Philips Airfryer 5000 Series Megabasket Air Fryer review: More space, more power, better cooking

I've tested plenty of Philips air fryers over the years, from compact stacked basket models to dual-zone designs, but this latest one takes things in a different direction. The Philips Airfryer 5000 Series Megabasket is the brand's largest air fryer yet, combining a huge 10-litre capacity with a flexible design that can be used as one large basket or split into two.

With 3-in-1 cooking functionality and enough space to tackle much bigger meals, I was keen to see whether the Megabasket could offer something different.

Price and availability

The Philips Airfryer 5000 Series Megabasket has an RRP of £259.99 and is available to buy from Amazon.

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For comparison, the original 5000 Series Dual Basket launched at the same RRP, although it's now available at a reduced price from a number of retailers, having been on the market for more than a year.

Design and features

As mentioned, the Philips Airfryer 5000 Series Megabasket comes with a generous 10-litre cooking capacity that can be used as one large Megabasket or divided into two separate 3-litre and 6-litre zones. This gives you the flexibility of a dual-basket air fryer when you're cooking different foods, whilst allowing you to combine the two compartments when you need more space for a larger meal.

That said, it measures around 44.4 x 38.3 x 35.5cm and weighs approximately 8.75kg, so you'll probably want to give it a permanent home on your kitchen worktop rather than moving it in and out of a cupboard.

The Megabasket features a 3-in-1 cooking system, combining traditional air frying with steaming and SteamFry. The standard air-frying function uses hot air to cook and crisp food, whilst the steam function introduces moisture during cooking. The more interesting option is SteamFry, which combines hot air and steam to help keep food moist on the inside whilst still achieving a crisp finish on the outside.

The air fryer also uses Philips' RapidAir Plus technology, which we've seen across many of the brand's more recent air fryers. This circulates hot air around the food to promote more even cooking, with the aim of delivering that crispy texture you'd normally associate with deep frying.

You can also adjust the cooking temperature between 40°C and 200°C, giving you plenty of flexibility depending on what you're making.

The Megabasket has a digital touchscreen display on the top front, giving you control over the cooking settings and access to 12 ingredient presets. However, as mentioned, you can still manually adjust the temperature and cooking time when needed.

One of my favourite features is Automatic SteamClean, which uses steam to loosen cooking residue inside the cooking chamber. Whilst you'll still need to give it a wipe down, it makes the entire process so much easier.

Performance

During testing, the 5000 Series Megabasket delivered the kind of cooking results I'd expect from Philips, and they were very similar to what I'd previously experienced with the 5000 Series Dual Basket. Food cooked evenly and the results felt really consistent with each meal I made. After trying the 4000 Series Stacked Basket Air Fryer, which I found a little more unpredictable with its cooking, it was nice to return to something that felt more reliable.

The whole experience also felt very familiar if you've used a Philips air fryer before. The controls are intuitive, and the cooking process doesn't take long to get used to it. I also quickly remembered how much I love the SteamFry function, particularly for roasting vegetables, which come out beautifully cooked without drying out.

One of my favourite things about the Megabasket has to be its size. It's big enough to cook larger joints of meat, which is something I couldn't always say about my previous air fryers. Pork belly roast is a firm favourite in my house, but I've always cooked it in the oven because of its size. Having the Megabasket means I can now cook it in the air fryer instead, which has drastically improved the meal altogether.

The Automatic SteamClean function is also worth a strong mention, and I don't think I'd want an air fryer without it now. It's particularly good at loosening hardened fats and burnt bits, which usually take a lot of scrubbing to remove. Instead of putting all removable parts in the dishwasher, now all I need to do is give everything a quick wipe, rinse it in the sink and leave it to dry. Considering the size of the Megabasket, this is a huge advantage.

Speaking of, one thing to be aware of is just how big the Megabasket really is. It has an unusual handle design that sticks out from the side of the main body, which I'm not sure is necessary, as a more conventional front-facing handle could have kept things more compact. I therefore recommend measuring up before you buy, as this is one air fryer you won't want to underestimate the size of.

Verdict

The Philips Airfryer 5000 Series Megabasket is a brilliant choice if you want an air fryer that's big enough for larger meals without sacrificing flexibility. Its 10-litre capacity and excellent cooking make it a pleasure to use, whilst the Automatic SteamClean is a game-changer for cleaning. It's certainly not the smallest appliance and smaller households may find it excessive, but if you've got the room, this is one of my favourite Philips air fryers yet.

Alternatives to consider

The closest alternative to the Megabasket is probably the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer. Not only are the two similarly priced, but the Ninja also features a large 10.4-litre removable drawer, alongside a divider and two crisper plates, making the overall concept very similar.

If you'd rather stick with Philips, you also can't go wrong with the original 5000 Series Dual Basket. The cooking results are similarly impressive, and its more traditional dual-basket design makes it a more suitable option for smaller families.