The new kid on the small appliance block, Air fryers have taken the UK by storm in recent years, with seemingly every household investing in some variation of this kitchen appliance. While offerings from the likes of Ninja and Salter now come packed with multiple cooking functions to replace your oven, few products can truly do it all. Enter the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Air & Grill Multi Cooker.
Combining air frying and multi-cooking capabilities, this solid kitchen appliance from Russell Hobbs offers a host of functionality in a smart, minimalistic form factor. But with just one compartment and spatial limitations, can it beat out its multi-compartment competitors to earn a place on your kitchen counter?
A Modern Kitchen’s Fionn Elliott got his hands on the Satisfry to see if it could hold its own.
Verdict: Undeniably versatile and perfectly useable
Score: 4/5
Pros
- Versatile with seven cooking modes
- Easy to use
- Good build quality
- Dishwashable parts
Cons
- Short-ish power lead
- Somewhat bulky
What's good?
Russell Hobbs has built its reputation on delivering high-quality home and kitchen appliances that are both versatile and easy to use, and it’s safe to say the Satisfry Air & Grill Multi Cooker follows suit.
With a total of seven separate cooking functions which can be navigated through easily with a single button, the Satisfry can handle anything from barbecue-style burgers using the included grill plate to a full roast dinner complete with potatoes and veg. And if you’re struggling for inspiration, Russell Hobbs has responded to its customers’ reviews and created a free online recipe book to get you started.
Like most other air fryers from Russell Hobbs and its competitors, the Satisfry features fan heater at the top, but what sets this model apart and transforms it into a do-all multi-cooker is the additional heating element under the cooking pot. This nifty inclusion means you get a perfect sear every time using the dedicated mode, before switching to another cooking function such as Grill or Roast to get the perfect finish.
Thankfully, the 5.5L cooking pot itself along with the grill plate can be washed in the dishwasher, meaning the Satisfry can be up and running again in no time. And when I say no time, I really mean it; this thing heats up at the speed of light, all while using less power than your oven – what’s not to love?
What's okay?
While you can certainly cook up a storm in this multi-cooker, the natural outcome is a sizeable footprint that commands a considerable amount of space on your countertop. This will be no problem if you have a spacious culinary den at your disposal, but in smaller kitchens such as mine where surface space is at a premium, the Satisfry may have to be housed in a cupboard until called upon. Still, this was no real inconvenience and I often found myself reaching for said cupboard rather than the oven or a frying pan.
Cooking multiple different things simultaneously worked perfectly well, especially thanks to the timings listed in the instruction manual and recipe E-book. That said, I can only imagine this process to be slightly more seamless with a multi-compartment air fryer such as those offered by Ninja. Similarly, the handles on these models might make for a more ergonomic experience than the Satisfry’s somewhat fiddly removable cooking pot and grill plate.
The retail price of £164.99 means this appliance certainly doesn’t scream value, but that seems to be the going rate for similar products. Luckily, there are usually some great deals to be found on this multi-cooker that could even see you pick one up for under £100 – a much more palatable offering.
Any negatives?
You’d be hard pressed to find anything wrong with the Satisfry – it really is an all-in-one oven-replacer. Even with the sole compartment, it can handle all your one-pot recipes with ease for those hearty family meals. That said, as per Russell Hobbs’s recommended limit of 800 grams of food for the best browning results, cooking for a group larger than four could soon see this appliance compromising its quality.
The only other drawback was the somewhat short power lead. Where the Satisfry excels in cooking versatility, it is held back (literally) by the length of the cable which will annex it next to one of the already in-demand plug sockets in your kitchen. This is a real nit-pick, though, and is admittedly more of a universal problem with kitchen electronics than anything else.
Other products to consider
ao.com
Arguably the biggest name in the game when it comes to air fryers, Ninja is known for it's feature-packed kitchen appliances. Coming in at a similar price point to the Satisfry, this 2-in-1 health grill and air fryer promises an even crispness on your food, albeit with a couple less functions than the Russell Hobbs.
A more budget-friendly option, the Salter EK4221 XL Digital Air Fryer offers a host of cooking functions and a perfect family-sized capacity, all at great value. If you want to find out more, be sure to read our full review of this great product.
www.currys.co.uk
With the largest capacity of the products listed here, and an additional steaming function, this Tefal multi-cooker is a great option for families. It's also currently half price at Currys.
Who tested this product?
Fionn Elliott is a Content Optimisation Executive for A Modern Kitchen. An avid gym-goer, he is always keen to try out small kitchen appliances that might make meal-prepping and family cooking that bit easier (and healthier).
How this product was tested
The Russell Hobbs Satisfry was introduced to my kitchen for a few weeks and in that time it was used to cook a variety of food including meat, potatoes and veg, making use of the seven different cooking functions. It was used between four people to see how it fared in a family environment as well as how easy it was to use and clean.
Fionn Elliott is a Content Optimisation Executive for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in all things kitchen. He loves to stay up to date with all the latest cooking tech to recommend the best products worthy of a space on your countertop.