Hamilton Beach XXL Dual Stack Air Fryer Review
Could the Hamilton Beach XXL Dual Stack Air Fryer be the space-saving alternative to Ninja’s Double Stack, coming in with a slimmer profile, yet, counterintuitively, boasting 3.4 litres of additional capacity? But can an air fryer really be both compact and generous without compromising on cooking results? We’ve been testing this £149.99 model for over a month to find out.
Design
A dual-stack air fryer is a reasonable choice if you want to occupy less worktop space but don’t mind it being a more towering presence; although this one fits underneath our cupboards and shelves in the kitchen with no issue, measuring 42.8cm in height. But otherwise, with a width of 24.3cm and length of 45.8cm, there’s a respectable total capacity of 11 litres, with each drawer capable of holding 5.5 litres. The Hamilton Beach XXL Dual Stack air fryer is a smart choice for space saving, and we particularly like the fact that the air exhaust isn’t on the back; it’s on the right side, which means you can tuck this against your worktop plinth with no concern. It’s also much quieter than many air fryer models we’ve reviewed; you can comfortably have music playing or have a conversation without really noticing it, as it operates at 45dB.
Visually it’s a reasonably stylish appliance: matte black with clean lines that suit most modern kitchens. It does, however, tend to attract fingerprint smudges, so expect to give it a quick wipe-down every so often to keep it looking sharp.
Cleaning the inside of each basket is thankfully easier than expected. The non-stick coating proves effective, preventing grease and food bits from baking on, while the removable trays can be a little fiddly to scrub. Both the trays and drawers are dishwasher-safe should you want to take the hands-off approach (we haven’t felt the need yet).
Controls
Some of the display is touch-based, handling the on/off and timer or temperature functions. The rest of the interface is operated via the silver knob, which scrolls through the nine cooking functions, from chips to bread (you can see every mode in the photo below). To select a function, you simply press the knob in.
It’s a pretty standard air fryer control setup. The screen is easy to read, and extending timers or adjusting temperatures mid-cook is effortless. Its ability to sync the two zones together for one harmonious time and temperature control is straightforward, though you can also control each zone individually, or just use one at a time, which we find is the most common scenario.
Cooking
Chips: Tossing chips during the air frying process in the basket takes a few attempts to get mostly right. You see, there’s a suspended removable floor which can unseat itself if you’re too vigorous with your toss, so we’ve found a side-to-side motion works best. Although there is another quirk, as the back of the basket has air intake holes, meaning a toss could leave oil droplets or potato crumbs getting onto your worktop. Whilst the side-to-side technique mostly avoids this, it isn’t foolproof and does show a design flaw with the baskets; you could use a utensil of course, but that’s never as good.
The chips, though, are consistently great. We fill the basket about halfway with par-cooked potatoes and spray on sunflower oil. Set it to chips mode and the timer between 30-40 minutes to cook them. It varies depending on potato variety, but after many plates of chips served from the Hamilton Beach XXL Dual Stack air fryer, we’re happy with the performance. It lets you know mid-way through to toss them and, obviously, although the airflow seems to be pretty even, a toss is necessary to give those middle chips some air time. The chips don’t lose as much water content as in other air fryers we’ve tested, so portion sizes are a tad larger, and the chips therefore have a wetter texture and appearance, less dry and with a less blunt crispness, making them more similar to a fish and chip shop style. We’ve been really happy with the output, with chips that exhibit fluffy centres and edges that hold a gentle crunch.
Roasting Pumpkin Seeds: This has always been a tricky task to get right and is a good test for just how well the airflow of the XXL Dual Stack air fryer works. We washed and dried the freshly harvested pumpkin seeds, then tossed the seeds into sunflower oil, pepper and salt. We selected the bake mode, and upon inserting them into the drawer and beginning the cooking process, we immediately noticed that the airflow isn’t overly aggressive. It doesn’t whisk the pumpkin seeds into the air to get trapped on the heating elements or in the fans; a good start!
These were, without doubt, the most successful pumpkin seeds we’ve ever roasted: slightly caramelised exterior shells, crispy but not tough to chew, and a very moreish snack. Pleasingly, every seed was identically roasted, not a single seed was burnt as often happens in ovens, so the regulated temperature and airflow sensors are clearly doing their job well here.
Cupcakes: Baking cupcakes in the Hamilton Beach XXL Dual Stack Air Fryer was a pleasant experience. They baked evenly and quickly, with no burn marks on the tops and a satisfyingly uniform rise. The texture was spot on, ultra fluffy, light and moist, proving the airflow is well balanced and capable of handling more delicate bakes just as confidently as savoury dishes. The only shame is that the drawers don’t have viewing windows, making baking a bit of a blind effort; you’re left relying on the timer alone rather than any visual cues.
Verdict
All told, the Hamilton Beach XXL Dual Stack strikes a fine balance between size, performance and simplicity. Standing tall rather than wide, it promises generous cooking capacity without devouring your countertop, and after weeks of use it’s clear this design is capable; a family-ready air fryer that handles a variety of tasks with ease and consistency. Minor quirks aside, it’s a practical everyday companion that just gets on with the job and does it well. Its smart, spacious design handles everything from chips or pumpkin seeds to cupcakes with confidence. A few quirks, like the slightly awkward basket toss and fingerprint-prone exterior, don’t overshadow its overall strengths.
