Kmart Air Fryer Review: The Hype is Justified Here

Air fryers have been front of mind for every person with a kitchen for some time now. And the popularity of these kitchen appliances doesn't seem to be waning – perhaps because they’re actually worth the hype? A little while back, we wrote a piece on the top-rated air fryers according to folks in Australia who have been using them. One of these air fryers really stood out, not just because it was ranked number two on the list, but because it was so damn affordable. That was the Kmart 3.75L Air Fryer.

Seeing as Kmart's range of air fryers has been so well received (at the time of writing, all five variations have ratings of 4.8 and above out of 5), I simply had to try one of these babies out for myself.

I was given the option to review the Kmart 3.75L Air Fryer, and here is how I have found the experience over the past few weeks.

Before we dig in, here are the details you need to know about.

Specs:

The stand-out feature here is that this thing is so incredibly easy to use. Set up is easy. Using it is easy. And cleaning is (you guessed it) easy.

This was my first time using an air fryer of any kind, so I was going in completely unsure of what to expect. I read through the manual, which is definitely useful, but the LED function panel makes it incredibly clear how to get to work with this Kmart air fryer – you could probably figure it out without the manual, which is great if you’re one of those people who can never be bothered to read instructions.

Set up was simply removing the plastic casing, giving the internal parts (the pot and frying basket) a good wash and running the air fryer for 15 minutes with water in the basket to ensure it was properly cleaned out.

When it came to getting to know the air fryer, the manual really came in handy. It has a table that lists out the best cooking time, temperature and any extra information for different ingredients, like homemade French chips, fish and muffins – just to name a few.

I use this a lot; it's like a short cut guide for cooking basic things. But simply using the ‘M’ (mode) button on the display also allows you to cycle through the inbuilt settings for certain ingredients, too (like, chicken, fish, fries and cakes). This will give you the ideal cooking time and temperature, generally speaking, but depending on what you want to make, you may want to experiment a little.

So far, I’ve tested out homemade chips, air-fried bananas, chicken, mixed veggies and full potatoes, and this little Kmart air fryer has not missed. Every dish I have made has turned out well, often with a crispy exterior and soft interior, and it's always quick and easy: two words we love when it comes to cooking at home.

To clean the Kmart air fryer, you need to pull out the pot and frying basket, separate the two with the release button (which is a little fiddly, but you’ll get it) and then wash them with dishwashing liquid and water. It's stupidly easy.

Then there's the price. With other air fryers costing as much as $400, this $69 baby is a pretty decent deal. Sure, it may be a little small if you’re cooking for a lot of people, but for a two-person household, this is perfect. It also slots into tiny kitchens pretty well.

What's not so good?

When I first got my hands on the Kmart air fryer, I will admit it felt a little cheap. The removable pot and frying basket are kind of awkward to fit in and out of the machine, and the whole thing doesn't really look or feel great. I mean, it is cheap, so there are going to be trade-offs somewhere.

I was also aware of some warnings regarding Kmart air fryers cracking benchtops, so I made sure to set mine on a thick, wooden chopping board (which other more expensive kitchen appliances also recommend, I’ll mention). I haven't had any issues, so can say that's working well for me – I just have one less chopping board to use.

The other thing I would love, and this is just me being fussy, is the ability to press the ingredient image on the digital display to change the cooking settings, rather than using the mode button to move through all the options.

While Kmart's $69 3.75L air fryer may not be the sexiest appliance on the market, it sure is a satisfying one. If what you’re after is an affordable air fryer that will deliver on tasty, easy-to-cook meals, it’ll be difficult to look past this guy as an option. Just buy an extra chopping board or heat mat with the savings you’ve made on purchasing it.

You can check it out, along with the rest of the range, here.

Stephanie Nuzzo is the Editor of Lifehacker Australia.