Xiaomi Air Fryer 6L review

There’s not much scope for design innovations in air fryers except for exterior decorations. The Xiaomi Air Fryer 6L has a tapering design with a larger base flat top. The ABS exterior has a glossy finish and looks classy, at least till the first scratches begin to appear. The air fryer is available only in black colour. It does attract dust and the black body makes it visible.

The basket is a single unit without a separate internal unit. The handle and front outer layer are attached to the metal basket. The best feature of this air fryer is probably the adjustable frying tray, allowing you to fix the capacity at six or three litres. The tray can be set at two different heights with the help of four rubber holders that rest on the projections at the side of the tray. To adjust the position, you have to rotate the tray by 90 degrees and then slide into the second position. So if you need to make a large quantity of fries, grill a whole chicken or bake a large cake occasionally, it helps. Both the basket and the tray have double-layer non-stick coatings and are quite easy to clean even if the grilling session leaves a messy greasy mass behind. The separate frying tray means the residual oil is collected directly inside the basket.

There’s a large touch panel with a clear and bright blue display. We are not exactly fans of touch control in home appliances, especially kitchen appliances. The touch response is not perfect, but you can manage well with an extra touch or two.

The air fryer is rated at 1500W, which is rather standard for this capacity. It offers a temperature range of 40 to 200 degrees Celsius and precise control with an NTC thermistor to suit various types of cooking from fermentation to frying. There are six pre-set modes to choose from including cake, fries, pizza, chicken drumstick, steak and fish. The pre-sets work most of the time but like with a convection oven, these are not foolproof as cooking time and temperature depend on the size of pieces. Heating is quick so you can save precious preheating time. What I have learned as a first-time air fryer user is that unlike with a preheated convection oven, if you bake a second batch immediately after the first, you may need to lower the temperature and use a longer time for slow cooking to achieve the same result with similar levels of browning.

The air fryer automatically cuts off power if you accidentally pull out the basket in the middle of cooking. There’s also a shake reminder, which comes on around the halfway mark. 

The handle is heat resistant and the body doesn’t get too hot. In fact none of the plastic parts heat up too much. This offers you some peace of mind if you are concerned about media reports regarding plastics emitting carcinogenic fumes at extremely high temperatures. Cooling vents at the rear ensure quick cooling and take the heat away from you while the appliance is in action.

The Xiaomi Air Fryer 6L is a versatile option if you want an air fryer that can be configured for two different capacities depending on your cooking needs. The non-stick coatings on the frying tray and basket make it effortless to clean and dry. The touch controls could be a tad fiddly, but this is within the usually expected level. It offers good value for money at ₹6500.