The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer is a wonderfully versatile appliance, producing excellent results no matter the cooking mode you decide to use. The large basket is great for family-sized portions, the steam functionality means you don’t need yet another appliance in your kitchen, while the steamfry mode produces some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever made.
Excellent air fry, steamfry and steam modes
Consistently great results across all food types
Large footprint means you need lots of counter space
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The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer is an air fryer and then some.
Sure it does a great job at being an air fryer, and so it should for the premium price tag it comes in at. The sizable 9.5L basket offers plenty of space for family-sized portions, while the handy divider allows you to cook two different foods, at differing durations and temperatures, simultaneously. It’s pretty par for the course these days, but the 5000 Series Megabasket is only just getting started.
Things are turned up a notch with the steam functionality Philips has built in. Being able to perfectly steam vegetables, fish and dumplings without the need for a separate appliance saves on counter and cupboard space, and the results here are just as good as the air fryer.
However, the versatility is kicked into overdrive with the streamfry function, allowing you to bring the best of both worlds to your food. The crispy finish of an air fryer combined with the moisture locking abilities of steam. The result? Some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever made.
All this functionality not only comes at a cost to your wallet, but also your counter top. This is a wide, tall air fryer that requires plenty of space — especially when using the steam or steamfry function, as the water vapor vents from the rear.
I’m a big fan of Philips’ controls though. The touch buttons are intuitively laid out, with easily recognizable icons that require little reference to the manual to work out – that can’t be said of all air fryer brands.
The basket, trays and divider are dishwasher safe, and you can also use the steam function to give the appliance its own steam clean. You will need to give the top a wipe every now and then, as the glossy finish attracts grime — but it’s a minor point in what is an overwise excellent appliance.
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Whether you’re looking to make cakes, cookies, sausages, chicken wings, fish, vegetables, fries, dumplings or pretty much anything else, the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket delivers consistently great results.
The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer price is £259.99 (about $350 / AU$490), putting it at the premium end of the market, and pits it against the Ninja Foodi FlexBasket in the larger-basket arena.
