Best Air Fryers 2023: Which One? Best buys and expert buying advice - which one? (2023)

Compared to deep fryers, air fryers are a healthier way to cook because they use hot air and less cooking oil – or sometimes no oil at all.

Airfryers blow hot air through a small cooking chamber. Its compact cooking space and quick circulation of hot air allow you to prepare crispy and browned dishes faster than in the oven.

Our expert airfryer test and buying advice will help you choose the best airfryer for you.

Find the best fryer for you with ourfryer reviews.

Best air fryers for 2023

Here, we've selected some of the best fryers from our rigorous fryer tests, including a French fries taste test by our experts.

JustLoggedWhich? members can see our recommendations in the table below. Not a member yet?Join which?and get exclusive access to all our analyses.

Read about the most popularfryer brands.

What size airfryer should I buy?

The smallest fryers we tested can hold up to 800g of food - about four servings of fries and roughly equivalent to the amount of food that would fit two baking sheets in an oven.

If you normally only cook for four people or less, any of the air fryers we tested should be big enough. But if you want the option of using the airfryer to cook for more people – or just have a hungry family – airfryers like theTefal Actifry 2 children 1or Tefal Actifry Express XL fits almost twice as much (1.5 kg).

Not quite ready to give up frying yet? Read our expert guide tobest nonstick frying pans.

This is how you buy the best airfryer

This list of buying questions will help you narrow down your options and ensure you get the best air fryer for your needs:

• Do you enjoy the taste of fried food most of all?We have found that deep fryer foods, especially french fries, have a fried quality. But if you're used to fried foods, make no mistake: most people can taste the difference.
• How much food do you usually cook?Most air fryers can fry around 800g (about four to six servings) of French fries. Some can handle up to twice as much. If you have a lot of people to serve, opt for a larger capacity, or a model with cooking on two levels or a second compartment.
• How much free counter or cupboard space do you have?Some fryers are huge and heavy. ONinja OP450UKit is 36 cm high and 42 cm wide and weighs 10 kg out of the box. Some also come with lots of extra accessories you need storage space for. We always mention the length of the power cord in our reviews, as it can determine how close you should place your airfryer to an outlet.
• Do you prefer digital or manual controls?Digital models can make it easy to see how much cooking time is left. Some airfryer models come with smartphone control via an app.
• Do you own a dishwasher?If you have a dishwasher, you can choose a model with dishwasher safe parts to save cleaning time.
• How much are you willing to spend?Basic fryers start at £60, but models with added features such as multiple compartments can cost upwards of £200. Cheaper models also often have a smaller capacity.

Airfryer types explained

basket type airfryer

This is the most common type of air fryer. They have a cooking bowl or basket with a handle, so you can swirl your food around as it cooks. This helps ensure the food cooks evenly and makes it easy to pull it out of the fryer when it's done.

Sometimes they come with a stirrer blade, although we've found this doesn't always give the best results.

Benefits

• Generally cheaper than oven type fryers.
• The bowl's handle makes it easy to flip your food.
• Generally easy to use.

contras

• Normally, you cannot check the progress of your food without stopping the fryer and removing the basket.
• Less expensive basket models may lack additional features such as preset programs.
• Often smaller in capacity than oven-type fryers or multicookers.

Take a look at ourbasket air fryer reviewsto see all the models we've tested.

Oven-type hot air fryers

(Video) Best Air Fryers 2023 – Only 3 worth buying!

Oven-type fryers come with one or more trays to place food on and slide into the machine for cooking.

Most have a viewing window on the front, so you can keep an eye on your food without interfering with the cooking process.

Benefits

• Multiple cooking trays allow you to prepare multiple types of food at the same time.
• They are generally versatile and come with several preset programs.
• Most have a preview window.

contras

• Generally more expensive than the basket type.
• It may take some getting used to.
• It can be big and bulky.

see ouroven fryer reviewsto see the models we recommend.

Airfryer versus multicooker

These days, countertop stoves are getting bigger, bulkier and more feature-rich as they can handle a variety of cooking tasks from air frying and pressure cooking to steaming and slow cooking.

We tested several pressure cookers and multicookers that also have an airfryer function, such as theNinja OP350UKit's at. They have separate lids for pressure cooking and air frying, as well as performing a number of other tasks.

All that versatility comes at a price, so consider whether you'll really be using all the features. If all you want to do is fry up big batches of fries and the occasional chicken leg, a simpler, less expensive air fryer will do just fine.

We compare the best airfryer brandsNinja Foodi vs. Tower Air Fryer vs. Tefal Actifry.

Best air fryer features to consider

Don't overpay for features you'll rarely use. Consider this list before choosing a template.

digital hours

All air fryers have timers that allow you to set how long you want your food to cook and show you how much cooking time is left. Some, like the Philips Viva Airfryer and Russell Hobbs Purifry, have manual dials that you turn to set the time, but most other airfryers, including the Tefal Actifry, have digital timers. A digital stopwatch can make it easy to quickly see how much time is left on the watch.

Dishwasher safe parts

You have to wash your air fryer every time you use it, so you can pop the different parts in the dishwasher and let it do the work. Ideally, the basket/bowl, lid and beater should be dishwasher safe, although this is not always the case.

Kookrek extra do compartment

Some models, like the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone, have a second cooking zone that allows you to cook two different foods (at different temperatures) at the same time, so you can make steak and fries without having to mix them.

Preset cooking programs

• the grill– which gives the option of grilling food instead of air frying, useful for preparing meat and fish, for example.

• Bakken- gives you the opportunity to bake, useful for making desserts or even pastries.

• To roast– good for roasting potatoes and vegetables.
• Dry- offers the option of drying fruits or vegetables.
• Warm– useful for heating up leftovers.

man spinning

Some basket fryers have slanted baskets. This tilt, in combination with a rotating motion, causes the food to shift so that it cooks more evenly.

smart control

A 'smart' airfryer is one that you can control from your phone or tablet. You select the recipe you want to use on the app, which sends instructions to the air fryer to cook the food at a specific temperature and duration.

With the app on your phone, you can keep an eye on the cooking time and you'll get a notification when the cooking is done.

This is a rather uncommon feature, and the products with smart features we've tested have gone off the market and disappeared. But if we find any more, we'll tag them.

paddle shaker

Some air fryers come with a paddle that automatically moves the food as it cooks. We've found that some fryers that stir the food in front of you don't do a very good job;

temperature regulation

With most air fryers, you can set the temperature you want your food to cook at. Normally you can choose between 80°C and 200°C.

How much should you spend on a good airfryer?

You can usually buy a deep fryer for as little as £40, but we've found you'll need to spend between £70 and £80 to get a decent model.

There is a relationship between price and quality in fryers, but that does not mean that all expensive fryers are good, nor vice versa.

In our tests, some less expensive air fryers were so bad that we called them Don't Buys. We also found some more expensive models that produced disappointing results, including soggy, mushy, or flavorless chips.

Looking for a cheap and decent airfryer? visit ourfryer reviewsand use the Big Value filter.

Where do you buy a fryer

The buzz around fryers means that popular models have been hard to come by lately.

To help you make your choice, we've selected some of the most sought-after sellers who carry a wide range of air fryers.

• Amazonasoffers hundreds of fryers from brands such as Instant Pot, Tower, Tefal and Ninja, usually costing between £90 and £150. Free 2-day shipping is included for Prime members, otherwise you'll have to wait a little longer for standard shipping free on orders over £20.
• Argoshave a few options in stock, but most cost upwards of £100. You can order free templates from most UK retailers. Otherwise, you can order home delivery for an additional £3.95 for delivery between 8am and 5pm or £5.95 for overnight delivery between 6pm and 10pm.
• Jorge in Asdamay have a smaller range of fryers than other retailers, but they are more economical, costing between £55 and £100. It stocks mainly Tower, Salter, Daewoo and its own brand of fryers. Click and collect is free in most UK stores. Standard delivery starts from £2.95 and you need it sooner, next day delivery starts from £4.95.
• Costcomembers can buy deep fryers at a discount, but as it mostly sells high-end models, you'll still need to spend around £200. Shipping is included in the price. If you're not a Costco member, memberships can be as little as £15 a year if you buy online only.
• Curry'scarries dozens of different hot air fryers from brands like Tefal, Ninja, Philips and Tower. Most models are available for under £150 with free standard shipping. If you would like your order to be delivered on a specific day, you can pay an additional £7 for delivery between 8am and 8pm or £10 for delivery before 12pm.

Don't know which store to buy? Check out our member survey onbest home appliance and appliance stores.

Can a deep fryer save you money on your electric bill?

Yes. An airfryer can save you money, but it depends on the size of your airfryer and how many people you are cooking for.

The biggest downside of the air fryer is the amount of food you can prepare. The cooking capacity of the airfryers we tested ranges from 0.3kg to 2.2kg, a big difference, so choose a model that meets your needs.

In general, small households that cook a single portion of food will benefit the most. Instead of firing up a full-sized oven several times a week to cook a meal for two, the benefits really add up.

However, if you are feeding several people or want to cook a few different foods at the same time, an oven takes up more space and can be less expensive than cooking multiple portions in a deep fryer.

Airfryer v halogen oven v electric oven

To help you decide if a deep fryer is a worthwhile investment, we cook 320g of fries (two to three servings) in a deep fryer, halogen oven and built-in electric oven.

We found that the air fryer heated up faster, cooked faster, and used less energy, although the cooking quality was slightly worse than both ovens.

If you have a smaller home, a deep fryer can save you money if you use it several times a week instead of a built-in toaster oven.

Curious to know how the airfryer and oven compare to a slow cooker? Discover more in our storycomparing the cheapest ways to cook.

What can you cook in an airfryer?

Any foods that do well when grilled, roasted, or fried will do well in your air fryer.

In addition to chicken and chips, other popular options include potatoes, roasted vegetables, falafel, fish, pizza, and even baked goods like cookies and pastries.

Air fryers can also be useful for quickly preparing and toasting frozen foods and snacks such as fish fingers, chicken nuggets, spring rolls and pies.

Things that shouldn't be put in the air fryer include fresh vegetables, cheese, and any food covered in wet batter. Cooking whole roasts such as rotisserie chicken can also be problematic, so add the chicken first before frying.

Some airfryer manufacturers offer starter recipes to get you started: check out this one.Ninja Foodi RecipesEmphilips recipes.

Get answers to the most commonfryer questions.

Need ideas for using your device? Find creative ideas by exploringBBC Good Food Airfryer Recipes.

Can you fix a broken fryer?

If you're out of warranty, it can be very expensive to replace your fryer, so much so that it's worth asking yourself if you should be concerned. Air fryers have fairly short warranties, usually one or two years, so you'll only be covered for a short time after purchase.

Some manufacturers sell replacement parts for fryers, but most of the time you can only buy easily accessible, interchangeable parts. Purchasing replacement racks and baskets is easy, but the internal components are often very difficult to access and not sold separately.

• ninjasells parts such as baskets and racks for its fryers, but not internal components.
• Philipssells dials, handles, baskets, racks and more.
• TefalIt has a fairly extensive spare parts store, but for deep fryers you can probably only get paddles, baskets, trays, spare components that are easily accessible.
• Torresell jars, lids, baskets, thermometers, pressure regulators and much more.

As a general rule, if you break something that comes loose from the fryer, you might be in luck. If something more complicated has gone wrong, like an internal component that has stopped working or performance has dropped due to the heater or fan, you'll probably have to send it in for repair if that's not an easier solution.

If your fryer cannot be repaired, take it to your local municipality's recycling/reuse center. Use Recycle Nowrecycling finderto find the closest one.

Find out morehow to recycle appliances.