Ninja Double Stack air fryer: two-minute review

The Ninja Double Stack air fryer demonstrates once again that the brand is king of convection cooking, offering blazing cooking speeds in a clever form factor that serves to address the needs of smaller households and keen cooks the world over. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best air fryers I’ve ever used – and I’ve used a fair few at this point. 

Shopping for the perfect air fryer can leave you feeling a bit like Goldilocks, and especially if counter space is at a premium in your kitchen. A two-drawer model like the Instant Vortex 9-quart Air Fryer with VersaZone technology might be perfect for the number of mouths you typically have to feed, but these are typically behemoths. Alternatively, you could opt for one of the best small air fryers, but then these often have a meager, sometimes single-portion only capacity.

It’s been my perennial issue as a single-person household that regularly has guests. My kitchen is fairly compact, so I've been incredibly limited for space when I’ve tested larger models like the Ninja Foodi FlexBasket Dual Air Fryer. That’s why since I learned about the Ninja Double Stack air fryer – styled as the DoubleStack in the US – I’ve been itching to get my hands on it. 

As the name suggests, the Ninja Double Stack air fryer stacks its two cooking drawers stop one another instead of side by side, as we tend to see in dual-basket air fryers. Instead of a top- or front-mounted dashboard, a small panel juts out to the right side of the device, hosting all the functions and controls you’ll need to operate the Double Stack. Plus, Ninja has even thrown in two extra racks, which can be slotted in above the main crisper plate, giving you bonus surface area to cook with – though the grill spacing makes these far better for larger food items. 

Just like other products in the Ninja line, I saw great results from the Double Stack air fryer, from delicious fluffy fries to perfectly crispy chicken and succulent salmon. It should be no surprise, but I was concerned before trying the device that the cooking quality may have been compromised by the new design. Thankfully, there were no cooking compromises that I could detect. The only real down-side is the price, which is on the high side for a dual-basket air fryer – but for those who need to protect their previous counter space, it's well worth the extra cost. Here's my full review.

Ninja Double Stack air fryer review: price & availability

• List price: XL (8.3qt / 9.5L): $229.99 / £269.99 / AU TBC
• Availability: UK and US – Australia TBC

At time of writing, the Ninja Double Stack is available in the UK and US. In its XL 8.3qt / 9.5L capacity, it has a list price of $229.99 / £269.99. Availability and pricing in Australia is TBC. There should also be a standard, 6.7qt / 7.6L model to go alongside the XL model reviewed here, but since the devices were first announced earlier this year, we haven't heard anything about it. 

The Double Stack XL is a fair bit more expensive than comparable double-drawer air fryers like the Instant Vortex 9-quart air fryer, which costs $199.95 / £199.99 / AU$399, but for the price difference, you get an as of writing one-of-a-kind device offering superior performance and maximum air frying potential.

It comes with two non-stick, dishwasher-safe drawers and crisper plates, two stainless steel racks and a recipe guide.

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Ninja Double Stack air fryer specs

Ninja Double Stack air fryer review: design

• Space-efficient design, with two drawers stacked vertically
• Side-mounted dashboard
• Two extra stainless steel racks doubles the cooking space

For anyone with a smaller kitchen or who prefers a more compact setup, the Ninja Double Stack is a revelation. It’s the first air fryer to stack two drawers vertically to optimize counter space, and the inclusion of its two stainless steel racks doubles the surface area available for cooking. The air fryer is available in one colorway; a sophisticated slate gray shell, with ridged silver handles. It’s simple and subtle, and I personally prefer that to the glossy black cladding many air fryers opt for. 

To account for those who might have lower-hanging cabinets, the controls for the Double Stack are mounted to the right of the air fryer, which does add 2in / 5cm to the overall width. However, it’s fairly unobtrusive, and unless you plan on having the right side of the air fryer flush to the wall shouldn’t pose a problem (reminder that you should be leaving at least 5 inches of space around an air fryer if you don’t want to make one of the biggest mistakes of air fryer cooking).

The side panel offers all the usual Ninja air fryer features. There’s a screen at the top which shows the timer for each drawer as well as the temperature setting. Beneath are numbered buttons to individually control each drawer, as well as a list of the six presets for air frying, roasting, max crisp, reheating, baking and dehydrating. Each setting has a light indicator next to it to show which mode is currently selected, and you can tweak the settings using the temperature and time buttons in tandem with the roller dial. Lastly, you’ll find the Double Stack Pro, Sync and Match buttons above the power and stop / start buttons. 

Its two dishwasher-friendly 5qt / 4.75L baskets have individual handles, so you can fully manage each drawer independently. However, if you’re using the two stainless steel trays on top of the base crisper plates, it might be a little more annoying to flip and adjust your food mid-cooking cycle. Ninja has made efforts to ease this slight drawback by adding handles to the trays, making them nice and easy to quickly remove. 

It’s worth noting that the back of the baskets each have a grate with fairly large holes, so it’s not suitable for cooking high volumes of liquid – we recommend against cooking these kinds of dishes in an air fryer instead of one of the best instant pots, regardless, but some users do like to break convention. These holes also mean that if you shake particularly oily, batter-laden or otherwise messy foods, some liquid may splash behind the baskets onto the back of the air fryer. It’s a very small issue judging by my testing so far, so long as you keep on top of cleaning the Double Stack. 

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Ninja Double Stack air fryer review: performance

• Same fantastic performance as other Ninja air fryers
• Perfectly crisp chicken wings and fluffy fries
• Time and effort-saving Sync and Match settings

Before I tested the Ninja Double Stack air fryer, I was a little dubious about how its performance would hold up against other Ninja models I’ve tested. Surely, there would be a compromise to vertically stacking the drawers, otherwise, it would have been done far sooner, right?

Thankfully that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Double Stack. Everything I cooked came out just as good as I’d expected, with perfectly crispy chicken wings without the need for a drop of oil, and gorgeous fluffy fries with the perfect amount of bite. There was a small degree of unevenness; fries towards the back of the basket cooked ever so slightly faster than the front, but it was to such a small degree I don’t think most users would notice.   

The Double Stack offers six cooking modes – Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate, and Reheat – all of which work just as well as in other Ninja air fryers. The different modes all have different temperature and time limits, but the Double Stack can reach temperatures of 450F / 240C and cook for up to an hour. It doesn’t require pre-heating, meaning you can get straight to cooking. 

Food cooked on the stainless steel trays seems to fare just as well, though you do lose the benefit of the crisp trays’ surface area. For some foods, that’s a benefit; you don’t always want foods to cook via contact as well as convection, which was definitely the case for the chicken wings I cooked across both types of trays. 

You’ll also have to think about the overall temperature setting of each basket and put foods with like-for-like cooking times and temperatures in each basket, or open up the trays to add in food later. This can be slightly annoying at times; I had to strategically plan how I cooked four tapas dishes to make sure I’d optimized both the strengths and weaknesses of both types of tray, as well as the cooking times and temperatures of each dish. It’d still opt for this rather than heating up a whole oven, though.

In case you’re new to the world of Ninja air fryers, it’s worth highlighting the Sync and Match cooking modes, which work to ensure your food all comes out at the same time. Simply select your cooking mode, set your time and, if you’re synchronizing the two baskets, select the cooking times for each, and you’re all set.

Unlike other dual-drawer models I’ve tested, including Ninja’s Instant Vortex 9-quart air fryer, there’s virtually no heat leakage between the two trays, which is excellent news if you’re working with very precise foods or just don’t want to waste energy by passively heating two areas when you only need one. 

On the down-side,  you can’t cook larger foods like pizzas or whole chickens in the Double Stack like you can in wider air fryers with larger cooking cavities. It’s the natural trade-off with its smaller footprint, and there are plenty of options that do cater to that need, if that's your priority. While Ninja claims the XL model I tested can feed eight people, I’d say that’s a little ambitious unless you’re padding out the meal with non-air fryer foods too. 

• Performance score: 5 out of 5

Should I buy the Ninja Double Stack air fryer?

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Ninja Double Stack air fryer: alternatives to consider

How I tested the Ninja Double Stack air fryer

• I used the Ninja Double Stack air fryer for two weeks 
• I used it to cook all of my meals, including chicken wings, fries and salmon
• I also tested the different cooking functions

I used the Ninja Double Stack air fryer as my main countertop cooker for two weeks, using it to cook everything from fries to chicken wings, salmon and even cauliflower cheese. I evaluated how each food item cooked across all four trays, using different settings to see how well each function performed. I assessed how succulent meat and fish were after cooking against how well the outside crisped, as well as the evenness of the browning, and how well fries managed to retain their internal fluffiness while still achieving crispy skin. 

In addition to the cooking, I evaluated how easy maintenance was; is it easy to clean the baskets and trays both with and without a dishwasher, are there any extra considerations for cleaning, and how easy is the device to actually operate. 

I’ve been testing air fryers for two years, and in that time I’ve tried everything from premium to affordable, single-serve to full family models. This experience combined with my love of food and cooking help to inform my findings in every review.

The Shark HydroVac Cordless is a multipurpose cleaner that vacuums and mops at the same time. For this review, I tested the UK version, but there are equivalent models in the US and Australia (there are minor differences in specs, but essentially this is the same product):

• UK: Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner WD210UK
• US: Shark HydroVac Pro XL Cordless WD201
• AU: Shark HydroVac Pro XL Cordless 3-In-1 Cleaner WD210ANZ

There are plenty of reasons to admire this product. It’s powerful, and can tackle lots of different types of wet and dry debris on hardwood flooring, as well as freshening up door mats and rugs. This means you can do away with your traditional mop – should you be able to prize yourself away from it – and condense the number of cleaning tools you need. 

It cleans by sucking up the spillage as you push back and forth until the area is left looking clean and smelling fresh. It’s capable of tackling mess such as milky cereal, baked beans and biscuits. It works fast too. We'd expect nothing less from the brand behind many of the best vacuum cleaners on the market. 

It's not quite perfect. It doesn’t come with a crevice attachment, so you’ll need to use the vacuum’s head to get right up to the skirting and into corners, which can sometimes be tricky. And while it has a self-cleaning feature to keep the insides smelling fresh, you will also need to keep on top of the vacuum’s maintenance and clean and dry the dirty water tank and brush roll after every use, which can be a bit of a pain.

Overall, I was very impressed with pick up – both on finer dust and larger wet debris. I also like how easy the vacuum is to store on the charging dock so that it’s conveniently ready when you need it. It gives you a decent 25 minutes of runtime too – all in its handy cordless design. If you're on a tighter budget and don't mind a cable, there's a corded version that's cheaper. 

That's the short version – read on for my full Shark HydroVac Cordless Cleaner review.

Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner review: price & availability

• List price: US$359.99 / £329.99 / AU$399.99
• Launched: 2023
• Available: worldwide

While Shark sells small appliances worldwide. The cordless model I tested is the UK version, which has a list price of £329.99. The US version (WD201) has a list price of $359.99, but at time of writing was discounted to a far-more-affordable $199.99. The Australian version (WD210ANZ) has a list price of AU$399.99.

 If you’re looking to spend a little less and don’t mind a corded model, you can get a corded version in the UK and US. In the UK, this is the WD110UK and costs £279.99, in the US it's the WD161 and costs $249.99. Note that Shark recommends that you replace the filter and brush roll every six months, which is an ongoing cost. 

Two-in-one vacuum cleaner/mops can vary quite a bit in price, with the cheapest starting around £150 / $190 / AU$285 and going up to around £350 / $440 / AU$665. While the Shark HydroVac isn't the cheapest option on the market, the design has a lot of premium features, and I'd say it's good value for money. 

While Shark offers discounts at peak sale times throughout the year including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, at the time of writing the product is being sold at full price.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark HydroVac Cordless cleaner specs

Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner review: design

• LED headlights illuminate hidden debris
• Ample 500ml water tank
• Stylish charcoal grey design plus compact charging dock

The Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner WD210UK has a stylish charcoal grey finish and sleek body. The body is relatively light at 3.95kg, and the design includes an antimicrobial brush roll and a 500ml water tank.

Although you can't wall-hang this device, it does come with a docking station where the cleaner sits neatly when not in use. It’s the size of a standard cordless vacuum, so while it won't take up too much room, it helps if you have a large room or separate utility area to store it.

What I instantly liked about the two-in-one cleaner is how easy it is to get set up. Attach the body to the head by following the simple instructions provided. When it's ready to go, fill the tank with water and add some of the cleaning solution provided. The LED control panel on the cleaner is simple to read and provides info on battery life and cleaning solution levels.

This cleaner is designed for use on both wet and dry messes, and a variety of floor types. You start it up simply by leaning the handle of the device back.

There are two modes. In hard floor cleaning mode, it'll vacuum when you're pushing forwards and wash when you pull back. The device automatically starts in this mode when you turn it on. You can also switch to a freshen mode using the button at the top of the handle. In this mode, it seems to mop lightly in both directions. There's a self-cleaning mode that you can activate by pressing the start button once the device is on its stand. You’ll need to supplement this with your own cleaning, however – I'll get into that more in the Performance section.

When the device starts, LED headlights illuminate to help you see hidden debris as you vacuum.

It’s worth noting that while the Shark HydroVac Cleaner can be used on low-pile carpets rugs, the brush roll won't work on plush/thick long pile. If you’re after a cleaner for a thicker carpet, you’re better off taking a look at the Shark CarpetXpert Deep Carpet Cleaner EX150UK.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark HydroVac Cordless floor cleaner review: performance

• Effective cleaning on sealed hard floors
• Quite noisy in use
• Lightweight and easy to move about

If you’ve ever tested a cordless vacuum cleaner, you know how bulky they can sometimes feel. But I found this design reasonably lightweight and well balanced. It's easy to drive around the floor – both on hard flooring, mats and rugs. The head of the vacuum is wide enough to make good progress in just a few strokes, but not overly chunky.

There are LED headlights on the main brush head that help to light the way. While this isn’t overly helpful during the day, these do make it easier to see what you’re vacuuming and mopping when dusk falls and the room lights are low.  

On a full charge, it ran for 25 minutes, which was long enough for me to do a refresh of my hallway, dining room, living room and kitchen before needing to refill the water and pop it back on the charger.

In hard floor cleaning mode, the simple push-pull action is a joy to use, and perfect on the days that I simply needed to quickly pep up my dusty dark walnut hardwood flooring. I found it also worked well on tougher messes – for example when the kids had brought mud into the hallway, or spilt cereal under the kitchen breakfast table (Cheerios are the bane of my life!).

The HydroVac also managed to clean up baked beans on vinyl flooring within seconds, as well as sucking up digestive biscuit crumbs with ease, and always leaving a fresh smelling surface behind. The suction is powerful and I was impressed with just how quickly it got to work.

I also tried refresh mode on a doormat and my Persian carpet. I was a little apprehensive as I've tried wet-dry cleaners in the past that have left my carpet sodden wet. Luckily, the HydroVac didn’t leave too much residue behind. While it’s hard to tell whether it makes any real difference when freshening mats and carpets, I think the fact that it leaves behind a trace of multi-surface cleaning solution with odour neutraliser reassuring.

On the down-side, I found the Shark HydroVac could get quite noisy – ramping up to 83.1 decibels in use and really packing a punch for a minute or so when it’s in self-cleaning mode. Comparatively, I measured my Dyson V15 Detect Absolute at 76.4 decibels.

Maintenance

The HydroVac has a self-cleaning mode, which can be activated when it's back on its charging base. This helps freshen up the inside mechanisms and cleans the brush roll. That's useful because the antimicrobial brush roll can take a bit of a battering, depending on what you’re cleaning. Straight after cleaning up beans and biscuits it was looking rather dirty, for example.

That said, you will need to then empty the dirty water tank and also leave the brush roll out to dry for up to 24 hours before using it again. If you forget to empty the tank after use, the dirty water tank will start to smell as I found out on one occasion..

However, you'll also have to do your own maintenance work. After every use, I had to empty the dirty water tank and take off the brush roll (often clogged up with food or hair) to clean myself and leave it out to dry. While this is relatively easy, it is something to bear in mind if you think that the self-cleaning mode here does it all.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy a Shark HydroVac Cordless?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner

I used the Shark Hydrovac in my home for six weeks. In my home, walnut hardwood flooring runs through the hall to the dining room and living area and it’s prone to looking dusty if not cleaned regularly. I used the Shark Hydrovac to clean the floor daily. I also used it on the vinyl tiles in the kitchen and upstairs in the bedroom where we have laminate hardwood flooring.

I tested how well it did on targeted areas and scattered a section of the room with large oats – to mimic large debris – and a mixture of flour and crushed biscuits – to mimic finer dust. I was keen to see how quickly and effectively it could clean up the area. I also used it to clear up a baked beans spillage on the vinyl flooring in my kitchen and measured the noise levels of the vacuum using the Decibel Meter App on my iPhone. Finally, I also used it in freshen mode to clean the small carpets and doormats throughout the ground floor of my home.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: May 2024

Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum: two-minute review

While I wouldn’t put the Samsung Jet 85 Pet in my top five list of cordless stick vacuum cleaners, it’s still a very competent performer, especially on hard floors. It’s easy to select a specific power band to suit the task in hand – though I question why anyone would want to use the eponymous 'Jet' mode, which seems too powerful for most cleaning scenarios. I missed having some headlights attached to the brush head – these appear on some of the best cordless vacuum cleaners and I think they can be really useful when cleaning in darker areas. But on the plus side, this model comes with one of the best mini motorised pet hair brush heads in the business – easily up there with Dyson’s equivalent. 

I found the Jet’s styling is quite bland for the high asking price, but was pretty impressed by its overall lightness and comfort in the hand. In fact, I think you could vacuum for quite some time with this model before feeling much fatigue in the wrist and lower arm. It steers around the home exceptionally well, which is a good thing for those with a lot of furniture and standing ornaments. If ergonomic comfort is a priority and you have a lot of hairy pets, the Samsung Jet 85 could be the best vacuum cleaner for you. However, there are a few better options out there if you're looking for more of an all-rounder.

Samsung Jet 85 Pet review: price & availability

• How much does it cost? RRP £479
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the UK

Samsung doesn’t list the Jet 85 range on its US website – instead it flits from the Jet 75 to the Jet 90. Nevertheless, according to the specs, the US-specific Jet 75 is nearest in performance terms to the Jet 85 on review here.

The Samsung Jet 85 Pet is priced in the upper tier of cordless vacs – it’s more expensive to buy than a similar Shark Stratos, but about £120 less than the much more sophisticated Dyson V15 Detect.

In the UK, you can buy the Samsung Jet 85 Pet directly from Samsung for £479, Amazon, where it’s shifting for a knockdown £299 or John Lewis & Partners and Argos.

• Value for money score: 3 out of 5

Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner specs

Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner review: design

• Light in the hand
• Ergonomic handle
• Four power bands

The Samsung Jet 85 Pet is available in two configurations. There's the Pet-specific model I'm reviewing here, which comes with a single motorised brush head for both hard floors and carpet. Alternatively, there's the Complete variant, which comes with two main motorised brush heads : one for hard floors, the other for carpet.

When it comes to overall design, the Samsung Jet 85 Pet can’t compete with the likes of Roidmi, Tineco and Dyson, all of which consistently push the boat out with their shiny, colourful, high-quality plastics and attractive sci-fi style infotainment interfaces.

By contrast, this model is rather dull looking and the seemingly robust plastics feel a bit on the cheap side. Nevertheless, most users aren’t interested in how flash-looking or tech-laden their home devices are, and would prefer a machine that gets the task in hand done.

Let’s start at the top of the machine. Unlike, say, the Dyson V15 and Gen5, the Jet 85’s control, battery and dustbin module is thoughtfully designed to provide great comfort in the hand with no protruding parts in the way. It also features a clear black-and-white LCD screen and a simple on/off power switch with plus and minus signs for tapping through the four power bands – Min, Mid, Max and Jet.

The bin section is a very simple affair and nothing like as innovative as Dyson’s lever-operated hatch or Gtech’s brilliant slide-and-release bin barrel. Instead, the Jet’s 0.8-litre cylinder simply unclips and is emptied by unscrewing the top and tipping its contents into the kitchen dustbin. Since the container has a very smooth interior, all detritus drops out with no need to use any fingers to dig out clumps of pet hair. 

The Jet 85’s filtration system comprises five steps, from the main washable cyclone through to a fine dust filter and washable micro filter. This system is said to 'trap 99.999% of dust’. Mind, as is the case with all bagless vacs, it’s best to steer clear of fire ash and fine sawdust or the motor could be damaged. If regular fireplace cleaning is your wont, consider a bagged hand-vac like the little Gtech ProLite.

According to the stats, the Jet 85’s HexaJet Motor develops 210W of suction oomph though all you need to know is that it’s plenty powerful enough for all household tasks. In fact, the suction power in Jet mode is so strong you’ll hardly find any use for it.

Heading to the battery, this model ships with a single removable 2200mA battery that produces a decent-enough running time of 44 minutes when used with the motorised brush head in Min power mode (you can read more about battery life in the Performance section).

Moving down the chunky aluminium suction tube, this Pet model comes with just one main brush head, equipped with a motorised roller comprising two bristle brushes and a rubberised carpet beater, while just in front of it is a 1cm mini cloth roller for snatching larger debris. Sadly there is no LED headlight on the front, which is a bit of an oversight given the usefulness of lighting when cleaning in dark areas, like under the sofa. On the plus side, the head steers superbly well and articulates to a very decent angle. However it’s still no match for the Dyson Gen5’s near 90-degree steering angle.

Like the majority of cordless stick vacs, this model won’t stand up on its own, which means storing it in its wall-mounted stand-cum-charger. The stand itself is a bit fiddly and it might take you quite a few seconds to locate the recessed input for the supplied charging plug.

Like all stick vacs, the Jet 85 easily transforms into a handheld device for detailed cleaning. Aside from the main brush head, it ships with an excellent mini motorised pet bed/sofa brush, a combination tool, a crevice tool and a bendy adapter that helps get the hand tools into the tightest of spots.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner review: performance

• Excellent manoeuvrability
• Not the best carpet performance
• ... but perfect for hard floors

When it comes to using a stick vacuum on carpet, it’s more about brush design and airflow than outright suction power. In fact, the more power applied to the brush head on carpet, the harder it is to push the vacuum – any vac in fact. And you can forget about using anything higher than the lowest setting when on deep pile, because no vacuum cleaner with a motorised brush can handle that without the brush grinding to a halt.

A prime example of brush design and air flow versus suction is the excellent Gtech AirRam 2. This upright model doesn’t appear to have anything like the suction of this model or the Dyson Gen5, but its brush design and really short airway channel have the ability to fill the Gtech’s bin with dog hair in just over a minute, and for a fraction of the cost of a Dyson.

Consequently, on medium-pile carpet, the Samsung Jet 85 was competent enough but not a patch on either the Gen5 or AirRam 2 when it came to sheer lifting power. Nevertheless, using its sole motorised brush roller the Samsung did well in our biscuit crumbs and flour test on medium-pile carpet when used in Min mode. It took just one forward pass to eradicate all traces of biscuit, but I did have to perform a few extra passes in the higher Mid mode to rid the carpet of flour.

When it came to the hard floor test using biscuit crumbs and flour in Min mode, the Jet 85 sucked up half of the detritus but pushed the remaining crumbs forward so I changed it to Mid power and it completely sucked up the rest without a hiccup. Thankfully, the oats test on both hard floor and carpet was a resounding success, even in Minimum mode.

I then tried the ultimate test for any vac – Crunchy Nut cornflakes. This obstreperous substance catches out most stick vacs on hard floors and the Jet 85 was no exception. It not only pushed the entire lot forward but it scattered a few too. In fact, the only way I was able to collect the flakes was by selecting Max mode and pulling the vac backwards with its floor head at a slight downward angle. 

The reason this vac was unable to collect the flakes on the hard floor is pretty obvious – there’s a small 2cm towelling roller in front of the brush head that sits flush to the floor. This mini roller is great for snagging smaller detritus like oat flakes on hard floors, but because there’s no gap at all between the front of the unit and the slippery floor, there’s no way it could ever snatch larger items. For comparison I reached for my two trusty yard-stick vacs – the Gtech AirRam 2 and Dyson Gen5. The Gtech also pushed most of the flakes forward but it was still able to collect most of them when I continued in a forward direction. As for the Dyson Gen5 – both the hard floor and carpet heads sucked every last flake up with one short forward sweep.

When used on a medium-pile rug full of Labrador hair, the Jet seemed to push the hair forward into a tangled bundle without collecting it, so I had to perform a reverse and quick forward sweep action to solve the issue. Not ideal, it must be said, but not the end of the world either. 

I also had a small issue with my thin Indian rug which is notorious for stopping some motorised rollers in their tracks. True to form, the rug proved a bit too much of a battle for the Jet 85 – it ground to a halt when pushed in a lengthways direction, although managed just fine when used widthways. I should add that, while tricky to push, both the Dyson and Gtech have been pretty good on this rug. 

I’ve been mostly impressed with the Jet 85’s running times in all four power modes. In Min mode it continued for a respectable 44 minutes while Mid mode gave me 21 minutes of vacuuming. As expected, Max mode chewed more battery but provided 11 minutes worth of vacuuming. However, Jet mode, the vacuum's most powerful setting, produced just seven minutes of hardcore vacuuming. To be honest I can’t see many occasions where you’d ever need to use Jet mode unless, perhaps, using the crevice tool to suck up cigarette ash from the side of a car seat. 

Thankfully this vac is fairly quiet so it shouldn’t disturb the neighbourhood. Min mode recorded 68.5dB, Max was 76.2dB and Jet was naturally loudest at a considerable 81.7dB.

As mentioned above, this pet-specific model ships with a motorised pet brush and it’s an exceptional performer on dog beds, car seats and sofas, removing most evidence of pet hair in a thrice. Very impressive.

Although the bin emptying system isn’t as sophisticated as a Dyson or for that matter the Gtech AirRam 2, it’s easy enough to remove its 0.8-litre dust container, unscrew the top and empty its contents into the bin, with no need to extricate clumps of remaining hair with the fingers. It was also exceptionally easy to clean the interior and filter housing. However, it was a bit tricky trying to fit the container back onto the unit.

For me, the highlights of this unit are its handle design, manoeuvrability and overall lightness. It feels much more comfortable in the hand than any Dyson, mostly because the handle is right at the back with no filter housings getting in the way. No, it’s not as comfortable to use as a Roidmi vac with its stylishly curved handle but it’s better than many other stick vacs of this nature. I also liked the way the Jet steered around with relative ease, making it easy to vacuum in really tight spaces. Above all, I instantly noticed how light it felt and was quite surprised that when I weighed the whole shebang, it clocked in at a rather weighty 4.1 kilos. And yet when you use it, it feels light enough in the hand to go on vacuuming till the cows come home.

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner?

Buy it if...

• View Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner at Samsung

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Samsung Jet 85 Pet

I tested the Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner on a variety of surfaces, including deep- and medium-pile carpet, a thin rug, and hard wooden floors, trying all the different modes and attachments. I also ran TechRadar's usual suction tests, seeing how effectively it picked up flour, oats, biscuit crumbs, and cereal. Because it's a pet vacuum, I focused also on how well it coped with my dog's hair. I recorded how long the Jet 85 lasted on a single charge in each mode. I compared all my findings against other vacuum cleaners I've reviewed (of which there are many!) to see how it stacks up in the wider market, and if it represents good value for money. 

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• First reviewed: May 2024

Yes, technically it's just Nutella on toast – and as easy and simple to make – but having the little pocket of melted chocolate inside and the fact you can serve them as handheld snacks seriously elevates it. It further proves just how versatile the best air fryers are, too.

Below, I show how to make air fryer Nutella toast pies whether it's for movie night, breakfast, dessert or any time you want a comforting treat.   

Air fryer Nutella toast pies

The air fryer Nutella toast pies recipe I have followed is from @fitwaffle – aka Eloise Head – via her TikTok channel. It's been watched by 47 million people, and counting.

@fitwaffle

♬ Cupid – Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) – Sped Up Version - sped up 8282

Air fryer Nutella toast pies: ingredients

• Bread slices 
• Nutella
• 1 egg (beaten) 
• Powdered sugar (optional)

To make air fryer Nutella toast pies you will need the following:

• Air fryer – I used the Tower Vortx 9 Litre Duo Capacity Basket Air Fryer with Smart Finish
• Fork
• Egg wash brush 

Air fryer Nutella toast pies: method

Step 1: Cut the crusts off each slice of bread.  

Step 2: Using your knuckle, gently press the middle of the bread to create a small square.

Step 3: Add a spoonful of Nutella to each square, and brush the edges with egg wash.

Step 4:  Fold each slice in half to create pockets. 

Step 5: Using the back of the fork, seal the edges and brush egg wash over the top of each pocket. 

Step 6: Place the pockets in the air fryer at 356°F / 180°C for 5 minutes.  

Step 7: Drizzle melted Nutella over each pocket, dust with powdered sugar and serve. 

Air fryer Nutella toast pies: verdict

If you're after a warming, comforting treat at any time of day, you can't go wrong with these Nutella toast pies. They're quick and easy to make, and taste delicious. The only problem you'll have is trying not to eat all of the pies at once.  

If you're still sitting on the fence and wondering whether to buy an air fryer, you may want to read our article to decide whether air fryers are worth it? 

Air fryer deals

If you're yet to take the plunge and buy yourself an air fryer, or are looking to upgrade, check out our top-rated air fryers below, all available to buy now for the best prices.

MacRumors reported that when the virtual assistant receives the voice command “What time is it?” Siri failed to answer, and directed people to their paired iPhone, with the response: "I found some web results, I can show them if you ask again from your ‌iPhone‌." 

The publication then reported that Apple appears to have fixed the issue, but Siri still can’t answer similar questions such as “Can you tell me the time?” and “What’s the time?” 

We’ve not encountered such issues ourselves, but HomePod-based Siris (or should that be Sirai?) have reportedly been stumbling over other commands, like being asked to turn off smart lights in a particular room. Such bugs and virtual-assistant slip-ups aren’t uncommon, but this report further cements the idea that Siri isn’t the smartest assistant in the virtual box. 

Silly Siri needs some clever chops 

While I use an iPhone 15 Pro Max, I almost never use SIri, preferring to bark commands or queries at the Google Assistant in my Nest Hub and other smart devices. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

This fact, and now these time-telling troubles, tell me that it’s time Siri got a real upgrade in smarts. Sure, Apple products and software are pretty slick, but the folks at Cupertino appear to have been dragging their heels when it comes to making clever virtual assistants and adopting generative AI.

I’m not super-keen for Apple to go the Google route and make generative AI front and center to its devices, as the search giant did with its Google Pixel 8 series; I’d rather go for natural-looking photos than ones that have been heavily manipulated by clever algorithm. But I do feel that Siri isn't fit for purpose right now, and a little more seamless integration of AI into Apple’s various software platforms could be a boon to users, without raising fears of a robotic uprising.

With new iPads likely to be just around the corner at Apple’s Let Loose event on May 7, and WWDC 2024 coming not long after, we should get a glimpse at what Apple plans to do with generative AI, and what type of smart tools could be integrated into the likes of macOS, iOS, and the rumored iPhone 16.

The silver lining to all this, at least in my mind, is that when Apple does turn its hand to a segment of the technology world it’s a little late arriving to, it tends to do a very good job of integrating said tech into its devices and platforms. So my hope is that Apple will make smart use of generative AI so that it's genuinely useful to future iPhone users, rather than a gimmick to tout how smart algorithms can be.

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Please note that this deal is exclusively for eBay Plus members as part of eBay Plus Weekend. If you’re not yet a member, you can currently sign up for AU$10 for an entire year (usually AU$4.99 per month) by visiting eBay Australia. 

The original Supersonic wasn’t cheap when it first launched, but fortunately Dyson released a secondary model, known as the Supersonic Origin. The main difference between the Dyson Supersonic and the Supersonic Origin is that the latter comes with fewer attachments to style your hair. But if you’re happy to forego the extra nozzles, you can save yourself a lot of money. 

The Supersonic Origin is only available in the black / nickel colourway on Dyson’s eBay store, which some may think looks a little plain when compared to the more colourful Supersonic, but we think the low price trumps it. Plus, you also get a two-year Dyson guarantee included. 

If you would prefer the original Supersonic, that too is on the receiving end of a $50 discount at Dyson’s eBay store bringing it down to AU$599. You’ll just need to remember to enter the code PLUSW100 at checkout. 

• For more great deals on Dyson products, check out the latest Dyson promo codes or for more eBay discounts, check out the latest eBay Australia voucher codes

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Simply boot up your Homey app, tap the plus icon in the top right corner of the My Home tab, and tap New Mood. You can then select the lights you want to include, set the ambience you prefer by altering the color and brightness of your smart bulbs, and then save your custom setup. Alternatively, you can select one of Homey’s many preset Moods if you aren’t sure where to start.

Moods have gone live today for both the Free and Premium Homey service, as well as Homey Pro (2023 model) with the Homey Pro v11.0 and the Homey app v8.2 updates.

If you own an older Homey Pro hub then you won’t be left out forever, as Homey has said that the option to unlock Moods will be arriving later this year for a one-time purchase of €10 (around $10 / £9).

Isn't this already a thing?

We know what you’re thinking – this kind of mood lighting control has been a common feature for smart lights for a while, so why is Homey’s announcement important? Well, the advantage of Homey’s version of the feature is you can sync up your mood settings across different smart bulb brands with one command. 

Let's say your living room is kitted out with a mixture of Philips Hue, Nanoleaf and Govee lights – all of which feature on our best smart lights guide. Rather than having to manually set the bulbs in their individual apps (or with three separate voice commands) you can simply use your Homey hub to set everything at once.

Those of you with a lot of smart home tech can take things one step further with a Flow which would incorporate a wider array of devices. One example Homey gives in its press release is “Movie Time,” this Mood may not only dim your living room’s lights, but automatically close your curtains and switch your TV on.

This kind of improved third-party hub controls make it easier to justify not sticking with one smart home brand just because that's the first product you bought. You can pick up the smart gadgets that best suit your needs and not have to worry about losing out on synergy because you’ve decided to mix and match.

In our eyes, that's a big win, and we hope that Homey's service only continues to improve in the future.

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Except now they can. Global tech brand Beatbot has gone full Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and made a robot cleaner designed for your swimming pool. The AquaSense swims around and sucks up dirt, leaves and other debris, so you don't need to mess around scooping it up manually. 

Just like your regular indoor robot vacuum cleaner, it'll map the area it needs to clean – but here it's a bit more impressive, because it's a 3D space. It'll scrub the pool floor, then scale the walls like an aquatic Spider-Man. If you opt for the 'Pro' version, it'll even bob along the water surface and scoop up any debris floating there, too.

The internal tech uses AI and smart sensors to create a route across the pool floor, as well as up and down the walls and across the water's surface, with obstacle avoidance to ensure it can navigate effectively around your inflatable flamingo (or similar flotation aid of choice). This smart bot also distributes water-clarifying agents as it goes. Once it's done, it'll park up ready to be retrieved – either on the wall at the waterline (regular version) or on the water surface (Pro version).

Sure, keeping a pool clean isn't an issue that everyone has to worry about, but if you do, this sure does seem like a minimum-effort solution. And although it's certainly not cheap, it's not as expensive as you might expect for a swimming robovac – at ticket price the standard version costs $1,299 – and if you head to Amazon US, there's $200 off now. (It's currently only seems to be available in the US, but that works out at around £1,040 in the UK or AU$2,000 in Australia.) That's only slightly more than the Dyson 360 VisNav, and that guy can't even doggy paddle.

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According to a Ring representative, you can control how the motor turns via the official app. Ring believes the indoor cam is a great pick for business owners who want to see multiple angles from one location, and for people who want to keep tabs on their pets.

It also sports several features seen on other Ring models (and competing devices like Psync Camera Genie S). Whenever the Pan-Tilt camera detects someone moving in front of the lens, it’ll notify you through your smartphone via real-time motion alerts. Owners can then talk to the other person (or yell at their dog to get off the couch) thanks to Two-Way Talk since the device houses a built-in microphone and speaker for communication. Additionally, you can minimize the live video feed through Picture-in-Picture mode so you can watch while you browse the internet on your phone.

Covering your blind spots

Ring technically has a motorized camera already available. The Stick Up Cam Battery can be equipped with a special Pan-Tilt mount giving similar panoramic capabilities although this new model stands out in multiple ways.  For starters, it has a wider range of motion; the mount can only move up to 117 degrees vertically. Second, the Pan-Tilt camera has a privacy shutter. Flipping it closed automatically disables video recording and audio connectivity. You can also tweak the device’s privacy settings through the Ring app.

When asked about other notable features, Ring's representative confirmed that the Pan-Tilt cam supports color night vision and needs to be connected to an outlet. It doesn't allow battery packs. The overall package includes a 10-foot-long USB-A to USB-C Power Cable with an accompanying adapter.

Subscribing to a Ring Protect plan unlocks extra features such as Multi-Cam Live View. This lets you watch up to four different Live View streams from other Ring cameras on your smartphone or tablet.

Pre-orders for the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam are currently live in the US with a $79.99 price tag on Ring’s official website and Amazon. The shipping date for the device differs on whatever color you get. Your standard Black and White models will begin shipping out on May 30. But deliveries for the Starlight white, Charcoal gray, and Blush pink options won’t start until June 12.

For those in the UK and Australia, the Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera will be available to buy for £69.99 / AU$129 from May 31. If you're interested in other options, check out TechRadar's list of the best home security cameras for 2024.

Update 5-1-2024: A company representative told us three of the color options (Starlight white, Charcoal gray, and Blush pink) will not be available on June 12; however they didn't give us an exact date. All they told us is that the other three "will be available soon."

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• See all Philips Hue deals at Amazon UK

The best value bundle and a great buy if you want to dip your toe into the world of smart lights is this Philips Hue Bulbs (2-Pack) + Philips Hue Bridge for £79.99 (was £144.98). Not only does this bundle sit at a record-low price, but it comes with a pair of white and colour bulbs, plus the Bridge that you need to connect them to so you can customise your lights through the Hue app. You can also sync them with other smart home devices that use Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

If it's LED strips you're after, then you might want to consider this Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus v4 + Philips Hue Bridge at Amazon for £92.99 (was £116.45). This bundle has been £10 cheaper before, but this is the lowest price since Black Friday for the colourful and flexible smart lighting option. You get 2m of lights, adhesive tape to secure it to any surface, and a connector should you wish to cut the strip down to a smaller size and reuse the excess elsewhere.

Check out more info on these two options below, as well as other Philips Hue lights on sale such as standing lights and extension kits.

Today's best Philips Hue deals at Amazon

If you want to read more before you hit that buy button then check out our very positive Philips Hue review that praised the ease of use, great customisation options and handy app experience. I've also dropped a few more of today's best smart light deals below so you can compare them to everything available now.