Tower AIRX 5L T17166 Review: Is This Vortx Air Fryer Worth Buying?
A useful air fryer needs to fit your cooking habits as well as your worktop. The Tower AIRX 5L T17166 combines a single cooking basket with digital controls and automatic cooking assistance, making it worth considering if you want something straightforward for everyday meals.
Weighing up the options? See our round-up of the best air fryers in the UK.
- AIRX AI TECHNOLOGY: Using AI technology, an intelligent sensor analyses the volume of food in the chamber to calculate the optimum cooking temperature. Select the dish you want to cook, and the air fryer will do the rest to save time & effort in the kitchen. AI technology removes the guesswork form cooking to create perfectly cooked meals every time
- PRE-SET MEALTIME CLASSICS: All of your favourite food available at the touch of a button. Choose from 6 one-touch pre-sets to take the guesswork out of cooking including Fries, Chicken Wings, Prawns, Steak, Cupcakes & Fish
- MANUAL MODE: The air fryer can also be used manually so you can add your own personal touch to mealtimes, allowing you to experiment with different recipes that might not be included in the pre-sets & tailor meals to suit different tastes – ideal for fussy eaters
- SPACE SAVING DESIGN: The Space Saving Air Fryer has a smaller footprint than any other 5L Air Fryers available on the market today! Taking up less space, it’s perfect for smaller countertops or storing in tight kitchen cupboards
- 3 YEAR GUARANTEE: Trusted Tower quality with a standard 1 year guarantee & optional 2 year guarantee, subject to product registration online
Quick verdict
The T17166 looks like a sensible shortlist option for someone who usually cooks one main item or a side dish at a time. Its main appeal is the combination of automatic programmes and manual control: you can start with a preset, then take more control as you learn what works for your food.
The biggest buying consideration is the single basket. If your usual dinner involves chicken and chips cooked at different temperatures, think carefully about whether you would prefer two independently controlled drawers.
Best for: Smaller households and buyers who want guided cooking with manual flexibility.
Less suitable for: Anyone regularly preparing several separate meal components at once.
Check the latest price on Amazon UK
Tower T17166 specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | Tower AIRX T17166 |
| Capacity | 5 litres |
| Cooking layout | Single basket |
| Power | 1,500W |
| Controls | Digital touch controls with TFT display |
| Presets | Six |
| Maximum temperature | 200°C |
| Timer | Up to 60 minutes |
| Manual cooking | Yes |
| Colour | Grey |
| Included accessory | Removable crisper grill tray |
| Guarantee | One year, plus a two-year extension subject to online registration |
Specifications: Tower’s T17166 product page.
What does AIRX AI actually do?
Tower says its AIRX system uses a sensor to assess the amount of food and calculate cooking settings after you select the dish. The idea is to reduce how much time you spend choosing a temperature and timer setting.
That could be helpful if you’re new to air frying, but we wouldn’t buy it on the assumption that automatic settings guarantee perfect results. Portion size, food thickness and how tightly you fill the basket still matter.
Treat the automatic programmes as assistance while you get familiar with the appliance. Check your food during cooking and adjust where needed.
Six presets, with manual control when you need it
The six programmes cover fries, chicken wings, prawns, steak, cupcakes and fish. There is also a manual mode for recipes outside that selection. These features are confirmed on the Amazon listing.
For everyday use, manual control is just as valuable as the preset buttons. You may prefer darker chips, cook unusually thick portions or want to follow a recipe with its own settings.
A preset count also isn’t a measure of cooking quality. Six useful programmes can be plenty; the more important question is whether the basket suits what you regularly prepare.
Is a 5L basket big enough?
Our buying recommendation would be to consider this size first for one or two people, or for cooking a shared side dish.
That isn’t a tested serving limit. A basket’s litre capacity doesn’t tell you exactly how many chicken portions will fit comfortably in one layer, or how much food you can add before restricting airflow.
Before buying, picture your usual evening meal. If you mainly want to cook fish, roast vegetables or make chips alongside something on the hob, a single basket can work well. If you want an entire family dinner ready together, you may find yourself cooking in batches.
We wouldn’t promise that a particular whole chicken will fit without checking the usable basket dimensions.
Worktop space: check depth as well as width
Tower describes the T17166 as having a narrow footprint and a longer basket. That layout may suit a kitchen with limited spare worktop width.
However, published retailer measurements are inconsistent about the dimensions and their order. If your space is tight, confirm the measurements with the seller before ordering.
Remember to allow room to pull the drawer out and follow the instruction manual’s ventilation requirements. A convenient storage space isn’t necessarily a suitable place to operate an air fryer.
Cleaning and everyday care
The removable basket and crisper tray make the food-contact parts accessible for cleaning.
Don’t assume they can go in the dishwasher. Currys lists the T17166 as having no dishwasher-safe parts. Follow the supplied manual and use gentle hand washing unless it explicitly says otherwise.
Let everything cool before cleaning, and avoid abrasive pads or metal utensils that could damage the non-stick coating.
Will it save money on electricity?
A smaller cooking chamber can be useful when you would otherwise heat a full oven for a modest portion. However, the saving depends on cooking time, your oven, your electricity tariff and whether you need several batches.
The 1,500W rating alone doesn’t establish a cost per meal. Without measured consumption for this model, we wouldn’t attach a precise running cost or promise that it will pay for itself within a particular period.
Choose the capacity that fits your meals first. An undersized air fryer that needs repeated batches may be less convenient than you expect.
Pros and cons
Pros
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Automatic cooking assistance alongside manual controls.
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Presets for several familiar everyday foods.
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Narrow design worth considering for restricted worktop width.
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Removable basket and crisper tray.
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Extended manufacturer guarantee available through registration.
Cons
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One basket limits flexibility when cooking separate dishes.
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Larger meals may require batches.
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Retailer specifications advise against dishwasher cleaning.
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Cooking performance, noise and long-term durability remain untested here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tower T17166 an AIRX or a Vortx air fryer?
Both names apply. AIRX identifies the range and its cooking assistance, while Vortx refers to Tower’s hot-air circulation technology. Use T17166 to identify this exact model.
Can I set the time and temperature myself?
Yes. Manual mode lets you choose settings instead of relying on one of the six programmes.
Can it cook two foods at different temperatures?
It has one cooking basket, so it cannot provide two independently controlled cooking zones. Foods sharing the basket need compatible settings.
Is the basket dishwasher-safe?
Currys says this model has no dishwasher-safe parts. Check the supplied manual and hand wash unless it explicitly permits dishwasher use.
What guarantee does it include?
Tower advertises one year as standard, with an additional two years subject to online product registration. Check the registration conditions when your appliance arrives.
Final verdict: should you buy the Tower AIRX 5L?
The Tower AIRX 5L T17166 is worth considering if you want a single-basket air fryer with guided programmes and the flexibility to choose your own settings.
Our recommendation is to decide on the basket layout before the AI feature. If you usually cook one item at a time, this format could fit neatly into your routine. If you regularly want a main and a side cooking independently, compare dual-basket models before buying.
