Haier I-Master Series 5 Multi Air Fryer review

The popularity of air fryers shows no sign of slowing down. This is why it's not surprising that Haier - known for their fridges, ovens and washing machines - recently launched a range of smaller appliances, including a blender, toaster, kettle and you guessed it - an air fryer.

The Haier I-Master Series 5 Multi Air Fryer is a stylish and modern kitchen appliance. Despite having a wide range of functions, 9 food preparation ones, it remains easy to use. Selecting the desired program is a straightforward process accomplished by rotating the knob situated atop the fryer. It comes with a small window to watch the cooking process, which is a great idea. There is a light inside that can be turned on to improve visibility, which is ideal to see how the cooking process is proceeding.

Despite the recent popularity and rise in purchasing air fryers, the Haier series 5 model currently retails at about £169, which for the model and functionality is comparable to other brands. Scroll down to find out how tester Michael Thorpe got on when testing the Haier Air Fryer.

Haier I-Master Series 5 Multi Air Fryer overview

Testing the Haier I-Master Series 5 Multi Air Fryer

"Not having owned an air fryer before but aware of the favourable comments from many others including family members, I was eagerly awaiting the results from the various meals or recipes that I would be testing with the Haier air fryer.

Upon receiving the air fryer, it came very well packaged and once removed and placed on the suitable kitchen surface, I was surprised that considering the size, it did not take up much room in the kitchen. The enclosed instruction booklet was easy to read and explained in simple terms the functionality of the air fryer, along with cooking times for suggested food items. It took only a few minutes to fully understand the diagrams, and I was ready to begin.

The Haier air fryer is solidly built and looks both elegant and contemporary, and compared to the look of others available, this stands out as one of the best and would look great in any kitchen.

It comes with a large 7-litre capacity drawer to cook your food, which is large enough to cook a small chicken in. Although I only tested smaller portions or meals, I'd say the size was suitable enough for cooking for two or three people.

I decided to start small when initially testing the air fryer, so I could better understand the functionality and performance, by using only single items with a short cooking time, including rashes of bacon, sausages and jacket potatoes.

I also wanted to explore how the air fryer performed using other accessories, rather than just placing the items directly in the basket. This included single-use paper liners to silicon trays. The purpose of this was to ascertain if the quality of the final cooked food was different compared to using the basket directly, but also the extra cleaning required. I found that in using both methods, there was no difference in the quality of the finished product but using the liners and trays certainly did assist in not having to clean the basket for any excess fat or waste.

After using it just a few times, the controls and functionality became very easy and quick, and along with the reduced cooking times and healthier option, it is an appliance I see myself using regularly.

In addition to being easy to use, the air fryer is also simple to clean. Although the dishwasher is safe for all removable parts.

One of the most impressive things about the Haier I-Master Series 5 Multi Air Fryer is how it can fry food with 90% less fat. The added baking tray, deep dish, and grill rack accessories make it even more versatile, making it easy to cook healthy meals. The window made of double-glass, with LED lighting positioned above the basket, offers you a good opportunity to observe the cooking process. It enables you to keep an eye on your food's progress without any worries of heat loss.

The air fryer is well-insulated, so nothing gets hot on the outside, not even the glass. While I haven't tried out all the features yet, I have enjoyed using it, especially because it significantly reduces my cooking time, and the healthier aspect of 90% less fat and using less energy than a conventional oven. I'm looking forward to trying out even more air fryer recipes."

Final verdict

"The Haier air fryer has a generous capacity and is surprisingly compact, making it suitable for any kitchen. With nine different ways to prepare food, such as baking, roasting, slow cooking, and reheating, the Series 5 Air Fryer brings you a whole new world of cooking possibilities. It even has special settings just for meat, chicken, fish, veg, and cakes, so you can achieve amazing results every single time.

The dishwasher-safe baskets and accessories with non-stick coating are super convenient for cleaning up after cooking, making it a breeze and saving you lots of time and effort in the kitchen.

I have been very impressed by the performance of this air fryer, as it delivered excellent results, and the quality and taste of the food I tested have been exceptional."

Features & Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert has been a journalist since 2015 and has worked across a variety of specialist and lifestyle brands both in print and online. Specialising in travel content and product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases, her favourite being gadgets for the home.