Why the RD-1012W basket is square: a short design story

Open any air fryer and the basket is usually round: the fan is round, the heating element is a coil, and a round drawer is cheaper to stamp. The RADOCO RD-1012W is square — and it was the single most debated decision in its development.

"A round 7-litre basket sounds big, but the useful floor is a circle," says the RADOCO product team. "A whole chicken, a tray of kofta, a piece of salmon — real food is rectangular. In a square basket of the same volume, you get roughly 25% more usable floor area, which is the difference between one batch and two."

Making it work meant redesigning the airflow. A square cavity has corners where hot air slows down, so the RD-1012W uses a larger fan and a raised, perforated crisper plate that pushes air under the food as well as over it. The team tested the layout with fries in the corners, the classic weak spot, until the browning was even across the whole plate.

The other benefit is the window. A flat front face made it possible to fit a glass viewing panel with an internal light, so the basket can be checked without opening the drawer and dumping the heat.

The RD-1012W is available on Amazon with an 18-month guarantee. See what size air fryer do I need? for how the capacity compares.