Model-code correction: Russell Hobbs 21850-56 is the Cook@Home 5-litre multicooker, not a basket air fryer. Russell Hobbs lists it with 900 W power, 11 cooking programs, a removable non-stick bowl and a steaming basket. This guide is specification-led and based on the manufacturer product page and instruction manual; it is not a hands-on test.
- Quick verdict
- Russell Hobbs 21850-56 specifications
- Why this is not an air fryer
- How the 11 programs differ
- Capacity and family use
- Controls, delay timer and keep warm
- What comes with it
- Cleaning and first-use checks
- Used-buying checklist
- Who should consider it?
- Good fit
- Look elsewhere if
- Frequently asked questions
- Is Russell Hobbs 21850-56 an air fryer?
- What is its power rating?
- Can it sauté food?
- Does it pressure cook?
- Can the parts go in a dishwasher?
- Verdict
- Sources checked
Quick verdict
The 21850-56 makes sense for someone who wants one covered cooking pot for rice, slow cooking, stews, soup, steaming, yoghurt, porridge or risotto, bread and cake. It can also brown or sauté ingredients by using the steam program with the lid open. It does not have an air-frying fan, crisping basket or dedicated air-fry mode, so it is the wrong model if your priority is dry, rapidly circulated heat for chips, wings or breaded food.
The distinction matters when shopping second-hand or comparing accessories. Search results and seller titles can confuse similarly numbered Russell Hobbs products. Check the rating label for 21850 or 21850-56 and expect a lidded pot-style appliance rather than a pull-out drawer.
Russell Hobbs 21850-56 specifications
| Feature | Manufacturer information | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Cook@Home multicooker | A heated removable bowl with programmed cooking; no air-fry function |
| Capacity | 5 litres | Suitable for one-pot meals and batch cooking, subject to the bowl’s maximum mark |
| Power | 900 W | Designed for simmering, steaming and controlled pot cooking rather than high-airflow crisping |
| Programs | 11 | Rice, slow cook, stew, meat, soup, yoghurt, bread, fish, steam, porridge/risotto and cake |
| Controls | Digital display and push buttons | Quick-select and menu-based programs with adjustable times where supported |
| Delay timer | Available on selected programs | Supported for soup, yoghurt, bread, steam and porridge/risotto; follow the manual’s food-safety limits |
| Keep warm | Automatic on most programs; manual option available | Holds cooked food after a cycle, though the manual recommends limiting use to a few hours |
| Included items | Steaming basket, measuring cup, spoon and ladle | Confirm these are present when buying used |
Why this is not an air fryer
An air fryer uses a fan to move hot air around food in a perforated basket or oven cavity. The 21850-56 instead heats a solid removable bowl from below and cooks with a fitted lid. Its strengths are moisture-retaining and liquid-based methods: rice, soup, stew, slow cooking, steaming and porridge. It can brown ingredients, but it does not reproduce the dry convective environment of an air fryer.
If you are deciding between the two appliance types, see our multi-cooker versus air-fryer guide. For a map of actual air-fryer formats, our air-fryer types guide separates baskets, dual zones and oven-style designs.
How the 11 programs differ
The manual separates three quick-select programs—rice, slow cook and stew—from eight menu-selected programs. Not every cycle offers the same time controls, delay option or end behaviour.
| Program | Default or documented range | Useful limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | Automatic | Use the supplied measuring cup; the bowl scale covers 2–10 measures |
| Slow cook | 8 hours | Russell Hobbs recommends browning meat and heating liquid first |
| Stew | 1 hour | A separate quick-select cycle for stews and hot pots |
| Meat / fish | 10–60 minutes | The manual gives food-safety checks; time depends on type and weight |
| Soup | 1–5 hours | Supports the delay timer |
| Yoghurt | 6–10 hours | Does not switch to automatic keep warm at the end |
| Bread | 1–3 hours | For prepared dough; the manual limits dough to 500 g |
| Steam | 30–120 minutes | Also provides the high-heat setting used for sautéing and boiling |
| Porridge / risotto | 1–4 hours | Uses the bowl scale and supplied cup for measured ratios |
| Cake | 30–120 minutes | The bowl should not be filled above the 6 mark |
The manufacturer describes 11 programs because porridge and risotto share one setting. “Frying” in the manual’s sauté guidance means cooking against the hot bowl with a little oil; it does not mean fan-assisted air frying.
Capacity and family use
The 5-litre figure describes the bowl’s total capacity, not permission to fill every recipe to the rim. The manual says never to exceed the maximum mark. Rice uses its own graduated scale, and cake batter has a lower filling limit. The steaming basket also reduces usable space because it sits inside the top of the bowl.
For soups, stews and rice dishes, 5 litres can be practical for a household or leftovers. Actual portions depend on the recipe, ingredients and safe fill level. Do not translate the 5-litre pot figure directly into an air-fryer basket comparison: the cooking layouts and usable food surfaces are fundamentally different.
Controls, delay timer and keep warm
The front panel combines dedicated buttons for the three quick programs with a menu button for the remaining eight. Hours and minutes are adjusted in five-minute steps within each program’s permitted range. The delayed-start function is limited to soup, yoghurt, bread, steam and porridge/risotto.
Use delayed starts conservatively. The manual specifically says that delayed steaming is recommended only for vegetables and should not be used for meat or eggs. Perishable ingredients should not sit unrefrigerated waiting for a program to begin.
Many programs enter keep-warm mode automatically. This is convenient when a meal finishes early, but Russell Hobbs advises against leaving keep warm active for more than a few hours. Fish and cake are better removed promptly because extended holding can dry fish or make cake soggy.
What comes with it
The manufacturer lists a steaming basket, spatula or spoon and measuring cup; the manual also illustrates a ladle. A used unit is less useful if the cup is missing because the rice and porridge markings assume that measure. Also inspect the removable bowl, inner lid, steam vent, connector and power cable.
Do not substitute a random connector or cable. The manual requires the supplied assembly, and damaged electrical parts should be replaced through the manufacturer or a service agent.
Cleaning and first-use checks
The current UK product page says “dishwasher safe parts,” but the model’s official UK instruction manual gives the more specific direction: do not put any part in a dishwasher and hand-wash the removable parts. For a model-specific cleaning decision, follow the instructions supplied with your exact appliance and revision. This guide takes the conservative manual-led position.
- Disconnect it from the wall and then from the appliance; allow it to cool.
- Remove and separate the steam vent and inner lid as shown in the manual.
- Hand-wash the removable parts, then rinse and dry them thoroughly.
- Wipe fixed surfaces with a clean damp cloth.
- Reassemble the vent and inner lid before the next cook.
Before first use, hand-wash all removable parts. During cooking, keep clear of escaping steam and place the appliance on a stable, level, heat-resistant surface with room above it.
Used-buying checklist
- Verify the label: it should identify 21850 or 21850-56, not a seller’s generic “air fryer” description.
- Inspect the bowl: reject badly scratched, warped or peeling non-stick surfaces.
- Check the lid: the lock, removable inner lid and steam vent should be complete and clean.
- Confirm accessories: steaming basket and measuring cup are the most important model-specific pieces.
- Test the display and buttons: menu, start, stop, timer and keep-warm controls should respond.
- Check the connector: look for damage, scorching or a loose fit; do not improvise a replacement.
- Confirm voltage: use the rating label, especially if the appliance was imported.
Russell Hobbs’ UK page marked this model out of stock when checked on 22 October 2026, so availability may mainly be through remaining stock or used listings.
Who should consider it?
Good fit
- Households wanting rice, slow-cook, soup, steam and one-pot functions in one appliance.
- People who value a removable 5-litre bowl and digital programs more than crisping.
- Used-appliance buyers who can verify the bowl, lid parts and accessories.
Look elsewhere if
- You want chips, breaded food or wings with air-fried browning.
- You need pressure cooking; the 21850-56 is not documented as a pressure cooker.
- You want two independently controlled zones or a viewing window.
- You need a currently sold model with readily available exact accessories.
For air frying, start with the air-fryer buying guide. If you prefer Russell Hobbs and need genuine air circulation, the older 21840-56 Purifry Multi guide explains a different, fan-based model.
Frequently asked questions
Is Russell Hobbs 21850-56 an air fryer?
No. It is a 5-litre Cook@Home multicooker. It has no documented air-fry program or convection fan.
What is its power rating?
Russell Hobbs lists 900 W.
Can it sauté food?
Yes. The manual explains that the steam program can be used with the lid open to brown, fry, sauté, soften or boil ingredients in the bowl.
Does it pressure cook?
No pressure-cooking function is documented. The locking lid should not be confused with a pressure-cooker mechanism.
Can the parts go in a dishwasher?
The product page and model-specific manual conflict. The official UK manual says no part should go in a dishwasher and instructs hand-washing, so that is the safer model-specific guidance.
Verdict
Russell Hobbs 21850-56 is best understood as a versatile 5-litre electric cooking pot. Its useful features are the rice, slow-cook, stew, soup, steam, yoghurt, porridge/risotto, bread, cake, fish and meat programs—not air frying. For a buyer who wants moist-heat and one-pot cooking, it can still be practical if the bowl, lid assembly and accessories are complete. For crispy air-fried food, choose a model with a documented fan and air-fry mode.