Smeg drops Italian-inspired air fryer that will look good on your benchtop and it’s packed with clever features.

Smeg’s first air fryer is here to go straight to the top of your Christmas wish list — with the brand delivering a product that will not only look great on your benchtop, but also be packed with clever features. The Smeg Air Fryer ($399; David Jones) unites iconic Italian design with the most up-to-date air fryer technology. Available in four matte colourways including White, Black, Emerald Green and Storm Blue that coordinate seamlessly with Smeg’s iconic small appliance range, the air fryer turns an everyday essential into a statement piece that you’ll never want to put away.

Keen to invest? You’ll get to enjoy two cooking modes — Crispy and Juicy+Crispy with water spritz technology — both of which deliver a golden finish on the outside and juicy tenderness within. Not only this, but seven automatic present programs help to take the guesswork out of everyday cooking. When it comes to the capacity of the new gadget, its impressive 7.3L means you can cook either for one, two or a crowd.

The flip-open design and quiet operation also ensures that the air fryer will not take over when you’re cooking and doing other things in the kitchen. While the Smeg air fryer undoubtedly looks fantastic for $399, it’s also packed with an array of impressive features. The quartz ceramic heating element ensures consistent, even heat every time, and the large see-through window lets you monitor every dish without lifting the lid. I particularly like the look of the PFAS-free ceramic non-stick basket, which means you can both cook with less oil and clean with less effort — a gamechanger in a busy household.

Another clever feature is the neat water insert and steam-diffusing tap, both of which have been included to send water directly into the basket. This means you can get a crisp finish, but still enjoy moist, juicy chicken thighs — which is one of the main complaints people level at air fryers. While the machine is new to the shelves of DJs, it’s already proving popular with shoppers, who are raving to get their hands on the gadget for themselves. “Stunning,” writes one shopper on Instagram. “This is a thing of beauty,” adds another. Most of the features that Smeg has included in its menu of pre-sets are classics, a meat setting, a roast chicken setting, and shrimp setting for seafood lovers. There are also the Crispy and Juicy+Crispy settings. For more information and to get your hands on the new air fryer for yourself, head here now.