Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill review: the multi-cooker that offers more ways to tackle mealtimes

Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill review in a sentence: a multi-cooker that makes a good alternative to an air fryer if you need more mealtime flexibility.

Making meals and eating healthier food has certainly become easier with the arrival of the best air fryer models on the market. I’ve become a big fan of several air fryer models, but the new Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill machine is a neat variation on the theme. In fact, it's less of a bog-standard air fryer and more of a multi-cooker. Better still, it cooks food a little differently too.

The majority of air fryer appliances cook, or air fry food using a combination of an electric element and a fan. In most cases, the hot air is blown down over the food inside the cooking pan, which works to great effect. However, unless you monitor an air fryer closely it can have the tendency to scorch some foodstuffs, or even overcook things if you don’t lower the temperature or cooking time.

What I like about the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill is that it cooks at up to 260°C with the difference of producing heat from both the top and the bottom. That should mean you get more consistent cooking results, less chance of scorching and more appealing, not to mention tastier results. I’ve been putting the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill through its paces and the news is all good so far.

• A big alternative with more modes: Tefal Actifry Genius XL 2in1 review

Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill: price and availability

The Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill was launched in August and is available now from online outlets, such as AO, which has it for £149. However, shop around and you may find it discounted.

Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill: design

The Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill is a funky looking thing for sure, with a lower profile than many standard air fryers you’ll find on the market. It’s still a reasonably chunky thing with dimensions of 28.2 high, 37.8 wide and 32cm deep and comes finished in a combination of matt and gloss black. There are some flourishes of rose gold colour on the casing, which help to jazz it up a little.

In terms of size, you’ll therefore need a decent amount of worktop space spare, and this should also be factored in when you need to store it. The appliance looks okay, but it’s not quite as aesthetically pleasing as a cool coffee machine or food mixer. I’m fine with it on my countertop, but can imagine plenty of people will want to put it away when the cooking is done.

The controls on the front of the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill are nicely laid out and very intuitive, especially the touchscreen digital display. The underside has non-slip feet, so the unit won't move around when it’s in action. In terms of capacity there’s 5.5 litres on hand, which is generous enough for an average family.

Cleaning it up is also straightforward thanks to dishwasher safe coating on the cooking pot and grill plate components. I’ve found the rest of the appliance can be wiped over with a hot soapy cloth to remove any greasy residue, thereby keeping it looking spick and span.

Russell Hobbs Satisfy Air & Grill: features

A brand like Russell Hobbs knows a thing or two about making appliances and it has come up trumps with the set of features found on the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill. Central to the attraction is no less than eight cooking functions. That means you can use it to air fry, roast, bake, slow-cook, sear, grill or just keep meals warm. All of which means the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill is rather more versatile than a standard air fryer.

Russell Hobbs official blurb suggests that the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill can cook food up to 70% faster than earlier variants of the machine. It is also supposed to be 76% faster than a conventional oven. I’m certainly of the feeling that appliances like this can be more efficient than standard ovens, simply because they’re usually more compact and seem able to get heat up to the required level that bit quicker.

There’s a decent level of heating flexibility on offer with the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill machine too, thanks to an adjustable thermostat that covers the spectrum from 60 through to 260°C. There’s also an auto shut-off feature as well as an audible alert when food is ready.

That’s a real boon, as is the overheat protection aspect of this appliance. It’s better than some air fryers that keep on cooking and leave you with burnt offerings if you’re not diligently keeping an eye on the contents of the cooking pot.

Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill: performance

Unsurprisingly, the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill allows you to cook using less oil if you’re frying, which is a given with any air fryer-type appliance. However, while I’ve found it does great fries, and other air fryer staples such as spring rolls or wings, what has been most impressive so far is the range of other cooking options. The auto-off function and audible alert are definite bonuses too.

Thanks to the removable grill plate, it’s possible to nicely sear meats and also do the same with veg too. The 1745W of power seems just right to be honest and, sizewise, I like the way Russell Hobbs offers this appliance in 1.8 and 5 litre capacities alongside this 5.5 litre model. That means there’s a size to suit anyone really. The chunky-sized cooking bowl is plenty big enough for, say, roasting a bunch of potatoes, or doing the same with a whole chicken.

I’m currently working on the slow-cook side of things and so far the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill has delivered some solid results. If you’re thinking about something like the best Instant Pot or a similar style multi-cooker, this appliance is also worth investigating, especially for the price and that added flexibility.

Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill: verdict

If you can get a sneaky little discount on the Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill it’s really worth giving a go. This is a lot more flexible than a bog-standard air fryer and it allows you to cook lots more things using just one appliance, rather than several. Although that’s not exactly unique, the machine gets the job done nicely and looks and feels impressive enough, as you’d expect from this brand.

What’s more, if you haven't yet got yourself and air fryer, or want to update from an older model, the added features and functionality make it a good value buy. It’s a bit of a curio sitting on your worktop thanks to the styling, but if you’ve got space to leave it on display it’ll also get family and friends asking ‘what’s that?’ when they come round. Serve up something you’ve cooked in it and I think they’ll also be suitably impressed.