De'Longhi produces some of the best coffee makers I've tested over the years, and Black Friday is the best time to buy one, with deep discounts expected across all kinds of manual and automatic machines. Whether you're shopping for your first coffee maker or want to upgrade to something more serious, there'll be something in the sales for you.
I review over a dozen coffee makers each year here at TechRadar, and here I've assembled a guide to the three machines I'm most looking forward to seeing in the 2026 sales events — plus some great alternatives if those specific models don't get the deep discounts I'm hoping for.
We're expecting stores to start launching their early Black Friday deals very soon, but if you can't wait until then, I've also put together a list of today's best deals on De'Longhi coffee makers for you below, to save you time and effort.
Quick links
Can't wait until Black Friday to pick up a new De'Longhi coffee maker? There are huge discounts available right now.
The Primadonna Aromatic is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee makers around, and usually one of the priciest, so I've got my fingers crossed for a whopping price cut in this year's Black Friday sales.
This fully automatic machine is the next best thing to having your own live-in barista, with a menu of 35 hot and cold drinks that you can brew at the tap of a button and customize to your heart's content. If that sounds daunting, don't worry — the Primadonna Aromatic can 'learn' which drinks you prefer depending on the time of day, and automatically bump these to the front of the list.
If the Primadonna Aromatic doesn't drop into your price bracket during the Black Friday sales, keep an eye out for the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo and Magnifica Evo Next, both of which are excellent bean-to-cup machines with premium grinders built in. They have manual steam wands, so they can't prepare milk foam for you, but both espresso makers are chic-looking and a breeze to use.
The De'Longhi Dedica Duo is one of the best small espresso machines I've ever tested, with performance that belies its modest price tag. Most coffee makers in this price bracket are pretty disappointing, but De'Longhi has a reputation to maintain, and the little Dedica is just as well made as the company's premium machines.
When it comes to brewing espresso, consistency is key, and the Dedica Duo can maintain the steady pressure and temperature necessary to create the same results time after time. Once you've identified the best grind size for your beans, you can be confident that every shot will taste equally good. The steam wand is excellent as well, and I was impressed by how well the Dedica Duo was able to maintain steam pressure despite its tiny boiler.
The 'Duo' part of the name refers to the fact that this mini espresso machine can also prepare cold-brewed espresso. Unlike some coffee makers I've tested that just tell you to throw some ice in a cup, then dump a shot of hot espresso over the top, this one actually brews with ambient-temperature water direct from the tank, resulting in a mellow-testing brew without any bitterness.
If you're on a particularly tight budget, also keep an eye out for deals on the older De'Longhi Dedica Style. This little espresso machine is just as small as the Dedica Duo, with quality components and an excellent steam wand, and only lacks the cold brew function.
The La Specialista Touch is a great option if you're moving on from a simple espresso machine, and want to start getting to grips with barista skills like dialing in the correct grind size for your chosen coffee, measuring the right dosage, tamping it down, and then timing how long it takes for the espresso to pour.
The machine will show you exactly what you need to do on its color touchscreen, including tasting a freshly prepared espresso and then adjusting the brew settings to achieve a flavor you prefer. Alternatively, you can take over complete control if you're more confident.
The Touch is one of my all-time favorite De'Longhi coffee makers, but other machines in the La Specialista series often get steep price cuts for Black Friday as well. Keep an eye out for the La Specialista Arte, which has manual controls rather than a touchscreen, and is a great option if you want a more tactile coffee-making experience.
The Ninja PREPi food processor has power that belies its looks. The 5-in-1 model I tested comes with three different blades for five different food processing options. The included blades include: a chopping/puree blade, a crinkle cut disc, and a reversible slide/shred disc. There is also a six-in-one model that includes a dicing disc, or you can purchase the dicing disc separately if you prefer.
The Ninja PREPi comes with two prep bowls and lids, a five-cup size and a seven-cup size. This allows you to do a big food prep ahead of time and then pop it in the fridge until you need it, without much in the way of extra dishes to wash.
This machine handled all of the tasks we threw at it with ease, including slicing a large bag of potatoes into thin, uniform slices in no time. The one exception was an attempted smoothie, but after all, this isn't a blender.
Like most food processors, the Ninja PREPi has a lot of parts that will need to be taken apart and cleaned after use. Luckily, they can all be cleaned on the top rack of your dishwasher (except for the motor which wouldn't ever need more than a swipe with a damp cloth anyway.)
(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
Ninja PREPi: price and availability
List price: $179.99 (about £130 / AU$260)
Available direct from Ninja, and from third-party retailers including Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy
The Ninja PREPi 5-in-1 Prep System retails for $179.99 and can be found on SharkNinja's website as well as online and brick-and-mortar retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. That work out at about £130 / AU$260, but at the time of writing it's not yet available in the UK and Australia.
For an extra $50, you can get the 6-in-1 model, which includes a dicing disc. You can also buy the dicing kit separately for $59.99.
The five-in-one model comes in four colorways: Pink Peppercorn (as seen in my photos), Midnight Blue and Mango, Stone and Moss, and Onyx and Apricot. The six-in-one model comes in just one colorway: Copper and Teal.
Value score: 4/5
Ninja PREPi: specifications
Price
$179.99 (about £130 / AU$260)
Prep bowl sizes
5-cup, 7-cup
Accessories
Two bowls with lids, three multi-purpose blades, 3-part food pusher
Functions
Chop, puree, slice, shred, and crinkle cut
Power
500 watts
Dishwasher-safe
Yes, all parts except motor
Ninja PREPi: design and features
Three multi-use blades
Three-part food pusher
Two bowls with lids for prep and storage
The Ninja PREPi's clever design makes it pretty easy to use. Choose either the larger (seven-cup) or smaller (five-cup) prep bowl, place the spindle inside, and then choose your blade. The blade that sits at the bottom of the bowl is for both chopping and pureeing.
(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
There are also two disc-style blades that sit at the top of the bowl. One disc is for crinkle cutting, the other disc is reversible and can be used for slicing or shredding.
(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)
Once you've installed your blade of choice, click the feed chute lid into the bowl and then slide the motor pod into its spot on top of the lid. Turn the dial to your desired mode and press start. It's pretty easy and intuitive to use.
Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future
The feed chute lid has a three-part pusher so that you can put in anything from a carrot to a potato and it will be held in place upright for proper slicing or shredding.
Cleanup is pretty easy, just take all of the parts apart. Put the motor pod aside, it doesn't contact food and won't need to be cleaned at all unless you splash something on it, in which case, just wipe it with a very slightly dampened cloth. All of the other parts can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher (skip the heat dry cycle) or hand-washed very carefully. The blades are sharp!
I couldn't figure out a perfectly neat way to nest and store the Ninja PREPi. I tried a couple of different ways to try and minimize storage space, with the blades all safely enclosed inside the lidded prep bowls.
Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future
Design score: 4.5/5
Ninja PREPi: performance
Crinkle-cut disc
I crinkle cut some carrots with the appropriate disc. I used the narrowest food chute option in order to keep the carrot upright. I turned the dial to the disc setting. The Ninja PREPi took only a few seconds to do the job. I got lots of beautifully cut carrot crinkles, though there were some smaller bits. I planned to make some hummus after so I just left the bits in the bowl to become part of the hummus.
I intended to make hummus, but I accidentally opened a can of white kidney beans, so I made a hummus-like bean dip instead. I incorporated the leftovers from the carrot crinkling I had just done. I started with a chop cycle, which ends automatically. Then I did a low puree cycle, and then a high puree cycle. The result was nice and smooth and so delicious. There were still some chunks in there, but that didn't bother me. I served it with the crinkle-cut carrots and stored the leftovers right in the prep bowl afterwards.
Another day, I did actually make a proper hummus with garbanzo beans. I followed the same steps as above. However, I was using the end of the jar of tahini, and so it was kind of a hard blob of tahini. It threw the blade off kilter, so I stopped the cycle, cut up the tahini blob, and continued. I did end up using the puree cycle on high a total of three times to get the texture that I wanted. It turned out great!
Using the chop cycle and the chop/puree blade, I chopped up some cashews. It took three chop cycles to get the nuts to the size I wanted. I wouldn't say the size was very uniform, and there was quite a bit of dust. I used a sieve to remove the dust but there were still a lot of tiny pieces. I used a berry bowl to remove those smaller pieces. But in the end, I got a jar of chopped nuts, which we later sprinkled over ice cream and veggies.
I did also attempt a smoothie using this blade, with yogurt, protein powder, frozen fruit, and ice. This was a fail. I did two high puree cycles and was left with lots of ice chunks. I probably could have run it a few more times but I ran out of patience. A food processor is not exactly the same as a blender, after all. I won't gross you out with my photos.
Slicing disc
I've been seeing a lot of influencers using the Ninja PREPi to make salad, so I decided to do that with lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and red peppers. It was good, though I made some easily avoidable mistakes. First of all, I used a soft butter lettuce, which unfortunately came out a bit mushy. I should have used a firmer lettuce such as romaine. I also should have used both side of the disc, depending on the vegetable. The slicing side was fine for all of the veggies, but I think the shredding side would have been better for the carrots. Still, it was a good salad. I ate it right out of the prep bowl, and if I'd had any left over, I could have easily popped the lid on and stored it away.
My son made the most delicious potatoes au gratin using the Ninja Prepi to slice up a big bag of potatoes. The uniform size meant that the slices were all the same doneness after cooking. This is the kind of dish food processors exist for. There is no way I could get that kind of uniformity with a knife.
Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future
On another occasion, I sliced up some sweet potatoes with the slicing disk. Then I flipped it over to the shredding side and shredded some cheddar cheese, which I melted on top.
Below you'll find pictures of shredding the cheese with the shredding disc, which I baked on top of the sweet potatoes. The cheese shredded very well in just a few seconds, however, there was a leftover nub stuck on top of the disc.
I shredded an apple to put on my chia pudding for breakfast. First I quartered and cored the apple, then I fed it through the feed chute lid using the shred disc. The apple shredded beautifully, though there were some nubs left over.
The Ninja PREPi isn't crazy expensive, but you can find far cheaper food processors.
4/5
Design
The clever design is easy to use, easy to clean, and allows easy storage of leftovers.
4.5/5
Performance
The Ninja PREPi is very fast and did a good to great job on most foods.
4/5
Overall
The Ninja PREPi takes care of your food processing needs.
4/5
Buy it if
You don't want to dread taking out your food processor
It's easy to put together, use, take apart, and clean. Just pop all the parts in the dishwasher when you're done. I never thought I'd describe a powerful food processor as 'cute' but the Ninja PREPi is just that.
You do food prep
Do you like to prep large batches of food ahead of time? Ninja PREPi makes it easy, since its two prep bowls have lids and double as storage bowls. For example, you could chop up a bunch of veggies in one go and use them for days in your salads, stir-frys, curries, and soups.
You like to entertain
You could easily whip up a party-sized batch of salsa, hummus, or other favorite dip and put it right out in either the five-cup or seven-cup prep bowl. Or put the lid on and bring it to a potluck.
Don't buy it if
You want a blender/processor combo
This a food processor, full stop. It does offer a lot of flexibility with multi-purpose blades that cover chopping, pureeing, slicing, shredding, and crinkle cuts. Plus the prep bowls that serve as storage. But it's not a blender.
You don't have the space
While it's not overly large, you must have some space designated for the Ninja PREPi motor pod, feed chute lid, three blades, and two large prep bowls.
You don't want to spend the money
You can certainly find cheaper food processors from other brands you know and love. You may have to give up some features, but for basic food processing, you don't have to spend a lot.
Ninja PREPi: also consider
If the Ninja PREPi isn't exactly what you're looking for, you might consider the following:
Cuisinart FlexPrep Food Processor
This one has most of the features of the Ninja PREPi with a smaller price tag. It's also a smaller machine, which means both smaller batches and less storage space. This was our budget pick when compiling our list of the best food processors.
If you really want the whole shebang, get the Ninja CrushBOSS. In addition to all the food processing features of the Ninja PREPi, its powerful motor base also attaches to a personal blender and a full-sized blender. One appliance covers all your needs and more.
If want professional-grade power and features, see why the Breville Paradice 16 topped our best food processors list. With a 16-cup capacity, tons of attachments, and 900-watt motor, you'll be ready for the big leagues.
I crinkle-cut carrots, sliced carrots, sliced a sweet potato, sliced potatoes, sliced lettuce, sliced peppers, sliced cucumbers, pureed bean dip, pureed hummus, pureed a smoothie, chopped cashews, shredded an apple, and shredded cheese. I washed all of the parts (except for the motor pod) before the first use and after each use. I washed them both by hand and with the dishwasher at various times.
For its first stick vacuum, Narwal did a great job with the V50 Cube. It launched in November 2026 as an extremely lightweight and cordless stick vac with an extendable wand and a dock that does more than charge and auto empty. Over the course of two weeks, I used the vacuum to clean debris from my laminate and hardwood floors, the cobwebs in my windowsills, and dust from my ceiling.
Even with just a maximum 28,000 Pa suction (I’ve tested robovacs with more power), the V50 Cube did pretty well cleaning fine and thick materials, especially on my rugs. Most of the time, I used the AI or auto mode (and sometimes the turbo mode) as the eco mode wasn’t as effective.
The only time the vacuum struggled with a cleaning task was suctioning Cheerios from my hard floors. Other than that, I was very satisfied with its performance thanks to its dirt detecting capabilities which increased the suction power when debris was detected. I even appreciated the aqua headlight that showed me exactly where to clean as it magnifies dust more so than a regular white headlight. The front edge cleaning was poor, but at least the side edge cleaning was anywhere between zero and half an inch.
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The charging dock auto empties the dust and debris and reverses the brush roll to prevent tangling. The two-in-one crevice tool is hidden away inside the dock when not in use. There, you’ll also find an extra battery that is always charged and ready to go. This is good since one battery only lasts seven minutes on turbo, 20 minutes on AI or auto mode, and 55 minutes on eco mode.
There are other little details about the design that’s amazing like how it automatically lowers a brush plate when cleaning a carpet to pull more dust and debris – or the way it’s outfitted with a manual scraper to pull off residue stuck in the dust cup. Sure, there are some drawbacks, like how the vacuum head and wand buttons sometimes stick or the crevice tool fell off a few times, but when weighing the pros and cons, I believe there is a lot of value in this vacuum and a promise from Narwal of more to come.
Narwal V50 Cube: price and availability
List price: $649.99 (about £480 / AU$930)
Launched: November 2026
Available: US, Canada, China, and selected EU countries (Germany, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Belarus)
The Narwal V50 launched in November 2026 with a price tag of $649.99, becoming the brand’s first stick vacuum in the US. That works out at roughly £480 / AU$930, but it's not currently available in the UK or Australia. It is, however, being sold in Canada, China, and the EU.
You may also be able to find it more cheaply in one of Narwal's regular sales. Despite its recent release, at the time of writing it has received a $150 discount in Narwal's Black Friday deals, bringing its price down to $449.99.
The relatively high price tag comes from the fact that the vacuum has sensors that detect floor type and dirt. It’s also sold with a charging base with auto-empty features, and an extra battery that doubles your battery life. Considering these features, I’d say the price makes sense.
Value score: 4 out of 5
Narwal V50 Cube: specs
Weight
3.1 lbs / 1.4 kg
Bin size
450ml for dust cup / 0.3L dustbin
Max runtime
20 min on Auto, 55 min on Eco, 7 min on turbo
Charge time
About 2-3 hours
Size (H x W x L)
Vacuum Cleaner (Default): 9.5 × 6.4 × 34.6 in
Vacuum Cleaner (Extended): 9.5 × 6.4 × 41.3 in
Dock: 10.6 × 7.5 × 24.8 in
Modes
Hard floor mode, Carpet mode
Cleaning path
9.5 in
Headlamps
Aqua light
Narwal V50 Cube: design
Extremely lightweight cordless vacuum that maneuvers easily
Aqua headlight magnifies dust, dirt, and debris
AI capabilities sense floor types and dirt
As Narwal’s first stick vacuum, the V5 has a lot going for it in terms of its design. The black and gray vacuum is modern, sleek, and compact. After pulling it from the base, I have to extend the wand to make it more comfortable to use (I’m 5’5”). The buttons on the vacuum can stick when it comes to removing the vacuum head or the handheld from the wand, but I never had an issue with the extension button. Unfortunately, the vacuum can’t stand on its own, but it can lie 180 degrees flat.
At only 3lbs., the V50 is super lightweight, which made it easy for me to move the vacuum across my floors or hold it up high above my head to clean ceiling corners. The vacuum head is 9.5 inches wide and it’s maneuverable without being uncontrollable, allowing me to clean around chair legs easily.
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The grip on the vacuum is very comfortable with the power button and mode switch button in easy reach. A small screen shows the mode and battery life displayed as an icon. When in AI auto mode, the display screen has a curved line to highlight the dirt level. Purple tells you that the floor is clean, while red indicates unseen dirt.
I’ve always been a fan of headlights on vacuums, but this one really takes the cake. The aqua light covers 145 degrees, magnifying every bit of dust on your floor. It works very well in tandem with the AI DirtSense technology which detects dust and dirt, thereby automatically increasing the suction power. The AI technology senses rugs or carpets and lowers a brush plate to create a seal to better pull dust from the fibers of the carpet.
(Image credit: Future)
The charging dock is one of the most compact ones I’ve seen — and definitely ever tested. In fact, the vacuum won’t fit on the dock unless you unextend the wand. The charging dock automatically removes dust and debris from the dust cup into a sealed bag that holds up to 100 days’ worth of dirt. Dual H13 HEPA filtration and UVC+ Silver Ion Sterilization ensure that the dust stays locked away.
Narwal also added an anti-tangle hand tool to the dust cup that scrapes away tough residue. There’s a scraping ring under the vacuum that prevents hair or thread wrapping. And when you place the vacuum on the dock, the brush roll undergoes reverse rotation to flush everything out into the dust bag.
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Behind the front panel of the dock, there’s a compartment that holds the 2-in-1 crevice tool and another one that charges an extra battery. I really admire that Narwal created a space to hide the accessory and the battery in the dock — something that not enough brands do in my opinion. My only critique would be to have the front panel placed on a hinge in the future.
Setup took no time at all. I added the wand and the vacuum head to the handheld, charged it up, and started cleaning.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Narwal V50 Cube: battery life
20 min on auto mode, 55 min on eco mode, and 7 min on turbo mode
Extra battery stays charged in the charging base
Took about two hours for the vacuum to fully recharge
The Narwal V50’s battery life differs depending on which mode you use and the dirt level of your floors. In my testing, the eco mode lasted the longest at 55 minutes, while the battery on turbo mode lasted only seven minutes.
The battery died on AI mode, or the dirt detection mode, after 20 minutes. In that time, I was able to clean about three quarters of the hardwood floors in my home, however, I was moving fast to achieve that. My floors were particularly dusty and dirty, so I’m not surprised that the battery lasted only 20 minutes. Each time the vacuum recognized dirt or dust, it increased the suction which used more power. To that effect, you may see the battery life adjust a bit depending on if you’re using the vacuum on carpet or hardwood floors, as carpet or rugs will cause the vacuum to increase the suction.
(Image credit: Future)
The battery life is quite average compared to others, and I wish it lasted a bit longer on the dirt detection mode. However, the cool thing about this vacuum is that it comes with a backup battery that always stays charged in the charging base. So whenever the battery dies, I can grab the other battery, fit it to the Narwal V50 and continue cleaning. It effectively doubles the battery life of the vacuum, allowing you to clean way more at once.
The vacuum took about two hours to recharge on the dock.
Battery life score: 4 out of 5
Narwal V50 Cube: performance
Powerful carpet suction, with decent edge cleaning
Headlight and auto dirt detection work together to pick up dust and debris
Very lightweight and nimble for cleaning floors or high spaces
The Narwal V50 is a fascinating vacuum. With a turbo suction power of only 28,000 Pa, it’s not the strongest vacuum I’ve tested, and yet, it performed surprisingly well in a lot of ways. I used the vacuum to clean my floors as I normally would, and ran a few tests to see how well it suctioned a variety of materials on different floor types.
One of my favorite aspects of this stick vacuum is its lightweight nature and the smaller vacuum head size. It’s so nimble and twists and turns easily so I could clean around a lot of my furniture without having to move it. The aqua headlight magnifies dust and debris considerably. (I was astounded by how much dust collects on my floors daily!) The ability to lie 180 degrees flat was a big bonus and because the vacuum head and the wand are so thin, I was able to clean under a dresser that I’ve never been able to reach with any other vacuum I’ve tested.
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I was very satisfied with how the vacuum picked up dust and debris on the turbo mode and AI or auto mode. I used the V50 most days to pick up food droppings in my kitchen or to clean up dirt I trekked into my mudroom. I was also very glad that I could break down this vacuum and use it as a handheld with the 2-in-1 crevice tool to clean cobwebs from my ceilings and windows or dust from my base boards. I should note that the crevice tool fell off the wand a few times. I even struggled to remove the handheld from the wand too.
The eco mode performed better with the vacuum head on the body of the vacuum (rather than as a handheld), but I doubt I will use that mode from herein out since the suction power was quite low.
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Edge cleaning wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. There was about an inch along the front edge of the vacuum. The side edge cleaning was better, ranging anywhere from 0.5 inches to no space along the side. Unfortunately, I never figured out why the side edge cleaning was not consistent.
To test the Narwal V50, I laid out Cheerios, rice, baking soda (on a rug), and flour (on hard floors) on my different floor types and used the AI dirt detect mode to see how well the vacuum picked up these materials. The vacuum performed perfectly on the rug, suctioning everything in a single go.
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The hard floor results were not as good as the rug test. The Narwal V50 appeared to pick up all the flour from the hard floor, but there was a slight film of flour left behind that required the turbo mode to completely remove. While the vacuum picked up all the rice in a single pass, it struggled with the Cheerios. At first, it picked up some of the Cheerios, but after that, the vacuum just pushed the Cheerios forward. Even when I moved the vacuum head slower, I was only able to suction a few more Cheerios, which still left about five behind on the floor.
No matter what, I can’t praise the convenience of the charging base and its auto-empty capabilities. I love the ease of being able to put the vacuum on the base and going about my day, knowing that it suctions all the dirt and dust and keeps it fully contained until it needs to be replaced. The manual scraper tool inside the dust cup of the vacuum is also quite unique in that it removes stubborn residue that the suction power of the base might not be able to do on its own. I haven’t seen that with other vacuums so that’s a great maintenance feature.
I would by no means rely on the Narwal V50 to be your go-to vacuum to clean carpeted rooms. It’s great for cleaning rugs, but it doesn’t have the suction power to handle a house with mostly carpet. Instead, I’d utilize it as a quick-cleaning tool to pick up scraps of food, random bits of dirt, dust from your windowsills, or pet hair that clumps under furniture. It would also be a good choice for smaller homes or apartments.
Performance: 3.5/5
Should you buy the Narwal V50 Cube?
Narwal V50 Cube score card
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Aptly priced, considering the extra battery, charging dock, and smart features.
4 / 5
Design
A lightweight vacuum with an aqua headlight, dirt and floor sensing technologies, and a charging dock that does more than you expect.
4 / 5
Performance
Very lightweight and maneuverable with a dust magnifying headlight. Side edge cleaning is good and picks up fine and large materials on rugs better than hard floors.
3.5 / 5
Battery life
The battery life is average, lasting 7-55 minutes depending on the mode, dirt level, and floor type. However, an additional battery that stays charged in the base lets you double your use of the vacuum.
4 / 5
Buy it if
You want a vacuum that helps you to pick up dust you can and can’t see.
The aqua headlight magnifies dust so you know exactly where to vacuum in your house. And if you can’t see the dust or dirt? The Narwal V50’s AI DirtSense technology sees the dirt you cannot and increases the suction power automatically.
You want something lightweight to clean in all spaces.
The Narwal V50 is only 3lbs, making it easy to maneuver around your house. You can lay it flat to clean under beds or use it with the crevice tool to clean spider webs and dust above your head.
You hate doing vacuum maintenance.
Set the V50 on its base and the dock will not only charge the vacuum but detangle the brush roll and automatically empty the dust and dirt into a HEPA filter bag. Bonus: the base charges an extra battery and hides the two-in-one crevice tool away.
Don't buy it if
You have lots of carpet
The Narwal V50 did a great job during my rug test, however, a 28,000 Pa suction power isn’t high enough for deep cleaning of carpeted rooms. An upright vacuum will do a better job.
You want to clean the whole house on a single charge
Depending on which mode you choose, the charge of a single V50 battery lasts only 20 minutes on AI mode, which probably won’t clean a medium or large house. Thankfully, Narwal included a second battery that’s always charging in the dock, but if it feels like too much of a hassle to switch, then you’d do better to find a stick vacuum with a longer singular battery life.
You want superb edge cleaning
The front edge cleaning of the Narwal V50 is within an inch, which isn’t ideal for cleaning some areas of your house. The side edge cleaning is better but not consistent, resulting in a side edge cleaning within zero to half an inch.
Narwal V50 Cube: also consider
If the Narwal V50 Cube isn't the right vacuum for your home, here are two other options that you should consider:
Shark PowerDetect Cordless
This cordless vacuum auto-adjusts for use on carpet, and delivers outstanding cleaning. A better choice than the V50 Cube if you have more carpet than hard flooring.
Over the course of a few weeks, I tested the Narwal V50 in my 1,600-square-foot house outfitted with historic hardwood and laminate floors and two large rugs. I used the vacuum to clean my floors, windowsills, baseboards, and ceilings, noting how it suctioned fine dust and large debris. After running multiple tests, I got a great sense of the battery life, maintenance required, and ease of use.
No, you’re not dreaming. The Breville Black Friday sale really has kicked off here in Australia, which means there has never been a better time to save big on espresso machines, blenders, toasters and a myriad of other kitchen appliances.
The Breville Black Friday sale is now live, with deals running until Sunday, December 6. If you know the appliance you’re after, you can click through to view the latest offers.
As a coffee machine reviewer, the Breville Black Friday sale was always going to be one of my most anticipated of this shopping season, and with up to AU$1,000 off many top-rated coffee makers, it hasn’t disappointed.
And the savings don’t end there! TechRadar Australia readers can grab a unique 10% coupon code that can be stacked on top of current offers. And best of all, the Breville coupon code is valid sitewide.
If your kitchen is crying out for a Breville appliance, but you aren’t sure which is best, I’ve handpicked five of my personal favourites below. If you don’t see something you like, make sure to browse the full selection at Breville’s website. Also note that the deal prices below include the exclusive 10% saving applied.
Receiving the biggest discount, the Oracle Touch is easily my standout pick this Black Friday. While it might be a slightly older model, don't let its age fool you. This talented machine takes care of the entire coffee-making process for you, while still allowing for personalisation for factors such as grind size and water volume. So whether you’re a complete newbie or you love to experiment, this machine will let you do it all.View Deal
Barista Express Impress (BES876): was $869 now $719.10 The Barista Express Impress is perhaps the best Breville for most people. Not only does it deliver the ideal grind and dosage for cafe-quality coffee, but the Impress lever ensures you apply the optimal tamping force. I've also just discovered the gorgeous Olive Tapenade colour, that drops to AU$782.10 with our coupon code.View Deal
The Breville Barista Pro coffee machine not only impresses with its sleek brushed stainless steel design but also delivers exceptional cafe-quality coffee. It features a built-in conical burr grinder, 9 bars of pressure, and a 2L water tank. The intuitive LCD interface makes it easy to adjust grind size and cup volume, allowing you to customise your drinks, and it comes with a steam wand for frothing milk. Note that the deal price here only applies to the black stainless steel model.View Deal
The Barista Touch requires a more hands-on approach compared to the Oracle Touch — you need to manually tamp the coffee grounds, for example. However, it benefits from ThermoJet technology for a super-speedy three-second heat-up time. You’re still free to customise your brew, and there’s even automatic milk frothing. View Deal
The Oracle is, in essence, the same as the Oracle Touch; it just misses out on the colour touchscreen for control and navigation. Here instead, you interact via physical buttons, but all are logically laid out and easy to master. As with the Touch variant, you get automatic grinding, dosing, tamping and even milk texturising, while its dual boiler means you can extract espresso and foam milk at the same time. Note that the Black Truffle colour gets the biggest discount. View Deal
If you prefer the convenience of capsule coffee, the Creatista Pro could be ideal for you. It uses the extensive range of Nespresso Original pods and features a built-in steam wand for foaming milk and creating latte art. View Deal
The mac daddy of Breville machines, the Oracle Dual Boiler benefits from virtually every bit of tech Breville can throw at it. The headline feature is a dual boiler, allowing you to brew espresso and steam milk at the same time. It can also automatically take care of the complete coffee-making process and has two different menus accessible via the 5.7-inch touchscreen: a conventional, menu-driven option, or a manual mode, complete with pressure gauges. It ain't cheap, but this 15% discount on the Black Noir colourway makes it easier to stomach.View Deal
Smart Oven Pizzaiolo: was $1199 now $719.10 If you've got a hankering for pizza but want to make your own at home, this pizza oven from Breville will do just that. It emulates a traditional wood-fired oven and can heat up to 400ºC, creating an intense heat that ensures a perfect pie every time. Looks can be deceiving, though, as this appliance will take up a microwave-sized portion of countertop space and weighs around 15kg.View Deal
Oracle Jet (Black Truffle): was $3349 now $2889 The Oracle Jet is perhaps all the coffee machine anyone could need. It boasts a large colour touchscreen, making it easy to select and see whatever drink you want. It will grind and tamp for you (and give intelligent feedback), and can steam milk (including non-dairy) automatically too. Plus, it heats up and is ready to use in seconds. It's not cheap, but you'll hold onto it for years to come. Please note that this deal comes from Amazon, so our exclusive code won't work. Amazon has also listed the original RRP (Breville has since reduced it), and the biggest discount applies only the Black Truffle model. View Deal
The Shark PowerDetect Transformer is a wired vacuum cleaner that combines an upright, stick and handheld vacuum all in one. It offers plenty of the premium features you might expect, including tangle-free brush bar and dirt-illuminating LED, but also comes crammed with smart features like automatic dirt, surface and edge detection.
The Shark PowerDetect Transformer admittedly isn’t the most easily wielded vacuum cleaner in its upright form — weighing in at 17.6 lbs / 8kg — but it has a trick up its sleeve. Press a single button and its vacuum pod pops off, turning it into a svelte stick vacuum with its own discrete dust bin. Need even more flexibility? Pop off the top section and it becomes a handy handheld vac. Switching between each system is seriously swift, which is really smart design.
On top of this, the PowerDetect Transformer also offers an excellent range of accessories for different tasks, so you’re not just limited to its talented DuoClean Detect nozzle. The HairPro Self-Cleaning Pet Power brush is great for getting pet hair off your rugs and furniture — with its anti-tangle tech preventing the bar getting clogged — and it also includes old classics like a crevice tool and a multi-surface brush. On top of this, it has built-in HEPA certified filtration and an anti-allergen seal, which the asthma sufferers in my house definitely appreciate.
In my book though, the thing that helps the PowerDetect Transformer rival the best vacuum cleaners is how hassle-free it makes sucking up crud from your carpets and hard flooring. Absolutely chock full of auto-detection features, it will dial the level of its suction up and down depending on your floor type, the amount of dirt it detects or the direction you’re dragging it in. Even smarter is its edge detection, which senses when you’re vacuuming against furniture and along room boundaries and directs its suction toward them to more completely do away with detritus.
I’ll admit that being smart doesn’t necessarily always translate being capable. Fortunately, all these smarts do make Shark’s vacuum seriously good at shifting dirt. Pretty much every test I put the PowerDetect Transformer through it aced, getting up coarse dirt from a hard floor and dust out of a shallow pile carpet in a single sweep. And when vacuuming room edges — the achilles heel of many vacuum cleaners — every single lentil I’d tossed down vanished in one movement. The fact pretty much all of this happened without me having to tap a single button is just the icing on the cake.
(Image credit: Future)
On top of this, its brush bars were able to remove a disturbing quantity of cat hair from my upholstery without getting clogged, making it easy to clean up after my champion shedder. However, while the bars themselves were great at avoiding tangles, I did find that a couple of times a snarl of hair got caught around the exit into the cyclone chamber, causing it to get slightly backed up. This only happened a few times and won’t matter much as long as you empty the vacuum often enough to stop the hose getting backed up, but it’s worth bearing in mind for the hairiest households.
Once you’re finished, emptying the Shark is also seriously straightforward. After using either its handheld or stick modes, clipping its vacuum pod back on triggers its self-emptying cycle, rapidly emptying its smaller dust bin. And when you want to empty the vacuum pod itself, all you have to do is press the bin switch to detach the larger bin, hold it over your bin and unhook a catch to open the bottom and jettison its contents.
Perhaps the one criticism I do have of the PowerDetect Transformer’s performance is it’s very loud — measuring it with a sound level meter, it hit 74dB during upright use and a raucous 82dB during its self-cleaning cycle. So if you have sensitive neighbors or, like mine, your cat tends toward the scaredy, it might not be the one for you.
Still though, all in all, the Shark PowerDetect Transformer is an impressive vacuum cleaner. Not only is it powerful, it’s smart, easy to use and flexible enough to vacuum pretty much every area of your home. Yes, wireless is always a nice to have — although its 8m cable meant I didn’t miss this as much as I thought I would — it’s loud and it occasionally gets a bit backed up. But I’m happy to forgive these minor quibbles given how much easier it makes day-to-day cleaning.
Having launched on June 30, 2026, the Shark PowerDetect Transformer is widely available now. It goes for a list price of $529.99 / £499.99 / AU$699.99 — although at the time of writing, in the US, you can use the code TRIO at the checkout to save $130, bringing it down to $399.99.
That price is hardly chicken feed but, for what you’re getting, it’s still reasonable value. For example, the Shark PowerDetect Cordless — our current pick for the best vacuum cleaner out there — is priced at a roughly equivalent $429.99 / £499.99 / AU$849.99 and while unlike the Transformer it’s fully wireless, it can’t convert into a full, high-capacity upright. Meanwhile, the premium Dyson Gen5detect is much more spendy at $949.99 / £769.99 / AU$1,549, while rocking relatively similar features.
In return for your spend, you’re not only getting three vacuums in one but also a solid range of accessories. It comes with the classics such as brush and crevice tools but it also packs a stair tool, the HairPro Pet Power Brush for powered action against pet fuzz and an anti-allergen dusting brush. It also comes with a handy accessory bag to keep them all in.
Finally, the Shark PowerDetect Transformer comes in two tasty colorways: Chimera Blue — a dusky sky blue — and Deep Sage Green. Both of these really pop, especially with those gold highlights, although I’d say I just marginally prefer the former.
Shark PowerDetect Transformer review: specs
Weight
17.6 lbs / 8kg
Dimensions
46.3 x 11.2 x 12.5 inches / 1176 x 285 x 317mm
Floorhead width
285 mm / 11.2 inches (12 inch cleaning path width)
Filter
HEPA filter with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal
Bin capacity
1.3 L (0.2 L handheld bin)
Max suction
Not listed
Max runtime (Eco mode)
N/A
Runtime in Boost mode
N/A
Charge time
N/A
(Image credit: Future)
Shark PowerDetect Transformer review: design
Flexible, modular design
Stuffed with auto-detection features
Wired only
Okay, I’ll admit when I first heard the name Shark Transformer, I was hoping I was going to be getting a toy robot that converted into a toothy, predatory fish. Fortunately, the design of this vacuum cleaner is nearly as cool. Its modular design makes it easy to switch between three different modes — heavy-duty upright vacuum cleaner, lightweight stick vac and flexible handheld — at the click of a button.
Moreover, unlike previous 3-in-1 vacuum cleaners Shark has created, this one is a hoseless design, meaning you don’t have to hook and unhook elephant trunk tubing every time you want to switch modes. Sliding the vacuum pod on and off the wand, it just clicks into place and connects to the vacuum’s airlock in one smooth movement. It’s clever design and makes selecting the right tool for your job feel effortless.
Naturally, as a result of this protean form, it’s quite hard to comment on the overall size and weight of the device. Because in its upright vacuum final evolution it’s a pretty bulky and hefty beast but pop off a couple of sections and suddenly you’re left with something super light and flexible. So it’s a bit of a quantum vacuum cleaner: a superposition of heavy and light at the same time.
(Image credit: Future)
Fortunately, when it comes to its appearance, the PowerDetect Transformer is far less paradoxical. I’m definitely picking up what Shark is throwing down here: in its stick and handheld modes, the Transformer looks seriously sleek and although the vacuum pod is pretty hulking, it’s still excellently engineered. On top of this, the colorways on offer are stunning — the deep sage green colorway I tested looks great but the chimera blue version is genuinely droolworthy. Genuinely, it gives me the same vibes as my sky blue MacBook Air and I wants it.
Setting the Shark up for the first time is pretty straightforward, even if compared to other wired vacuums there is some assembly required. Essentially, all you need to do is click the wand into place on the nozzle, slide the vacuum pod into its home on the stick and insert the hand vacuum into the top.
After this, you’re basically all set to start sucking up grit right away, because the Transformer neither has smart home features to set up or battery to charge. And don’t sweat this last omission too much — its eight-meter cable means you should be able to comfortably reach most areas of your home.
Alongside all of these modules, the Transformer also features all of the usual suspects in terms of accessories, such as the brush and the crevice tool. However, it doesn’t stop there: it also includes Shark’s HairPro Self-Cleaning Pet Power brush, a miniature brush bar tool with anti-wrap technology for getting pet hair and dander out from carpets and upholstery.
(Image credit: Future)
But by far its smartest tool is its DuoClean Detect nozzle. On top of its self-cleaning brush roll that picks up hair without getting tangled and targeted LED lighting for showing up barely visible specs of dirt, it’s also absolutely crammed with smart auto-detection features. Whether it’s sensing your floor type, adjusting to the quantity of dirt, directing suction forward or backward depending on the direction you’re moving in or automatically targeting its air inflow to gulp down detritus right up to the edge of rooms, it does all the hard work so you can just focus on practicing your Freddie Mercury impression.
Given all of these auto-detection features, the controls on the Shark PowerDetect Transformer are almost comically uncomplicated. There’s an on button… and that’s basically all you need to understand. If you’re a real control freak, you can manually set its suction to match hard floor, shallow pile or deep pile carpet but honestly I never needed to manually control this, as its auto-detect features did a perfectly effective job at dialing its suction up and down.
Finally, given I live with someone who both suffers from asthma and has the nasal sensitivity of a sommelier with a Neti pot, I definitely appreciate how the Transformer handles dust and disagreeable odors. Its HEPA-certified filtration and anti-allergen seal keeps all of that bronchial-irritating crud locked away. And once you’ve popped one of Shark’s odor-neutralizing cartridges into the nozzle, you can dial its stench-scrubbing capabilities up or down to remove any distressing scents the grime kicks up.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
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Shark PowerDetect Transformer review: performance
Fantastic suction in almost every scenario
Emptying is wonderfully easy
Startlingly loud
Given how clever its features are, this vacuum cleaner is clearly a real bright shark. But how does that translate into real-world performance? After all, what good is the cold, calculating mind of a great white if it’s stuck in the ungainly body of a sunfish? Fortunately, you don’t need to worry on this front — the Shark PowerDetect Transformer cuts through dirt like a dorsal fin through water.
As I’ve already remarked above, the bulk and weight of the Transformer really depends on which mode you use it in. In its upright form, it’s definitely on the husky side — I lift weights multiple times a week, yet I still felt the effort of dragging it round. Fortunately, its two-axis joint makes it pretty easy to maneuver around furniture and once you strip it back to its stick or handheld forms, it’s considerably easier to wield.
Keen to really put the PowerDetect Transformer through its paces, I not only vacuumed my house top to bottom but conducted our full battery of standardized tests. First off, I sprinkled the contents of a teabag on a range of different flooring types to simulate the finer dust the Transformer would have to tackle. On my laminate flooring, the Transformer scarfed down those loose leaves in a single pass — even when repeating this test on my medium-pile carpet, the vacuum cleaner didn’t leave a single scrap behind.
Wanting to see how it fared with more substantial debris, I tried this same test with a small quantity of lentils. Once again, on a hard floor, the Shark snorted up every single pulse without hesitation. Admittedly, when I tried this out on carpet, it left behind three lentils out of about 50. But with a single swipe backward, its automatic direction sensing flipped the direction of its suction and it wolfed them down without issue.
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Even trickier debris like pet hair didn’t seem to faze it. Trying it out on a ball of fuzz from my cat’s brush, the vacuum wolfed it down like cotton candy. I even put it to work on the cat’s favorite chair — which was so disgustingly furry that our previous vacuum cleaner had threatened to take industrial action — and yet Shark’s anti-hair wrap tool cut through it easily. And despite going up against upholstery more covered in hair than Hugh Jackman, it lived up to its name and didn’t get clogged or tangled.
So, all in all, I found its suction pretty impressive. But even more noteworthy are how those smarts I mentioned above improve cleaning performance across the board. Thanks to the Transformer’s Dirt Detect feature, during normal cleaning it regularly dialled up its suction strength to tackle denser piles of dust without me having to even think about it. And its edge-of-room performance is fantastic — trying to vacuum up lentils I scattered right up to the baseboard, the vacuum’s Edge Detect feature targeted its suction to pick up every last legume in a single sweep.
The Transformer’s other modes don’t offer quite as much smarts or power as the upright mode but they’re just as capable when tackling their own respective niches. The stick vacuum offers the same level of flexibility but a much lighter weight, making it the perfect tool for a quick runaround in a single room. Meanwhile, its handheld mode made short work of cleaning problem areas like the inside of my sofa and raised surfaces like my piano — without a bulky cyclone chamber attached, it felt so much more flexible than any other convertible vacuum handheld I’ve used.
And once you’re done cleaning, emptying the Transformer feels like a breeze, especially compared to older vacuums. Once you’ve used the stick or handheld vacuums, all you need to do is re-attach the vacuum pod and it will automatically suck out all the dust you’ve gathered into that main chamber.
(Image credit: Future)
Clearing out the vacuum pod itself is almost as easy. Detach it using the eject button and the dust bin and cyclone section come away, leaving the filter and vacuum components behind. Then all you need to do is open the bottom clip above the bin and it empties downward — far easier than banging it upside down against the bin till something finally dislodges.
Easy to clean though the Transformer is, I still wouldn’t say this process is absolutely foolproof. One thing I noticed a couple of times when emptying it out is that occasionally hair clogs would get snagged in the airlock into the vacuum pod, meaning that long fibers would start clogging up the main cyclone. Now, both my feline and my human housemates are world champion shedders, meaning this issue might not affect you as often, but it does make me worry you could quickly lose suction if you don’t stay on top of this.
One other slight drawback to the Transformer is a direct consequence of all its convenience and power: the noise. Reaching a volume of 74dB in upright mode and max volume of 82dB during its self-cleaning cycle, it hits the same rough volume as heavy traffic or a blender. While this didn’t bother the humans in my house that much, my cat HATED it — he found the noise while vacuuming upsetting enough but the automatic cleaning cycle sent him flying out of the room like he’d witnessed the Terminator itself. Turns out machines bellowing in rage without apparent human input is where he nopes out.
Ongoing maintenance of the device is a lot less stressful, fortunately. Although you need to clean the pre-motor filters of both chambers every month, the hand vac’s post-motor filter only needs cleaning every six months and replacing every 2.5 years, while the upright’s post-motor filter only needs cleaning once a year and replacing every three. Occasionally, you might also need to wipe those smart sensors to ensure they continue functioning properly but, all in all, this isn’t particularly punishing.
Performance score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Shark PowerDetect Transformer?
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
Undeniably sits at the pricier end of the market. But given its 3-in-1 functionality, smart features and accessories, you’re getting a whole lot of vacuum cleaner in return for that spend.
4/5
Design
Flexible, 3-in-1 modular design makes it easy to use in a whole load of scenarios, HEPA-certified filtration and odor-neutralising technology, no battery but 8m cable goes a long way toward making up for this.
4.5/5
Performance
Wolfs down dust and debris on hard floors and carpet alike, expertly handles hair, auto-detection features optimize suction for every scenario, super easy to empty, loud enough to strike fear into the heart of the most unflinching feline.
4.5/5
Buy it if…
You don’t want to buy separate handheld, stick and upright vacuums While stick vacuums are super versatile and handhelds are essential for vacuuming upholstery and raised surfaces, neither has the capacity and suction of a full upright. The PowerDetect Transformer gives you the benefit of all three in one package.
You want smart suction for every surface The Shark’s auto-detect features mean it automatically tailors its suction power depending on the surface you’re vacuuming, how much dirt it detects, the direction it’s moving and even when you’re vacuuming room edges.
Don’t buy it if…
You hate trailing cables Given it lacks a battery, you’ll always have to use the PowerDetect Transformer hooked up to a socket. Its 8m cable will still give you a lot of range though.
You (or your pet) has sensitive ears Maxing out at 82dB during its cleaning cycle, this vacuum cleaner is not for the faint of heart. If you’re worried about upsetting your neighbours with your midnight vacuuming, this one might not be for you.
Shark PowerDetect Transformer review: also consider
Shark PowerDetect Transformer
Dyson Gen5detect
Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum
Weight
17.6 lbs / 8kg
7.72 lbs / 3.5kg
8 lbs / 3.7kg
Dimensions
46.3 x 11.2 x 12.5 inches / 1176 x 285 x 317mm
50.2 x 10.87 x 9.8 inches / 1276 x 276 x 250mm
45.64 x 45.64 x 15.5 inches / 1159 x 1159 x 394mm
Floorhead width
285 mm / 11.2 inches (12 inch cleaning path width)
9.8 inches / 250mm
10.2 inches / 259mm
Filter
HEPA filter with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal
Whole-machine HEPA filtration
Felt + Washable Foam Filters plus HEPA Filter
Bin capacity
1.3 L (0.2 L handheld bin)
0.2 gallon / 0.77 L
0.7 L (2 L dock bin capacity)
Max suction
Not listed
280 AW
Not stated
Max runtime (Eco mode)
N/A
70 mins
70 mins advertised (67 mins on test)
Runtime in Boost mode
N/A
15 mins
14 mins
Charge time
N/A
4.5 hours (3 hours on test)
4 hours
Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum If you want all of the Transformer’s fancy PowerDetect features but aren’t bothered about its larger capacity, the 0.7L Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum is a great alternative. Yes, it comes in at roughly the same price — $429.99 / £499.99 / AU$849.99 — but as its moniker implies, it also eschews wires, making it the perfect choice for anyone who wants a super-smart, lightweight vacuum that can tackle dirt pretty much anywhere. Read our full Shark PowerDetect Cordless Stick Vacuum review.
Dyson Gen5detect There’s a reason that the Dyson Gen5detect is our premium pick for best vacuum cleaner. Yes, part of that reason is its $949.99 / £769.99 / AU$1,549 price tag. But it’s also because of its superb suction, fantastic smart features and great battery life. Aside from capacity, the only area that the Shark PowerDetect Transformer has it beat is in vacuuming the edges of rooms, but otherwise if you’re looking for the best deluxe dirt-sucker out there the Dyson Gen5detect is likely it. Read our full Dyson Gen5detect review.
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Shark PowerDetect Transformer
Tested it for several weeks
Tried it out on a range of flooring and with different materials
Set it to work on shed pet hair
I tested the Shark PowerDetect Transformer over a period of several weeks. To test its general suction, I scattered loose tea and lentils over hard floor and carpet to simulate how it would handle dust and larger debris and see how many passes it would take to suction them up. I also scattered both of these items along the edge of the room to see how well the Shark would maintain suction at the edges.
On top of this, I used it to clean my whole house several times, as well as trying it out in a few specific scenarios. I tested how well it sucked up shed fur from my pet cat, as well as trying its HairPro Self-Cleaning Pet Power brush on upholstery and on the stairs to see how it removed built up hair from soft furnishings. Finally, I used a sound level meter to record how loud it was in use, recording its max volume in both upright mode and during self cleaning.
I’ve been testing tech and gadgets for around 10 years, as well as editing reviews of smart home gear and appliances. When it comes to first-hand experience, I’ve tested an array of small appliances for TechRadar, including fans and coffee machines. You’ll also be pleased to hear I’m no stranger to vacuuming — otherwise, after 20 years of adulthood, the quantity of dust in my home would be approaching the level of an Egyptian tomb.
The Ninja Crispi DualZone is a fantastic looking and performing air fryer, boasting eight cooking modes, a clever basket design, and excellent controls. It’s also one of the most expensive air fryers on the market. Is it worth the money? I’ve put it to the test to find out.
Get it out the box and place it on your kitchen counter and you’ll be impressed by how much it doesn’t look like every other air fryer on the market. Out is the black, boxy design, and in is Ninja’s CleanCrisp glassware containers, giving the Crispi DualZone an airier presence. This is an air fryer you won’t necessarily want to hide away in a cupboard.
It’s not just looks though, as there’s clever design in play here too. The plastic and rubber base on the glass containers make them easy to manoevre and allow you to set them down anywhere when hot, without the need for a heat mat.
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Then there are the eight cooking modes, offering excellent versatility and cooking performance. Air Fry and Max Crisp are staples you’d expect to see, but Bake, Roast, Re Crisp, Prove, Dehydrate and Keep Warm ensure the Crispi DualZone can be used for much more than simple air frying.
And if you have leftovers, there’s no need to decant into another container. Let the glassware cool, snap on one of the lids provided in the box and slide it into the fridge.
Sure it’s expensive, and it’s too heavy to be constantly moving in and out of storage, but the Ninja Crispi DualZone offers the premium air fryer experience its price tag demands.
Ninja Crispi Dualzone: price and availability
Model reviewed costs £299.99
Similar model in the US costs $379.99
The Ninja Crispi DualZone is one of the most expensive air fryers on the market. I reviewed the Crispi DualZone 8-in-1 model (DD102UK) in the UK that costs £299.99, and currently isn’t available in the US.
But fear not, as Ninja offers the almost identical Crispi DualZone 6-in-1 model (DD101) in the US for $379.99. The only difference being it misses out on the Prove and Keep warm functions from the UK model I’ve reviewed.
The 6-in-1 model is also available in the UK (DD101UK), but as it’s the same price as the 8-in-1, it’s bizarre it’s on sale as well.
Air Fry, Max Crisp, Prove, Bake, Roast, Dehydrate, Keep Warm, Re Crisp
Extra functions
Smart Finish, Match Cook
Smart control
No
Wattage
2860W
Capacity
7.6L (2 x 3.8L)
Temperature range
20-240 degrees C
Time range
1 minute - 12 hours
Dimensions
42.42cm (L) x 29.79cm (W) x 29.39cm (H)
Dishwasher-safe
Yes
Weight
14.06kg
Ninja Crispi Dualzone: design
One of the best looking air fryers
Clever basket design for easy use and placement
Very heavy, so difficult to move around
The Ninja Crispi DualZone doesn’t look like your traditional black box air fryer. You’re paying a premium for Ninja’s modern styling, and this is one of the best looking air fryers on the market.
The two CleanCrisp glassware containers and clever self-aligning, slide-in mechanism gives you a view of three of the four sides during cooking, allowing you to watch your food like a hawk to ensure it’s not burning.
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And the two baskets have a clip-on plastic base with handles and rubber feet, not only allowing you to safely slide them in and out of the base, but also set them down immediately on the side without the need for a heat protective mat. I loved this, as it meant I didn’t have to think where I was placing a hot basket, I could take it straight to the table and pop it down.
Initially you might think the two 3.6L glassware baskets are a little on the small size, even if they do combine for a total cooking capacity of 7.2L. But when I started using the Crispi DualZone I quickly realised the depth of these baskets means you can fit a surprising amount into them.
Another nice touch is the two included lids for the baskets. It meant if I had leftovers, I could let the basket cool, pop the lid on, and slide it into the fridge for the next day - no need to dirty another container.
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I also like the controls on this air fryer. You get physical buttons and a dial (unlike touch controls on some air fryers, which can get dirty and unresponsive), all of which are clearly labelled and easy to follow. Ninja has done a good job of simplifying the controls, with easy cooking mode, temperature, and time adjustments.
You also get Smart Finish and Match Cook functions, which come in useful when using both baskets for cooking. Smart Finish allows you to set the baskets for different cooking durations, but have them finish at the same time by delaying the start of the shorter cook.
Match Cook on the other hand allows you to copy the cook mode, temperature and duration from one zone to the other. This is handy when doing a large batch of the same food, as it means you only need to enter the cooking information once and then hit Match Cook to copy it over.
(Image credit: Future)
Set the Crispi DualZone cooking, and depending on the cooking mode and duration selected, it’ll work out when it needs to alert you to shake or flip the food in the basket. It’s great Ninja does this automatically, as it means I didn’t have to remember to select a shake reminder function.
And there are plenty of modes to choose from; Air Fry, Max Crisp, Prove, Bake, Roast, Dehydrate, Keep Warm and Re Crisp. You get an instruction and recipe book included in the box that walks you through the various modes, provides tables for a wide range of food showing the best mode, time and temperature for each, as well as some tasty recipes to try.
What was a bit of a surprise however was just how heavy this air fryer is. The base has significant heft to it, and when both glassware baskets are inserted you’ve got a unit that’s over 14kg. If you’re someone who likes to pop their air fryer in a cupboard when not in use, the Crispi DualZone might not be the right choice for you. Still, at least it looks smart left out on the counter.
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The good news is the baskets and crisper trays are all dishwasher safe, making cleaning up much easier. You can unclip the plastic base of the basket too, to ensure a thorough clean all round.
In the UK it’s available in three colors on the Shark Ninja website — Cyberspace (deep blue), Bone (off white) and Rose Quartz (pink) - while at time of writing Amazon UK has it in Bone and Stone Gold colorways.
A quick word of warning if you do end up buying the Ninja Crispi DualZone - the air fryer comes well packed with lots of protective packaging to remove. Make sure you've got it all off before switching it on.
Design score: 4.5/5
Ninja Crispi Dualzone: performance
Excellent cooking performance across modes
Glassware baskets means it’s easy to check progress
Some trial and error is needed for the perfect cook
The Ninja Crispi DualZone is a powerful 2860W air fryer offering excellent cooking performance across its various modes.
I kicked things off in the default air fry mode. Homemade fries, garlic bread, and frozen onion rings all cooked well. The fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle after 26 minutes of air frying — although my personal preference would be to do them for another three or four minutes to really crisp up the outside.
Fries cooking test
Before
After
That’s part of air fryer ownership though, the trial and error as you get used to a particular air fryer’s way of cooking — much like breaking in a new oven. Sure it’s similar to your last one, but you might have to fine tune cooking times and temperatures to get the results you want.
Thankfully with the Crispi DualZone that’s easy to do thanks to the simple controls and the all-glass baskets. It meant I could see in real-time how cooked my food was and stop it early, or extend the time without having to hit pause by pulling out a basket.
Garlic bread cooking test
Before
After
The frozen onion rings came out crispy, while the homemade garlic bread needed just six minutes for a crisped finish without getting burnt. I also tossed in some gyoza for 10 minutes for some excellent crispy dumplings.
Another air fryer favorite of mine is chicken wings, and cooking a bunch at 200C for 30 minutes resulted in wonderfully crispy skin and succulent meat that had me going back for more.
Chicken wing cooking test
Before
After
The instruction and recipe book you get with the Crispi DualZone suggests you should use the Max Crisp function for frozen foods, so I did exactly that with a mix of thin and chunky fries from the freezer. They cooked well, and remained fluffy in the middle — but my mistake was combining thick and thin fries in the same basket. It meant the thin fries came out a little overcooked.
I also used Max Crisp for roast potatoes in one basket, while I selected the roast function for the other side to cook carrots and parsnips. With Smart Finish selected, they all finished at the same time, and tasted great.
Vegetable cooking test
Before
After
As it turned out, the other parts of the meal I was preparing weren’t ready though, so I returned the baskets to the air fryer base and switched on Keep Warm. This allowed me to serve still-hot potatoes, carrots and parsnips without them being burned.
Switching gears to something sweet, I was able to bake a dozen banana muffins across the two baskets using the dedicated Bake mode. At 160C for 18 minutes, my mix rose well and the resulting muffins were light and fluffy.
Muffin cooking test
Before
After
If you’ve read any of my previous air fryer reviews, you’ll know I’m partial to pizza. While the Ninja Crispi DualZone doesn’t have the required basket size or shape to cook a whole pizza, its Re Crisp function came in clutch the morning after a night of pizza and beer.
I tossed a few leftover slices into a basket, hit Re Crisp, and in 15 minutes I had slices that were almost like they just came out of a pizza oven.
Should you buy the Ninja Crispi Dualzone?
Ninja Crispi DualZone score card
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
This is one of the most expensive air fryers on the market, so unless you’re after the very best in design, you might find better value elsewhere.
4/5
Design
The Crispi DualZone is a fantastic looking air fryer, and its clever basket design and versatile features make for a highly accomplished offering. Just a shame it’s so heavy.
4.5/5
Performance
Across all cooking modes, the Crispi DualZone excels. It handled all the food I tossed its way with ease, and aside from initially having to learn the best time and temps for everything, the food it produces is excellent.
4.5/5
Buy it if
You want excellent versatility
From the easy to use controls and eight different cooking modes, to the clever basket design and dishwasher-safe accessories, the Crispi DualZone can handle most foods, and handle them well.
You want a great looking air fryer
The Ninja Crispi DualZone is a really good looking air fryer. It can happily sit on the kitchen counter and not be an eyesore. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better looking air fryer.
You want consistent, delicious results
You might be paying a premium for this air fryer, but Ninja is one of the best manufacturers. It means you can be sure of excellent results — once you’ve mastered the timing and temperatures to suit your preferences.
Don't buy it if
You’re on a budget
The Ninja Crispi DualZone is one of the most expensive air fryers on the market. If you’re on a budget, there are plenty of dual basket air fryers that cost less — they might not look as good though.View Deal
You want to cook large items
While the Crispi DualZone offers a total cooking capacity of 7.2 liters, it’s split across two 3.6-liter baskets. That means a large chicken, sizable traybake, or a pizza won’t fit here.View Deal
You want to easily move and store your air fryer
For all its great looks and cooking performance, the Ninja Crispi DualZone is very heavy. At just over 14kg when both glassware baskets are inserted, moving this appliance isn’t for the faint of heart. There are lighter units available for easy moving and storage.View Deal
Ninja Crispi Dualzone: also consider
If the Ninja Crispi DualZone isn't the right air fryer for you, here are two other options to consider:
Philips 4000 Series Stacked Dual Basket
An air fryer that takes up less counter space, and has windows and lights in its baskets to keep an eye on your food. It’s not as easy to see the cooking progress as the Ninja, but the Philips is still a smart looking unit.
If you’re a fan of the all-glass design of the Crispi DualZone, but need a smaller unit or just need a single cooking basket, the original single basket Crispi could be the answer. Same stylish design and premium cooking performance, in a more compact footprint.
I used the Ninja Crispi DualZone for multiple weeks at home
I cooked a wide variety of food with it, including fries, chicken wings, gyoza, muffins, vegetables and meat
I tested the various cooking functions, and the cleaning process
I used the Ninja Crispi DualZone for several weeks at home, cooking a wide variety of food and testing out the various cooking modes and functions.
I baked muffins, air fried fries, chicken wings, gyoza, onion rings and more, roasted vegetables, max crisped frozen foods, kept cooked food warm, re-crisped leftover pizza the next day, and snapped on a lid and popped leftovers in the fridge.
I hand-washed the components, and ran them through a dishwasher, to ensure cleaning and maintenance was easy.
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