Review: Xiaomi Smart Air Fryer 6.5L

I’ve been testing the Xiaomi Mi Smart Air Fryer 6.5L for a month now. As most of you know, I swear by air fryers because they cook much quicker and don’t need preheating thus use less electricity. It’s such an energy efficient appliance, what’s not to love?

I have reviewed a bunch of air fryers already such as the Philips, Instant Vortex and Defy, which you can find on Recharged. Each has its own merit but it comes down price, size and brand preference for many.

The Mi Smart Air Fryer 6.5L is currently the largest capacity you can get from Xiaomi. It is suitable to air fry, bake, make yoghurt or dried fruit, and can defrost and ferment. My review unit was supplied by Syntech.

Xiaomi Smart Air Fryer Quick Look

• 1800W output with a 6.5L capacity
• 360° convection heating
• Pairs with Mi Home App
• Has a 40-220°C temperature range
• Has 24 hour scheduling feature
• Price: R3 300 (Superbalist)

What’s in the box

Inside the box, you get the Mi Smart Airfryer 6.5L, which only comes in white, 1x main tray, 1x grill rack and the user manual. It uses 1800W of power at its maximum, so if you have a 2000W portable power station, you can plug it into it. As mentioned, the size is 6.5L which is large, and when you place the grill rack over the tray, you can load it in two layers.

The basket dimensions are 22.6 x 22.6 x 13.5cm, while the exterior is 38.9 x 28.7 x 31.7cm, which is medium sized, compared to large airfryers. Its net weight is 5.4kgs.

I like that it has a square, boxy look. It also looks neat on a counter top and can be placed in a corner when not in use.

Setting up the Mi Smart Air Fryer

The air fryer is easy to set up. I already have an account on the Mi Home app, however if you’ve never used it before, you will need to create a user account to get the best use out o it.

On the Mi app, you can link all Xiaomi smart devices from the same ecosystem. I already have a bunch like cameras, an electric scooter, toothbrush, cat water fountain, robot vacuum and a rice cooker paired to mine.

This is a “smart” air fryer, which means it uses WiFi and pairs to your smartphone on the Mi Home app, and it can receive firmware updates.

The air fryer has one round dial on it and a power button above. The dial shows you text and you can scroll through it after you open the Mi App.

Using the Mi App

The Mi app is easy to use. You can easily see what’s paired via the home screen with large icons and go into the device you want to use. You can also change the name of your device to something custom, assign it to a room, update the firmware, add any automations, etc.

You can view recipes if you want inspiration but I’ve not used them as I just integrated the air fryer into my existing routine.

Under the Device setting on the app, you will see the predefined options for cooking. They include: French fries, chicken wings, steak, lamb chops, fish, shrimp, vegetables, cake, pizza, defrost, dried fruit, yoghurt and manual mode. It seems minor but I would have preferred a chicken setting instead of wings, though the first thing I put into it was chicken wings!

Manual mode will let you add your own temperature and time, and you can also decide if you want it to be kept warm. This is a default setting, which keeps everything warm unless you turn it off. I turn it off because I don’t want to use electricity unnessessarily but we also eat immediately after preparing.

I also like that it has a schedule start, so you can keep everything ready in the basket and choose a time for it to start, like if you are busy with another task or tuned into a video meeting, etc.

Cooking with the Mi Smart Air Fryer

As mentioned, I cooked chicken wings for the first time, which I loved the result of, but more below. I also want to point out, there was a strong plastic smell the first time I used it, but only the first time, Thereafter there was no smell.

I’ve used it for a lot of stuff: chicken thighs, baked potatoes, chops, fish, sausages, patties, and then to bake and defrost. The one thing that stands out for cooking is how crispy the results are.

And this is thanks to the app. Example, when you go into the chicken wings setting, you choose if it’s loaded single or double layer, and then you can choose a mode: crispy grill or degrease. You can also choose your own cook time and temperature from the preset. I also opened the basket and shook the wings halfway. Do this at your discretion.

You can also save custom settings and name it what you want, so burgers for patties using your preferred temperature, time and the keep warm function. However, the custom settings doesn’t let you choose crisp mode and layers – I think it’s totally fine to go into a mode, like the chicken wings, and tweak it to your temp and time to use it with.

For the stuff you prepare and load a double layer – grill rack and bottom tray, you need to realise for obvious reasons the top layer will be crispier than bottom. With my wings, I removed the top and let the bottom layer cook for an additional 3 minutes to brown. Just apply some logic based on how you want it to come out. You just need to monitor the level of crispiness and keep it in longer if need be, or give it a shake like for fries.

It also bakes really well, just like an oven. I’ve baked before in my airfryers and you just follow the “cake” setting, which you can go in a tweak. I used a Woolies chocolate cake premix (my favourite chocolate cake), and baked it as per the instructions of 170°C for 20 minutes for the cupcake sizes. I used the other half of the batter in a square airfryer pan size and cooked it for 25 minutes. You can use your discretion based on size when choosing the time.

I don’t typically buy meat and freeze it but managed to test the defrost with pieces of ostrich fillet. I paced a frozen steak into it and it thawed evenly in 20 minutes on 40°C. This is the default setting I used on the app. I was amazed at how soft it was in 20 minutes, and not half frozen.

I wanted to try making yoghurt and fermenting but it takes 12 hours and there was no way I was keeping it on for that long. As a household, I try to use less electricity where I can so unfortunately I couldn’t test this, but if we’re being real, most people are not using their airfryer for this.

I did get queries about the airfryer from my food instagram account. Regarding the Teflon, I have not had issues, it is not flaking and I understand it needs to reach a certain temperature to be toxic (260°C), which air fryers do not have the capability to do so. You can also read more via CNET from an article in September 2024 for peace of mind.

If you also use the right utensils and don’t scratch it, it should be okay. If you are paranoid, you can buy the brown disposable paper liners from your supermarket. I use it for fish and little snacks.

Final thoughts

Overall, I am impressed with the Xiaomi Smart Air Fryer and how crispy it cooks the food. It is a great option for those with limited counter top space but has a double layer for cooking, so it’s really optimising space.

It only comes in white, so something to keep in mind for your aesthetic, which should suit most white kitchens. It has a clean, minimalist design that looks good.

At 6.5L, I would say it is ideal for a couple and perhaps a small family with 2 young kids. It may feel small for a family of six.

Another point to reiterate, if you are building a smart home and already have Xiaomi smart products, this is a no-brainer. If you want to schedule your cooking if you get busy, it perfect for that.

It does have support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa but having used a connected airfryer before, it is easier to use it traditionally, without voice commands.

However, when it comes to smart appliances, there is always a risk of not knowing how your data is being used. I’ve always advised to create a household email address for smart devices, and not tie it to your personal email accounts.