Looking for an air fryer? Or perhaps you wish to upgrade to a smart Wi-Fi connected one? Xiaomi has cooked up a new Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L that connects to its Mi Home app. It's something worth looking at, though there are some caveats to note before placing that order.

With its shiny white body and OLED control dial, the Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L is a neat addition to any kitchen counter. The control dial is easy to use, and it's simple to set the temperature and cooking time. You can also use the Mi Home app for these settings, and get notifications when the air frying is done. You'll find a bevy of recipes in the app, like black pepper steak, and cheesecake. But don’t expect a multi-cooker experience. If you already own several Xiaomi smart devices, it makes even more sense to go with this air fryer as you don't have to juggle multiple smart home apps.

If you’re cooking for more than eight minutes, the system will pause and beep after the halfway mark to remind you to turn over or shake your food for even cooking. I did find that adding a minute or two to the suggested cook times helped to crisp the food up more. The air fryer is relatively light and compact, in case you need to store it after use. The tray is also large enough for smaller households. If you need to stack more food, the provided grill acts as a divider.

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However, the Mi Smart Air Fryer has a few niggles that make the experience less than premium. The cooking tray jiggles a fair bit during insertion, and doesn't always align properly on the first try. That said, the tray locks in fine, and the air fryer won't start cooking unless the tray is properly inserted. App integration is less than perfect — the app doesn’t notify you when it’s time to flip the food, despite the air fryer beeping away. Xiaomi says you can use the air fryer for defrosting, but you'll have to figure out the right settings through trial and error.

There are plenty of smart air fryers on the market, such as the pricier and more premium Kyvol Epichef AF600. But the question remains: Do you really need a smart air fryer? Not to mention, you shouldn’t leave hot appliances unattended for too long, smart or not. All things considered, the Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L basically does what it’s supposed to do. But personally, I would wait for the next version. It feels a little undercooked in some areas, like the app experience and the jiggly tray. The Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L retails for S$139 on Lazada and Shopee, but you can get it for less from time to time.

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Note: Review unit provided by Xiaomi.