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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Laura Hampson

Best budget air fryers under £100 tried and tested

How do you know if someone has an air fryer? Because they will not stop raving about it.

The small but mighty kitchen appliance may have been first introduced to the mass market in 2010, but it has taken off in recent years largely thanks to its popularity on TikTok.

A simple search of #airfryer on the video streaming platform results in videos that have amassed 6.4 billion views in total, with #airfryerrecipe coming back with a cool 2.4 billion views - no small feat.

The kitchen appliance is marketed as a mini oven that will cook your food in less time than a conventional oven, will be healthier as little to no oil needs to be used, will make it crispier, and cut down on your energy bill. All things considered, it’s easy to see why we’ve all been adding air fryers to our shopping baskets.

In November 2022 the UK even saw an air fryer shortage as demand for the appliance skyrocketed. Price comparison site Price Runner even said it saw a 22,000 per cent increase in clicks on a Ninja air fryer in October 2022 compared to 12 months earlier and retailer Lakeland saw a 52 per cent increase in air fryer sales year on year.

What is an air fryer?

Essentially, an air fryer is like a mini oven in the sense that it can bake and roast food. It’s much smaller than an oven however, but one of its main draws is that it uses much less oil to cook food, making it a great option for those who want to eat healthier.

How does an air fryer work?

To use an air fryer, you simply need to place whatever you’re cooking in the drawer, set your desired temperature and time, and let it do its thing. The heating elements of an air fryer are located at the top of the machine, and the appliance’s fan is what circulates the air and results in perfectly crisp food.

Can an air fryer save me money?

In late 2022, after energy price caps surged, there was a shortage of air fryers after Britons bought the appliance in their droves in order to save money on household bills. But can it really save you money? In short: yes. If you switch from using a conventional oven to an air fryer, you will be using less electricity which means you should see a decrease in your energy bills.

In fact, recent research by Utilita found that an air fryer only costs £52.74 to use for a year, compared to the £316.64 bill you face with an electric oven.

What can I cook in an air fryer?

Better question: what can’t you cook in your air fryer? One glimpse at TikTok and people are cooking everything from vegetables, to crispy chickpeas, dried fruit, meat, and even muffins in their air fryers. Air fryers are particularly great for cooking food that you would normally roast or fry with oil.

What aspects should you consider when buying an air fryer?

When buying an air fryer you need to consider how many people you are hoping to feed with it. If it’s just you, or you and your partner or a roommate, then a small 2L to 3L air fryer should do the trick. For families or larger groups of people, we would recommend any size above 4L as this allows you to pack more in. Other things to consider are ease of use, how easy it is to clean up, and of course, the price.

Best budget air fryers at a glance

While you may expect to fork out a large chunk of your savings for this in-demand product, there are actually several affordable air fryers on the market that are just as good - if not better - than their pricier competitors. So, if you’re looking to save money on cooking but not put too large of a dent in your wallet, we’ve tried and tested the best air fryers for under £100.

See our favourite budget air fryers under £100 below

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Small

Best for: One to two-person households.

Capacity: 1.8L

Wattage: 1500W

Temperature range: 80C to 200C

If we were to judge an air fryer by its facade then the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Small would get top marks as the air fryer’s digital touchpad makes this one seriously sleek design. It takes up very little of that valuable kitchen bench space too, but don’t be fooled by its compactness.

Despite its smaller capacity, this air fryer packs a punch and it cooked everything we made to a crisp perfection. The smaller size makes it an ideal addition to any one or two-person household.

Buy now £49.00, Amazon

Xiaomi Mi Smart Air Fryer

Best for: Smart home fanatics.

Capacity: 3.5L

Wattage: 1500W

Temperature range: 40C to 200C

If you’re after a stylish addition to your smart home, Xiaomi’s Mi Smart Air Fryer should do the trick.

The aesthetically pleasing all-white cubed design will fit neatly on any kitchen bench or island, and the OLED touch screen - from where you can control the temperature and the timing - is a nice substitute to multiple knobs and dials found on other models.

Along with being able to schedule your food to cook up to 24 hours in advance, Xiaomi’s design is also a yogurt maker, fruit dryer, and a microwave oven.

We particularly liked the small grill plate that comes with the air fryer as it allows you to stack your ingredients on two levels for a more evenly distributed bake.

Buy now £89.99, Mi

Salter EK2818 3.2L Air Fryer

Best for: Minimal washing up time.

Capacity: 3.2L

Wattage: 1300W

Temperature range: 80C to 200C

One of the best things about an air fryer is that it can crisp up food you would normally oven cook or deep fry, just without all the oil.

Salter’s EK2818 3.2L Air Fryer goes one step further to giving you that deep fried feeling with its handy removable basket, which can be taken out and washed which means all the bottom of the air fryer barrel needs is a simple wipe.

The two dials allow you to adjust the temperature and the time - it can reach up to 200C and be on for 60 minutes, but the only downside to this Salter model was the noise. It was the loudest air fryer we tested.

Buy now £49.99, Currys

Magic Bullet 2.5L Air Fryer

Best for: Small kitchens

Capacity: 2.5L

Wattage: 1300W

Temperature range: 80C to 200C

The Magic Bullet 2.5L Air Fryer is, quite simply, a steal. With a 2.5L capacity and an under £70 price tag, you truly do get bang for your buck with this model

It also helps that it is simple to use and compact enough to not take up too much bench space if that’s something your kitchen is lacking.

Food cooked in this air fryer was crisp thanks to the 1300W motor and the included crisping tray which lets the hot air circulate freely around your ingredients.

It’s also a great option for those new to air frying, as it comes with a timings guide printed on the top.

Buy now £69.00, Very

Tower Vortx 4L Manual Air Fryer Black

Best for: Families or larger households.

Capacity: 4L

Wattage: 1400W

Temperature range: 80C to 200C

If value for money is your kind of thing, then look no further than the Tower Vortx 4L Manual Air Fryer.

With a 4L capacity for under £60 it’s certainly a great option for families or for those who want to cook larger portions and it’s got a powerful 1400W fan oven to boot.

It can reach a high of 200C which is perfect for getting that crisp finish, but the 30-minute time is a little glitchy, as it’s hard to reset it if you twist it too far.

Buy now £59.99, Tower

Wilko 8L Air Fryer

Best for: Batch cooking.

Capacity: 8L

Wattage: 1700W

Temperature range: 80C to 200C

An air fryer big enough to roast a joint of meat to feed the whole family (and some more)? Wilko has you covered.

The 8L basket makes this one of the biggest options available for under £100, and its 1700W oven means it’s a powerful appliance. Temperatures can reach up to 200C, and it has a 60 minute timer for those larger dishes.

This is the perfect option for those who like to meal prep, or simply want to feed as many mouths - in as little time - as possible.

Buy now £95.00, Wilko

COSORI Air Fryer Lite 3.8L

Best for: App lovers

Capacity: 3.8L

Wattage: 1500W

Temperature range: 75C to 230C

When it comes to cooking dinner, we love it to be as stress-free as possible - especially on a weeknight. Which is why the Corsori Air Fryer Lite’s no-hands approach is ideal for those who want to cook a meal without the faff.

Along with its one-touch cooking functions, you can monitor the cooking process on your phone via an app, or use your smart home devices to instruct the 1500W air fryer.

It also claims that it saves 55 per cent on energy bills compared to a conventional oven. That’s a win in our book.

Buy now £99.99, Amazon

Instant 4-in-1 Vortex 4 3.8L Air Fryer

Best for: Time poor cooks

Capacity: 3.8L

Wattage: 1650W

Temperature range: 49C to 205C

What’s better than an air fryer? An air fryer with multiple other functions, of course.

This is what you get with the Instant 4-in-1 Vortex 4 3.8L Air Fryer, as it can air fry, roast, bake and reheat food all at the touch of a button. The digital touch screen makes this one of the easiest air  fryers to use and the 1650W oven sees your food cooked in less time that it takes to wash up. Genius.

Buy now £100.00, Argos

Daewoo Manual Air Fryer

Best for: busy office workers

Capacity: 2L

Wattage: 1000W

Temperature range: 80-200°C

With simple temperature and control dials, this compact two litre machine is perfect for single home-dwellers who want dinner on the table quickly after a hard day in the office. There’s a 30 minute timer as well as non-slip feet to make sure it won’t move about on the countertop. There’s also an auto shut-off function that stops the heating element when the time’s up so you won’t overcook your food or rack up the bills accidentally. Comes with a three year warranty.

Buy now £39.99, Amazon

Verdict

Choosing the right air fryer is like choosing between an Adele and a Beyonce concert: there is no wrong decision. What it comes down to is what works best for your needs. Do you need something that won’t take up much space? Something to feed a family? Or perhaps a machine that’ll hum quietly in the background so you can cook lunch during WFH meetings?

The Russell Hobbs Satisfry Small ticked all the boxes. It was compact enough to not take up the entire kitchen bench, quiet as a whisper, a barrel large enough for one to two-person meals, a super sleek and aesthetically pleasing design, and it resulted in the crispiest food by far. I may be in love (don’t tell my husband).

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