Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish Review: The Ultimate Kitchen Upgrade for Busy Families?

We’ve all been there. It’s a Tuesday night, the family is hungry, and you’re trying to orchestrate a culinary ballet in your kitchen. The chicken needs another 20 minutes in the oven, but the roast potatoes will be burnt to a crisp by then. The vegetables are ready, but they’ll be cold by the time the main event is done. It’s a frustrating juggling act of timers, temperatures, and trays that often ends with a compromised meal and a stressed-out cook. For years, my conventional oven dictated the pace of our meals, forcing a staggered cooking process that meant something was always either overcooked or lukewarm. This nightly chaos was not just an inconvenience; it was a barrier to enjoying fresh, coordinated family dinners, often pushing us towards less healthy, quicker options. The dream was simple: a complete, hot meal, with every component cooked to perfection, all ready at the exact same moment.

What to Consider Before Investing in a Dual Basket Air Fryer

A dual basket air fryer is more than just a kitchen gadget; it’s a key solution for reclaiming control over mealtime. By using powerful, circulating hot air, it cooks food faster and with significantly less oil than traditional methods, delivering crispy, delicious results. The “dual basket” aspect elevates this convenience to a new level, allowing you to cook two different foods, at two different temperatures, for two different durations, simultaneously. This eradicates the timing puzzle entirely. It means perfectly crisp chips and a juicy chicken breast, or tender salmon and roasted asparagus, all finishing their cooking cycles at the precise same second. The main benefits are profound: reduced cooking times, lower energy consumption compared to a conventional oven, healthier meals with less fat, and the sheer convenience of a simplified cooking process.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the daily challenge of feeding a family or a household with diverse tastes. If you’re a parent trying to get a balanced meal on the table quickly, a meal-prepper looking to maximise efficiency, or simply someone who loves hosting and wants to serve multiple hot dishes at once, a dual-basket air fryer will feel revolutionary. However, it might not be suitable for those who live alone and have very limited kitchen space, or for individuals who primarily cook one-pot meals. For them, a smaller, single-basket air fryer or a multi-functional microwave might be a more practical alternative. The key is to assess your cooking habits and kitchen real estate before making the investment.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: A dual-basket model is, by nature, a substantial appliance. The Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish measures approximately 38.5 cm wide by 35.5 cm deep and 32.1 cm high. As we and other users have noted, this will occupy a significant amount of worktop real estate. It’s essential to measure your intended space beforehand, ensuring you also leave a few inches of clearance at the back and sides for proper air circulation.
• Capacity/Performance: Capacity is king. The 9-litre total capacity of this model, split across two 4.5-litre baskets, is advertised as suitable for up to 8 people. In our tests, we found it comfortably serves a family of four or five with generous portions. The 2600W power output is also a critical metric, as it dictates how quickly the unit heats up and recovers temperature, ensuring food is cooked quickly and evenly.
• Materials & Durability: Most air fryers feature a plastic main body with metal, non-stick coated baskets. While the plastic construction keeps the unit relatively lightweight, it’s important to look at build quality. We’ve seen user reports highlighting potential long-term issues with plastic components, such as cracking handles. It’s a trade-off for the price point, but something to be aware of when considering longevity.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: A great air fryer should simplify cooking, not complicate it. Look for an intuitive control panel, clear display, and useful pre-set functions. For maintenance, non-stick baskets are a must for easy hand-washing. While this model’s drawers are not officially dishwasher safe, we found the non-stick coating so effective that a quick wash with warm, soapy water is all that’s needed.

Understanding these factors will ensure you choose a machine that not only meets your culinary needs but also fits seamlessly into your kitchen and lifestyle.

While the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the Tower T17088: First Impressions and Key Features

Upon its arrival, the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish makes a statement with its size, even before it’s out of the box. Unpacking was straightforward, revealing a sleek, glossy black unit that feels substantial and well-planted on the worktop, weighing in at 7.8 kg. The main components are the unit itself, two 4.5L drawers, and two removable non-stick grill plates (or crisper trays) that sit inside. There is no assembly required; after a quick wash of the drawers, it’s ready to go. The front is dominated by the two large drawer handles and a bright, touch-sensitive control panel that illuminates beautifully when powered on. While the outer shell is plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy. The drawers slide in and out with a satisfying, secure action. Compared to older, single-basket models, the dual-drawer design immediately feels more purposeful and versatile. The digital interface is clean and modern, with one-touch presets for common foods, which is a great starting point for beginners. You can see its full feature set and user reviews online to get a better sense of its design.

A Deep Dive into the Tower T17088 Vortx’s Real-World Performance

An appliance can have all the features in the world, but the true test is how it performs day in, day out in a real family kitchen. We put the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish through its paces for several weeks, cooking everything from simple frozen chips to a full roast dinner. Our goal was to see if its flagship features truly delivered on their promise and how it held up to the rigours of daily use. We focused on its core functionalities: the dual-zone cooking technology, its raw cooking power across different food types, and the overall design and usability, including the cleaning process and long-term durability concerns.

The Smart Finish & Match Cook Functions: A Mealtime Game Changer

This is, without a doubt, the star of the show. The ‘Smart Finish’ function is the solution to the meal-timing problem we outlined earlier, and it works flawlessly. To test it, we planned a classic meal: a 1.2kg chicken in one basket and homemade potato wedges in the other. The chicken required 50 minutes at 180°C, while the wedges needed just 25 minutes at 200°C. After programming each basket independently (a simple process of selecting the basket, setting the time and temp), we pressed the ‘Smart Finish’ button. The magic then happened. The air fryer automatically started the basket with the longer cook time (the chicken) first. Then, exactly 25 minutes later, it fired up the second basket with the potatoes. The result was genuinely impressive: a perfectly juicy, crispy-skinned chicken and fluffy, golden-brown wedges, both beeping to signal they were finished at the exact same moment. It felt like having a sous chef in the kitchen handling all the timing.

The ‘Match Cook’ button is equally useful for larger batches of the same food. We used it to cook a full 1kg bag of frozen French fries for a movie night. A single press copied the settings from basket 1 to basket 2, instantly doubling our cooking capacity without any extra button-mashing. Many users echo our sentiment, with one noting they “love the feature that ensures both drawers finish cooking at the same time.” This dual-zone technology is not a gimmick; it fundamentally changes your workflow in the kitchen for the better, making complex meals surprisingly simple to execute. For anyone who regularly cooks more than one type of food for a meal, this single feature justifies the investment.

Cooking Power and Versatility: Beyond Just Chips

With a hefty 2600 watts of power, the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish heats up incredibly fast and cooks with real authority. This power means it can handle a wide variety of tasks well beyond air frying. We tested its four main functions with excellent results. As an air fryer, it’s superb, creating crispy chicken wings and crunchy fries with just a teaspoon of oil. The ‘Roast’ function handled a whole chicken beautifully, as mentioned, with one user successfully cooking a large 1.65kg bird. We also used it to roast vegetables like peppers, onions, and courgettes, which came out tender and slightly charred in under 15 minutes.

The ‘Bake’ function was a pleasant surprise. While you won’t be making large celebration cakes, it’s perfect for smaller items. We successfully baked brownies, pizza bagels, and even, inspired by one user’s review, a small loaf of bread which turned out “beautifully”. The ‘Grill’ setting, used with the included crisper plates, gave a lovely char to salmon fillets and sausages. The 10 pre-set programs (for things like fries, meat, fish, etc.) are a great starting point, though we found ourselves quickly moving to manual control for more precision. Some users noted it took a little while to get used to the settings, but after a few uses, the touch interface becomes second nature. The sheer speed is a consistent highlight; it lives up to the claim of cooking food up to 30% faster than a conventional oven, a factor that makes it an indispensable tool on busy weeknights. The performance across these different cooking styles confirms that this is much more than just a chip fryer; it’s a versatile, multi-purpose cooker that can genuinely replace your main oven for many tasks. You can check the latest price and availability to see if it fits your budget.

Design, Usability, and a Few Long-Term Quirks

Living with the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish day-to-day is mostly a pleasure, but there are some practical considerations. First and foremost is its size. As we and numerous users have stated, it’s a large unit. One user had to “rearrange kitchen worktops” to accommodate it, and another noted it would be “heavy to lift in & out of a cupboard”. This is not an appliance you can easily store away; it’s designed to live on your worktop, so be prepared for that commitment. In operation, we were impressed by how quiet it is, a sentiment shared by reviewers who noted it was “quite quiet when in operation.”

Cleaning the baskets is incredibly easy. The non-stick coating is effective, and even after cooking greasy foods, a simple wipe and wash in the sink is all that’s required. However, there are durability concerns that have been raised in user feedback which we feel are important to address. Several users, after months of use, have reported that the “plastic covering on the handles is cracking and breaking off.” While this doesn’t seem to affect the functionality, it’s a notable design flaw that detracts from its long-term aesthetic and feel. A more serious, albeit rarer, complaint involved one user discovering rust on the inside top of the unit near the heating element, which they found “very difficult to clean”. While we did not experience this in our testing period, it highlights the importance of trying to wipe down the interior ceiling of the unit periodically to prevent grease build-up, which could contribute to such issues over a much longer term. These quirks are important context for a product that otherwise performs exceptionally well for its price. You can explore more user experiences and details before making a final decision.

What Other Users Are Saying

Our findings are strongly supported by the wider community of users. The general sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with most people hailing the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish as a transformative kitchen appliance. One user perfectly captured this feeling, stating, “I honestly don’t know how I managed before without it!” and another confirmed it has “completely changed my cooking habits for the better.” The Smart Finish and Match Cook functions are consistently praised as the most beloved features, turning sceptics into evangelists.

However, the recurring criticisms provide a balanced picture. The most common complaint, which we also noted, pertains to the build quality of the drawer handles. One owner, writing 9 months after purchase, said, “the plastic covering on the handles is cracking and breaking off at the top… seems like a design fault.” Another user had the same issue, warning they “have to watch our hands as to not cut them on the ragged edges.” While most don’t see this as a deal-breaker, it’s a frequent enough comment to be considered a known flaw. The other significant point raised is the unit’s sheer size, which has caught some buyers by surprise. It reinforces our advice to measure your space carefully before you decide to purchase this powerful appliance.

How Does the Tower T17088 Compare to the Competition?

While the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish excels in its category, it’s helpful to see how it stacks up against other popular options, especially for those who may not need its specific dual-basket, high-capacity features.

1. Chefman 5.7L Air Fryer

The Chefman 5.7L Air Fryer is an excellent single-basket alternative for those who find the Tower T17088 too large or complex for their needs. With a generous 5.7L capacity, it’s still large enough for a small family but has a much smaller footprint. It focuses on simplicity with four straightforward presets and touch controls. If you don’t foresee yourself needing to cook two different foods simultaneously and value worktop space, the Chefman offers powerful and efficient air frying performance in a more compact and often more affordable package. It’s a great choice for streamlining meals without the dual-drawer functionality.

2. Midea Compact 2L Air Fryer

The Midea Compact 2L Air Fryer caters to a completely different user: the individual, student, or couple living in a small apartment with minimal kitchen space. Its tiny 2-litre capacity and compact design are its main selling points. It’s not designed for family meals, but it’s perfect for cooking a portion of chips, reheating leftovers, or air frying a couple of chicken breasts. While it lacks the power and advanced features of the Tower T17088, it offers the core benefits of air frying for those where every inch of counter space is precious. It is the go-to option for solo dwellers.

3. COSORI 5.5L Air Fryer 1700W

The COSORI 5.5L Air Fryer is one of the most popular and highly-rated single-basket models on the market, making it a formidable competitor. It strikes a fantastic balance between capacity (5.5L), power (1700W), and user-friendly features, including 11 presets and an included recipe book. People often choose the COSORI for its proven reliability, square-shaped basket (which can be more space-efficient than a round one), and strong community support. If you want a premium, high-performance single-basket fryer and don’t require the dual-cooking capability of the Tower, the COSORI is arguably the benchmark in its class.

Our Final Verdict: Is the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L the Right Air Fryer for You?

After extensive testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear. For families, busy couples, or anyone who regularly prepares meals with multiple components, the Tower T17088 Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Smart Finish is a phenomenal, game-changing appliance. Its Smart Finish technology is brilliantly executed and solves a genuine, everyday kitchen frustration, allowing you to serve a complete, perfectly cooked hot meal with minimal effort. The large capacity, powerful performance, and surprising versatility make it a true workhorse that can significantly reduce your reliance on a conventional oven, saving you both time and energy.

While we acknowledge the valid user concerns about the long-term durability of the plastic handles and its considerable size, we believe these are reasonable trade-offs for its competitive price point and exceptional functionality. The value it provides in terms of convenience and cooking quality is immense. If you have the counter space and your goal is to simplify family meal times without compromising on quality, we wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s an investment that will quickly pay for itself in convenience, speed, and delicious results. If you’re ready to revolutionise your weeknight dinners, we highly encourage you to check the latest offers and make the Tower T17088 your new kitchen centerpiece.

Last update on 2025-10-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API