If there’s one celebrity chef you can rely on for air fryer hacks, it’s Jamie Oliver. Even before the release of his appliance-specific cookbook Jamie was a champion of the best air fryers for speedy, convenient cooking. And now he’s turned his attention to the ever-useful kitchen appliance for dealing with Christmas leftovers too.
While some might scoff at the idea of turning away from their traditional bubble and squeak recipe on Boxing Day, this air fryer hack is one way to turn cooking after Christmas into a quick affair – in fact, Jamie says it’s a method that takes him just 20 minutes.
You don’t need any extra equipment to take advantage of this approach, though I can definitely recommend Jamie’s Easy Air Fryer cookbook (now £13 at Amazon) if you want all-year-round inspiration. I’ve been turning to my copy for meal ideas all the time.
Jamie Oliver’s Boxing Day air fryer hack
If you end up staring down your leftover carrots and potatoes after the big day in desperate need of a little inspiration, Jamie’s advice is straightforward: ‘simply chuck it in the air fryer!’.
In a video posted to his Instagram, he shows himself chopping his veg and then folding it all together into bite sized balls which go straight into his air fryer tray. Not only is it convenient to serve if you’re hosting but it’s also super quick.
Jamie’s full recipe can be found via his website and though he uses his trusty Tefal air fryer (of which he has his own model) for his patties in his video, any drawer-style version will work. Just remember to set it to air fry at 190°C for 15 minutes.
This isn’t the first time one of Jamie’s air fryer techniques has helped me to cut down on time spent sweating over a hot stove, as I’ve also been adopting his ‘take the tray out’ approach to my trusty appliance recently too for all-in-one meals.
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(Image credit: Future / Millie Fender)
Finding inventive ways to use your air fryer might feel like a foreign concept if you’ve owned one for a few years now, but a good cookbook definitely helps to spark new ideas.
My favourite thing about this book is the 6-ingredient recipes, a lifesaver for when I’m totally out of dinner ideas and running low on time. If you want to cook along with Jamie from the recipes in this book then we’ve also tested his signature air fryer – our Tefal Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer review has the full details.
When Boxing Day rolls around I’m definitely going to be trying this trick out to make sure nothing goes to waste. Will you be giving this one a go too?
KitchenAid has unveiled a new monochrome colour scheme for its bestselling Artisan stand mixer: Porcelain White. The announcement of this pared-back shade comes alongside a shiny new studded ceramic bowl, making this pair the ultimate kitchen buy for anyone with a pristine white kitchen.
Here’s what the full collection (including the brand’s excellent coffee machines) looks like in the shade.
KitchenAid
Artisan in Monochrome White
Described as a ‘light, bright duo’ by KitchenAid, this new all-white release might just signify a move back to minimalist kitchen schemes.
KitchenAid
Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine
Our expert reviewer loved this machine when she tried it calling it ‘sturdy and well-built’. It’s had a Porcelain make over too.
KitchenAid
Variable Temperature Kettle
I’ve had KitchenAid’s Artisan kettle on my wishlist ever since I used it in the Ideal Home test kitchen. This is the snazzy new version.
KitchenAid is branding this mono-white mixer as one that ‘captures the calm of clean design’. And its rejection of colour is bound to reignite debates around whether all white kitchens are back in vogue – we didn’t quite have that on our bingo card for paint trends for 2026.
Away from the monochrome look, I think the star of this particular KitchenAid is its studded bowl. The brand has been getting more innovative with this element of their mixers in the last few years – the Evergreen series with the walnut bowl was one of my favourite product releases of 2024.
(Image credit: KitchenAid)
The KitchenAid Artisan is a true workhorse mixer, I learnt as much during my KitchenAid Artisan standmixer review, but this all-white version is not the one you’ll want to pick up if you’re more of a messy baker. I can’t imagine this ultra clean-look version will be replacing the colourful pastel Artisan mixers that adorn The Great British Bake Off’s tent any time soon, either.
(Image credit: KitchenAid)
If you still favour a white kitchen colour scheme over any other, this mixer will tick all of your boxes. It’s a minimalist dream!
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year indeed, when Aldi‘s range of Specialbuys can double up as the perfect Christmas gift as well as being a total bargain.
I personally think there’s no better choice from the supermarket’s limited edition range than the new Espresso Maker for the coffee-lover in your life which will set you back just £49.99 and is available from this Sunday the 7th of December in stores.
Sure this compact espresso maker probably isn’t going to make it into our list of the best coffee machines but for anyone who wants to see if an appliance like this will actually be worth the investment in their kitchen, it’s a great place to start. Here’s the full details on this coffee maker.
Aldi
Espresso Machine
This machine features a touch control panel for under £50 (which is kind of crazy).
This compact espresso machine might be hundreds of pounds cheaper than top-rated alternatives like the Sage Bambino but what can it offer in terms of features?
Well it’s kitted out with what Aldi call ‘touch panel control’, single and double shot options, hot water and steam functionality and a built-in milk frother wand. The drip tray under the wand and the portafilter can be removed for you to clean.
Our Editor Rebecca Knight got a sneak peek of this machine earlier in the year.
(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)
There have been so many coffee machine launches this year, including popular machines like the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series and even the under £100 Salter Professional Espirista Coffee Machine – both of which we’ve reviewed here at Ideal Home. This version from Aldi is by far the cheapest one I’ve seen, though I can’t speak to the quality of this particular Specialbuy.
As with all of Aldi’s one-off kitchen appliances, like the brand’s under £25 hot chocolate makers, which are also back this week, this espresso machine is very much a limited edition buy, so make sure to be in store on the 7th of December if you want to grab one.
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If you don’t manage to swoop at the right moment, there are plenty of other quality bean-to-cup coffee machines in our guide, all of which I’ve tried and loved as Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor. Below you’ll find my favourite pick (and it’s under £150).
De’Longhi
Dedica
I loved this shiny stainless steel espresso machine when I tried it. It’s simple to use and makes great coffee.
Are you picking up a coffee machine as a gift this Christmas?
To cut the faff out of my midweek dinner making process I’ve been turning to Jamie Oliver’s Easy Air Fryer Cookbook for a dose of inspiration.
As well as being filled with simple recipes to use in one of the best air fryers, it’s also opened my eyes to a totally different method of air fryer cooking: removing the shelf from the basket altogether.
One of my favourite cooking hacks from last year was Jamie’s tip to cook above and below the air fryer shelf, which is not only a great space saver but ideal for maximising flavour. Now, in the course of using his air fryer-specific recipes for myself, I’ve discovered that using my air fryer basket as a stand-in baking dish (without the tray) is another hack that goes a long way in my kitchen. Here’s how it works.
This is the exact model that Jamie uses in his air fryer meals cookbook. It features a unique uneven drawer design which our tester loved in our review of it. Now on sale at plenty of different retailers for Black Friday, it’s cheapest at Argos at the time of writing.
I’m amazed this in-demand Ninja deal at Argos hasn’t sold out already. This is a bargain price for this ever popular air fryer which earned five stars in our review.
Jamie Oliver’s air fryer method
The foreword to Easy Air Fryer Jamie Oliver (£13 on Amazon) does a great job at breaking down in simple terms what an air fryer is and how to change your thinking around using one. Thinking about these appliances as small, countertop ovens with removable drawers is the first step to finding better ways to use them day-to-day.
Jamie goes to great lengths to explain that while each air fryer comes with removable shelves inside each individual basket, these don’t always have to sit in your air fryer. Instead, taking them out can open up a whole new set of recipes for you.
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Some examples from Jamie’s cookbook where removing the air fryer shelf is essential to the recipe includes teriyaki pork ribs, cauliflower cheese pasta and Sicilian aubergine pasta.
In many of these recipes, removing the air fryer drawer allows ingredients to cook in oil (usually olive oil) when roasting, rather than allowing the oil to seep away (due to the gaps in the shelves). I’ve found this method supremely helpful for mastering my roast potatoes in the air fryer too.
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The other reason this method can be so helpful is for quick ‘all-in-one’ meals. One recipe calls for removing the shelf, roasting onions and herbs and then adding a sheet of puff pastry on top for a quick sticky onion tart for dinnertime.
Testing the Daewoo AI Air Fryer without a shelf to make granola.
(Image credit: Future)
In adopting the ‘take the shelf out altogether’ attitude, there’ll be loads more recipes you can try out in your air fryer, especially with all things sweet. Jamie’s cookbook even features an Eton mess trifle all made in one air fryer drawer.
It might sound simple but this method of cooking in my air fryer has definitely helped me to broaden the number of cooking tasks I use it for.
Is it something you’re already doing in your kitchen?
