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I wasn’t a fan of syrup in coffee until I tried the Jura J10 espresso machine – here’s why

2:00 pm | March 9, 2025

Jura J10: two-minute review

If you like elaborate coffees with flavored syrup, the Jura J10 is the fully automatic coffee machine of your dreams – and if you don’t, it might just change your mind.

The J10 also does a great job of the basics, producing consistently rich and well-balanced espresso thanks to a grinder that monitors the consistency of the grind, from which the J10 recommends the optimum temperature and extraction time for each drink (while still letting you tailor the settings to your preferences). The crema isn’t quite as thick and stable as that created by the KitchenAid KF6, but it’s still up there with the best espresso machines – and the J10 has a lot more to offer besides.

In addition, its cold brew option works well as well, and is in fact one of its stand-out features. It uses a different process to the Jura Z10 we reviewed back in 2023. The Z10 also offered a cold brew option, but the J10 works by pulsing water slowly through the grounds rather than forcing it through at high pressure, as you can see in the video below, which the company says should yield a more rounded flavor.

During tests, I found the process delivered a similar flavor profile to traditional overnight cold-brewing methods, taking the bitter notes out of your beans and producing a drink that’s much smoother than one brewed hot. With an ice cube or two to bring down the temperature a bit further, you’d be hard-pressed to differentiate it from the real thing.

The J10 certainly isn’t a cheap option; even if you’re currently placing takeaway coffee orders several times a week, it will take some time for it to pay for itself. Nevertheless, it’s a pleasure to use. The Sweet Foam system isn’t complicated, but it’s implemented perfectly and works exactly as promised. The flavor is distributed evenly throughout the milk rather than being concentrated in the bottom of your cup, so you’ll actually need less syrup for the same intensity of sweetness, and you can use any type of coffee syrup you like, including sugar-free ones.

Adjusting the milk foam setting on the Jura J10 coffee maker — A dial on the front of the machine lets you choose between hot and foamed milk (Image credit: Future)

The J10 does an impressive job of texturizing milk, on a par with the excellent Siemens EQ900 Plus, and with a dose of syrup its foam is even more stable, lasting to the very last drop.

It has a couple of quirks, though. The drip tray is unusually shallow, which means you have to take care not to spill its contents, and the customization menus time out sooner than I’d like. Overall, however, the Jura J10 is a treat to use.

Jura J10: price and availability

Launched in early 2025
Priced at £1,795 / AU$3,990 (about $2,300)
Not yet available in the US, but that may change soon

The Jura J10 launched in early 2025, and is available to buy direct from Jura and from a handful of third-party retailers. It has a list price of £1,795 / AU$3,990 (about $2,300), but at the time of writing (March 2025), it isn't yet available to buy in the US. Other Jura machines are available in the States, so hopefully it will only be a matter of time before it hits those shores.

Jura is charging a premium price for its fully automatic espresso machine then, but it isn't the most expensive around. It comes in less than both the Siemens EQ900 Plus (also a great option for well-extracted espresso paired with perfectly foamed milk) and the KitchenAid KF8 (more stylish to look at, but not so good with dairy).

Value score: 4/5

Jura J10: specifications

Jura J10 review: design

Hopper for whole beans and ground coffee
Detects which of its two dispensers you're using
Sweet Foam system attaches to milk texturizer

The Jura J10 is a smart-looking espresso machine with a glossy piano-black finish. The exterior is made entirely from plastic (even the silver-colored components), which in my opinion isn't a bad thing – the whole machine is easy to wipe clean and isn’t excessively heavy. Some of its rivals weigh over 37.5lb / 17kg, so a machine I can move easily is a refreshing change.

Milk container attached to Jura J10 coffee maker — The Jura J10 is an attractive machine, and the company has even considered what its removeable milk system looks like (Image credit: Future)

Unusually for an automatic coffee machine, it has two dispensers: one in the middle for coffee and hot water for espressos and americanos; another on the right for lattes, cappuccinos, and steamed milk, with optional syrup added as the milk is texturized.

There’s a single, generously sized hopper on top, with an airtight seal to keep your beans fresh. Like the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine K8, the Jura J10 also has a chute for adding a scoop of pre-ground coffee, if you want to try something different.

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Bean hopper of Jura J10 coffee maker — The Jura J10 has a single, generously sized bean hopper (Image credit: Future)

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Grind setting adjustment on Jura J10 coffee maker — A control dial allows you to adjust the grind size. and the chute lets you add two scoops of ground coffee (Image credit: Future)

Personally, I prefer the twin-hopper setup of the Siemens EQ900 Plus, which can be filled with two different beans at once. Nevertheless, it’s still nice to have an option if you want to switch to decaf in the evening, or have a guest who’s particularly fond of a certain bean or blend.

The J10's water tank is accessed by lifting a flap at the top of the machine and then pulling it out of the side. It’s easy to remove, reinsert, and carry to the tap thanks to a convenient folding handle. The J10 is supplied with a water filter, with a cartridge that pushes onto a plastic adapter and then twists into place in the bottom of the tank to help reduce limescale buildup and remove impurities. Additional filter cartridges are available direct from Jura for $20 / £15.95 / AU$27.90 each.

Water tank removed from Jura J10 coffee maker — The J10's water tank is easily removed, and has a replaceable filter to help prevent limescale (Image credit: Future)

The only drawback of the design (and it’s a minor one) is that the drip tray is wide and long, but shallow, which makes it relatively easy to spill the contents while carrying it to the sink. The machine doesn’t warn you until it’s almost full, so I found myself emptying it before I was prompted to avoid getting water on the floor. I did appreciate the spout shape at the back of the tray, though, which makes it easy to pour out the contents when you get it over the sink.

In general, the milk systems of fully automatic coffee makers are quite ugly, often taking the form of open plastic tubs attached to an otherwise stylish machine by a length of slightly medical-looking rubber tubing. This isn't the case with the Jura J10, which has a glass milk container with an airtight lid that’s designed to be stored in the fridge between uses, and which attaches to the machine’s foaming dispenser using a tube with a metal sleeve. It’s a much more stylish solution than most, and works well.

Syrup container for Jura J10 coffee maker Sweet Foam system — The Sweet Foam system uses a small container of syrup that attaches to the milk texturizer (Image credit: Future)

You do get a plain plastic tube, but this is only used for cleaning the milk system. The Jura J10 comes with a two-part tank that sits on top of the drip tray when it’s time for a deep clean. Just add some cleaning tablets (again, available to buy from Jura), choose the program, and the machine will do the rest, pouring hot water onto the tablets to make a cleaning solution, pumping it through the unit, and depositing the waste water into the smaller section ready to be poured away.

The Sweet Foam system uses a small container that you fill with your preferred syrup (regular or sugar-free), which you attach to the milk foamer. As the steamed milk is dispensed, it becomes infused with syrup, distributing the flavor evenly throughout the milk.

Design score: 4.5/5

Jura J10 review: performance

Espresso is consistently well-extracted with rich crema
Milk is perfectly foamed, and Sweet Foam system works brilliantly
Cold brew tastes authentically milk and well-rounded

There’s an impressive assortment of presets, including espresso drinks, hot and steamed milk, and hot water. Tap the arrow button above the drink menu and you’ll see a set of extra options including cold brew, extra shot, and Sweet Foam. Select one of these, and you’ll see an icon over the drinks that can be prepared in the way. It’s a smart system that means you don’t have to browse through multiple menus to prepare custom drinks.

As you’d expect with a premium automatic coffee machine, you can also create your own custom beverages, adjusting the temperature, volume, and brew time to suit your preferences. It’s also easy to tweak the machine’s own presets, which is a nice feature that means you can tailor the whole menu to suit your tastebuds – and your cups.

Drink menu on Jura J10 coffee maker — The Jura J10 offers an extensive menu of customizable drink options (Image credit: Future)

I was occasionally frustrated when the customization menus timed out and returned me to the home screen before I’d finished making my choices, but that was the only drawback for me. I just had to be more prepared and not spend time dithering.

When you select a drink, the machine will recommend a grind setting from "mild" to "intense". This is fairly unusual – most fully automatic espresso machines I’ve tested will adjust the grind size for you automatically, and again you’re not given a huge amount of time to do it.

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Making espresso using the Jura J10 coffee maker — The Coffee Eye system detects where you've placed your cup, illuminates either amber or white, and changes which drink options are shown on the menu (Image credit: Future)

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Jura J10 coffee maker preparing a latte macchiato with syrup — The milk texturizer is excellent, and foam with syrup lasts even longer (Image credit: Future)

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Latte macchiato made using Jura J10 coffee maker — The Jura J10 makes an impressive latte macchiato (Image credit: Future)

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Cup of espresso made using Jura J10 coffee maker — Espresso is delicious, even though the crema isn't quite as thick and stable as that produced by the KitchenAid KF6 (Image credit: Future)

Both dispensers can be easily moved up and down to accommodate different sized cups, and the J10 has a system called Coffee Eye that detects which one your cup is beneath, and only displays beverages that will be dispensed there. It’s a clever addition, and one that eliminates any potential confusion. The machine also has different colored lights that illuminate to show where you’ve placed your cup – white for the espresso dispenser, and amber for the cappuccino dispenser.

The Sweet Foam container lets you control the amount of syrup added to the milk, allowing you to tailor the flavor to your preferences, and you can use any type or flavor you want, including sugar-free. I used a Tate & Lyle coffee syrup provided by Jura; not only were the results delicious, with the flavor distributed much more evenly than it would be if you simply added a pump of syrup to the cup, it also made the foam on my latte macchiato even more stable and long-lasting.

You have to remove and clean the container after each use, but this doesn't require much effort. Having the syrup in some sort of tank inside the machine for use on-demand would mean the machine would need another type of cleaning cycle to wash out the sugar, and you’d be limited to one type of syrup at a time.

In the J10's setup, the syrup doesn’t enter the rest of the milk system at all, so there’s no sugar in the machine to act as a breeding ground for bacteria. Plus, you can use a different flavor whenever you feel like it. I washed the container by hand, which took only a moment, and Jura recommends popping it in the dishwasher once a week for a deeper clean.

I was particularly interested to try the cold brew option, which promises authentic-tasting cold coffee drinks in moments, with the same flavor profile as cold brew that's been extracted in the traditional way over the course of many hours. Cold brew does take longer to dispense than a shot of hot espresso, but not by much – it drips from the dispenser, rather than issuing in a stream – and the taste is very impressive. It might not be quite as flavorsome as authentic cold brew, but it’s very close; it's sweeter, with far less bitterness than espresso brewed hot. Throw in some ice and I think you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

Cleaning the milk system of the Jura J10 coffee maker — The Jura J10 comes with a two-part tank for deep-cleaning the milk system (Image credit: Future)

Like any fully automatic coffee maker, the Jura J10 requires regular cleaning to keep it hygienic and ready to brew. One feature I particularly appreciated was its ability to run a rinsing cycle automatically when it hasn't been used for a certain period of time. This is something I’ve only previously seen on commercial bean-to-cup machines, and it makes a lot of sense. You can tinker with the cleaning and maintenance settings (including rinsing) by tapping the small arrow button on the bottom of the coffee menu.

Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Jura J10

Buy it if

You enjoy decadent coffee drinks

The Jura J10 lets you replicate even complicated coffee orders at home, and gives much better results than just adding a pump of syrup to your cup.

You enjoy cold brew

The J10's updated cold brewing system is fast and effective, producing a flavor profile strikingly similar to coffee brewed cold overnight.

Don't buy it if

You prefer traditional coffees

If syrup and cold brew aren't your thing, you can get excellent results from a more affordable machine such as the standard Siemens EQ900.

You're a bit clumsy

The wide and shallow drip tray can be prone to spilling if you're not careful, and the J10 won't warn you until it's very full.

Jura J10: also consider

Not completely sold on the Jura J10 coffee maker? Here are two other premium bean-to-cup machines for you to consider.

Siemens EQ900 Plus

Another premium fully automatic espresso machine, the Siemens EQ900 Plus makes the best latte macchiato I've had at home. If you want a more affordable option, the standard EQ900 is very similar, only lacking the smart cleaning function.

Read our full Siemens EQ900 Plus review

KitchenAid KF8 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

Not interested in syrup or cold brew? The KitchenAid KF8 brews exceptional espresso, and has specially configured settings to handle both dairy and milk substitutes.

Read our full KitchenAid KF8 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine review

How I tested the Jura J10

I used the Jura J10 with three different coffee beans: my favorite Burundi and Panama Winter Blend from local coffee shop Mokoko; Jura Malabar Monsooned India Pure Origin; and Jura Cafe Creme Guatemala, Brazil, Costa Rica Blend. The latter two were provided by Jura, along with Tate & Lyle Barista caramel syrup.

Bags of coffee beans and bottle of syrup used when testing Jura J10 coffee maker — (Image credit: Future)

I used the milk system with chilled whole milk, purchased that day. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products on TechRadar.

First reviewed April 2025

I tested this ultra-expensive electric shaver from Philips – here’s why I’d buy it

12:35 pm | March 7, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Tags: AU, UK, US | Comments: Off

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige: one-minute review

Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

UK and AU: Philip Shaver S9000 Prestige, SP9883/35
US: The SP9883/35 variant doesn't appear to be widely available from online US retailers, but you can find the very similar Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige (product code SP9886/89) on Amazon US.

If you’re in the market for a premium electric shaver, it’s well worth checking out the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige. This premium model is packed with Philips’ SkinIQ tech for an adaptive, delicate shave, a highly ergonomic design and waterproofing – meaning it offers an all-round excellent user experience.

For reference, I specifically tested the SP9883/35 variant of the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige – and this doesn’t come cheap. It’s available now in the UK and Australia with a list price of £699 / AU$999. Thankfully, though, it’s unlikely you’ll have to pay quite this much in all regions. For instance, I’ve spotted it going for much closer to £300 from a lot of UK retailers. Still, that’s quite a bit to spend on an electric shaver – so is it worth it?

Well, if like me you have pretty sensitive skin and are used to irritation after a typical shave – then I’d say the answer is yes. Whether I was having a wet or dry shave, the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige glided across my face with ease and never felt strenuous or sharp on my skin – something we always look for in our hunt for the best beard trimmers and electric razors. You can also adjust power to low, medium or high depending on what feels and works best for you.

But wait… there’s more. This easy-to-handle shaver harnesses SkinIQ technology and Ultraflex suspension, meaning the S9000 Prestige’s head can adjust its power and positioning depending on hair thickness and shaving angles. That makes for a super simple, rapid shaving experience – ideal if you need a quick trim before heading to the office. It also comes with a self cleaning station, which can get your shaver looking all shiny again after just one minute: pretty cool!

Is this model perfect? Not quite. The SmartClick trimmer – which you can easily click on to the top of the shaver – isn’t perfect for cutting down those overgrown hairs, as I found myself going over the same patches a couple of times. And when using the default shaver head, I still found it easier, personally, to get rid of the odd straggler with my manual razor – but your mileage may vary.

Otherwise, this is a top-class option that I’d highly recommend, especially if you want a shaver that’s going to play gentle. That’s not even mentioning the fact that this is a beautiful model with a handy display and solid battery life of one hour. And it comes with a wireless charging pad. Pretty convenient, right?

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige, alternate heads, self-cleaning station, cleaning fluid — (Image credit: Future)

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige: Price and specs

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige review: design

Fantastic ergonomic grip
Premium metallic exterior
Interchangeable attachments

In terms of design, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige. It has a premium-looking metallic build with an ergonomic rubber grip, which makes handling the shaver both extremely easy and satisfying.

On top of that, there’s a display on the face of the shaver that indicates the power level in use – between one and three – battery life, travel lock activation and more. Above that screen, you’ll find a few button controls: power on/off, power level down, and power level up. All of this makes for a pleasingly visual, straightforward user experience – something you’d expect from a shaver with such a high price tag.

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige with head detached — (Image credit: Future)

Another great aspect of the S9000 Prestige’s design is its support for multiple attachments. It comes with a few interchangeable heads including the default foil shaver, SmartClick trimmer and nose hair trimmer. These all easily clip on and off and are quick and straightforward to wash, thanks to the shaver’s great waterproofing. You also get a brush for cleaning tighter crevices – Philips have thought of everything.

There are even more goodies in the box worth mentioning, though. First of all, this model comes with a self-cleaning station and a quick clean pod. This contraption can both clean and lubricate your shaver in just one minute using the power from the S9000 Prestige itself. Philips says this is 10x more effective than a simple wash under water – I’m not sure I can speak to just how precise that is, but it did get the shaver spick and span when I tried it out.

On top of that, there’s a wireless charging pad that you can connect up to a shaver socket in your bathroom for some extra juice when you’re running low. This works fantastically well and your S9000 Prestige will make a beeping noise to let you know it’s building some battery life back.

Finally, you can pack the attachments, shaver and more into an expensive-looking carry-case that is included with the S9000 Prestige. It has a hardy exterior and plenty of room inside, making for a nifty travel companion. The pristine look and feel of the case feels pretty indicative of the overall quality you’re getting, design wise. With excellent build quality, a durable exterior and plenty of tasty extras in the box, you’re getting the full package with the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige.

Design score: 5/5

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige review: performance

Comfortable, rapid shave
Harnesses adaptive SkinIQ tech
Pretty standard one-hour battery life

And the shiny exterior isn’t all for show, this shaver is a pretty neat performer too. Firstly, that firm-feeling grip I mentioned ensures seamless handling, regardless of what angle you’re trimming at. I found it to be a big step up from my usual electric-shaver, which can be a bit challenging to handle in tighter, more awkward positions.

But how about the shaving itself? Well, a standout plus here is that the S9000 Prestige is a not only smooth, but rapid operator. Within mere minutes I was able to achieve a clean shave using the Dual Precision rotating blades, which can achieve up to 165,000 cutting actions per minute. The blades took care of hairs growing in multiple directions with ease for the most part. I did, admittedly, have a few stragglers, which were easier to remove with my manual razor – but this really was a minor inconvenience.

Person turning on the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige — (Image credit: Future)

The default shaver head uses some pretty nifty tech to ensure you get a close shave, such as SkinIQ. This tech senses hair density on your face (or head) and adapts cutting power for a more gentle shave. It also has an ‘Ultraflex’ suspension system that helps the heads work along every contour of your face.

All in all, this is designed to deliver a more efficient, but also a more comfortable shave. And for me personally, that was greatly appreciated. I have pretty sensitive skin and the technology packed into this shaver helped to reduce a lot of irritation. As well as the adaptive SkinIQ tech, there’s an option to manually adjust the shaver’s power – which paired with the default head’s Hydro SkinGlide Coating, ensures a more relaxed shaving experience.

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige on wireless charging pad — (Image credit: Future)

If I was to be more critical, though, I have to say that the included SmartClick trimmer is a little underwhelming. After four days of growth – yeah, it wasn’t my best look – I tried to give myself a more even, neat look, using this trimmer on the lowest grade. It worked decently well, but just wasn’t as efficient as I’d hoped for, as I found myself going over the same patches on my face a fair few times. Also, this trimmer only has five lines to indicate the length it cuts down to, but I would prefer a measurement in millimetres – something my everyday shaver uses.

Meanwhile, you get a decent battery life of one hour out of the S9000 Prestige. That’s very much in-line with what a lot of hi-tech electric shavers can manage. But if you’re hoping for more, fear not. After every shave, you can simply pop the S9000 Prestige onto its wireless charging pad and get it fighting fit in no time. It takes three hours to get this shaver’s battery fully restored – not bad considering the use of wireless charging.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige review: value

Very expensive list price
But regularly available with a considerable reduction
High cost does come with premium design and performance levels

OK, I won’t beat around the bush. If we’re talking about its list price, this shaver is very, very expensive. I’d argue a bit too expensive even. £699 / AU$999 is a lot of cash to spend, especially considering you can spend much less than that and still get a very astute shaver, like the Braun Series 9 Pro, for instance.

But I bring good news. You’ll rarely have to pay such an astronomical fee for this stylish shaver. In fact, I’ve seen it going for close to £300 in the UK via retailers like John Lewis – that’s more than 50% off! And that really changes the picture – in this price range, the S9000 Prestige is well-worth considering. Otherwise, it would be tough to recommend – even given its high-level performance.

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige resting on block — (Image credit: Future)

Ultimately, the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige is built to last and packs in a gentle, personalized shaving experience. You’re unlikely to need an upgrade or replacement in the near future if you pick this up, which really adds a lot of weight in the value department. And although I can’t overlook its sky-high list price, I’d still happily recommend this shaver in the knowledge that it’s regularly discounted.

Value score: 4/5

Should you buy the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige?

Buy it if...

You want ultimate comfort
Not only is the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige extremely comfortable to handle, but it’s kind to the skin in-use. That makes it the perfect shaving companion, even for those with sensitive skin.

You’re rocking the clean-shaven look
If you’re someone that likes to maintain your clean shave every day, or maybe every other day, this is a top-tier option. The rotating blades and suspension tech help you to dust off any facial hair swiftly and seamlessly, meaning you won’t have to waste all too much time perfecting your look.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
Even though this model can be purchased at a significantly cut-price, it’s still not the most budget friendly. And at full-price, this one’s a no-go if you’re not looking to spend an arm and a leg. Even an alternative like the Reamignton T-Series Beard Trimmer and Hair Clipper can get the job done (if you’re in the UK) for less than £100, but there are tons of options out there.

You want a phenomenal option for short beards
The only thing about the S9000 Prestige I didn’t love was the SmartClick trimmer. Don’t get me wrong, it does work pretty well, but it’s not quite elite. Sometimes I needed to go over the same patches again and I also wished that it indicated, in millimetres, how short it cuts across its five levels.

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige: also consider

Braun Series 9 Pro
Like this Philips shaver, the Braun Series 9 Pro has the triple threat of a beautiful build, ergonomic design and excellent shaving performance. It takes just 50 minutes to get it up to full charge again and has a solid battery life of one hour to boot. Again – this one can achieve a great shave, whether wet or dry, so if you’re looking for a premium alternative, you can’t go wrong with this. Read our full Braun Series 9 Pro review.

Panasonic Arc6 review
Another fantastic wet and dry shaver is the Panasonic Arc6. Its battery life isn’t quite as long as this Philips model and it isn’t quite as elegant looking, but you still get a super-smooth shave and plenty of features, like a self-cleaning station. Read our full Panasonic Arc6 review.

How I tested the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige

Tested for one week
Used for a wet and dry shave
Trimmed for a neat stubble look and then went for a clean shave

I tested the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige for one week, ensuring to try out all of its various features and attachments. I typically keep my facial hair trimmed to around 2mm, so I used the SmartClick trimmer at first to replicate my typical shaving routine.

On top of that, I also tried having a wet and dry shave with the default head attachment. I also made use of the included wireless charging pad and self-cleaning station to ensure the shaver was up to TechRadar Recommended standard.

Read more about how we test
First reviewed February 2025

With the Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer, I can tap my way to perfectly-done meals

2:50 pm | March 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Air Fryers Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: one-minute review

The Kalorik Vivid Touch 7 Quart High-Resolution Touchscreen Air Fryer with Window stands out from the crowded air fryer scene in a couple of ways. First and foremost, it has a high-resolution touchscreen. I thought perhaps it was a silly gimmick until I actually tried it. The touchscreen meant that I didn't have to refer to a guide to figure out how to cook a particular item. It's all right there in the menu. For example, if you want to heat up some frozen french fries, just tap the French Fries option from the menu. From there, you choose from House Cut, Wedges, Fresh, Crinkle, Waffle, or Curly. Then you choose your quantity, make any adjustments to time and temperature you wish, and then hit start.

The other feature that isn't necessarily typical for air fryers is the large window and interior light so you can take a peek at your food's progress without interrupting the cook cycle.

Overall, this is a pretty typical drawer-style air fryer with some special touches that make it better.

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: price and availability

List price: $149.99 (about £119 / AU$240)

The Kalorik Vivid Touch 7-Quart High-Resolution Touchscreen Air Fryer with Window is available at many retailers both online and in brick-and-mortar stores such as Amazon, Home Depot, HSN, Walmart, and more. Choose from three color options: stainless steel, graphite, and black. The retail price is $149.99 USD for the 7-quart size. There is also a 5-Quart version, which retails for $129.99 and comes in just one color, stainless steel.

Value score: 4.5/5

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: specifications

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: design and features

High-resolution touchscreen
Twelve cooking menus
Window and interior light

The Kalorik Vivid Touch looks like a regular air fryer, with the standard drawer and interior crisping tray. You pull out the drawer by its large handle, place your food on the crisping tray, and air fry your food. However, instead of pressing buttons, the Vivid Touch is operated entirely via touch screen.

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen air fryer in use — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

To use the air fryer, pull out the drawer and place the crisping tray inside. In the drawer, you'll see markings indicating the level of food you have inside. These markings will come into play when you start a cooking cycle. In certain cook modes, you'll select the quantity of your food of your based on these markings.

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Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer drawer interior — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

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The touchscreen menu technically has 12 cooking modes: French Fries, Frozen Faves, Pizza, Chicken, Red Meat, Pork, Veggies, Fish, Seafood, Bake, Vegan, Latin Food, Defrost, Preheat, Reheat, and DIY. In actuality, it's much more than that. For example, if you tap on the Veggies menu, you'll see more options: Florets (broccoli and cauliflower), Whole Corn, Cut Carrots, Cut Zucchini, Brussel Sprouts, and Green Beans. Under Chicken, you can choose from Wings, Tenderloins, Breast, Thighs, Drumsticks and Half Chicken. The Vegan menu includes Veggie Burger, Cauliflower Wings, Vegan Sausage, Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan. Tap Latin Food and you'll see Chimichangas, Taquitos, Arepas, Platanos Maduros, Enchiladas, and Nachos.

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Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer reheating pizza — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

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Choose your cooking mode, then choose your specific food. You'll usually be asked to choose your quantity at that point, and also you'll have the option to change the time and the temperature if you wish. Press Start.

At the halfway point, you'll get an alarm telling you to shake (or turn) your food for even browning. This is important, because the heat comes only from the top. If you don't flip your food, only the top will get crisp and the underneath can get soggy. Tap the light bulb icon to turn on the interior light and keep an eye on your food through the window.

You'll be alerted when your cook time is complete. There is an "add two minutes" button you can tap if you like. Otherwise, remove your food and enjoy.

Cleaning the Kalorik Vivid Touch is easy enough, just hand wash the drawer and crisping tray after use. I don't even remove the tray for cleanup. You should also wipe down the interior of the air fryer outside of the drawer as needed.

Design score: 4.5/5

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: performance

I tested a number of foods in the Kalorik Vivid Touch on various cooking modes with varying degrees of success. Generally it works best for air frying pre-made and frozen convenience foods or reheating and re-crisping leftovers. I did try baking in the Vivid Touch and that worked okay, but only when baking very small and thin items.

Kalorik Vivid Touch tofu curry dish — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I can't take credit for the tofu curry dish seen above, my youngest kiddo made this delicious dinner. They seasoned and breaded the tofu, fried it up in the Kalorik Touch and put it together with curry veggies and rice. It was truly perfection.

French fries made in Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Frozen French Fries become a perfectly fried treat in the Kalorik Vivid Touch. The fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. They couldn't be easier to make. Just be sure to shake the drawer at the halfway point; you'll be alerted when you should do so. This ensures even browning.

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Sweet potato fries from scratch in Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

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Veggie made in the Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

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I made sweet potato "fries" from scratch in the air fryer with just a quick spritz of oil, salt, and pepper. They were delicious, browned on the outside and soft in the middle. I also make lots of fresh veggies and some definitely came out better than others. All of them got blackened, which I enjoy. But for some reason, the cauliflower came out perfect, but the broccoli and Brussels sprouts came out a little bit tough.

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Baking in the Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

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Corn bread baked in Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Baking in the Kalorik Vivid Touch is possible but not ideal. I baked a quick two-ingredient bread (greek yogurt and self-rising flour) which came out pretty well. You definitely want to keep it thin and small, and even flip it if possible. I made pancake bites in a small silicone muffin mold, and it took two tries to get them right. The key is to fill the molds less than halfway. Fill them up any more than that and they come out burned on top, raw in the middle.

I also attempted corn bread from a mix. I started with a baked the batter in two 5 x 5 inch pans instead of the 8 x 8 inch pan suggested on the box. I made one in the air fryer and the other in my toaster oven. The toaster oven one came out fine but the air fryer one was a fail. Though it was perfectly browned on top, it was raw in the middle.

Protein waffles made in Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

However, when I heated frozen pre-made waffles in the Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer, they came out just perfect. Nice and crisp on the outside, fluffy and warm on the inside. I did flip them halfway through the cook time and put a little chocolate on there which melted nicely.

Chicken made in Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Although I'm a vegetarian, I did make some chicken for my husband. I can barely touch raw meat, but I popped the chicken into the drawer, selected "Breast" from the "Chicken" menu, and it came out great. I did flip it half way as instructed, and I also added two minutes at the end of the cook time because it was a rather thick chicken breast.

Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer?

Buy it if

You prefer a touchscreen over buttons

No need to consult a manual over and over. The touchscreen makes operation easier and gives you lots of ideas of what you might make in the Kalorik Vivid Touch and exactly how to make them.

You want to air fry a variety of foods

With twelve different cook modes, if you can imagine air frying it, the Kalorik Vivid Touch can do it. Of course the DIY mode means the options are endless.

You want to keep an eye on your food

While your food is cooking, just tap the light bulb icon to light up the interior and peek at your food's progress. No need to open it and interrupt the cooking cycle.

Don't buy it if

You lack counter space

The Kalorik Vivid Touchscreen Air Fryer, particularly the 7-Quart model I tested, takes up a bit of counter space. It's not ugly but it doesn't exactly raise your kitchen's chic factor either.

You want the cheapest possible no frills air fryer

There are certainly cheaper options out there.

You plan to do a lot of baking in your air fryer

If that’s the case, you might prefer a toaster oven-air fryer combo appliance instead.

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: also consider

If you're not sure about the Kalorik Vivid Touchscreen Air Fryer, here are some other options to consider ...

Ninja Double Oven Air Fryer

Cook two different items two different ways at the same time in this two-compartment air fryer oven. This is a good pick if you want to bake and air fry with the same appliance, which is why it earned a place in our roundup of the best air fryers.

Read our full review here.

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System

The clever Ninja Crispi air fries your food directly in a glass container that goes straight to the table and later the fridge if you have leftovers.

Check out our full review here.

How I tested the Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer

I tested many different cooking modes multiple times
I used it daily for two weeks to cook a variety of food
I cleaned it daily

I love to eat healthy meals but I don't really enjoy cooking. I'm always on the hunt for a kitchen gadget that makes cooking quicker and easier. The Kalorik Vivid Touch does that, particularly for crisping up convenience foods so they taste amazing. My husband and youngest (adult) child enjoyed using the Kalorik Vivid Touch as well. Between us, we made: veggie burgers, hash browns, veggie nuggets, broccoli, frozen waffles, veggie chicken nuggets, chicken breast, fresh sweet potato fries, cauliflower, cottage cheese bread, yogurt bread, breaded tofu, corn bread, pancake bites, tater tots, Brussels sprouts, french fries, and reheated pizza.

Tineco Pure One A50S: two-minute review

Product info

This model has slightly different names in different territories:

US: Tineco Pure One A50S
UK: Tineco Pure One A50S Plus

For this review, I tested the UK version, which has an extra 'mini power brush' compared to the US version.

While it certainly has a few foibles, the Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum offers a decent combination of features and performance. I tried out the 'Plus' version, which comes with an extra detail tool, and while I wouldn't count it amongst the best cordless vacuums I've reviewed, it does come with some appealing features.

Its 60-degree or so swiveling floorhead and bendable wand make it easy to maneuver around furniture and under beds. The suction power is very impressive, too, effectively picking up dust, debris and even pet hair from various floor types. That said, I wouldn't recommend this model solely for dealing with pet hair because its floorhead feels very resistant on carpet and is therefore tiring to push and pull.

On the other hand, the smart DustSense sensor, which automatically adjusts suction power based on the amount of dirt detected, is genuinely useful and certainly contributes to more efficient cleaning. Battery life is reasonable, too, though larger homes might require a recharge for a thorough clean; and it has a larger bin than the norm which in turn reduces the need to empty it too often. However, while it performs very well at sucking stuff up, the A50S is let down by poor ergonomics and a few other niggling design details.

That's the short version; read on for my full Tineco Pure One A50S Plus review.

Tineco Pure One A50S review: price & availability

List price: $329 / £329
Launched: Fall 2024

The Tineco Pure One A50S has a list price of $329 / £329, which puts it in the mid-range price bracket for cordless vacuums. It's available to buy direct from Tineco, or via Amazon.

It's competitively priced when compared to other mid-priced cordless vacuums with similar features. However, there's some very strong competition out there, most notably the Dreame R20 which, while equipped with a smaller bin, is lighter in the hand and therefore easier to use.

If you're smart about when you buy, you might be able to avoid paying list price too. At time of writing the UK version was discounted to £229 on the Tineco site, for example. The Black Friday sales tend to be an especially good time to shop for new appliances.

Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Tineco Pure One A50S specs

Tineco Pure One A50S review: design

Forward-bending wand for cleaning under beds
Handle a little awkward and uncomfortable to hold
No instruction manual included

Tineco – a sub brand of Ecovacs the robot vac company – has been producing innovative cordless vacs, wet and dry mops and carpet cleaners since 1998. The Chinese company is perhaps best known for the high level of 'smarts' it injects into the majority of its products. Chief amongst these is the interface, which invariably involves a (sometimes quite huge) colorful onboard LCD monitor that provides the user with all manner of information, often using animation for added pizzazz. Tech nerds (me included) love this kind of stuff, though I wouldn't say any of it makes Tineco's machines any easier or more efficient to use.

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum broken up into various components — (Image credit: Future)

However, while other models like the Tineco Pure One S15 Pro and PURE One S11 come with huge, colorful circular displays at the head of the hand unit, this model opts for a much smaller and less fancy info monitor that provides little more than three vacuum modes – Eco, Auto and Max – plus a couple of tiny icons that light up if the air channel is blocked or the brushroll is tangled. There's also a simple three-bar battery level indicator. Oh, and you thankfully don't get a trigger with this model – instead you tap a simple on/off button on the rear.

Close up of control screen on Tineco Pure One A50S vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

Elaborating on these power modes a little more, the A50S Plus uses a feature called DustSense that automatically adjusts the suction draw depending on the amount of muck it detects. Many modern stick vacs have this feature and it provides a good balance between cleaning efficiency and battery use. However, I find the 'Auto' power band description a bit confusing because from what I've noticed, both Eco and Auto use the DustSense function whenever the floorhead sensor detects some extra detritus. And you can hear the change in motor pitch as the power is increased, usually for just a few seconds.

From what I can gather, the Eco mode ramps the power up to the equivalent of Auto mode, and Auto mode increases its power to the equivalent of Max mode which doesn't use DustSense at all because it's already at maximum power. You still with me? This means that 'Auto' is actually a false flag and more like a medium mode. Not sure why Tineco's designers opted for this labelling but I'm guessing they called the equivalent of a medium mode 'Auto' for marketing reasons because, well, everyone uses auto mode on every device, right?

According to Tineco, the Pure One A50S Plus boasts 185 Watts of suction power which is rather confusing since most manufacturers use either Air Watts or Pascals when measuring their products' statistics (here's more on how to tell how much suction your vacuum has). All I know is that there is no shortage of suction power here, as I'll get into in more detail in the Performance section.

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum with wand bent forwards — (Image credit: Future)

Let's take a quick tour of the Pure One A50S Plus' handle design, starting with its ergonomics. The A50S Plus's handle is comprised of two grip sections, and your hand naturally gravitates to the rear handle because that's the area with the small protruding finger support. Also, this is the type of hand position that most stick vac manufacturers opt for.

However, I've found that if you use the rear section of the handle, the angular edge of the info screen mount digs into the flesh between thumb and index finger and rests on a pressure point that hurts after just a few minutes of use (Dyson's vacs have a similar effect). But worse than that, this position also involves bending the arm at the elbow which means your biceps and anterior muscles in the forearm end up holding all the weight, while the shoulder muscles take care of the pushing and pulling.

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum in handheld mode — (Image credit: Future)

Call me a loafer but I want an easier ride when doing one of the most mundane tasks in the home, so I tend to vacuum with a completely straight arm while performing a pendulum motion using mostly the top of my biceps and shoulder muscle group. I simply walk slowly forward while swinging the whole unit back and forth like a grandfather clock's pendulum. You should try it.

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum folded in half on the floor — (Image credit: Future)

However, if the handle on the vac is positioned in a way that involves bending the wrist and arm – like this and most other models – I immediately ask myself why manufacturers continue to insist on making models with right-angled handles on the rear when they should ideally be positioned above, and be smooth and circular in shape. Roidmi with its rounded rectangular handle on the X30 Pro, Miele's Duoflex models and Vax with its Blade series have managed it, so why has no one else cottoned on?

But I digress, because, as alluded to above, the Tineco A50S Plus does indeed have a second grip section at the top, though it's still not especially comfortable to use because the pinky finger is squashed in the process. It's not terrible but it's not brilliant either. Also, this model's weight – 3.3kgs with wand and main floorhead – is higher than other models I've tested – just over half a kilo heavier than the Dreame R20 I very recently reviewed – and that makes it feel heavy in the hand, especially during a long session on the pile.

Close up of bin on Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

While most stick vacs ship with a relatively small dust bin of between 0.5 liters and 0.8 liters, this one comes with a substantial one-liter capacity for longer cleaning sessions and fewer trips to the kitchen bin. The emptying mechanism is pretty much the same as all stick vacs, Dyson notwithstanding. In other words you awkwardly unlatch the bin section from the motor housing, and flip a latch to empty the contents. Since this bin is larger than most, clumped pet hair tends to fall out though it might involve a gentle tap of the unit against the inside of the kitchen bin. However, it can be a bit fiddly to fit the bin back onto the vac.

Since the inner mesh filter inside the cyclone section was as dusty as expected, I attempted to pull it out to give it a clean but it wouldn't budge. So I tried twisting it, still to no avail. I then reached for the accompanying manual only to discover that it was full of useless safety and troubleshooting information with absolutely nothing on how to use the machine, let alone remove the mesh filter. So I went online and downloaded the manual from the Tineco website but it was the same piece of safety literature. Needless to say the mesh filter is still firmly attached and perhaps it's designed that way – answers on a postcard please. [Ed's note: we contacted Tineco's PRs, who say the filter can be removed, although we're still not sure exactly how.]

Sponge filter inside Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

I was, however, able to access the washable sponge HEPA filter system, which works in tandem with said mesh filter to remove '99.9% of dust and debris as small as 0.3μm', one micrometer. This model also includes a scent block that clips under the battery to help keep carpet smells at bay. (This last feature is unusual but not unheard of – it's most associated with today's best Shark vacuums.)

Floorhead on Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum bent at an angle — (Image credit: Future)

Regarding the business end, this model comes with a sturdy articulating wand that can bend 90-degrees for easy access under beds and sofas, and a 23cm brush bar comprising two rows of chevron-shaped bristles designed for both hard floor and carpet. The roller brush can be easily removed for cleaning.

In general, the build feels clunky, unrefined, and less maneuverable than other vacuums I've tested – not just pricy models like those made by Dyson, but even more budget-friendly options from the likes of Dreame.

Close up of floorhead on Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

According to the blurb, the Tineco's 3DSense brush bar has built-in sensors that will automatically boost suction whenever it detects the edge of a skirting board. In fact you can see two small cutouts on each side of the floorhead's housing, which allow the suction to draw in air from the sides, along with any dust that's lurking along the edges. Nice. There are also two rows of stiff combs at the rear of the brush to prevent entangling of hair and cotton strands.

In order to help the brushroll collect larger particles on hard floor and when using it on carpet to help reduce friction, the floorhead is also equipped with an air intake switch that opens two little ports where the front of the head meets the floor. And, in a nod to the best Dyson vacuums on the market, this model's front headlight is green colored to make dust on hard floors more visible. However, unlike the Dyson, which uses a laser to highlight even the finest of particles, this model uses a simple green LED bulb. Nevertheless, it's still surprisingly effective.

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum floorhead glowing green to highlight dust — (Image credit: Future)

For use in handheld mode, the Tineco also comes packaged with a motorized upholstery brush, a detail nozzle with slide-down brush fitting and a wall mount that holds everything in one place. The rear handle position works just fine with this setup, though the body does feel heavy when held up high. Also, like the majority of cordless stick vacs, this model won't stand up on its own so there will be times during use when you'll just have to prop it up against something while you shift any furniture around.

Design score: 2.5 out of 5

Tineco Pure One A50S review: performance

Great suction performance
Decent running time
Too much suction resistance on carpet

The first thing you notice when holding the Tineco Pure One A50S Plus for the first time is the 3.3kg weight, which makes it feel a bit clunky when carrying it around – a bit like the equally hefty Dyson gen5detect. Personally, I think much of the weight comes from the wand and its over-engineered centre section where it bends at 90-degrees.

Since this vac only comes with one floorhead, which is designed more towards carpet use, it isn't as smooth sounding on hard floor as most hard floor-specific soft rollers. However, while the A50S has proved to be a very impressive cleaner on carpet (see results below), the design of the floorhead makes it feel very stiff to push on even medium-pile carpet, and that's with the little front air-intake wide open and the power in Auto (i.e. medium) mode.

Moreover, when the DustSense feature kicks in, it produces even more friction between the front of the floorhead and the carpet. Put another way, your arm will feel like it's had a good workout after just five minutes of cleaning, although the aforementioned pendulum action helps in this regard. In hindsight I would opt for vacuuming on carpet in ECO mode, which applies less downward suction to the floor and makes it that little bit easier to push.

The Tineco A50S's floorhead articulates up to about 60-degrees – less than a Dyson or the Dreame R20, but decent enough for easy steering around furnishings. However, it is a bit of a struggle removing the wand to swap over to any of the hand tools. The fit is very firm – which is good – but also tricky to release. Incidentally, while quite heavy to hold up in the air, the handheld side of it using the mini motorized brush head is efficient at doing the stairs, the car, the dog bed and sofas, and so on.

I tested the Tineco A50S's noise level and it's not too shabby. In ECO mode it registered at a pleasant 63dB at shoulder height, 66dB in Auto mode and a not considerably louder 69dB in Max mode.

Suction tests

As well as assessing general usability, I ran a series of suction tests. For my main hard floor vacuum test I scattered 25g of oats, flour, orzo pasta, crushed digestive biscuit and a few Coco Pops and set the unit to Auto mode. The motor started gently before the DustSense sensor ramped up the power as soon as it detected the extra debris.

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Debris laid out on hard floor ready for suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Results of hard floor suction test using Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum — ... and after (Image credit: Future)

Impressively, it collected everything – even the large pieces – in one sweep. Weighing the contents of the bin, it collected 24g in all but I'm betting at least 1g of the flour likely remained in the bin and around the mesh filter. And that's a great result in my opinion.

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Debris on carpet ready for suction test — Debris scattered on carpet ready for suction test... (Image credit: Future)

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Carpet after suction test — ... and the results following the test (Image credit: Future)

For the carpet test I used the same pre-weighed 25 grams of ingredients and used the same Auto setting with the front air intake open. This test required one back-and-forth sweep to remove the majority of the debris and a few more quick passes to remove any evidence of flour.

Like the hard floor test, I measured the bin's contents but this time it said 26 grams because it had also collected some hidden dust in the carpet. Yes, it did take a lot of effort to push the floorhead on the medium-pile rug I used but, hey, it did the job and did it well.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Tineco Pure One A50S review: battery life

Lasts around 70 minutes in Eco, 17 minutes in Auto and 10 in Max
Will automatically drop to Eco mode as battery life runs low
Recharge takes just over three hours

Tineco states a maximum runtime of 70 minutes, which is up there with the longest you'll find anywhere. However, that figure is always for the lowest powered mode. However, I ran a test in Auto mode on a 50:50 medium-pile carpet and tiled hard floor mix and after seven minutes the battery depleted by two bars (from three). Nevertheless, it carried on running till around 17 minutes before automatically switching to Eco mode where it continued at lower power before coming to a stop at 20 minutes and 22 seconds.

In Max mode, runtimes are understandably shorter. I ran this test on hard floor only, because it's too powerful and creates too much friction on carpet. From full charge, it lasted just shy on 10 minutes in Max, before dropping to Eco where it ran until 12 mins 16 seconds before stopping.

Now I should add that most day-to-day vacuum tasks would likely be just one or two rooms unless doing a full spring clean, so 20 minutes in Auto mode is perfectly acceptable, especially given the the DustSense feature boosts the power and battery usage when it detects extra dirt. However, if you have a weekly cleaner who uses your cleaning tools to vacuum the entire home, this model may struggle to complete a whole three bedroom house with kitchen lounge, dining room and bathrooms on a single charge, especially if used entirely in Auto mode.

Now that the battery was completely flat, I fully recharged it and it took exactly three hours and four minutes, which is about average for a cordless stick vac. By the way, I did notice that the charging bar on the screen turns off after a set amount of time so you will need to press the power button while it's connected to the mains to check its progress. However, there is also a green light on the side that pulsates throughout the charging process so I would use that as a charging state reference.

Battery life score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Tineco Pure One A50S?

Buy it if...

You want great pick-up performance

This model sucks like a limpet, and aced all my suction tests.

You need a large bin

The A50S Plus ships with a larger-than-average 1-liter dust bin – closer to what you'd expect on an upright vacuum than your standard stick vac.

You want automatic suction control

The Tineco's DustSense feature works well, and will ensure an efficient clean that won't deplete the battery.

Don't buy it if...

Your strength isn't what it used to be

The A50S is difficult to push on carpet, and it's heavier than average too.

You need something light in the hand

There are lighter stick vacs on the market, and this one is especially weighty when used in handheld mode.

How I tested the Tineco Pure One A50S

I received the Tineco Pure One A50S Plus a few weeks ago so have had plenty of time to live with it and put it through its daily paces. Despite some annoying traits, it does vacuum well and I do rate the extra large bin. Aside from general vacuuming on both hard wooden flooring and carpets up to medium pile, I also tested it using a variety of ingredients – including some large biscuit crumbs – and it sailed through both floor-type tests. However, my overriding thoughts is that it feels a bit clunky when compared to other stick vacs I've used.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners.

First reviewed February 2025

This ingenious 3-in-1 robot vacuum managed to replace all my floor cleaning gadgets – including my Dyson stick vac

10:00 am | February 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Comments: Off

Eufy E20: two-minute review

The Eufy E20 is an ingenious piece of design. It's a self-emptying robotic vacuum that also doubles as both a stick and handheld vacuum, so when it's finished cleaning the floors, you can take over and vacuum the stairs, a sofa, or your car interior. It has strong suction (up to 30,000 Pa in handheld mode) and is more capable than some other robots at climbing over raised door thresholds and wading through thick rugs.

The setup process is quick and simple, and the Eufy app is easy to use, with plenty of options for adjusting settings, creating cleaning schedules and even driving the robot manually, if you prefer. The docking station is relatively compact and the crevice tool neatly stores inside the robot itself when not in use. And, while you'll need to find somewhere to store the stick attachment, it does at least stand up on its own.

I've tested some of the best robot vacuums on the market, and the E20's robo element holds up pretty well in comparison, although it's not quite perfect. Its cleaning powers was good and I was mostly impressed by its navigation skills, although during my review period it sometimes behaved erratically and was occasionally let down by imperfect obstacle avoidance. It frequently head-butted the (open) kitchen door and pushed shoes instead of driving cleanly around them. I also had to remove tangled hair from the roller brush more frequently than with some other robotic vacuums.

The manual vacuum works surprisingly well, and while it lacks the robust build quality and extra features found on today's best cordless vacuums, it was still capable enough to replace my regular Dyson for the duration of my review. If you don't already own a stick vacuum, or yours needs replacing, the E20 is an effective all-in-one solution that delivers strong value for money.

That's the short version; read on for my full Eufy E20 review.

Eufy E20 robovac in dock, with handheld vacuum, floor wand and other accessories next to it — (Image credit: Future)

Eufy E20 review: price & availability

List price: $549.99 / £549
Launched: February 2025
Available: US / UK

The Eufy E20 was announced at CES 2025 – where it won the Best of Innovation in Home Appliances award – and went on sale earlier in February 2025. At list price, it costs $550 / £550 / AU$999, which makes it a mid-range robotic vacuum. At time of writing, Eufy's own website offered a $50 discount, so it looks like you'll be able to avoid paying full price if you're smart about when you buy.

However, the E20 isn't just a robot vacuum – it's also a cordless stick vacuum (which can be used as a handheld). This plausibly means customers could buy the E20 and do without any other form of vacuum for their entire home, since in stick and handheld mode it can handle the stairs, a sofa, your car interior and everywhere else unreachable by rival robots.

While this 3-in-1 design is unusual, it's not completely unique. Currently on the market is the Yeedi C12 Combo, which similarly bundles stick vac and robovac on the same docking station, although there the handheld doesn't sit inside the robot vacuum. That option is US-only, and costs $699.99 / (about £560 / AU$1,110).

There's also the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo, which has a handheld included (but no wand to turn it into a floor vac). Again, it's not available in the UK, but is significantly more expensive at $1,199.99 / AU$2,299 (about £950).

If we focus on Eufy's own range, and the robot vacuum-only options, the E20's price puts it roughly on par with the $650 Eufy Omni C20. However that self-emptying robot comes with a powered rotating mop, which the E20 lacks. Below both sits the $450 Eufy L60, which has the same self-emptying design but also lacks a mop.

Ultimately, the E20 is good value if you don't already own a handheld or stick vacuum, and if you're happy to mop the floors yourself. A good stick vacuum will typically cost £350 / $350 or more (although some are far pricier), so factoring that in, the Eufy E20 starts to make sense.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Eufy E20 specs

Eufy E20 review: design

Innovative 3-in-1 design can function as robovac, stick vac and handheld
Robovac and handheld dock and empty into the same base
No mopping capabilities

The Eufy E20's design is by far its most compelling attribute. This is a robotic vacuum that doubles as a handheld vacuum with both stick and brush attachments for cleaning floors, steps and sofas. Or, think of it as a handheld vacuum that can be docked into a robot, which then charges and empties its onboard dustbin via the included docking station.

It's a clever approach to the number one problem with robotic vacuums – that, no matter how intelligent and powerful they are, they cannot tackle the stairs, furniture or your car. With the E20, Eufy presents a machine that can handle just about everything, and means you don't need to purchase an additional handheld vacuum. All that's missing is a mop.

The motorized part of the robot looks much like other robotic vacuums, complete with wheels, roller brush and spinning side brush. But with the press of a big red button, the handheld element – which comprises the robot's suction system, dustbin and battery – detaches, ready to be used as a handheld. A stick attachment with powered roller brush for vacuuming the floor is included in the box, along with a crevice tool and a brush for vacuuming furniture. The stick doesn't come with a wall mount (as other handheld vacuums do), but can stand up on its own, making it easy to store without falling over, and the crevice tool handily tucks into a storage slot on the robot itself.

Eufy E20 robot vacuum, flipped over to show underside — (Image credit: Future)

The robot measures 13.5 inches (34 cm) in diameter and is 5.5 inches (14 cm) tall. The base station is 10 inches (25.5cm) wide, 15.5 inches (39cm) tall and 6in (15cm) deep. When docked and charging, the total footprint of the robot and base station is 13.5in (34 cm) wide and 18in (46cm) deep.

The stick attachment for using the vacuum as a handheld is 34 inches (86cm) long. As ever with robotic vacuums, it is recommended that you leave plenty of space in front of, and to the side of, the docking station. This isn't entirely necessary, but bear in mind that if the dock is close to a wall the robot won't be able to reach that area of the floor.

Eufy E20 robovac in dock, with handheld vacuum and other accessories next to it — (Image credit: Future)

The handheld section uses a bagless design and can be emptied manually. Or, you can place it back onto the robot and it'll then empty automatically into the charging dock, which uses a 3.5-liter dust bag that Eufy says needs replacing every 75 days. The robot empties itself when it sees fit, although you can have it empty on command with a press of a button.

Eufy E20 dock open to show dust bag — (Image credit: Future)

Installing and setting up the Eufy E20 is easy. It connects to the Eufy app just like the company's other robotic vacuums, then drives around to create an editable map of your home. After that, you can task the robot with cleaning your entire property, or targeting one room or just a specific area of your choosing. There's also plenty of customization, with several suction strengths to pick from, but I'll come back to this in the performance section of the review.

Lastly, a strange quirk of the E20's design is how the robot's charge point is at the opposite side to the dust bin. This means the robot first parks at the docking station to empty its dust bin, then drives back out, turns around, and parks again, this time facing the opposite way so its charge point can connect to the dock.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Eufy E20 review: performance

Robovac mostly performs well on suction and object avoidance
... although some navigation issues and erratic behavior
Manual vacuum surprisingly capable too, if a bit loud

The setup process took just a few minutes, with the robot successfully navigating its way around my apartment on its first attempt. It created a fairly accurate map, which I was able to quickly edit – changing a couple of room boundaries and naming each room – from the app with just a few taps. I also created a no-go zone to prevent the robot from driving under the living room sofa, as the amount of stuff under there meant it was bound to get stuck. Finally, I used the app to mark the bedroom floor as a medium pile carpet, and to plot the location of a high pile rug in the living room.

Right away, I was impressed by how the E20 clambered its way over a set of relatively high doorway thresholds without getting stuck. It even reversed then drove forward more quickly after failing on its first attempt. Some other Eufy robots, including the vastly more expensive Omni S1 Pro, have failed to reliably clear these thresholds. I asked Eufy about this but a spokesperson said there have been no changes to the robot's intelligence in this regard.

Eufy E20 robot vacuum on wooden floor — (Image credit: Future)

It also drove over a thick rug without getting stuck – also something pricier robots often fail to do – but got tangled up in some tassels at the end of the rug. This is understandable, and if you have such a rug you'll want to either mark it as a no-go zone in the app, or move it before each clean.

The robot mostly navigated very well, but on one occasion, after being untangled from the rug, it first said it "wasn't on the ground", when it was, then seemingly got lost despite saying it had correctly positioned itself. Another press of the home button fixed this, and after several minutes of exploration, it found its way back to the dock.

Eufy E20 eating a cable — (Image credit: Future)

During daily use, I found the E20's navigation to be a little clumsy and inconsistent. Sometimes it would drive precisely along a wall, leaving the tiniest of gaps, while other times it would push shoes around instead of driving around them, and head-butt open doors. On one occasion, when tasked with vacuuming the bedroom, the robot arrived at the entrance to the room and cleaned for just a few moments, before declaring the task complete and returning to base. I tried again, but this time it failed to enter the room and instead drove off into the living room, before returning and successfully entering the bedroom.

Although I've highlighted a few unfortunate failings here, the E20 mostly performed well. I especially like how it drove more quickly at any raised thresholds it failed to clear at the first attempt, and how it cleaned in neat lines – and at a decent speed – when in a large, open space. Only in the more cluttered corners of my home, such as where doors can't be fully opened and access is restricted by relatively complex objects like a portable heater and an office chair, did the E20 struggle. In a larger home with more open space I can see if performing better.

Eufy E20 robovac in dock, with manual vacuum and other accessories next to it — (Image credit: Future)

Before I get to the specific cleaning challenges, I should talk about the E20's handheld function. This performs very well indeed, with the stick attachment easy to fit and remove, and the crevice tool handy for vacuuming furniture, a car interior, and other hard-to-reach areas. In handheld mode the E20 deploys its maximum 30,000 Pa of suction (compared to 8,000 Pa when used as a robot, as power is also needed for the motors and navigation system). It did a great job of cleaning hard floors, carpets, rugs and sofas, and entirely replaced my Dyson Cyclone V10 for the duration of the test.

There are four levels of suction power, selected by repeatedly pressing the power button and indicated by a light bar on the side of the vacuum. A long press of the same button turns the vacuum on and off.

Close up of handheld vacuum from Eufy E20 — (Image credit: Future)

Although the manual vacuum works well and has plenty of power, it is rather loud. I recorded a peak loudness of 92 dB at maximum suction (the same as the Dyson V10 at full power), but a more comfortable 82-85 dB at the Eufy's lower power settings.

Being able to use a robotic vacuum as a handheld is a bit of a game-changer, even if the robot isn't quite the smartest around. I can imagine scheduling the robot to clean every few days, then using the stick attachment for occasional top-ups – like tidying up crumbs after food prep – and picking the crevice tool for furniture.

All that's missing is a mop, but at this price point that omission is understandable. A static mopping pad could have been added, as with the SwitchBot K10+ Pro, but since that doesn't work too well, I prefer Eufy's approach of reducing complexity and going without.

Suction tests

Now for the specific tests, starting with how the E20 performs with fine dust, made from a mixture of flour and crushed digestives, on a hard floor. Since it's a small room, I set the robot to vacuum the entire floor once at its lowest power setting, called Quiet and with a loudness measured at 63 dB.

The results were impressive, with almost all evidence of the flour/crumb fix picked up on a single pass at the lowest suction level. I noticed how the E20 didn't flick debris all over the room with its spinning side brush, as other robotic vacuums are often guilty of. In this case, a second pass wasn't required.

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Crumb mix sprinkled on hard floor in front of Eufy E20, ready for suction test — Crumb mix sprinkled on hard floor, ready for suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Results of crumb mix test on hard floor in quiet mode – no crumbs remain on floor — Results after cleaning in quiet mode (Image credit: Future)

I then repeated the test on carpet, and the results were less impressive. The E20 spilled some of its bin contents when clearing the doorway threshold (which sees it climb from exposed floorboards up to a carpet), then failed to lift all of the crumb mix on its first pass. I repeated the test using the next suction level, called Standard (measured at 65 dB), but the robot failed, stating: “Route unavailable. Unable to reach the target point.”

This error occurs when a custom cleaning zone includes an area beyond the confines of the map. Even if it just touches an object like your bed, for example, the task will fail, so you need to be extra careful when creating the custom zone.

Most of the crumb mix was picked up using Standard mode, but some still remained. A single pass on the next mode, called Turbo (66 dB), picked up all debris. After this, the robot emptied its dust bin (79 dB) and put itself on charge.

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Crumb mix sprinkled on carpet in front of Eufy E20, ready for suction test — Crumb mix sprinkled on carpet, ready for suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Results on oat test on carpet, in quiet suction mode — Results in quiet suction mode (Image credit: Future)

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Results on crumb mix test on carpet, in standard mode — Results in standard mode (Image credit: Future)

I then repeated the tests, but this time replaced the crumb mix with oats to see how the E20 performed with larger debris. On hard floor the lowest suction level is powerful enough to pick up the oats, but the robot flicked debris around the room with its spinning side brush and left quite a bit of mess behind, as most robotic vacuums do in this test.

Next, I upped the suction strength to Standard and switched to two passes instead of one, and the E20 did a fantastic job. The room was left almost spotless, with practically no debris missed at all. Impressive.

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Oats sprinkled on hard floor in front of Eufy E20, ready for suction test — Oats sprinkled on hard floor, ready for suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Results of oat test on hard floor in quiet mode — Results in quiet mode (Image credit: Future)

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Results of oat test on hard floor in standard mode — Results after two passes in standard mode (Image credit: Future)

I repeated the oats test on carpet and found that two passes with Standard mode was the best option. The robot did a great job, picking up all debris save for just two stray oats.

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Oats sprinkled on carpet in front of Eufy E20, ready for suction test — Oats sprinkled on carpet, ready for suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Results on oat test on carpet, in standard suction mode — Results after two passes in standard mode (Image credit: Future)

Finally, obstacle avoidance. I used a sock, a shoe and a USB cable to test the E20's ability to spot objects and navigate around. It did a great job of avoiding both the shoe and sock, getting close (but not too close) to each, then continuing its cleaning routine.

Eufy E20 next to a sock and shoe, ready for obstacle avoidance tests — (Image credit: Future)

Unfortunately, it didn't care for the USB cable, and ate it almost immediately. This wrapped around the roller brush, stopping the robot and causing it to ask for help. No damage was caused, but it was clearly a failure.

Eufy E20 flipped over, showing hair and cable around brushroll — (Image credit: Future)

Eufy says the E20 uses LiDAR and 'dual laser sensors” to scan its environment and avoid obstacles over 15mm in size. The USB cable is less than 15mm wide, but is of course much longer than that. Eufy also says the roller brush rotates in reverse after cleaning and uses a built-in comb to dislodge hair, but when retrieving the cable I also had to remove a clump of hair that had tangled itself around the roller after just a handful of cleans.

Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Eufy E20 review: app

Simple setup and use
Highly configurable
Easy to schedule and adjust settings

Eufy's app is a good one. Setting up the E20 is quick and easy – just as it is with Eufy's other robotic vacuums – and the app is responsive, stable and intuitive. Part of the setup process includes telling the robot to create a map by exploring your home. You can then use the app to name rooms and make edits, such as creating no-go zones, labelling where carpets are, and moving any boundaries the E20 might have got wrong. I wish there was an option to label raised thresholds, so that the robot would know to drive more quickly, or at an angle, to clear them reliably.

You can tell the robot to cover an area once or twice during each clean, and there are four suction strengths. You can also tell the E20 to vacuum the entire map, clean a single room, or draw a specific zone for it to target.

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Screenshots from Eufy E20 companion app — (Image credit: Eufy)

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Head into the comprehensive settings page and there are options for creating a daily or weekly schedule, adjusting how often it self-empties into the docking station, setting a child lock, and even taking manual control to drive the robot yourself. There's also a handy page showing the remaining life of replaceable components like the filter, brushes and dust bag.

App score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Eufy E20?

Buy it if...

You don't already own a manual vacuum

The key selling point here is how the E20 is a robot that can double as a handheld vacuum, plus there's a stick attachment too. If you already own a handheld or stick vacuum, then obviously the E20 isn't for you. But if you don't, or you want to buy a new one, this robot is a great idea.

You don't need a robo–mop

The E20 does not have any mopping functionality at all. So if you want to give your hard floors a wet clean, you'll have to do that manually. If you've got carpets then great, the robot does the majority of the work and the handheld function is there for stairs and furniture.

You're on a mid-range budget

I won't pretend that the E20 is a cheap product, but in many cases it actually costs less than purchasing a robotic vacuum and a handheld/stick vacuum individually.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best stick vacuum on the market

Although it works pretty well as a stick/handheld vacuum, the Eufy E20 lacks the quality feel and extra functionality of more premium options from the likes of Dyson and Shark. But then you're likely to use this feature less, since the robot does a lot of the work for you.

You want a robotic mop

Unlike a lot of robotic vacuums at this price point, the E20 does not have a mopping function. This could be something that Eufy adds to a future model, but for now you'll have to mop hard floors yourself.

You have thick carpet, or rugs with tassels

The E20 managed surprisingly well with carpet and rugs – better than some far pricier rivals – but it got tangled up in the tassels of a rug, and also ate a USB cable. You'll either need to move such rugs before each clean, mark them as no-go zones or consider a different type of vacuum. Granted, this is true of all robovacs.

How I tested the Eufy E20

I set up the Eufy 20 in my home and used it as my only vacuum cleaner for a month. It entirely replaced my own handheld vacuum and was used to clean every room. This included hard floors and carpets, and I also used the E20 in handheld mode to clean a sofa and my car interior. After living with the E20 for a month, I completed a series of specific tests to discover exactly how well it performs.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners.

First reviewed January 2025

Steam in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL air fryer makes fantastic meals, but it’s not without caveats

4:21 am |

Author: admin | Category: Air Fryers Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam: One-minute review

There are plenty of dual-drawer air fryers on the market these days, but not too many come with a steam function. And that’s where the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam comes in – as the name suggests, you can use the steam to not just cook meals, but it can even be used to clean the air fryer.

Cooking with steam means you can make dumplings or steamed vegetables easily, but the Philips 5000 Series XXL also has an air fryer+steam combo mode that I found to be quite handy. This not only cooks meat to perfection, retaining moisture, but also allows for crispy skin and crackling, albeit will need a few extra minutes air frying the perfect results.

In fact, pretty much everything I cooked in the Philips Series 5000 XXL turned out to be really good, although I’d recommend not bothering with the presets. They’re handy as a guide, but unless you have the exact amount of food that preset was meant for, it’s not going to cook your meal to perfection. Given its dual drawers, you can sync cook times, no matter what you have in either of them, but you can’t replicate the settings across both drawers because of their difference in size.

However, having the power of steam means you’ll need to deal with a few caveats. For starters, it’s available only for the larger drawer, so you will need to plan out what food item goes into which drawer before you start cooking. That also means steam cleaning is only available for the larger drawer and it requires you to manually scrub the basket and drawer anyway. So it’s not quite the magical solution I was expecting it to be. Well, at least both drawers, and the basket and tray, are dishwasher safe.

Given how well it cooks, though, it would be easy to recommend, particularly if you want steam cooking. You will, however, need to shell out a decent amount of cash for the privilege.

The Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam on a kitchen countertop — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: price & availability

Announced November 2024
Launch price of £249.99 / AU$499, but available for cheaper now
Not available in the US at the time of writing

Philips came out with two dual-basket air fryers at around the same time in late 2024 – the 3000 Series and the 5000 Series. Both also have single-drawer options, but it’s only the 5000 Series Dual Basket model that has the steam functionality.

At launch, it came with a list price of £249.99 / AU$499 in the UK and Australia, but can now be had for £179.99 / AU$349. It’s currently not listed for purchase in the US.

This review is based on the Australian model with SKU NA551/00. The model available in the UK is NA555/09 with a brushed-steel finish.

I think the discounted price is quite competitive and could be excellent value for some users, especially those who’ll really make good use of the steam functionality to cook (the steam-clean mode is superfluous). That’s not to say it’s cheap, but it isn’t too much more in some markets compared to other dual-drawer models.

For example, the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400 (has the model number of DZ401 in the US) costs $229 / £229.99 / AU$299.99 and the Instant Vortex Plus Versazone can set you back $199.95 / £199.99 / AU$399 at full price.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: specifications

Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: design

800ml removable water reservoir on top of appliance
Non-stick coating makes it easy to clean
Clear touchscreen display, but requires small learning curve to master

If you’re already familiar with dual-basket air fryers, the Philips 5000 Series XXL Steam is not going to look too different, except for one very distinct feature – there’s a small rectangular plastic reservoir on the top to hold up to 800ml of water. It’s translucent, so you can see the level as it gets used up, and it has a cloud icon to indicate what could only be billowing steam. If you don’t notice the water level going down, there’s no need to worry as a warning light will appear on the touchscreen display.

The tank can be removed and washed, and it’s best not to leave any water in there when the appliance is not in use to avoid scale build-up. The good news is that the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL Steam has a descaling cycling built in, but better safe than sorry.

Like many dual-basket air fryers, the two drawers are different sizes – a larger 6L basket and a smaller 3L one. Philips says the larger drawer can fit a whole chicken in it, but you will need to make sure it’s not too large a chicken, and although the total 9L capacity sounds like a lot, it may not be enough for a family of four. And it’s only the bigger drawer that has steam functionality.

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The water reservoir on the top of the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — The water reservoir has a cloud icon on its lid to indicate billowing steam (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

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The two drawers of the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — Both drawers, the large basket and the small tray are non-stick and dishwasher safe (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

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The holder for the water reservoir on top of the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — The water reservoir fits into its own little niche (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Having two drawers means the whole appliance has a large footprint, but it’s not overly large compared to other similar air fryers on the market. It is, however, slightly taller because of the water reservoir on the top.

The touchscreen display is very clear when it comes on, even if you have bright overhead lights shining down on the reflective surface. The top line of icons are the presets, below which you can choose the time and temperature for each drawer. There’s even the option to sync cooking times if you want. If you’re already familiar with air fryers, you won’t have much trouble finding your way around the functions on the display, although the steam cooking, air fry+steam combo, steam-clean mode and descaling option will be new to most people.

Unfortunately Philips doesn’t provide a proper user manual in the box – it has some diagrams, but they’re not easy to wrap your head around. A detailed manual is available on the HomeID app, which can be accessed via the QR code in the box or on the machine itself, but it’s not easy to find – after some digging, I found a link to the PDF buried in a Quick Guide article for the Series 5000 Dual Basket Steam air fryer.

The rear of the appliance is quite plain, but Philips provides cable management in the form of a clip-on brace. Above this are the two vents that, when you use steam, will puff rhythmically.

The display for a single-basket use on the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

All of Philips’ air fryers have one thing in common – the raised pattern at the bottom of the drawers. This is to help the company’s proprietary RapidAir technology circulate hot air within each basket more efficiently. This pattern also means you can’t cook directly in the drawer, as some other brands allow you to do. Both the drawers on the Series 5000 Dual Basket XXL Steam are non-stick, but no mention has been made on what the material actually is. That said, the large basket, the two drawers and the small tray are dishwasher safe.

One thing to keep in mind with the large basket: it might appear square, but it’s not. So if the basket isn’t fitting, just turn it around and slide it in. The basket has small silicone-covered feet that are prone to pressure, which can happen if you’re handwashing it. This causes the feet to move out of position and not let the basket fit back into the drawer – if this happens, you can gently reposition them.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Chicken drumsticks in the large drawer of the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: performance

Very useful time-sync functionality and shake reminders
Plenty of presets, but they are guides only
Not a smart (connected) air fryer

It might take you a while to get used to using steam in an air fryer, but once you do, it’s hard to not keep going back to it – I, for one, couldn’t stop experimenting with it. I used most of the functions on this air fryer and disappointments were rare – it really does cook nearly everything very well. From tender steaks to steamed dumplings, I can hardly fault it.

That said, nothing I made was using the presets. I found very quickly that unless you plan to cook the exact amount of fries, meat or vegetables the presets were designed for, you will not get the right results. The presets on the Philips 5000 Series are guides only, but you can always adjust cook time and temperature for better results.

During my testing I found that manual input of cook time and temperature was the best and, of course, you can always pull a basket out to check on what’s happening to see if any adjustments are needed. Opening a drawer will pause the air dryer – both drawers, in fact – and it automatically restarts when you push the basket back in. Time and temperature adjustments can be made while the appliance is running.

One thing to keep in mind with the Philips 5000 Series XXL Steam is that there is no preheat function here. This isn’t unique to this machine, with others like the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket air fryer (available only in the UK) also missing out on it. A preheat would have been nice for things like cooking steaks, but I got good results even without it, albeit after a couple of attempts to get the right temperature and time settings for the perfect cook (medium for me, thanks).

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Cheese and garlic crumpets before cooking in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — Cheese and garlic crumpets before cooking... (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

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Garlic and cheese crumpets cooked in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — ..and the final, slightly overdone results (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

One of the first cooking modes I tried in the 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL Steam was air fry+steam. This feature works by pumping steam and hot air alternately, so you will hear the sound change rhythmically. The chicken drumsticks that I experimented with were tender and moist, but the skin didn't get crispy. I popped them back in for five minutes more at 200ºC for just air frying, giving me wonderfully juicy chicken legs with crispy skin. The other dish I used the air fry+steam function was pork belly and, again, the meat was lovely, but I did have to use the air-fry mode to crisp up the skin. I’d imagine you could even use it to make some cakes if you want a fudgy interior, but I didn’t have any recipes (or ingredients) on hand to experiment with when it comes to baking during my testing of this air fryer.

I found the steam-only function rather useful though. Not only is it good to steam vegetables for a side, you can even make dumplings in this air fryer. The only issue here is the pre-planning. Given you have only one drawer (the larger one) with steaming abilities, you need to figure out beforehand what you should cook in it. For example, if you have a large piece of meat that you want to cook (time-synced) alongside vegetables, you’ll likely need to forgo steamed veg as the meat won’t fit in the smaller drawer. In which case, you will need to use the 6L basket twice, which isn’t ideal. However, if you’re making steamed fish with some roasted vegetables on the side, you can do them both together by putting the latter in the 3L drawer.

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Halloumi cooked in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — Halloumi cooked in the air fryer (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

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Chicken drumsticks cooked in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — Chicken drumsticks cooked using the air fry+steam mode, then crisped for 5 minutes by air frying only (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

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Stuffed portobello mushrooms cooked in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — Stuffed portobello mushrooms cooked in the Philips air fryer (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I found that the 800ml maximum water capacity in the reservoir will last you no more than an hour’s worth of cooking time, so you may need to refill it if you have anything that needs longer cooking. This Philips air fryer also has a maximum temperature of 200ºC, which isn’t as high as some other air fryers are capable of, but I found it still produces lovely crackling anyway.

Time synchronization works well and I appreciate that there is a shake reminder too. I love me some crispy, deep-fried bitter gourd (a childhood favorite) and I didn’t even need to lay the slices down in a single layer. The shake reminders were great when I just plopped handfuls in each basket to air fry and, at the end of 27 minutes, I had a Tupperware box full of my fave snack.

I cooked halloumi in the air fryer, as well mushrooms, steak and frozen foods. No matter what I threw at it, the results were to my liking, although I will emphasize that the presets won’t necessarily be too useful for first-time users.

Steamed dumplings and air-fried skewers in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam drawers — Dumplings steamed in the large basket alongside prawn and chorizo skewers (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As good as the cooking is, I was disappointed by the steam-cleaning function. As wonderful as it sounds on paper, it’s not quite what Philips makes it out to be – you will need to manually wash the basket and drawer to remove all traces of grease and burnt food after a 15-minute steam cycle, then pop it back in for a 2-minute hot-air drying session. Moreover, only the 6L basket has the advantage of steam to loosen caked-in grease. Thankfully both drawers and baskets are dishwasher safe.

Given it uses water, there is a descale mode available, but I haven’t had the appliance long enough to try it and, even after three months, have not seen any deposits in the water reservoir.

So while I would love to score this air fryer higher just for its cooking performance, I have to dock marks for the caveats surrounding the steam functionality.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

The time-sync function on the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam?

Buy it if...

You’d love to cook with steam in an air fryer

While most air fryers let you do more than just air fry (like bake, roast, grill and more), the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket takes it one step further and offers the steam function too. Importantly, it allows you to combine air frying and steaming, which is good for tender meat.

You want excellent results, no matter what you cook
This is a high-performing air fryer, even if you don’t always use the steam function. If you are comfortable experimenting, you’ll hit the right notes each time you cook in it.

You want to cook mains and sides together

While not unique to this Philips air fryer, the ability to make a main dish and a side simultaneously is time-saving. And you can have them both ready at the same time. This even works well if you have something steaming in the main drawer and something else in the smaller basket.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a first-time air fryer user

Not only is the user manual difficult to access, the cooking presets on this air fryer are just a guide and won’t work unless you have the exact same amount of the precise food it was made for. This cooking appliance will need some experimentation.

You can’t justify a premium air fryer

Despite being available at a competitive price, there are cheaper air fryers available. If you don’t need the steam function, you’ll be able to save by opting for a single-drawer air fryer. This also means you won’t need the extra space to store a two-drawer air fryer.

You have a large family

While the total 9L capacity sounds good on paper, the larger 6L drawer won’t fit a large chicken. In my opinion, this air fryer is suited to a 2-3 person household.

Also consider

Ninja DoubleStack

Offering two drawers but not taking up as much space, Ninja’s DoubleStack is one of a kind. In our tests, it produced some excellently cooked results, although you won’t have the power of steam here.
Read our in-depth Ninja DoubleStack review

Tefal Easy Fry Grill and Steam XXL 3-in-2 Air Fryer

Not widely available, and we haven’t tested this model yet, but it’s one of the few air fryers to offer steam cooking too. It’s a single-drawer model, so won’t take up as much room on your countertop as the Philips, but it is priced higher.

How I tested the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam

Used for five weeks to cook a variety of meals
Cooked mushrooms, steak, cheese, chicken, fish and much more
Tested most cooking functions and presets

Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam on a kitchen counter — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

For a period of five weeks, I cooked nearly all my dinners in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam, as well as some lunches and a few snacks during the weekends. This gave me plenty of time to test several of the presets (I didn’t try the bread one though) and experiment with most of the cooking modes.

I’m not much of a baker at the best of times, but I did try to make some banana muffins in the air fryer, which didn’t quite turn out as I expected them to, but that had to do with my recipe rather than any fault of the appliance.

However, I also cooked various meats in the two drawers to test the roast, air fryer and air-fry+steam combo functions. These included a scotch fillet, chicken thighs and legs, a pork belly and beef sausages – the latter in the smaller basket.

The vegetables I cooked – both air fried and steamed – included broccolini, potatoes, cauliflower florets, carrots and snow peas. I also cooked some halloumi and portobello mushrooms.

In addition to cooking, I also tested the steam-clean mode a few times. I hand-washed the baskets and drawers most of the time but, when space allowed, I even put them in my dishwasher. The only function I couldn’t test during my review period was the descaling as there were no visible marks to tell me if the feature was working optimally or not.

ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner review

Product info

The UK model I’ve tested has since become unavailable to purchase, with no details to suggest when it might be back in stock. There are identical-looking car vacuums available under a different brand, but we cannot guarantee that these would perform the same.

The US model is still available and looks identical. However, the specifications may vary from those of the UK model I’ve tested.

The ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner is a cable-powered and easy-to-wield handheld vacuum cleaner that comes with some helpful accessories and a storage bag. It has a list price of $36.99 at Amazon, and was available in the UK until recently, with no hint of when it may be back in stock. There’s a variety of budget handheld vacs available on Amazon, and results can be somewhat hit-and-miss, but in the case of the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner, it’s a low-cost vacuum that’s worth the money.

I must admit, the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner appealed to me straight out of the box simply because it has rose gold buttons on – clearly I’m easily pleased. Aside from this detail, I was happy with the overall aesthetic and the materials used. It mostly comprises not-too-cheap-looking matt black plastic, with a smoky black translucent dust cup that makes up the front end of the vacuum. ThisWorx hasn’t provided a capacity for the dust cup, but it doesn’t look much smaller than the dust cup of the Temola TS20BS Cordless Handheld Vacuum.

A close-up of the rose gold power button and dust cup release. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future)

I liked how the air outlet vents have been somewhat made into a feature, as they’re fin-like and curved. The integrated handle is easy to hold and while at 2.4lbs / 1.1kg it’s not as light as other car vacuums I’ve tested, it’s still light enough and easy to wield. The rose-colored buttons are clearly differentiable and easy to use. There’s a simple slide switch engraved with a power button symbol and a rounded button that releases the catch holding the dust cup when pushed.

While many users prefer a wireless vacuum, I found the 16ft / 4.8m power cord offered plenty of length to vacuum my whole car. It plugged into my car's 12V outlet easily, and this constant power meant that I wasn’t limited to a 10-15 minute run time as many cordless of the best handheld vacuums are. The dimensions of the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner are fairly average, measuring ‎13.4 x 3.9 x 4.3 inches / 340 x 102 x 109mm, so it was small enough to use in my footwells. For harder-to-reach areas, the extension tube and flathead nozzle came in handy, as this allowed me to get down the sides of the seats. This car vac also comes with a brush head, spare HEPA filter, filter cleaning brush, a storage bag, and a hanging car freshener, too.

There is a black and orange storage bag on a grey stone surface with ThisWorx printed on the front. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future)

I consider it a bonus when a handheld vacuum comes with a storage bag. The one that comes with the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner could not only hold the vacuum and the accessories but it was easy to carry as well. The quality isn’t fantastic, I must say. The material is thin and looks like it could get easily torn, so I can’t speak of its longevity, but it was convenient over the week I tested this car vac.

Getting the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner ready to rumble was pretty easy. There was no charging time to factor in thanks to its corded design, and I just needed to follow the instructions that stated I’d need to remove and reinsert the HEPA filter. The user manual stated this may be difficult to do at first, and they weren’t wrong, but after that point, it was easy to put back in place and remove. I liked that there was a plastic bar across the center of the filter, as this made life easier when it came to removing it, which is especially useful as the filter needed to be removed each time I needed to empty the dust cup.

The handheld vacuum has been dismantled into three pieces. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future)

Despite only having one power setting, the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner had no issue vacuuming up the oats I’d spread over my car’s floor mat. It picked up basically everything in its path on the first pass, spare a couple of smaller particles, but it picked these up quickly when I went back over those spots. It performed well when vacuuming up the mixture of fine biscuit crumbs and flour, too, but there were some very fine particles within the pile that it wasn’t quite powerful enough to suck up.

This was the perfect opportunity to try out the extension tube and brush. Both ends of the hose look similar, but there’s a helpful arrow on the end that should be inserted into the vac. Both accessories were easy to fit in place, and the brush enabled me to clean up the finer particles, although it took a few passes, making it more effort to use than the Shark Ultracyclone Pet Pro Plus, the overall champion of our best car vacuum, but this is understandable considering the substantial price difference.

Three accessories of the handheld vacuum are positioned around a tall cement block. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future)

The position of the air outlets was good, as the fin-like vents were positioned on the sides of the vacuum and blew backward, so I didn’t have any issues with the stream of air shooting oats and biscuit crumbs around my car, as happened when I tested the Homekane Handheld Vacuum Cleaner Cordless.

I tested ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner in a full car clean, and my driver's footwell was no easy task. I was pleased to find the suction was strong enough to get small bits of leaf debris and gravel out of my car's carpeting, something weaker vacuums I’ve tested struggled with. This car vacuum tackled the leaves and bits of gravel well, although I needed to empty the dust cup halfway through as the one-inch leaves unavoidably covered the filter. It took a few minutes, and I needed to finish off with the brush to get the finer debris out of the carpet pile, but overall I was pleased with the results from the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner.

In a nutshell, I’d happily spend $36.99 on this handheld vacuum cleaner. It looks nice, is easy to hold and, in my opinion, the corded power is a bonus as I don’t need to wait for it to recharge if I want to do a thorough clean. While the storage bag is a little on the cheap side, it still proved useful, and the accessories were a suitable quality for the price. If you’d prefer a named-brand vacuum, take a look at our selection of the best car vacuums, handheld vacuums, and cordless vacuums to learn about our favorites.

ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner specs

Should I buy the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner?

Buy it if...

You don’t want to risk running out of juice
Many people love a cordless vac, but if, like me, you like to spend time doing a thorough job, this corded design means you won’t be cleaning against the clock.

You want something easy to store
Whether you’d keep this handheld vac in your car or in a cupboard, the small size and storage bag make it easy to pack away when you’re not using it.

Don't buy it if...

You want a cordless vac
Corded vacs can have their limitations, especially if you own a motor home or a large vehicle. If this is the case for you, then a cordless handheld vacuum would be your best bet.

Don’t buy if you want control over suction power
While this vacuum had a good level of suction, there may be situations where you require more or less power. If so, a handheld vac with different suction modes might prove more efficient.

ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner review: also consider

Temola TS20BS
The TS20BS is satisfyingly lightweight and easy to use. It's cordless, has two speeds to choose from, and even has a helpful LED light for better visibility when vacuuming awkward spaces. The only downside to this efficient car vacuum is that there doesn't appear to be separate filters to purchase, so that's something to bear in mind. If you'd like to learn more about this Temola vac, check out my full Temola TS20BS review.

How I tested the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner

I used the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner to clean my car
I assessed its ability to vacuum both large and fine debris
I tested the included accessories

I took a close look at the design and materials used for the ThisWorx Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner. I put it through its paces against the TechRadar vacuum testing process in my car. This involves testing a vacuum's ability to pick up fine and coarse particles, namely oats, and a mixture of flour and fine biscuit crumbs.

I assessed the fit of the accessories and used each of them to see how effective they were. I also looked at how easy and efficient the dust cup emptying process was.

First reviewed January 2025
Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

Cuisinart’s Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker is cheaper than the Ninja Creami Swirl, but its results left me a little cold

2:30 pm | February 23, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: one-minute review

If you can't get your hands on the Ninja Creami Swirl, the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker could be the next best thing. It isn't as advanced as the Ninja machine, but can produce a smooth and creamy dessert once you get used to its quirks.

Preparing your ice cream is straightforward, and Cuisinart provides a good online recipe book to get you started. However, you have to keep a very close eye on the machine to ensure you stop it when your mix reaches the right temperature. Stop it too late and you'll have to wait for it to melt, or pull the churning mechanism out and scoop your ice cream out with a spoon. It's not the end of the world, but a timer would help avoid such issues arising.

The miniature hot plate for keeping sauces or melted chocolate warm is a nice touch and works well, but I'd argue that there's no need for three different topping containers – particularly since the design of their dispensing mechanism means most candies are too large.

It can be fun to use, but it would be difficult to justify spending on the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream maker unless you eat frozen desserts several times a week. It's reasonably priced and often available at a discount, but it takes up a lot of valuable space in your kitchen

Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: price and availability

List price $179.95 / £200 / AU$249
Sometimes available at a discount
About half the price of Ninja Creami Swirl

The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker has a list price of $179.95 / £200 / AU$249. It's available direct from Cuisinart's online store, and from third-party retailers such as Amazon. It's sometimes available for a discount, and you'll find all today's best prices below.

For comparison, the Ninja Creami Swirl comes in at almost twice the price at $349. At the time of writing (February 2025), international prices and availability had yet to be announced.

If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, the ice cream maker attachment works in a similar way to the Cuisinart, using a frozen bowl and a rotary motor to churn your ingredients while they freeze, but it lacks a soft-serve dispenser. It retails for $99.99 / £149 / AU$209.

Value score: 4.5/5

Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: design

Bulky, not very attractive
Excellent mini hotplate for sauces
Topping dispensers aren't ideal

The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker is a large appliance, and at 17.7 inches / 45cm, it only just fit beneath my kitchen wall cabinets. Its footprint is relatively small though (9.4 x 11 inches / 24 x 28cm), which is more compact than a lot of coffee makers. You might not want to keep it on the kitchen counter at all times, though; its white plastic chassis is functional and easy to clean, but not a thing of great beauty.

From a mechanical perspective, it's quite simple. There's a double-insulated bowl that you freeze ahead of time, which cools your ingredients to freeze them as they're churned. When your ice cream is ready, simply switch off the motor, open a tap on the bottom, and the finished dessert pours out in a smooth stream (provided you've judged the timings correctly).

There are three removable topping containers on the top right of the machine, which I initially loaded with candy. Unfortunately, I later realized that they were only capable of dispensing very small items such as sprinkles due to the size of the mechanism inside. Toppings such as M&Ms or nuts will be too large, which is a shame. All three toppings are dispensed through a single funnel, which propels them into your ice cream as it pours. During my tests this mostly worked well, but some sprinkles ended up overshooting.

The Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker also has a small hotplate on the left-hand side of the bowl, with a little saucepan that you can use to melt a sauce to pour over your finished ice cream.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: performance

Cuisinart's website has a good selection of simple recipes for the Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker, all of which can be adapted to suit your tastes. I started with the fresh strawberry ice cream, which is a mix of double cream, milk, hulled strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar.

You need to keep the bowl upright while it freezes, but I found it fitted in my freezer's deepest drawer quite easily, and I was able to stuff it with small frozen items to make good use of the space until I was ready to use it.

You'll need to blend your mix (take a look at our roundup of the best blenders, if you've been thinking about upgrading) then chill the mix for at least four hours before you start churning.

Once your mix is cold, it's time to begin. The frozen bowl fits easily into place inside the machine, then the lid with the churning mechanism clips on top. Once it's all in place, you start the machine using the switch on the left; make sure the lever is pushed up into the "closed" position, and pour your mix through the L-shaped hole in the top. I forgot to check the lever on my first attempt, which was a messy mistake.

The mini hotplate is activated by turning the control dial all the way to the right, and during testing it worked very well. It provides gentle heat while your ice cream churns, and will melt a cube or two of chocolate by the time your dessert is ready.

Unlike the Ninja Creami Swirl, the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker relies on gravity to dispense your ice cream, so it needs to be just the right consistency. If you allow the mix to chill too long, it will fail to flow through the dispenser, and eventually the churning mechanism will stop turning. This won't break the machine, but you'll need to wait for the ice cream to thaw a little before you can continue, or remove the lid and churning mechanism (which can be tricky if the ice cream has become stiff) and scoop out the dessert instead.

For best results, don't churn for longer than 20 minutes. If I wasn't sure that I'd achieved the right consistency, I found it helpful to turn off the machine, then use a spoon to scoop some of the mixture out of the bowl to assess its thickness. A programmable timer would be a good addition to avoid accidentally over-chilling the mix.

I also found that the blades didn't quite reach all the way to the edge of the bowl, which created a layer of hardened ice cream that wouldn't dispense. This was difficult to remove with a spoon without thawing everything completely.

Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker

Buy it if

You eat a lot of ice cream

Large single-use appliances such as this are tricky to justify unless you'll be using them frequently. If you're more of an occasional dessert fan, an attachment for your stand mixer may be a more economical choice.

You have kids

Custom ice creams with different toppings will definitely appeal to youngsters (or to your inner child).

Don't buy it if

You're easily distracted in the kitchen

This isn't the kind of appliance you can set and forget. You'll need to watch the consistency of your ice cream closely to make sure it's just right.

You have a small kitchen

This is a bulky machine that will take up a lot of room on your counter, or in a cupboard.

Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: also consider

Ninja Creami Swirl

The hugely popular soft-serve ice cream maker isn't available outside the US at the time of writing, but it's definitely more advanced than the Cuisinart machine (particularly its dispenser).

KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker

If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, this freezable bowl and churning attachment will do basically the same job as the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker, for less cash. You don't get the dispenser nozzle, though.

How I tested the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker

I used the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker to prepare several recipes from Cuisinart's website, including soft-serve ice cream and sorbet. I tested the hotplate with different types of chocolate, and tried various sprinkles and candies in the topping dispensers.

For more details. see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed February 2025

This dinky hair dryer blew me away with its powerful airflow, scalp-friendly modes, and super-cute design

10:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Laifen Mini hair dryer: two-minute review

The Laifen Mini is a scaled-down, mini hair dryer that offers the kind of power and features you'd expect from a full-sized option. It has the same streamlined silhouette as the majority of the best hair dryers on the market these days – it has a minimalist barrel, with most of the weight in the handle – but the whole unit has been shrunk down to a more portable size. The fact it comes with a carry bag suggests Laifen has travel in mind here, but I'd happily consider it as a main hair dryer if I was short on space.

It's lightweight and comfortable to use, with the (new with this model) matte finish adding grip as well as bumping up this model's style credentials. In terms of modes, there's the standard temperature and windspeed options, but also a couple more advanced modes. One will cycle hot-to-cold every two seconds, and is designed to protect your scalp and also set your locks as you style, and the other is a child mode that uses lower pressure and is better for delicate hair.

Although neither were required for my own styling routine, they both work as advertised and offer a more specialized option for those who want them. In the auto-cycle mode, it took two and a half minutes to rough-dry my hair to 90 per cent dry – a little longer than my full-sized dryer, but still very acceptable and impressively efficient for a travel-sized option.

There are some potential downsides, though. The cord is short and the fact there's currently no compatible diffuser will frustrate curly haired customers. I also found the controls a point of irritation – you set the mode using a series of long or short button presses, and you'll need to memorize these because the only way to note the current mode is by watching the glowing ring on the dryer's barrel and remembering what each color sequence means. It certainly looks cool, but it isn't the most efficient way to convey information.

Those frustrations aside, this is a very strong addition to the Laifen lineup. It's also affordably priced for the features it brings, sitting in the mid-range bracket and delivering strong performance, versatility and a cool look for that price. That's the short version – read on for my full Laifen Mini hair dryer review.

Laifen Mini hair dryer review: price & availability

List price: €129.99
Available: Europe, UK (via EU site)
Launched: September 2024

The Laifen Mini was unveiled at IFA in September 2024, and at time of writing is available to buy in the UK, other European territories, as well as South Africa. The UK situation is a little odd because it's only available to buy via the Laifen EU site and the price is listed in Euros, but Laifen has confirmed it's available for UK shoppers here, and you can specify that it come with a UK plug.

At time of writing, Laifen didn't have any information on if/when the Mini might be launched in the US or Australia – although when my teammate saw the dryer at IFA she was told the differences in voltage were a barrier to launching in the US.

At list price it costs €129.99 – roughly $135 / £107 / AU$213 – although it was reduced to €110.49 at the time of writing. This puts the Laifen Mini in the mid-range price bracket for hair dryers, and I think it's decent value for what it offers. It's a step up on basic in terms of features; it feels robust and good quality; and the design has a premium vibe.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Laifen Mini hair dryer specs

Laifen Mini hair dryer review: design

Stylish, small and lightweight build
Comes with magnetic concentrator and carry bag
Controlled via button and slider on handle; cord rather short

The Laifen Mini is a shrunk-down version of the brand's popular Laifen Swift hair dryer. Originally, that was part of a wave of new dryers with designs heavily inspired by the then-hot-new-thing, the Dyson Supersonic.

The new addition still has that streamlined shape with the weight in the handle and a minimal barrel. However, it now looks less like a knock-off and more of its own thing, and I'm a big fan of Laifen's styling. It's the first Laifen dryer to add a matte coating – this brings the double benefit of improving grip while also avoiding that cheap-looking shiny plastic look. It's available in four muted, pastel colors (arguably more on-trend than the tropical tones still favored by Dyson).

Laifen Mini hair dryer, bag and concentrator — The Mini comes with a Concentrator and carry bag (Image credit: Future)

My review model is Glacier Blue (a grey-blue), but it's also available in Jungle Green (an olive-toned color), Coral Pink (really more baby pink) and Arctic White. It arrives with one styling attachment – a concentrator that snaps on and off magnetically. Other Laifen dryers have a compatible diffuser that can be purchased separately, but that isn't an option here.

To help with portability it comes bundled with a carry bag in either grey or brown (color chosen at random). It's just big enough for the dryer, cable and attachment to nestle inside, and is magnetic all the way along the top, making it super easy to open and close.

Laifen Mini hair dryer in its travel case — (Image credit: Future)

At 5.9ft / 1.8m, the cable is on the short side. That might be annoying if you're planning to use this as your main dryer, but it does make sense as a travel option. There's a rubbery cable tidy for when you want to pack the dryer in its bag.

For reference, most full-sized dryers have a cable that's around 8.5-10ft (2.5-3m) long. However, it's worth flagging that Laifen in general is stingy with its cables – the full-sized Swift has the same length cord as this Mini version.

Controls & modes

Controls are via two switches on the handle. There's a slider to turn the dryer on and move between the two different windspeed options, indicated by icons (0, I, II). The second button is used to set the mode.

Close up of controls on Laifen Mini hair dryer — (Image credit: Future)

Here's where things become a little confusing, because different modes require different press types:

Long press: temperature cycling mode
Two short presses: child mode
Single short press: shift between low, medium and high temperature

A ring around the barrel will glow different colors to indicate temperature; but other than that, there's no way to determine which mode you're in.

When the dryer arrived, Laifen had added a wrapper to the handle with instructions printed on it, and I was grateful that I took a photo at the time for reference – because once it's gone, you'll need to rely on your memory to know what's going on.

The temperature control is described as "smart", but that just means there's a sensor inside to prevent overheating, which I'd hope wouldn't happen anyway. Like most modern dryers, bar the ultra-budget models, it releases ions as it dries, to discourage frizz.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Laifen Mini hair dryer review: performance

Good amount of power for a travel-sized dryer
Controls are fiddly and require memorizing
Lightweight and comfortable to hold and use

The Laifen Mini is comfortable to hold, with a well-balanced design and good grip thanks to the matte coating. It's lightweight enough for use over long periods, and packs a decent amount of power for a travel-sized dryer. I tested it out on my armpit-length, naturally wavy hair, and my drying times were slightly longer than when using my Dyson Supersonic Nural, but not unreasonably so.

While the dinky size and helpful carry bag make it perfect for taking on trips, I think this would also work as a main hair dryer for someone who's especially short on storage space. The power and functionality are similar to what you'd get with a full-sized dryer; the main compromise you're making is the length of the cord (bear this in mind if your power outlets aren't helpfully placed close to your mirrors).

Laifen Mini hair dryer with concentrator attachment on — (Image credit: Future)

In terms of attachments, the provided concentrator snaps on and off easily and feels secure in use. It's just a shame there's no compatible diffuser for curly haired customers.

Modes in use

Let's take a closer look at the operation. There are two windspeeds; most modern dryers offer three, although I think two will be fine for most people's needs.

You're also slightly more limited than usual on temperature options. Most dryers these days will come with three temperature options plus a separate cold shot button. Here, you just have a medium, hot or cold temperature mode. The band around the barrel will glow yellow, red or blue respectively in these modes.

I was fine with having to cycle through temperature setting to access the cold mode, although others may prefer the more usual approach of a separate, dedicated button. Laifen's approach is easier for prolonged cold setting use, because it doesn't require a button to be held down.

If you're styling your hair or are particularly concerned about scalp health, you can opt for a temperature cycling mode, in which the Mini will switch from hot to cold every two seconds. At the same time, the band will gradually transition from pink to red to purple to blue. The aim of this mode is to prevent your scalp from becoming too hot, and to set your style as you're drying.

It took around two and half minutes to get my hair to 90 per cent dry in this mode. In comparison, with the Dyson Supersonic Nural's "auto" mode it takes around two minutes. I didn't find the automatic temperature cycling that useful for my styling needs or routine, but I appreciate the option is there if you want it.

Laifen Mini hair dryer glowing orange, yellow and pink — (Image credit: Future)

A new addition with the Laifen Mini is the child mode. This isn't a child lock, but rather a mode designed for drying children's hair.

Laifen states that in this mode the dryer "maintains the same airspeed as regular modes, but the wind pressure is reduced, making the air feel gentler on the skin". Activate child mode and the dryer will stay at either 38ºC at low speed, or 48ºC in high speed, and the ring will pulse yellow.

Laifen Mini hair dryer with blue glowing ring — (Image credit: Future)

I appreciate that Laifen is offering up more than just your standard modes here. While they won't all be useful for everyone – and for my styling routine, I found myself mostly sticking to the high windspeed, high temperature option – I appreciate the options are there to cater to different customers' needs and priorities.

However, I do have a slight issue with the labelling – or lack thereof. I'm all for a minimalist design, but the only way to know which temperature mode you're in is to sit and watch the lights (and remember what they mean). Unless you have a great memory, switching modes will probably be a process of trial and error for some time.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Laifen Mini hair dryer?

Buy it if...

You want a hair dryer for travel
The compact build and helpful carry pouch make this the perfect companion for weekends away – and it packs a good amount of power for its size, too. All of these qualities make it a good choice if you're short on dressing table space as well.

You want a dryer for children / delicate hair
Unusually, the Mini comes with a child mode that reduces the wind pressure for use on delicate hair and scalps.

You want a stylish and advanced dryer on a budget
This is one of the best-looking hair dryers I've seen, and while it isn't the techiest option on the market, it packs some cool added features for an affordable price.

Don't buy it if...

You value simplicity
The controls here aren't super clear, and not everyone will want temperature cycling or a child-friendly mode. If you'd prefer a simpler design with your standard temperature and windspeed sliders, there are plenty of options to choose from.

You're annoyed by a short cable
The cord here is short, so if your power outlets aren't ideally placed – or you like some freedom while you style – this isn't the best choice.

Laifen Mini hair dryer review: alternatives to consider

Dyson Supersonic Nural
It's significantly pricier and more hi-tech than the Laifen Mini, but if you want to push the boat out, the Supersonic Nural is the crème de la crème of hair dryers. This full-sized option comes with an extensive range of attachments, and boasts a Scalp Protect mode that senses how far it is from your head and raises or lowers temperature accordingly.

Read our full Dyson Supersonic Nural review View Deal

T3 Fit

The T3 fit is another lightweight, travel-friendly option. It's simpler than the Laifen Mini with fewer modes and (in my opinion) a much less stylish design. However, the cable is longer and there's a compatible diffuser if you want one.

Read our full T3 Fit review View Deal

How I tested the Laifen Mini hair dryer

I used the Laifen Mini as my main hair dryer for two weeks. For reference, I have armpit-length, naturally wavy hair. According to my hairdresser, the strands are fine but there are a lot of them. For this review, I tested all the different modes, recorded how long it took to rough-dry my hair from wet to 90 per cent dry in maximum windspeed and temperature mode, as well as in temperature cycling mode. I assessed how comfortable it was to use, and how straightforward the controls were. In all of these areas, I compared my experience with the Laifen Mini to other dryers including the Dyson Supersonic Nural (which I use as my everyday dryer) and more basic, cheaper models.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

I’ve tested a lot of coffee machines, and the Siemens EQ900 Plus makes the best macchiato I’ve tasted

9:00 pm | February 22, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: Europe | Comments: Off

Siemens EQ900 Plus: two-minute review

The Siemens EQ900 Plus is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines for those who enjoy a latte, cappuccino or macchiato thanks to its excellent milk-texturizing system. It brews a very good espresso, too; but for me, the milk frothing is definitely the standout feature, and easily compares with the results an experienced user can get with a manual steam wand – with none of the effort.

Another key selling point of the EQ900 Plus that differentiates it from most of the best coffee makers is the fact that it has two hoppers, which make it easy to switch between different beans or roasts on the fly, or change to decaf in the evening. Some other bean-to-cup coffee makers I've tested (models from KitchenAid, for example) have a chute that you use to insert a scoop of ground coffee when you want something different to what's in the hopper, but this system is more convenient. The only downside is that the hoppers aren't removeable, plus the extensive set of cleaning and maintenance programs don't include a function for emptying beans and grounds from the machine, which makes it tricky to purge the system.

Latte macchiato prepared using Siemens EQ900 Plus coffee maker — The Siemens EQ900 Plus is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines around when it comes to milk texturizing (Image credit: Future)

The machine offers a system called "beanIdent" that lets you describe the beans you've loaded into each hopper (including type, roast, and blend) and then adjusts factors including water contact time and grind size to suit. It also encourages you to tinker to achieve the flavor you prefer. There are two customization modes (Comfort and Barista), with support for 10 user profiles.

You can even set your preferred drinks as "favorites", much like the favorites list in your web browser, which is welcome and something I'd like to see in more coffee machines. I appreciate not having to browse through a menu to find my carefully created custom cappuccino setting.

Coffee menu on Siemens EQ900 Plus coffee maker screen — The EQ900 Plus encourages tinkering, and Barista mode offers full control over the brewing process (Image credit: Future)

The smart cleaning programs are another key selling point of the EQ900 Plus, and bring another point of difference over the standard EQ900. The Plus has a hatch above the milk tank where you insert two tablets – one for cleaning and one for descaling. You'll be prompted to do this when setting up the machine, and it means you can run a full cleaning cycle whenever the machine needs it without having to hunt around for the necessary supplies or remove the brew unit to add a tab.

One of the biggest problems I find with bean-to-cup coffee machines is that the time you save grinding beans and adjusting brew settings is offset by the time spent maintaining the machine, so this smart cleaning is a welcome feature. However, I'm not sure it justifies the price difference between the EQ900 and EQ900 Plus. At the time of writing, the EQ900 Plus is only available for the full list price of £2,199 (about $2,800 / AU$4,300), whereas the standard EQ900 can be found for as little as £1,300 (about $1,600 / AU$2,600) on sale.

Siemens EQ900 Plus: price and availability

List price £2,199 (about $2,800 / AU$4,300)
Not widely available outside Europe
Can be found more cheaply if you shop around

The Siemens EQ900 Plus launched in October 2023, and has a list price of £2,199 (about $2,800 / AU$4,300) – although note that it isn’t widely available outside Europe. That puts it firmly at the top end of the price bracket for home bean-to-cup coffee makers, at about the same price as the Breville Oracle Touch (or Sage Oracle Touch, as it’s known in the UK).

The EQ900 Plus definitely feels like a premium machine with its stainless steel build, huge color touchscreen, smart cleaning, and advanced customization options. However, for a more affordable version consider the standard Siemens EQ900 (without the automatic maintenance system), which has a list price of £1,799 (about $2,300 / AU$3,600) and can be found for as little as £1,300 (about $1,600 / AU$2,600) if you shop around.

There's also a version of the EQ900 with a single hopper, priced at £1,599 (about $2,000 / AU$3,200), which may be preferable if you only enjoy one specific bean. Personally, I appreciate having the choice.

You'll find all of today's best prices for the Siemens EQ900 Plus below.

Value score: 3/5

Siemens EQ900 Plus: specifications

Siemens EQ900 Plus

Premium brushed metal build
Two bean hoppers
Intensive self-cleaning system
Cleverly designed milk system

The Siemens EQ900 Plus is a premium bean-to-cup coffee machine with a brushed stainless steel case and a huge 6.8-inch full-colour touchscreen. It’s the most impressive display I’ve seen on any coffee maker I’ve tested so far, and is even capable of displaying smooth animations (when you’re not using it to swipe through the drinks menu and tweak the various beverages to your liking).

At the top you’ll find two hoppers that you can fill with two different types of coffee beans. Some other coffee machines I’ve tested (the KitchenAid KF6 and KF8, for example) come with a chute to which you can add a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you fancy a change, but this twin-hopper system is even better. Some coffees (such as those with notes of caramel) are well suited to milk, while fruitier beans work better black – with this system you can choose the best one for your drink on the fly. You could also keep one hopper full of regular beans for the morning, and the other full of decaf for after lunch. A blue light will illuminate when one of the hoppers needs refilling.

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Beans loaded into Siemens EQ900 Plus coffee maker — The machine has two bean hoppers so you can switch between different types and roasts on the fly (Image credit: Future)

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Empty bean hopper warning light on Siemens EQ900 coffee maker — A blue light warns you when a bean hopper is empty (Image credit: Future)

The EQ900 Plus’s water tank is hidden on the left of the machine, and can be lifted out for filling using the integrated handle. It has a generous 2.3-liter capacity, and can be fitted with an optional filter to reduce limescale build-up to improve the taste of your coffee. Note that there’s no transparent panel, though, so you can't see the current water level at a glance.

Milk is stored in a smaller tank that sits on the right, just underneath containers for descaling and cleaning tablets. It’s unusual for a coffee machine to keep descaling and cleaning tablets on-board, but it makes sense and means you don’t have to hunt around for the packet when it’s time for regular maintenance. This is the EQ900 Plus's main point of difference with the standard EQ900.

Brew unit inside Siemens EQ900 coffee maker — Removing the water tank and side panel lets you access the brew unit for rinsing (Image credit: Future)

Most fully automatic espresso machines have a separate container for milk that sits beside the machine. Here, a tank slots into the side of the chassis, delivering a much neater design. The lid means you can also keep your milk in the fridge between uses.

The drip tray slides out easily for cleaning, with a removable grille at the front and a slim section at the back that makes pouring clean and convenient. Used coffee pucks are dispensed into a bin that sits in the drip tray and can be lifted out for easy emptying.

Design score: 4/5

Siemens EQ900 Plus

Eight coffee profiles, plus two milk and two hot water
Coffee presets are easy to customize and save to your profile
Excellent milk frothing
Espresso is good, but crema not as stable as some

Some automatic coffee machines present customization as an optional extra, but it’s at the heart of the experience here. There are two control options, Barista and Comfort, depending on the degree to which you want to tweak your beverages; but all users are encouraged to tinker with their drinks to create something bespoke.

Operating modes on Siemens EQ900 Plus coffee maker — The EQ900 Plus offers two modes of operation: Comfort and Barista (Image credit: Future)

Barista mode offers the most control, allowing you to choose whether beans are taken from the left or right hopper, choose the correct cup size, and tweak the strength (1-9), grinding level (1-6), contact time (for instance, how long the water is in contact with the grounds), milk ratio, and brewing temperature. Comfort mode is simpler and designed for more casual coffee fans, only letting you set the aroma (mild, balanced, or distinctive), strength (light, normal, strong, or extra strong), and cup size.

Once you’ve created a custom drink (which is easy thanks to the sensitive touchscreen), you’ll be prompted to save it to a profile (the EQ900 Plus supports up to 10, so everyone in your household and their guests can create their own) and give it a name. Typing on the EQ900 is surprisingly easy; the screen is large enough to accommodate a full QWERTY keyboard, making the whole experience much less frustrating than it could be.

You can even choose a background color, so you can see at-a-glance whether your profile is the one selected, and save your most frequently made drinks to a favorites menu, accessible via a quick tap of the star button under the screen. Preset drink options include:

Espresso
Espresso doppio
Caffe crema
Caffe grande
Caffe XL
Cappuccino
Latte macchiato
White coffee
Foamed milk
Warm milk
Hot water (enough for a cup of tea)
Coffee pot (a larger amount of hot water for pour-over)

The crema wasn’t quite as thick as that created by the KitchenAid K6, which is a cheaper machine, and it didn’t last as long either, despite being brewed using the same beans (purchased fresh that day).

However, milk texturizing was impressive, with the Siemens EQ900 quickly turning whole dairy milk into a generous layer of long-lasting foam. A powerful jet of steam creates the perfect foundation for your cappuccino or latte macchiato.

You can slide the dispenser up and down easily, and unlike many bean-to-cup coffee makers, it’s easy to remove it for cleaning – just pull it towards you to detach it, then disassemble the components and wash them all with warm water and dish soap. Once done, push it back into place.

During testing, I found the water tank a little awkward to refit when filled to the maximum mark; you have to position the bottom of the tank, then align the top while also folding the handle down. The water tank and milk container are also tricky to clean and dry inside, since there’s very little space for your hand. The machine has a cleaning setting that removes all water from the interior, but you'll still need to thoroughly hand-dry the tanks before transporting or storing the machine.

Drip tray from Siemens EQ900 Plus coffee maker — You'll receive a warning when it's time to empty the drip tray, but not necessarily when the coffee grounds bin is full (Image credit: Future)

The machine notified when the drip tray was full, but didn’t push out an alert to inform me that the used coffee grounds required emptying. Most bean-to-cup machines deliver a warning after making about four drinks, but that wasn't the case here, and I ended up with some grounds stuck to the area above the drip tray when I pulled it out. It's a minor flaw, but a surprising one for a premium machine.

The beanIdent system is interesting, and lets the machine adjust its own settings to suit your two different beans so it can determine the optimum setting for each one. Once you've loaded the two hoppers, you tell the EQ900 Plus the type of bean you've chosen for each one (arabica or robusta), the roast (light or dark) and the blend, and it will set factors including grind size and water temperature automatically.

Of course, your preferences may be different from those of the engineers and experts at Siemens, so you can tweak these settings to suit your tastes. Nevertheless, they provide a very useful starting point.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Siemens EQ900 Plus

Buy it if

You enjoy milky coffee drinks

The Siemens EQ900 Plus is the best bean-to-cup coffee machine I've tried to date for texturizing milk, producing a thick, silky, and stable foam every time.

You have a large household

The EQ900 Plus encourages you to tinker with settings to create your ideal drinks, and lets you save them to one of 10 user profiles, with quick access to your favorites at the tap of a button.

Don't buy it if

You're on a budget

The standard EQ900 is much better value if you don't mind losing the smart cleaning feature. It still offers the same excellent customization and milk texturizing.

You favor one particular coffee bean

The twin hoppers are excellent if you want to switch between two beans on the fly, but if you're loyal to one particularly type and roast, you won't get best use out of them.

Siemens EQ900 Plus: also consider

Not totally sure that the Siemens EQ900 Plus is the right coffee maker for you? Here are two other bean-to-cup machines to consider:

KitchenAid KF6

Its milk texturizing doesn't quite match that of the Siemens EQ900 Plus, but the KitchenAid KF8 is a more affordable machine and brews one of the most delicious espressos I've ever had, with thick and stable crema.

Read our full KitchenAid KF6 review

De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo

This is our favorite manual bean-to-cup machine, and an excellent introduction to the world of espresso. It's cheaper than the KitchenAid KF6, too, making it excellent value.

Read our full De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo review

How I tested the Siemens EQ900 Plus

I tested the Siemens EQ900 Plus using fresh coffee beans from local coffee shops Mokoko and Clifton Coffee (one in each hopper), and chilled whole milk. I used each of the machine’s preset drink options, experimenting with settings in Comfort and Barista mode, and creating a custom profile.

I also ran all of the machine’s basic and intensive cleaning programs, washed and dried the dispenser, milk tank and water tank, and ran the frost protection program to remove water from the machine's internal circuits. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate on TechRadar.

First reviewed February 2025

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