Tower Vortx 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer Review: The Family-Size Alternative to Ninja

What Is the Tower Vortx T17088?

The Tower Vortx T17088 is a dual-basket air fryer with two independent 4.5-litre drawers sharing a single 2400W heating element. The headline promise is straightforward: cook chips in basket one and chicken thighs in basket two simultaneously, at different temperatures, and have both finish at the same time. With 13,112 Amazon UK reviews at 4.5 stars, it's one of the most-validated air fryers in the family-size category.

At £59.99 (reduced from £119.99), it undercuts the Ninja Foodi MAX AF400UK — the dominant dual-zone machine — by over £100 while covering the same core use case: parallel cooking without batching.

Design and Build

The T17088 is physically large. Two 4.5-litre drawers side by side create a footprint that needs a dedicated worktop position — this isn't a machine you store away after every use. The controls are touch-panel style on the top surface, with independent temperature and timer displays for each basket. Build quality at this price is plastic-dominant but solid — the drawers insert and withdraw smoothly with a firm stop.

The 2400W element heats both baskets from the same source. The Sync and Match modes are the two key operating concepts: Sync coordinates finish times across both baskets even when cook times differ; Match duplicates basket one's settings to basket two instantly when you want the same conditions.

Cooking Performance

Chips (6mm batons, 20 minutes at 200°C) come out properly crisp from basket one while chicken thighs (25 minutes at 185°C) finish simultaneously via Sync mode — the chips drawer pauses for five minutes at the start while the chicken builds temperature. The result is genuinely two dishes at the same time from a single machine. Vegetables — red pepper and courgette slices — roasted in 12 minutes at 190°C with better caramelisation than oven roasting at equivalent time.

Noise level at full power is in the 65–70 dB range — audible but comparable to a cooker hood at medium speed. Both drawers produce consistent heat top-to-bottom; the hot-air circulation is even enough that a shake halfway is recommended rather than essential.

The Case for Tower Over Ninja

The honest comparison: the Ninja Foodi MAX dual zone has a slightly more refined Sync technology and a marginally quieter operation. At roughly double the price, those differences are hard to justify for most UK households. The Tower T17088 does the primary job — two dishes, two temperatures, one finish time — without the Ninja premium. The 3-year guarantee is a mark of Tower's confidence in the build; most competitors offer 12–24 months.

Where the Ninja wins is in basket volume per drawer (4.75L vs 4.5L — negligible in practice) and brand cachet. Where the Tower wins is in absolute value.

Who Should Buy It

The T17088 is specifically designed for households of 3–6 people who regularly cook complete meals. A couple or single person gains little from dual baskets — a single-basket Cosori 4.7L costs less and takes less space. A family that runs a batch-and-wait workflow every weeknight — chips done, then chicken, then vegetables — will immediately feel the difference. Browse more options in our Home & Kitchen section.

Verdict

The Tower Vortx T17088 is the no-nonsense answer to the dual-zone question for price-conscious UK households. At £59.99 it's difficult to argue against: two independent cooking zones, 9 litres total, 3-year guarantee, and a review count that confirms the promise isn't marketing. Buy it if parallel cooking matters; look at the Cosori if it doesn't.

Rating: 4.5/5 — The most affordable dual-zone air fryer that actually works.

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