Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven review: great for steak and pizzas

Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven review in a sentence: This hefty appliance does a bit of everything to a good standard, but it’s best for steak and pizzas.

Modern day living means it’s beat the clock most of the time, so having something like the new Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven at my disposal proves mighty handy. I’ve just spent some time trying it out and, while it’s got its flaws and irritations, the multi-function box of tricks is pretty impressive. If I’m stretched for time, it’s ideal as all I need to do is literally chuck something in it and select my preferred preset.

The best thing about it, although it’s hardly unique, is the Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven can cook all sorts. Of course, so can an air fryer. I’ve found the real strength of this appliance though is its ability to cook steaks to perfection and produce perfect pizzas every time too. That’s more than enough potential to keep most parents and their kids happy for starters, but there are some other neat features and functions on offer too.

While I’ve tried many of the best air fryer models out there, the Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven is a little bit different. It’s got more of a squat design like a pizza oven, which means it’ll fit on a countertop just fine, but it doesn’t sit too close to overhead units if you’ve got a compact kitchen. Some air fryers are just too high and also project heat upwards, potentially discolouring your prized kitchen cabinets.

Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven: price and availability

The Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven is available right now from all of the usual electronic appliance outlets. It has a recommended retail price of £199.99 and can be purchased, for example, from Amazon.

Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven: what is it?

The Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven is a combination kitchen appliance, which has been designed to let you cook a variety of different ingredients and dishes using one machine. It’s got an impressive specification, with one of the highlights being its ability to cook at a high temperature, up to 400°C in fact, using 2000W of power. This means it’s perfect for cooking pizzas quickly, but to perfection, while it’s pretty great for steaks too.

However, the Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven is a sizeable beast, with a depth of 51 centimetres, a width of 44 centimetres although the height of it is just 21.2 centimetres. It weighs 12.5 kilograms too. That means it might have a large footprint, but it’ll slot in under kitchen cabinets if your workspace is reasonably compact. It’s also worth bearing in mind though that, due to all that power, the Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven generates quite a lot of heat. Therefore, using it in a well-ventilated space is essential.

Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven: is it any good?

I rather like the idea of the Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven, although it’s a little bit generic in what it does. I’ve already got several air fryers, so can’t see how much of a benefit it is over those, although for anyone partial to a decent steak and/or pizza on a regular basis, this appliance makes total sense.

A big bonus is the way it sits on my countertop and isn’t too tall, unlike most air fryers. The downside it is still takes up quite a lot of space – I place it on chopping boards on my cooker top, mainly due to the heat that comes out of it thanks to all that power. The other plus with this model is its capacity, with innards that can accommodate 18 litres, meaning large pizzas can fit in with ease.

I also like the way Salter has included everything needed to get up and running. There are a total of seven different accessories, from an air fry grill tray through to a circular cast iron grilling rack for steaks, chops and the like. There’s even a pizza stone along with a sizeable pizza paddle, good quality tongs and a crumb tray that sits in the bottom of the oven and catches everything that drops off whatever it is you’re cooking. Overall, it’s very practical.

Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven: performance

There’s no doubting the simplicity of this multi-purpose appliance. In fact, most of the effort involved removing the packaging from the various trays and cooking utensils, including that rather nifty pizza paddle. Powering it up for the first time, the Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven illuminates the right-hand control panel with LED figures, while the preset options appear underneath.

If you’re not fussed with a custom cooking option, I think the best way to go is with one of the 15 preset cooking functions. However, it is also possible to tailor the cooking times and heat to suit your own preference. I will say that it’s best to keep an eye on it at all times though as the extra heat can catch you out if you’re not careful. 

My first attempt at grilling a steak nearly ended in disaster as I’d looked away for a short while and the next thing it was sizzling fiercely and crying out for mercy. Ditto, air frying thin chips can result in more crunch than is required if you’re not diligent.

The upside to all this heat is that the Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven gets the job done quickly and easily. I love the way it does a pizza, simply because you’ve got that preheat option and plenty of heat when the pizza goes in. This gave me excellent crispy bases, with perfectly melted cheese on top. It requires a little bit of practice and attention to squeeze the best results from it, but the Salter produces excellent results.

Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven: verdict

I’m very pleased with the Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven. It’s good for the aforementioned steaks and pizzas, but equally it’ll cover almost any other cooking base too.

Granted, there’s no deep basket for things like chips, which makes the standard midway shake more tricky thanks to the shallow air fry tray. I also hate the way the front door slams shut on you if you’re dipping in to move things around. It must be a design requirement due to the heat generated, but it got on my nerves from the off.

Aside from that though, the Salter RapidCook 400 Digital Air Fryer Oven is a very capable option and will easily replace your main oven, especially thanks to its capacity. A chicken, for example, will fit inside no problem. If you don’t yet possess an air fryer it’s an excellent alternative, with most appeal for anyone with a penchant for perfect pizzas. It’s a lot less faff than those outdoor pizza ovens too, for sure.

Salter RapidCook400 Digital Air Fryer Oven: Alternatives to consider

This appliance is a good bet if you're looking to bypass a traditional oven. However, there are oodles of variations on the theme, with air fryers being the main area of choice. Our selection of the best air fryers and the best multi-cookers will give you an overview.

Specific favourites of mine include the Tower 9 litre Dual Basket Digital Air Fryer, or the Tower T17076 Xpress Pro Combo 10-in-1 Air Fryer, which comes complete with a rotisserie that can handle a whole chicken. Similarly, the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid, or the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1, is a multi-faceted machine with brilliant air and steam-fry features.

However, if you care only for pizzas then the best pizza oven selection we have is as good a place to start as any.