel scent is perfectly subtle. As the name suggests, it emulates the sweet scent of freshly washed towels. Place it near your washing machine or tumble dryer for a double whammy. The aroma of clean, warm towels straight from the dryer is combined with notes of lemon, apple, lavender and lily. Deliciously invigorating for any room in the house – not just your utility room. Pop the Scandi-looking bottle on a shelf to fill the room with long-lasting fragrance – even if you’ve not done a towels wash in a few days. Yankee Candle reed diffusers offer the same long-lasting, true-to-life fragrance their candles do.

Capacity: 120ml
Refill available? No

What is the best reed diffuser to buy?

We rate The White Company’s Fireside Diffuser as the best reed diffuser you can buy right now – for autumn 2021. It’s comforting and woody, and perfect for placing in any room in your home. This reed diffuser is housed inside a decorative vessel that will fit in seamlessly with your decor, too. We’ve also tried, tested and loved Rituals’ The Ritual of Sakura Fragrance Sticks and this small yet powerful diffuser packs a punch, too.

Why buy a reed diffuser?

Reed diffusers are much safer to use as opposed to candles, though we obviously still love striking a match to our fave candle. They also require basically zero effort from you – all you need to do is flip the reeds every now and then. They are great for pet owners and parents since they needn’t be watched around inquisitive hands (or paws). Just place them well out of the way to do their job. Perhaps on a bookshelf, atop a chest of drawers, or on a high console table.

The best part? You can control how much scent is released when using a reed diffuser – add more reeds to the mix for a stronger scent, remove to make it subtle.

Where to use a reed diffuser?

You could pop a reed diffuser in your bathroom, to keep it smelling lovely all of the time and to banish odours. Alternatively, they work well in hallways – to greet your guests on arrival and to flood all of your other rooms with a subtle scent. Use a reed diffuser in a living area as this busy space is in need of a fragrance. This way, you’ll benefit from a constant breath of (lovely smelling) fresh air. Just be careful when placing reed diffusers in rooms where children often spend time, just in case they become too overpowering. We would suggest using a reed diffuser in a well-ventilated room. You can adjust the intensity of yours by removing reeds or adding them.

Don’t miss our best candles guide if you’re after a different type of home fragrance

The post Best reed diffusers – 10 fragranced finds for all budgets and seasons appeared first on Ideal Home.

Looking for the best air fryer? We’ve reviewed each and every one of the top ten air fryer picks in our guide, from the likes of Ninja, Tower, Swan, Cosori, Tefal, Breville, and Swan to bring you our complete roundup. Some will want a compact air fryer for two people, whereas others will be on the hunt for a generously-sized air fryer that can cater to the whole family. We’ve picked air fryers for both buyers, and everyone in between, with budget-friendly air fryers and more high-end options with added functions such as two drawers to cook simultaneously, and paddles to stir fries or veggies as they cook, making the whole process hands-free.

Not everyone has enjoyed the advantages of having an air fryer in the home, but if you ask us, they are a complete game-changer. You don’t just have to take our word for it, either, because there are legions of air fryer-lovers out there who are constantly sharing recipes and tricks for yet more air fryer tips to add to your repertoire. Even if you just want to speed up your cooking times, an air fryer will deliver crispy homemade chips in record speeds. They also do replicate the deliciously crisp texture of a deep-fried chicken wing or chicken nugget, but without all the oil. Much like the best slow cookers, we consider them to be a kitchen essential this time of year.

What is the best air fryer in 2021?

We loved the Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 because it’s reasonably priced and allows you to cook large portions at once. For an option that will cook multiple elements of a meal all in one go, the Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer was also a firm favourite.

1. Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501

Best air fryer overall

Size: 27.2 x 27.4 x 30.2 centimetres
Capacity: 4.7 litres
Programs:Chicken, chips, frozen, steak, seafood, veggies, bacon
Reasons to buy: 

• Air fries to perfection
• Smart up-top controls
• Shake reminders for even cooking
• Removable insert for easy cleaning
• Drawer is dishwasher-safe
Reasons to avoid: 

• The preset timings are a little off, but can be adjusted

Amazon’s best-selling air fryer held up well under our tests, too. The Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 has a smart look and a range of custom presets that will come in handy for low-effort cooking. It’s also adjustable, just press to increase or decrease the temperature or timer to achieve your perfect result.

We enjoyed the fries this air fryer produced on the chip setting. They were crisp and evenly cooked, and the cooking time was well below average which is a winner for hungry homes! That did mean we had to turn it down from 20 minutes to 30, but this was easy enough to do. You’ll get a reminder to shake your food halfway through on some settings. If you’re in the middle of a particularly riveting piece of telly then it may be a distraction, but you can simply press a button to switch off the reminder for no interruptions.

Included with the air fryer was a recipe book with loads of great tips. We made the buffalo cauliflower, chicken wings and more recipes from the book and found it a great help for those getting started with air frying. The large capacity makes this a top choice for families. We also loved that the insert means you can easily clean the drawer and basket in the Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501, simply put them in the dishwasher. The insert lifts out simply to allow you to reheat dishes with sauce.

Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 review

2. Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer

Best air fryer for multi-drawer cooking

Size: 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cm
Capacity: 7.6 litres
Programs: Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat & Dehydrate
Reasons to buy: 

• Superior air frying
• Sync or Match two useful zones
• Both drawers are diswasher-safe
• It can cook an entire meal, fish in one drawer, chips in the other

Reasons to avoid:

• A large option for most kitchens

What’s better than one air fryer? Two, in one. The Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer comes with two distinct air frying zones that allow you to air fry your fish and chips individually, or bake a side dish such as mac and cheese while you air fry chicken. You can match or sync these two drawers to make sure all elements of your meal are complete at the same time.

The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer also comes settings to reheat, dehydrate, roast, and bake. Its Max Crisp setting is designed for frozen food and we found that it gave us next-level frozen chips, fish fingers, and other freezer staples. It also cooks food in record time, because there’s no preheat time and its temperature can be easily adjusted. This air fryer gave us crispy chips and wedges every time, and always cooked our meat through completely. We even used it to make cauliflower wings, which were an unexpected triumph. The trays can be a little deep to reach into, so make sure you use non-stick cookware to take your food out when it’s done. The exterior stays cool though, even when it’s cooking at 240 degrees.

The instructions come with a recipe test with fun hints and tips for ideas to try in your air fryer. This included ideas we’d never considered before, such as brownies or fajitas. It is on the large side at 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cm, but if you can spare the space, it’s a game-changer.

Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

3. Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer

Best air fryer for families

Size: 28.6 x 22.9 x 29.8 cm
Capacity: 5.7 litres
Programs:Air fry, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate, grill
Reasons to buy: 

• Amazing air frying, and it does so much more
• Smart brushed finish
• Speeds up cooking significantly
• Made some of the best fries we’ve tried

Reasons to avoid: 

• Controls are noisy

The Instant Vortex Plus wowed us with its speedy and delicious cooking. It has a removable air fryer insert that slots neatly into the base of the air fryer drawer, and you can remove this if you want to reheat rice, bake cupcakes, or even roast some potatoes for your Sunday lunch. That’s right, while the Instant Vortex Plus is an immense air fryer, it also does a lot more thanks to its six cooking modes. You can even use it to dehydrate.

We enjoyed how speedy the Instant Vortex Plus was when it came to cooking frozen food. Frozen chicken fillets that would usually take 20 minutes only took 12, and sweet potato fries that would usually take 40 minutes only took 25.

The controls are touch-operated, and you can change the temperature and time using the dial at the front of the fryer. The brushed metal finish also elevates the look, and we thought it was a real treat to look at when left on the kitchen counters.

Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars

4. Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1

Best air fryer for homemade chips

Image credit: Tefal

Size: 48.9 x 38 x 29.5 centimetres
Capacity: 1.7kg
Programs: Chips, breaded items, desserts, nachos, fish and meat, chicken legs, stir fry, ‘world foods’, pie
Reasons to buy: 

• Paddle included to stir your food
• Pair with an app
• Space-age design
• Great for cooking entire meals

Reasons to avoid: 

• Not the best for low-fat

This machine has a huge footprint, so if you’re after a compact air fryer you can pop in a cupboard when you’re not using it then you might want to think again. That said, it’s so technologically advanced, we probably wouldn’t hide its considerable light under a bushel.

It has several things that separate it out from the rest of the air fryer crowd, including nine intelligent cooking modes and a My ActiFry app that features around 300 recipes. However, it’s the integral paddle with dual-motion technology, which stirs the food giving it an even, crisp coating that we think is the game-changer. Not only does it mean you can just leave the ActiFry alone to do its magic, it also allows you to cook dishes such as stir-fries and curries in it, too, using one of the two 1-meal-in-1-go programmes.

It hands-down produced the best chips we tried, with just half a teaspoon of oil and the chicken was well-cooked and juicy inside, although still dryer on the outside than normal frying would produce. It’s a generous size, too, producing main meals for up to five and starter portions for eight.

Because it doesn’t have a classic basket design, you can cook anything from stir-fried rice to fajita-spiced veggies without anything falling out of the slots in the basket. This does also mean that fat won’t drip away from your chips or chicken, so while it’s certainly a tasty pick, it’s not quite as low-fat as some of our other options.

Ideal Home rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Read our full Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1 review

5. Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer

Best air fryer for 2 people

Size:35.2 x 35.1 x 30.1 cm
Capacity: 2 litres
Programs: Air fry, bake, reheat, roast
Reasons to buy:

• Seriously good value
• Easy to use
• Colourful, fun design
• Does more than just air fry

Reasons to avoid:

• The small capacity isn’t ideal for everyone

Instant Brands is known for creating amazing air fryers and smart countertop appliances in the US, so we were first in line to review this new model when it launched in the UK. The Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer not only wowed us with its value-for-money, but it also impressed us in testing. Despite the limited capacity, it was able to air fry our (somewhat crammed-in) chips evenly with just a shake or two from us halfway through.

This air fryer is perfect for small kitchens. It has a removable basket liner that can drain away fat from bacon and juices from chicken, but take it out and suddenly you can bake, roast and even reheat in this beauty.

You can pick up the Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer in a range of fun colours. We tried it in red, but the blue option is quite fetching. There is also a white for clean kitchens, and a failsafe matte black. The display is very intuitive, and can be controlled with touchscreen settings and a tactile dial.  The only con? It’s not great for families.

Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer review

6. Breville Halo Rotisserie Air Fryer

Best rotisserie air fryer

Size:44.2 x 41.6 x 39.4 cm
Capacity: 10 litres
Programs: Air fry, bake, dehydrate, rotisserie, chips, chicken, veggies, steak
Reasons to buy:

• Sleek controls
• All the functions of a mini oven
• Incredible rotisserie
• Great space-saving design
Reasons to avoid:

• It’s a little fiddly

The Breville Halo Rotisserie Air Fryer offers an alternative take on air frying, with a rotisserie attachment that allows you to cook a whole chicken with crispy delicious skin and juicy meat, in just one hour. It also comes with a rotisserie mesh basket, which is what we used to cook our chips. It keeps them spinning as it cooks, meaning that every single crisp was evenly cooked.

Because it’s more of a mini convection oven thanks to the removable mesh wire trays, the Breville Halo Rotisserie Air Fryer doesn’t quite speed up your cooking time as much as a drawer air fryer with single-function design. However, it can be used to bake, rotisserie, air fry, and even dehydrate, and it’s also a well-sized machine to fit in as much capability as you like onto one kitchen counter.

We enjoyed the smart controls, which show the temperature as it preheats, and how easy it is to choose your mode and even illuminate the inside of the oven to watch your food as it cooks. Cleaning is easy too, but our main drawback is that it’s a bit tricky to take out the drawers because they get very hot. Oven gloves are a must!

Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Breville Halo Rotiserrie Air Fryer review

7. Philips Essential Air Fryer

Best air fryer for small kitchens

Size: 47.6 x 32.8 x 26.3cm
Capacity: 4.1 litres
Programs:Frozen, fish, meat, vegetables, chicken drumsticks, cake, reheat
Reasons to buy: 

• It’s perfect for smaller homes and kitchens
• Easy to clean
• Intuitive to use
• Comes with an app

Reasons to avoid:

• It’s more expensive than some other small options

If you want the best air fryer for a small kitchen or two-person household, the Philips Essential Air Fryer is the one for you. In terms of the cooking quality, it was pretty much on par with some of the larger and more premium brands in this guide. There’s plenty of cooking modes, including fish, meat, frozen food and reheat, and you can choose your temperature manually too.

The basket and drawer can both be washed in the dishwasher, which makes cleaning that much easier. We found the controls a little confusing at first but they’re fine once you’re used to which button indicates which cooking mode.

One complaint we had was the price, which was pretty high when compared to other small air fryers. It is clearly designed for smaller kitchens and homes though, with grooves that make it easy to carry and store, and a lightweight design.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Read our full Philips Essential Air Fryer review

8. Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer

Best smart air fryer

Size: 31.4 x 31.6 x 32.6cm
Capacity: 5.5 litre
Programs: Fries, shellfish, chicken, fish, steak, cake, bread
Reasons to buy: 

• As smart as they come
• Great for those who are new to air frying

Reasons to avoid: 

• The controls are fiddly
• The design isn’t as high-quality as other brands

The Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer is certainly a smart option. It’s loaded with preset modes for cooking fish, chicken, chips, bacon and even cake. You can also preheat and keep warm with this air fryer, as well as set a delay timer for when you want your meal to be ready.

If you’ve got an Alexa or Google Assistant speaker, you can pair the Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer with it for remote control. If not, opt for the Proscenic app, which allows you to check on your timer or adjust the temperature or settings without leaving the sofa.

We found the controls on the Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer a little fiddly in testing, and keen chefs may prefer to set the temperatures of their dishes manually. There are loads of recipes on the Proscenic app though, with timings and air fryer settings that couldn’t be easier to follow. Overall if you’re looking to expand your air fryer abilities, this is a smart choice.

Ideal Home rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

9. Swan Retro Air Fryer

Best-looking air fryer

Image credit: Swan

Size: 34.8 x 24 x 33.7cm
Capacity: 6 litre
Programs: Air fry only
Reasons to buy: 

• Looks lovely
• A generous capacity
• Will match with many Swan appliances
• Dishwasher-safe

Reasons to avoid:

• Less smart settings

Unlike pretty much all the other air fryers we tested, which, to paraphrase Henry Ford ‘you can have in any colour as long as it’s black’, this 5 litre machine was a pleasingly cheerful bright cherry red. It also comes in cream and black so would work well in pretty much any scheme if you wanted to leave it out on the worktop.

If you want something a little easier to operate than some of the more high-tech options, the Swan Retro has a simple temperature dial and a twist-timer at the top. It feels sturdy and has a large interior capacity of 6 litres. At 34.8 x 24 x 33.7cm it’s larger than some options but will work well in family-size kitchens.

We were very impressed by how this air fryer cooked bacon and other meats, but when it came to chips we found that it took longer than most air fryers. The timings were comparable to a regular oven.

The tray and non-stick basket can both be popped in the dishwasher, too.

Ideal Home rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Read our full Swan Retro Air Fryer review

10. Tower Vortex 5-in-1 Digital Air Fryer Oven

Best air fryer for chicken

Size:44.2 x 38.4 x 36.2 cm
Capacity: 11 litres
Programs:Air fry, bake, roast, dehydrate, rotisserie
Reasons to buy: 

• It’s a real multi-tasker
• Makes a mean chicken
• Lights up for easy viewing

Reasons to avoid: 

• You lose some of the convenience of a classic air fryer

The Tower Vortex 5-in-1 Digital Air Fryer is more of an American-style air fryer. It’s designed to look like an oven and comes with a drip tray and multiple shelves to cook your food as you would in a regular oven. There are some perks to this design though. Our favourite was the rotisserie function which made some of the most delicious chicken we’ve ever made. A game-changer for roast dinners.

The shelves need to be taken out and switched around mid-cook if you want to achieve an even crisp, which is not ideal and can be a little fiddly. The oven did a great job of creating crispy food though, especially when it came to the frying setting. It can also bake and roast like you’d expect in a regular oven.

A nice touch is the door, which you can see straight through. There is a button to illuminate the fryer as it cooks which allows you to look in and check on your food without opening it. It’s a large option, but a versatile one too.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Read our full Tower Vortex 5-in-1 Digital Air Fryer review

How do air fryers work?

Air fryers work like a convection oven to circulate air around your food and cook it evenly from every angle. That means any fat you add to the air fryer will circulate around your fries, chicken or fish as it cooks, making it crisp and crunchy. 

Air fryers typically come with an in-built basket that has space for air to get underneath your food, as well as cooking it from above and the side. In the Ninja Dual Zone for example, you can remove this and use the tray like a regular oven tray to add a crisp cheesy top to a pasta bake or roast vegetables and potatoes for convenient mealtimes. Check out the best microwaves for more easy meal prep appliances. 

Black Friday air fryer deals: what we expect to see

Air fryers seemed to be at the top of everyone’s shopping list last Black Friday, not to mention the sell-out models we saw on Amazon Prime Day, so we’re expecting some great air fryer deals this Black Friday. One brand that’s never short of a sell-out discount is Ninja, and we’re expecting to see at least one of their top-rated fryers with a hefty discount for Black Friday 2021.

Another brand that regularly pulls out all the stops for its Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions is Cosori, which currently sits at the top spot in our guide. Cosori is a brand that’s found exclusively on Amazon, so if you’re looking for a deal, that’s the best place to look.

While they rarely go on sale, we did see some great prices on the Proscenic and Instant air fryers this Prime Day, which is usually a good indicator of what’s to come for Black Friday. While it’s still a little way off (November 26th, to be exact) you can find all the top air fryer deals for Cyber Monday and Black Friday 2021 right here.

How to buy the best air fryer for you

Check the air fryer features and programmes

Look for easy-to-use controls for both temperature and time, as these are the most important features on any air fryer. Auto-stop and keep warm functions can be useful but chips, if left for any amount of time will soon lose their crispness. More expensive machines will feature touch screens rather than dial controls, which will help with accuracy.

What else should I look for?

The bigger the basket capacity, the more people you’ll be able to cook for. So if you’ve got a family, then a 5 litre machine (which usually provides a chip capacity of around 800g to 1kg) is probably a must.

A loud beep to signal the end of cooking time is a good idea if you’re using the time to wander off and do something else. Most air-fryers will only cook one food group at a time (ie meat or veg) but some will cook a whole meal in one go if you’re after a one-pot solution.

Are air fryers healthy?

Air fryers are as healthy as the food you cook in them, but one thing you can be confident in is that they’re healthier than deep fat fryers. If you want to cut back on the amount of oil and fat in your food, air fryers are also excellent for crisping up your meal while not submerging it in fat.

Bacon is not particularly healthy, but cooking it in an air fryer means that the fat will drip away from the meat and into the basket, while still rendering and crisping for that perfect bacon sarnie. Air frying is also a way of adding more veggies to your diet. Some of the best things to cook in an air fryer are cauliflower “wings”, which is simply florets of cauliflower tossed in whatever sauce you wish to pair it with.

How much oil do I need to use in my air fryer?

Image credit: Breville

While most recipes call for a teaspoon or half a teaspoon of oil. We found we got a more even coating on some foods by decanting our choice of oil into a small spray bottle and using that. Never use one-calorie oil spray, which is a step too far in the diet stakes we found, producing nasty, chewy fries.

Most of the machines we tested couldn’t be used with fattier meats such as sausages or chicken or duck with the skin on. This sometimes results in meats being drier on the outside. This was where a spray oil came in handy and definitely improved results if not making them as good as if they’d been fried.

Ready for another test? Best kettles

How to make perfect chips in an air fryer

If you’re making fresh chipped potatoes, leave the cut chips immersed in cold water for about half an hour then rinse well to get rid of starch as this will improve the texture once cooked.

Place chips in your air fryer and start to cook as soon as you’ve coated them in the half-teaspoon or so of oil for best results and don’t leave to sit in the fryer once cooked.

The post Best air fryer 2021 – reviews of our top ten picks appeared first on Ideal Home.

Primark can always be counted on for some great budget homeware. The store is now selling cute pumpkin candles that will look brilliant as part of your autumnal home decor.

Gone are the days of buying some plastic, bright orange pumpkins and calling it a day. This range of Primark pumpkin candles is perfect, as it will add a subtle, seasonal touch to your coffee table or dining table.

Image credit: Primark

Primark pumpkin candles

The neutral and metallic colour scheme means you can keep your Halloween decor out for longer, without getting tired of brighter hues. Available in white and gold, these are a stylish winter living room idea if you want to embrace all things Halloween this year.

The collection includes some cute, small candles in the shape of a pumpkin – these are bargains at just £2. There are also some larger candles that come in a ceramic, pumpkin-shaped pot.

So once you’ve finished the candle, you can hold onto the pot and use it for storing small bits and pieces. We’d use it for keeping tea lights for our oil burners, or maybe for storing some Halloween teats.

Image credit: Primark

When Primark revealed the cute new candles on Instagram, they had plenty of admirers. Thousands of Primark fans liked the post, with many tagging friends and planning a trip to the store.

‘I am BUZZING at how many shops are now selling cute autumn decor!!! We couldn’t find any last year,’ wrote one shopper.

‘Primark trip needed, these are so cute,’ commented another. The white pumpkin ornament is £6, the 3-wick pumpkin jar candle costs £4, while the amber glass hex candle is £2.

Image credit: Primark

We think they’d look lovely on a windowsill or side table in the hallway. If you’ve got the autumn bug, take a look at the best autumn wreaths for your front door. They can also work as a centrepiece when paired with some pillar candles.

We also tried the Poundland pumpkin mop hack to check it really worked – a fun option if you’re on a tight budget. Candles are a must for creating a cosy and inviting feel in your home.

Will you be picking some up?

The post Primark has the cutest pumpkin candles for just £2 appeared first on Ideal Home.