This Philips air fryer is guaranteed to fix an issue in my kitchen — and it’s not the one you think

An air fryer has become a necessity in the kitchen. The sheer convenience it provides by being a space-saving appliance that can cook food just as well as, and often quicker than, a conventional oven — and thus saving on energy usage — there’s pretty much no reason to not have one.

I can certainly attest to this, as I use my Instant Vortex air fryer on an almost daily basis. I published my Instant Vortex Air Fryer with Versazone review back in April 2024 and it’s still going strong today. I have no real reason or need to replace it, but having recently laid eyes on the Philips Series 3000 air fryer, I’m now not so sure. Throw in the fact that it’s been reduced to just AU$197 at Amazon (down from AU$399), I think I might find myself adding it to my basket.

My kitchen is predominantly white, so the Philips machine will definitely blend better with the decor, making the space look ‘open’ or ‘lighter’. And who can say no to a bit of champagne gold? I think it looks even more premium than my current setup (which, incidentally retails for the sameAU$399, but is currently down to AU$299.99 at Amazon), and while it might just be a humble cooking machine, if I can add some extra luxe to my home in any way, shape or form, you best believe I’m going to do so.

Now, while we’ve yet to review the Philips Series 3000 air fryer here at TechRadar, we have reviewed the Series 1000 and Series 5000, which sit either side in terms of features and usability. Both those models have received positive reviews from us, especially when it comes to delivering perfectly cooked dishes — ultimately what you’d want from any air fryer.

On paper, the Series 3000 has more in common with the Series 5000, albeit missing out on the higher-spec model’s ability to cook (and clean) with the power of steam.

And since that model is only available in black, I’m happy to forgo this added feature in favour of aesthetic appeal. The Series 3000 adopts a similar dual-basket design, whereby one basket is larger than the other, for a total cooking space of 9 litres.

The only slight catch here is that the baskets are individual. My Instant Vortex has one large 8.5L cooking basket that can be split into two when needed, with a divider that allows me to adjust the size of each as required. I do appreciate having one large basket, so there would be some compromise and a brief period of learning a new way to cook, but given the larger drawer on the Philips is a respectable 6L, I reckon I’ll fare just fine.

Otherwise, the two machines appear to be virtually identical. Both give the option to have two separate dishes finish cooking at the same time, and both offer a number of cooking methods. Although, since I tend to rely just on the main air-fry function, this is almost a non-issue.

And, as mentioned, now that’s it down 51% to a rather affordable AU$197, it makes my decision that much easier.