Air fryers have steadily moved from being snack machines to mini-ovens, and the Havells Avanza sits right in the middle of that shift. The market is now full of multi-mode, higher-capacity machines that try to replace reheating, grilling and baking appliances in one shot. Havells is clearly betting on that trend. The Avanza arrives as a hybrid between a traditional air fryer and an OTG, with a larger body, more attachments than rivals, and a design that signals its all-rounder ambitions.
What Is Good?
- Very good fries output on preset mode with consistent crisping
- Oven-style build with see-through window is a big usability improvement
- Most generous accessory kit in its segment
- Easy controls
What Is Bad?
- Larger body without significantly larger usable capacity
- Detachable handle mechanism feels fiddly
- Some preset results need manual finishing for ideal browning
At ₹8,500 to ₹9,500, depending on sales, it sits above compact budget fryers but below premium smart models. Compared to the Philips NA120 and Inalsa Tasty Fry we tested earlier, the Avanza offers more cooking flexibility and a better accessory kit. The question is whether that translates into better performance, especially in the fries and pizza-pocket tests, where Philips and Inalsa gave mixed results.
Design and Build
The Avanza looks more like a mini oven with air-fryer functionality rather than the other way around. The glossy black finish with steel accents gives it a premium presence, and the larger body helps it stand out on a countertop. Despite its size, the internal tray capacity felt very similar to the Inalsa and Philips units because we used comparable trays for all three tests. What you get with Havells is not extra capacity but extra space around the food, which may influence heat uniformity.
The front window is easily the biggest practical upgrade. Being able to monitor fries or pizza pockets without pausing the cooking process makes a world of difference. The control panel uses simple knobs for temperature and time, and after dealing with Inalsa’s confusing digital interface, the analogue layout feels refreshingly easy.
Features and Accessories
Havells has bundled the most generous accessory kit in this category.
Inside the box:
• Baking tray
• Two mesh trays
• Rectangular frying basket with detachable handle
• Stainless steel skewer set
• Dual grill rack
• Manual and warranty card
The detachable handle took a couple of tries to remove from the rectangular frying basket. While this basket is the better option for conventional air frying, we ended up using the baking tray more often because it gave us a clear view through the window.
The dual grill rack is genuinely useful, doubling the usable height for baking cookies or roasting paneer tikka. The 360-degree skewer set distributes heat evenly and will be tested more thoroughly in our kebab trial. Cleaning is simpler than traditional basket-style fryers because the tray slides out easily and spills are contained better, though kebab drippings may change that verdict.
The presets cover the usual suspects. Unlike the Inalsa, which needed a call to customer care just to figure out temperature changes, the Avanza’s controls are straightforward.
Performance
Before we moved to the food trials, we spent some time understanding how the Avanza behaves on its own. We checked how quickly it heats up, how evenly the tray warms and how responsive the knobs feel during small adjustments. These basics help reveal whether the fryer can handle real food consistently. Once that groundwork was clear, we started the cooking tests, beginning with French fries.
French Fries Test
Batch 1: 190°C for 10 minutes + 5 minutes
Crispy and well-browned but slightly overcooked compared to our Philips reference test. The added 5 minutes were unnecessary here.
Batch 2: French Fry Mode (180°C for 10 minutes, shake prompt, +10 minutes)
This gave the best results of all three air fryers. The fries were crisp on the outside and soft inside, very similar to Philips but achieved with more consistency. Inalsa struggled with uneven browning in comparison.
Pizza Pocket Test
Batch 1: Air Fry Mode, 190°C for 15 minutes
Excellent outcome. Crispy shell, moist stuffing, and only mild oozing on the tray. This matched or slightly beat the Philips batch in terms of even cooking.
Batch 2: Pizza Mode (175°C for 8 minutes) + manual 190°C for 6 minutes
Needed the manual intervention for browning. Slightly more oozing than the first batch. Outcome still good, but Philips handles pizzas more predictably using manual temperature control.
Across our tests, the Avanza’s heating pattern felt closer to an OTG than a compact air fryer. It excels at larger items and multi-level setups but may require mild adjustments for smaller snacks unless you use presets.
Verdict
The Havells Avanza is a well-rounded, oven-inspired air fryer that delivers strong results in everyday cooking and offers more versatility than Philips or Inalsa at this price. The preset fries cooked more evenly than both rivals, and the transparent window plus simple controls make it more intuitive to live with.
If you want an appliance that can handle fries, pizza pockets, grilling and light baking in one device, the Avanza is an excellent option. You do not get significantly more capacity, but you do get better visibility, better accessories and a smoother user experience. It’s a solid upgrade for anyone moving beyond basic air fryers without jumping to high-end smart models.
