Air fryers vary massively in price depending on their size, quality and features. Our comparison of the top deals will help you find the perfect one for your budget.
Compared to traditional ovens, air fryers have a lot of benefits: they save time, use less energy and don't require as much cooking oil. Not to mention that air-fried food tastes incredible.
You've probably already guessed that we at Save the Student are big fans of air fryers. Our team has around 15 years of experience cooking with them, and one of our air fryers has lasted almost 10 years so far!
Keen to get your own?
To help you find the best one for you, we've reviewed popular Ninja air fryers and compared them with cheaper alternatives. And if you're looking for air fryer accessories to go with your new kitchen gadget, you're in luck – you'll find these at the end of the page.
What's in this guide?
Ninja air fryer reviews
Ninja is a hugely popular brand of air fryers. They're known for their quality, but that does come at a price. So, although they're not the cheapest on the market, are they worth the money?
I use a Ninja MAX air fryer (AF160UK), and here's my tried and tested review:
As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy cooking, the speed and ease of cooking with an air fryer appealed – and this Ninja one definitely hasn't disappointed.
It's a single-drawer air fryer with over five-litre capacity.
I've been super impressed by the quality of food, whether side dishes or entire meals.
Besides air frying, though, I like that I can also use it to reheat leftovers, and adjust the temperature/timings based on the food. This has been very useful since my microwave broke (months later I still haven't felt the need to replace it due to the air fryer!).
There's also a feature to air fry with max crispiness if you like food with an extra crunch.
While there are cheaper air fryers on the market, I feel like the multi-functionality of this one makes it good value for money if your budget allows. I've personally been happy with it!
This air fryer has an RRP of £169.99, but while writing this guide it was on sale for £129.99 on Ninja's website.
Our COO, Jake Butler, uses the Ninja Foodi MAX dual-zone air fryer (AF400UK). This is his review:
I must admit that I was sceptical about getting an air fryer at first as I thought it was a bit of a fad. However, since buying mine I haven't looked back.
This model in particular is a great option for me as the two drawers means I'm able to cook up larger portions and keep some as leftovers for later in the week.
You can also match up timings in each drawer or set it so that all the cooking finishes at the same time which I love.
I've yet to use it to the full potential but this model can be used to dehydrate things too. You can make beef jerky or banana crisps at home for example.
One potential downside it that some things still cook better in the oven but the time saved cooking in the air fryer more than makes up for it.
At the time of writing, this air fryer was on sale for £199 on Ninja's website, but its RRP is £249.99.
5 top cheap air fryers
Here are the best air fryers to buy on a budget:
-
Dunelm manual air fryer
- Capacity: 4L
- Price: Around £25 – £30.
Although originally costing £30, we've seen this air fryer on sale for £24 which is a bargain.
It has fantastic reviews (4.7 stars on average at the time of writing), with many focusing on how easy and effective it is.
With a four-litre capacity, it's a decent size, but still compact enough to avoid taking up much space in your kitchen.
As you'd expect for an air fryer of this price, it doesn't have many fancy functions. However, if you're looking for one that's basic but does the job, this is one to think about.
-
Salter compact air fryer
- Capacity: 2L
- Price: Around £25 – £50.
The Salter compact air fryer had previously been £49 from Dunelm, but we've seen it on sale for £24.50 (50% cheaper!). As such, the price can vary a lot.
As well as Dunelm, you can buy it from Amazon and Salter's own website so these are worth checking too. When we looked, Dunelm and Amazon had the same prices, but Salter was selling it for more (£32.99).
On all three sites, its average reviews are above four stars (4.8 on Dunelm, 4.5 on Amazon and 4.1 on Salter).
Keep in mind that this is a small air fryer (two-litre capacity). So, if you're looking for one that's a bit bigger, the first option on this list might be better.
-
Tower Vortx compact manual air fryer
- Capacity: 2L
- Price: Around £35.
Tower is a reputable brand of air fryers with a huge range of prices.
This air fryer is one of their lower-cost options. It's a small one (two-litre capacity), so it could be worth considering if you don't have much space on your countertop.
The reviews are pretty good, averaging 4.2 stars on Tower's website. However, we have seen some reviews highlight its small size, suggesting it's only big enough for one or two people.
-
Instant compact air fryer
- Capacity: 3.8L
- Price: Around £30 – £50.
The Instant compact air fryer is another one that can vary a lot in price. While working on this guide, we saw it was available for £29.99 from Amazon – £20 lower than its RRP of £49.99.
With 4.7 average stars on Amazon, it's got excellent reviews.
So, if you can get it for around £30, this could be brilliant value for money.
-
Tower Vizion eco-saver air fryer
- Capacity: 4L
- Price: Around £50.
This air fryer is one of the more expensive options on this list, but it's worth thinking about due to its eco properties. Tower claims it has the smallest footprint of four-litre air fryers on the market.
Another selling point is it has a window so you can watch the food as it cooks.
We've found in the past that, as air fryers cook so quickly, it can take you by surprise how cooked (or burnt) the food is when you open the drawer. With a window, you shouldn't have that issue.
This air fryer was £49.99 at the time of writing with an average of 4.19 stars on Tower's website. Unfortunately, though, some reviews have suggested it can be faulty.
We'd suggest looking through the reviews in detail and weighing up the pros with the cons to decide if this is worth the price.
Air fryer accessories
Try these useful accessories for your air fryer:
-
Silicone liners
If you get any accessories for an air fryer, the top thing we'd suggest is a silicone liner.
It can make a huge difference, especially if you're air frying a meal with a sauce, or you're making a one-pot dinner.
Essentially, with a liner, all the food stays together neatly as the meal cooks. And then, when the air fryer's finished, all you need to do is lift out the liner (being careful not to touch the hot sides of the air fryer) and serve up from there.
-
Cooking racks
To maximise the space of an air fryer, get a multi-layer cooking rack.
This way, even if you only have one drawer in your air fryer, you can cook multiple things at once.
Or maybe your air fryer has two drawers? You'd be able to prepare a whole feast.
Prices will vary, but as a general rule, you can expect to spend about a tenner on a cooking rack.
You'll often find they're designed specifically for Ninja products. However, if your air fryer is a different brand, you might still be able to find a cooking rack that fits. Just double-check the dimensions before making a purchase.
-
Tongs
This might go without saying, but air fryers get hot. Very hot.
So, if you don't yet own any kitchen tongs, it could be a good time to get some. They'll make it safer and easier to serve up the food.
We'd suggest getting ones made from silicone so they won't scratch the air fryer drum. You can usually buy them for a few pounds from sites like Amazon and Dunelm.
-
Air fryer recipe book
When you first get an air fryer, the different style and speed of cooking can take a bit of getting used to and your usual go-to recipes for a traditional oven might not work as well.
This is where an air fryer recipe book will come in useful.
We'd recommend 'Bored of Lunch' by Nathan Anthony, a book of quick and nutritious (and delicious) air fryer recipes.
There are also heaps of free recipes available online.
For example, on Instagram, the @hayleys.world account shares indulgent air fryer recipes. Admittedly they're not all the healthiest meals, but they're ideal for evenings when you fancy a bit of a treat (without spending a fortune on takeaways!).
Planning to have a glass of wine with your air-fried meal? We've compared the best wines under £5.
source https://www.savethestudent.org/save-money/food-drink/best-air-fryers.html