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Smeg has unveiled its first-ever air fryer. Dubbed the AFC01 Dual Flavour Air Fryer, the Italian kitchen brand has given this gadget the same retro-inspired treatment it's famous for on its toasters and kettles, with a sleek square shape, rounded corners, and a matte finish.
Measuring just 32x31x31 cm, it's compact enough for smaller kitchens, too. The front is sleek, showing nothing but the iconic Smeg lettering — no chunky drawers or handles in sight.
What appears to set this air fryer apart is that, instead of pulling out a drawer from the front like other brands such as Ninja or Salter, Smeg's version opens from the top with a flip-up lid.
You can press a button on the front, and the whole thing pops open with a satisfying soft-close feel, giving you full access to the basket inside. This is ideal because it means the front of the appliance stays completely uncluttered on your worktop.
Buy Smeg's first-ever air fryer from Currys
The new Smeg Air Fryer brings a stylish twist to everyday cooking, with a generous 7.3-litre capacity that’s ideal for family meals. Its sleek design fits easily in multiple kitchen styles, while multiple cooking programmes make it easy to fry, roast, bake, and reheat your favourite foods. A handy viewing window lets you keep an eye on your food without opening the basket.
Built into the lid is a translucent viewing window with an integrated light, so you can keep an eye on your food without lifting the lid and letting all the heat escape.
Its capacity measures at 7.3 litres, so it can comfortably fit a whole chicken, mini lasagna, and large party snacks. This is slightly larger than the Ninja Air Fryer Max.
Controls are meant to be handled through a touch-sensitive panel on the exterior, which stays hidden when the fryer isn't in use — keeping everything looking neat and minimal.
The AFC01 also offers two cooking modes. It features a standard Crispy setting that's designed to work like a traditional air fryer, circulating hot air to deliver golden, crunchy results using little to no oil — ideal for chips and breaded foods.
Air fryers are a great addition to your kitchen appliances if you're looking to cut down on your household bills. These popular countertop gadgets only require around half the electricity that a conventional oven uses, making them 50% more efficient.
Unsurprisingly, these gadgets have skyrocketed in popularity with Britons. Research from Leatherhead Food Research says 61% of UK households now own an air fryer, which is up by 10% from last year.
However, Smeg's standout feature appears to be the Juicy+Crispy mode. The feature lets you pour cold water into a reservoir on top of the unit, and it releases fine droplets of steam while cooking. That means your chicken or fish stays moist inside while still getting that signature crispy exterior.
Brands like Ninja don't offer this setting in the majority of their air fryers. However, Ninja does feature this in its Ninja Crispi — a portable solution that can cook, serve, and store all in the same vessel.
Smeg's air fryer also offers seven presets for chicken wings and legs, meat, fish, prawns, chips, vegetables, and roast chicken, plus a manual mode if you prefer to set your own time and temperature.
The ceramic-coated basket is PFAS-free and dishwasher-safe, with silicone handles on both sides for easy lifting.
It comes in four matte colourways — black, storm blue, emerald green, and white. Matte can also be far more forgiving with fingerprints and marks than glossy alternatives.
At £199.95, the price sits roughly in line with what you'd pay for a top-end Ninja air fryer, which makes it surprisingly competitive for a brand that typically commands a hefty premium.
It also arrives soon after Smeg announced a new Snoopy-themed retro fridge.
The company says on its website: "This new playful artwork depicts Snoopy gazing up at his best friend Woodstock as he floats off into the sky in a red hot air balloon. The vibrant red of the balloon and yellow of Woodstock add another dimension to the illustration, bringing it to life against the backdrop of the crisp white fridge."
Its fridge is built with a 105-litre capacity — meaning it can fit five to six bags of groceries and can fit comfortably in a small flat or office. It also comes with two adjustable shelves, as well as an ice box and door storage.
