Breville Halo Air review: a spacious and speedy air fryer

I have always been a bit of an air fryer sceptic, so when I got the opportunity to test the Breville Halo Air, I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype. After testing the Halo for a number of weeks, it is safe to say I am a convert. 

It has an easy to use control panel, fits neatly on a countertop and I was particularly impressed with how evenly everything came out. With 5 pre-set modes, plus an easy -to-use manual setting, the Halo was able to do everything I wanted it to. It has a sleek appearance and is reasonably priced when compared to many of the best air fryers, especially considering its power and versatility. Overall, I think it meets the needs of most smaller households and provides a convenient method of preparing a diverse range of dishes. 

To put the Breville Halo to the test, I made, among other things, sponge cakes, chicken shawarma, fries, and fish, so that I could try its full range of functions.

 Breville Halo Air specs

• Weight: 7.52kg 
• Power: 1700W
• Dimensions: 16.8 x 15.4 x 13.3 inches
• Cooking Functions: air fry, roast, grill & bake
• Additional Functions: auto-shut off with alert
• Capacity: 5.5 litres
• RRP: £88
• Colour: black 
• Cleaning: dishwasher safe fry basket & divider 

First impressions

The combination of matte and gloss black give the Breville Halo a very high-quality first impression. The control panel is very pleasing, with touch screen buttons that light up when the Halo is turned on. The depth and shape means that it fits neatly on the countertop, even if your space is limited.

There is a divider included with the air fryer which effectively separates the basket into two halves. While both sides will be cooked at the same settings, it is good for those dishes where you are catering to fussy easers who may want the elements of the meal separated. 

The drawer is smooth and easy to manoeuvre in and out. The handle has a covered release button which makes removing the basket from the drawer simple and allows you to tip out the contents of the baskets easily. There is no viewing window, which means if you want to check on your food, you do have to open the drawer and pause the cooking. However, the timer will immediately start again once the drawer is closed so it requires very little effort on your part. 

Making cake in the Breville Halo Air

I really wanted to put this airfryer to the test, so I baked some individual lemon and blueberry sponges. It required a bit of adjusting temperatures and times, however the Halo controls are incredibly user friendly which made that very easy to do. 

The cakes rose evenly, had a lovely golden brown top and a nice fluffy texture. The whole process, from making the batter to cooking the sponges only took about half an hour, which I was very impressed with, especially as the ramekins I used for the cake were quite deep. When it’s turned on, the Halo isn’t too loud, and once it has alerted you to the finished cycle, it automatically switches off which I really liked as a feature. 

Cooking frozen food

Like many other air fryers, one of the clear benefits of the Halo is that it cooks food from fresh and frozen much quicker than a conventional oven. I cooked some spring rolls, wontons, and prawn toasts in there, which only took 6 minutes as opposed to the 15 suggested on the packaging. 

This meant that the fillings were perfectly cooked, as opposed to slightly overdone which can often happen in the oven.

I also used the Halo to cook some fish fillets from frozen. They cooked perfectly in 15 minutes, and because of the 360° air circulation they were evenly crisp without turning.

Whilst this air fryer does not have the most generous capacity on the market, it is definitely sufficient for 2-4 people, depending on what you use it for. For example, there was plenty of space for 5-6 chicken thighs when I used it to cook shawarma, and you could certainly fit a whole chicken into the basket. 

Making fries in the Breville Halo Air

The classic test of any good airfryer is how well it cooks homemade fries. The first time I used the Halo to make fries, I overfilled the basket and although they looked golden brown and the insides were fluffy, they weren’t as crispy as I was hoping. 

The second time, I used the pre-set ‘fries’ mode, and put less in the basket, as I wanted to see how crispy they could go. My fries didn’t need the full 16 minutes that the mode allowed for, and I actually took them out after only 12 minutes. 

They had a nice crunch and the insides were soft and fluffy. I was particularly impressed to achieve that quality of fry in such a short amount of time. Overall, I would say this is an indication of how high quality the Breville Halo is, and how well it performs.

Cleaning the Breville Halo Air

The basket can be placed in the dishwasher, however it is also very easy to clean with soapy water. I did not have any problems with food sticking to the bottom of the basket which made cleaning it afterwards very quick. 

The actual drawer of the Halo cannot be placed in the dishwasher, however it has a non-stick coating which makes it very quick and easy to clean with a sponge and some soapy water. This was even the case when cooking something like the shawarma which released a lot of fat. 

Should you buy the Breville Halo Air air fryer?

The Breville Halo is an incredibly versatile and powerful air-fryer, especially when considering its reasonable price. From cakes, to roasted vegetables, bone-in chicken thighs and part-bake bread - the Halo was able to do pretty much everything an oven can, in much less time and with much less effort. 

Although it has a relatively generous capacity, it does perform best if it is not over-crowded and everything is on one level along the bottom. This can limit the volume of what you can cook, however I didn’t find that an overwhelming limitation. 

As a former air-fryer sceptic, I was extremely impressed with the ease, convenience and versatility of the Breville Halo. It was able to tackle everything I wanted to use it for, and I couldn’t think of a better product for smaller households. 

 About the review and the reviewer

This Breville Halo Air air fryer review was written in Beth's own home after testing it for several weeks, so you're able to find out exactly how well it will fit into your kitchen.