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Does a £200 Air Fryer Make Sense for a Family?
That was my question going in. I’ve been recommending the Cosori Pro II and Ninja AF101 to most families for months — both are well under £110 and both produce excellent food. For the Philips XXL to justify its £200 price tag, it had to be meaningfully better, not just slightly better.
After six weeks of testing it alongside both the Cosori Pro II and Ninja AF101, I have a clear answer: for large families who cook in the air fryer daily, yes. For smaller families or infrequent use, no.
Here’s the full breakdown.
Philips Premium Airfryer XXL Specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 7 quarts (3 lbs / 1.4 kg food) |
| Wattage | 2,225 W |
| Technology | TwinTurboStar |
| Functions | Multiple presets including Chicken, Fish, Chips, Steak, and custom settings |
| Max temperature | 200°C |
| Fat Reducer accessory | Included |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes (basket and all inserts) |
| Dimensions | 35 cm W × 42 cm D × 35 cm H |
| Warranty | 2 years (vs 1 year for most competitors) |
| Price | ~£200–£230 |
How I Tested It
Six weeks, family of five. 41 tracked uses. I specifically designed the test to compare it directly with the Cosori Pro II and Ninja AF101 on identical meals — same weight of chicken, same temperature, same time — to isolate the performance difference that justifies the price gap.
Meals tested: bone-in chicken thighs, wings, salmon fillets, homemade chips, chips from frozen, pork chops, sausages, and one whole chicken (1.3 kg).
What the Philips XXL Does Better
TwinTurboStar technology produces genuinely better results on large batches
This is the headline claim and it’s substantiated in testing. Philips’ TwinTurboStar system uses an additional airflow channel that circulates hot air more aggressively and from more angles than a standard single-fan air fryer.
The result: in side-by-side tests with identical chicken thighs in the Philips XXL and Cosori Pro II, the Philips produced more evenly browned skin across the full surface of all five thighs in the batch, consistently. In the Cosori (and even more so the Ninja), thighs that touched the basket or sat in the centre of a full batch came out slightly less golden than the outer pieces. In the Philips, all five were uniformly golden.
For smaller batches (3–4 pieces), the Cosori is comparable. For full family-sized batches of five or more, the Philips is noticeably better.
7-quart capacity means genuine single-batch cooking for five
Five large bone-in chicken thighs fit in the Philips XXL basket without touching. This is the critical distinction for a family of five — I cooked most weeknight dinners in a single batch that would have required two in the Cosori Pro II. The time saving over a week of cooking is significant.
A 1.3 kg whole chicken fit comfortably with room to spare. Results were better than I expected — even browning across the skin, properly cooked through in 55 minutes at 190°C.
Fat Reducer insert is a thoughtful addition
The included Fat Reducer tray sits under the food and catches dripping fat during cooking, separating it from the food surface. On fattier cuts like chicken thighs and duck legs, this produces a noticeably less greasy result and reduces the smoke that can come from fat burning at the bottom of the basket. I didn’t expect to use this accessory regularly — I now use it every time I cook chicken.
2-year warranty
Most air fryers come with a 1-year warranty. The Philips XXL includes 2 years, which at £200 is reasonable expectation and reassuring for daily use.
Where the Philips XXL Disappoints
£200 is genuinely expensive
Let me be direct: the Cosori Pro II at £90 produces results that are 85% as good for most common meals. For a family of three or four who batch-cooks without complaint, there’s no scenario where the extra £110 is justified. The Philips premium only makes sense at the capacity end — five or more people, cooking bone-in pieces nightly.
It’s large and loud
At 35 cm wide, the Philips XXL takes up more worktop space than any other single-basket air fryer. It’s also the loudest air fryer I’ve tested — noticeable in an open-plan kitchen, manageable but not ignorable.
Maximum temperature is 200°C — lower than the Cosori’s 230°C
This surprised me. The premium model has a lower maximum temperature than the mid-range Cosori Pro II. In practice, I didn’t find 200°C limiting — most family cooking happens at 180–200°C — but it’s worth knowing if you specifically want high-heat crisping beyond 200°C.
The interface is functional but not elegant
The Cosori Pro II’s touchscreen is the most intuitive interface I’ve tested. The Philips’ dial and button combination is functional but less polished. For a £200 appliance, I expected better.
Head-to-Head: Philips XXL vs Cosori Pro II vs Ninja AF101
| Philips XXL | Cosori Pro II | Ninja AF101 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 7 qt | 5.8 qt | 4 qt |
| Price | ~£200 | ~£90 | ~£70 |
| Results on full batches | Excellent | Very good | Good |
| Results on 3–4 pieces | Excellent | Excellent | Very good |
| Interface | Functional | Excellent | Simple |
| Noise | Loud | Moderate | Quiet |
| Best for | Families of 5+ | Families of 3–5 | Families of 2–4 |
Who Should Buy the Philips XXL
- Families of five or more who cook bone-in pieces daily and are tired of batch cooking
- Households where cooking consistency across large batches is a priority — the TwinTurboStar difference is real at full capacity
- Anyone who can accommodate the worktop footprint and won’t mind the noise
Who Should Skip It
- Families of 2–4 — the Cosori Pro II or Ninja AF101 deliver comparable results for considerably less money
- Anyone on a budget under £150 — multiple better-value options exist
- Households with limited worktop space — the footprint is significant
Final Verdict
The Philips Premium Airfryer XXL is the best compact basket air fryer available. The TwinTurboStar technology delivers measurably better results on large batches than any competitor I’ve tested, and the 7-quart capacity is the genuine large-family solution that most “family-sized” air fryers only approximate.
At £200, it’s worth the investment for families of five or more who use the air fryer daily. For everyone else, it’s a premium you don’t need — the Cosori Pro II at £90 handles most families’ needs very well.
Buy it if: Family of 5+, cook daily, want the best results without compromise, and have the worktop space.
Skip it if: Smaller family, budget-conscious, or occasional use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much food can you cook in the Philips Airfryer XXL?
The 7-quart basket holds approximately 1.4 kg of food in one batch. In practical family terms: five large bone-in chicken thighs, a 1.3 kg whole chicken, 800g of chips from scratch, or four large salmon fillets.
Is the Philips XXL worth it over the Cosori Pro II?
For families of five or more cooking daily, yes. For families of four or fewer, the Cosori Pro II delivers 85% of the results for less than half the price.
Does the Philips XXL come with any accessories?
Yes — a Fat Reducer insert is included. Additional Philips accessories (baking dish, grill insert, recipe book) are available separately.
Is the 2-year warranty worth factoring into the price comparison?
Yes — the effective warranty premium for the Philips over a 1-year model is around £15 amortised over the extended coverage period. Not a decisive factor, but a reasonable consideration at this price point.
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