The Tower Vortx 8.5L Dual Basket T17137CGRY is a family-friendly air fryer that aims to replace your weekday oven for most meals. With two baskets, a generous combined 8.5-litre capacity and a 2400W heating element, it’s built for cooking mains and sides together rather than in batches.
Tower sits in the value to mid-range end of the small appliance market, and this model follows that pattern: you’re getting dual-zone cooking and plenty of handy features at a price that undercuts many big-name rivals with similar specs. The Vortx hot air system promises to cook up to 30% faster than a conventional oven, helping to trim both cooking times and energy use.
With an excellent 4.9 out of 5 rating from dozens of owners, it’s clearly hitting the mark in real kitchens, especially for busy households wanting quick, relatively healthy meals without fuss.
This Tower Vortx dual basket air fryer is ideal for medium to larger households that are regularly cooking for three or more people. The 8.5-litre capacity, split across two baskets, makes it easy to cook chicken in one drawer and chips or veg in the other, without constant juggling.
If you’re looking to cut down on oven use and want faster, more energy-efficient cooking, this is a strong fit. Vortx technology circulates hot air rapidly, so you can expect quicker results than a standard oven with far less preheating. It also suits anyone trying to make everyday meals that bit healthier by using very little – or no – added oil.
For first-time air fryer buyers, the touch controls, automatic cooking programmes and clear indicators help flatten the learning curve. You don’t need to be a gadget lover to get along with it. At the same time, features like dehydration, bake and roast modes will appeal to more enthusiastic home cooks who want to experiment beyond chips and frozen food.
If you live alone or only cook small portions, this model may be more capacity than you need, and a compact single-drawer fryer could make more sense. But for families, sharers and meal preppers who want to batch-cook or run multiple components of a meal at once, the size and dual baskets are a real advantage.
The standout strength here is capacity combined with flexibility. An 8.5-litre total volume across two baskets means you can comfortably cook a full meal for the family, or run two different foods at once without flavour transfer.
Vortx technology and 2400W of power give quick heat-up times and faster cooking than a conventional oven, which is a real win on busy weeknights and should trim your energy use as well as your timings.
Ease of use is a big plus. Touch controls, a built-in display, automatic cooking programmes, a timer and clear ready and indication lights all work together to make everyday operation straightforward, even if you’re new to air fryers.
Practical touches like the non-stick finish, removable bowl and crumb tray, plus dishwasher-safe components, keep cleaning hassle to a minimum. The cool-touch handle, cool wall technology, child lock and auto power off add solid safety credentials, especially in homes with younger children.
Finally, the feature set goes beyond basic frying. Bake and roast functions, a grill, keep-warm mode and dehydration function make this a genuinely versatile countertop cooker rather than a one-trick appliance.
The main compromise is physical size. With a width of just over 40cm and a fairly deep footprint, this isn’t a small appliance, so you’ll need a decent run of worktop space and somewhere sensible to store it if you don’t plan to leave it out.
There’s no viewing window, so you’ll have to open the basket to check browning, which briefly interrupts cooking. That’s common for drawer-style air fryers, but oven-style models do make it easier to visually monitor food.
The power cord is only 0.9m, which can limit where you place it on the counter relative to your sockets. You may find you have to reorganise your layout, especially in smaller kitchens.
Finally, while five power levels and auto programmes give a fair amount of control, there’s no mention of ultra-fine temperature adjustments or smart connectivity. If you’re looking for app control or very granular settings, more premium models may appeal, although you’ll likely pay considerably more for them.
Day to day, the Tower Vortx dual basket fryer is designed to be as straightforward as switching on the oven, but quicker. The touch control panel and digital display clearly show the selected function, time and remaining time indicator, so you’re not guessing how long is left on your chips or chicken.
Dropping food in and out of the baskets feels safe and controlled thanks to the cool-touch handles and cool wall construction, which stay comfortable to hold. Non-slip feet help keep the unit stable as you slide the drawers in and out.
Automatic cooking programmes and the built-in timer cut down on faffing with times and temperatures. Once cooking is complete, an acoustic alarm sounds to let you know it’s ready, and the keep-warm function helps hold food at serving temperature if the rest of the meal isn’t quite there yet.
Cleaning is refreshingly simple. Non-stick baskets and grill plates make it easy to wipe away residue, and because the components are dishwasher safe, you can just load them straight in after dinner. The removable crumb tray also helps keep the interior cleaner for longer.
The relatively short 0.9m power cord means you’ll need to position it close to a socket, but once you’ve found its spot, it’s the sort of appliance that’s likely to stay out and be used several times a week, if not daily.
Performance-wise, the combination of a 2400W heating element and Vortx hot air technology is key. The powerful airflow around your food helps deliver crisp results on the outside while keeping the inside moist, particularly for things like chicken, chips and breaded foods. The claim of up to 30% faster cooking than a conventional oven is realistic for most everyday dishes, especially when you factor in reduced preheat times.
The dual-basket design is one of the main reasons to choose this model over a single-drawer fryer. With two separate cooking zones and a total capacity of 8.5 litres, you can cook different foods side by side, reducing cross-contamination and allowing for different timings or power levels. That’s very handy if you’re cooking for family members with different tastes or managing mains and sides in one go.
Feature-wise, it goes well beyond basic air frying. There’s a grill function for searing, plus bake and roast settings that let you treat it as a mini oven for everything from traybakes to roast vegetables. The dehydration function opens up snacks like dried fruit or vegetable crisps, which is not something all air fryers in this price band offer.
Supportive technology rounds things out. The thermostat and timer help maintain consistent cooking, while automatic programmes take the guesswork out of common dishes. Safety features including child lock, auto power off, residual heat indicator and overheating protection make it feel reassuringly well thought through for family kitchens.
Add in niceties like an anti-odour filter to help keep cooking smells in check and a ready indicator light to show when it’s up to temperature, and you’ve got a very complete feature set for a mid-range dual basket unit.
At its current price, the Tower Vortx 8.5L Dual Basket sits in the affordable to mid-range bracket for dual air fryers, yet it offers a specification that nudges into territory often reserved for more expensive brands. Dual baskets, a large total capacity, strong 2400W power and a long list of safety and convenience features make it feel like you’re getting plenty for your money.
The inclusion of functions such as bake, roast, grill and dehydration, along with automatic cooking programmes and dishwasher-safe components, adds genuine day-to-day value rather than just ticking spec sheet boxes. You could comfortably use this as a secondary oven or even your main cooker for many meals, which helps justify the outlay.
The 4.9/5 user rating from a solid number of reviews is another strong indicator that owners feel it delivers on its promises. When you combine that feedback with a three-year manufacturer warranty, the overall value proposition is very compelling, particularly if you’re upgrading from a basic single-drawer fryer or looking to cut down oven use.
The Tower Vortx 8.5L Dual Basket T17137CGRY is a well-judged air fryer for families and busy households that want to simplify evening meals. Its dual baskets, generous capacity and quick Vortx cooking system make it genuinely useful as an everyday cooker, not just a side appliance for the odd portion of chips.
It combines strong performance with thoughtful touches: intuitive touch controls, automatic programmes, excellent safety features and very easy cleaning thanks to non-stick, dishwasher-safe components. For the money, the breadth of functions – from baking and roasting to dehydration – is impressive, and owner reviews suggest reliability and satisfaction are high.
You will need enough counter space and a conveniently placed socket, and those wanting smart connectivity or ultra-advanced temperature control might look higher up the price ladder. But for most households wanting a capable, versatile dual basket air fryer at a sensible price, this Tower model is an excellent choice.
