Product test
Philips Airfryer XXL review: good things come to those who wait
by Simon Balissat
Philips Steam Airfryer 5000 Dual Basket: Powerful steam!
21/3/2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Simon Balissat
Philips wants to shake up the market with a combination of convection oven and steamer. The Steam Airfryer 5000 Dual Basket does a lot of things right. Nevertheless, the question remains: why?
What do you do when the air fryer as a kitchen trend of the 2010s has slowly worn out? Combine it with the kitchen trend of the noughties and give the air fryer a steamer!
This is exactly what Philips has done and packed two drawers with a capacity of three litres and six litres into the new Airfryer. The larger of the two chambers can be operated with hot air, steam or a combination of both. The small drawer only contains hot air.
Before I get to the test, my usual disclaimer: The name air fryer is misleading, as these appliances are small convection ovens and not deep fryers. Frying means cooking floating in hot fat and not cooking in hot air.
So be it. Judith and I did the test.
Almost as big as a built-in oven
The Steam Airfryer is huge. I put it under my steam extractor bonnet on the hob, where it takes up all the space. This makes the appliance almost as big as my built-in oven. If you want to give the Airfryer a permanent place in the kitchen, you need to bear this in mind. It also needs enough free space at the top of the appliance because that's where the water tank is located. I can remove it easily and fill it up under the tap.
Many programmes, few functions
Two-shift operation
I tested the steam function with steamed bread rolls. This also worked really well, but I ran out of space here too. Six rolls are the absolute maximum.
Magically attracts fingerprints
Perfect for a quick warm-up
I actually used the appliance the most to heat up food. I don't have a microwave, so the regenerating function on my oven is a blessing. The Steam Airfryer 5000 Dual Basket is also great for this, it even has its own function button. Speaking of the function button: the larger drawer has a cleaning programme, which is a bit of a joke if you have a dishwasher. The drawer and insert can be cleaned more thoroughly in the dishwasher ...
In a nutshell
Sensible further development of a small convection oven
What the Steam Airfryer 5000 Dual Basket is touted as a major innovation, my combi steamer has been able to do for a long time. A convection oven with steam has proven its worth and this appliance is no different. If you don't want to do without an airfryer, you get an easy-to-use, solid appliance with two drawers that opens up new possibilities. It's a shame that the programmed functions are only for pre-set quantities and don't adapt dynamically. So I'm in a tricky situation: the appliance is good and for the most part does what it's supposed to do. But in my opinion, nobody needs it. The four-star rating only applies if I answer the fundamental question in the affirmative: Do I really need an Airfryer?
Pro
- Steam is a consistent further development for air fryers
- Easy to operate
- Two drawers offer plenty of space
- Cleaning function
Contra
- Individual programmes for exact quantities only
- Device is huge
- It has nothing to do with deep-frying, it is a small convection oven with a steam function
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
