Air fryers are flying off the shelves at the moment.

Price comparison website PriceRunner has analysed its search data and found the best-selling air fryers have risen in popularity by more than 3,000% since November 2021. In most popular item on its website, the Ninja AF400UK, has risen in popularity by more than 22,000% since October 2021.

Aviva’s How We Live study of 2,000 UK adults examined how home contents may change in light of the rising cost of living and higher energy bills. The study found that 25% of participants already had an air fryer by 2022, while 47% expected to have one by the end of 2022 – that’s a percentage increase of 88%. Plus, the #AirFryerRecipes hashtag has had over 1.7 billion views on TikTok.

What is it about this gadget that people can’t get enough off? Good Homes takes a look…

What is an air fryer?

Air fryers cook food by rapidly circulating hot air and a small amount of oil, or sometimes none at all, making them a low-fat alternative to deep-fat fryers. This also means there’s no faffing around with disposing excess oil, so they’re easy to clean, and you don’t need to meticulously watch over the cooking to avoid burning. They are essentially fast mini ovens.

How much do air fryers cost?

Depending on which model you opt for, air fryers can range between £50-£200. You can also get all-singing, all-dancing smart cookers from the likes of Ninja that cost around £300.

Can an air fryer save money on your energy bill?

Yes! The main advantage of an air fryer though is that it’s fast, efficient, and costs less to run than a conventional oven – making them very popular right now while energy prices are high. Ninja, one of the market leaders, claims to save up to 45% on your energy bill with its multicookers, which can also pressure-cook tender meals up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods.

What can you cook with an air fryer?

Although they are most often used for cooking cripsy homemade chips, air fryers can be used to cook meat, fish, vegetables and frozen food, including favourites like fish fingers, scampi and oven chips. You can also find air fryer cake recipes!

7 of the best air fryers

1. Best all-rounder: Bosch Series 6 Air Fryer

The Bosch Series 6 air fryer has seven built-in pre set programmes, for fish, meat, vegetables and more, as well as a spacious 7.2L capacity – helping to meet the needs of a large family.

It’s been carefully designed to speed up cooking time by 65% without compromising on taste, so busy families are able to fast forward to flavour. Additionally, the Bosch air fryer doesn’t need any preheating, so perfect for further speeding up cooking time.

The ‘shake alarm’ ensures your food is evenly cooked, and if you’ve got your timings wrong the ‘keep warm’ function will maintain the temperature.

This air fryer also ensures the clean up is as simple as possible. Thanks to the compact size of the basket and removable inner grid, they can easily be cleaned with tap water and are dishwasher safe. Prices start from £159.99.

2. Best multi-tasker: Ninja Foodi

Ninja is a market leader in air fryers. The Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker is an excellent multi tasker, making it easy to cook your favourite fresh or frozen foods with a 6L cooking pot and nine cooking functions – pressure cook, air fry, slow cook, steam, bake/roast, sear/sauté, grill and dehydrate functions. It’s ideal for up to four people, and you can even cook and crisp a 2kg chicken. Ninja’s entry-level air fryers have four cooking functions and start from £199.99.

3. Best time saver: Haier Multi Air Fryer Series 5

The Haier Multi Air Fryer is perfect if you’re looking to slash your cooking time, perfect for busy families.

It offers nine different preparations in one, including slow cooking and baking. It also has an integrated window and LED light that allows you to check on cooking progress without opening the basket and losing heat.

This model is an essential for your kitchen and is definitely a must-buy as we head into autumn. It’s currently priced at £199.

4. Best for crispy chips: Lakeland Digital Crisp

Featuring a digital, LED touchscreen control panel, the Lakeland Digital Crisp Air Fryer is super easy to use, with eight cooking pre-sets and heat settings that can be changed from 80°C-200°C to suit a variety of foods, from fresh and frozen fires to pizza, chicken, steak, seafood and even baked goods. It has adjustable time and temperature settings, as well as an auto-off function. Plus, its compact footprint won’t swallow up all of your valuable worktop space. It’s currently priced at £39.99.

5. Best compact model: VonHaus VonShef

The VonShef 5.5L air fryer (£32.99) is a great option for the style conscious, with its sleek black exterior and compact sizing. From chips to roasted vegetables, this air fryer is essentially a fast mini oven with an adjustable temperature range between 80-200ºC. The 5.5L basket capacity gives you plenty of space while the Teflon non-stick coating and timer help you nail every meal. It also has an automatic shut-off and ready alert, and comes with stainless-steel tongs, a grilling/cooling rack, silicon heat-proof mat and a cake tin. VonHaus also offers a 2L model, which is ideal if cooking for one.

6. Best for families: Tower Family Size Air Fryer

If you’re looking for family-friendly appliance that doesn’t break the bank this Tower model is definitely one to consider.

It’s compact and quick to heat up and has a large 4.3-litre capacity – helping serve up multiple portions.

7. Best design

The Toronto VertiCook Ultra Air Fryer (£117.99) from Salter offers a 9L capacity with two ceramic and PFAS-free 4.5L baskets. It has a powerful 2400W stainless steel grill and 9 preset functions.

It’s design is what sets it apart, with the stunning look blending in beautifully with your kitchen units. It’s also ideal if you’re short on space as the vertical capacity means it’s 40% slimmer compared to other similar models.

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