Best Air Fryers Under £100 in 2026

I'll be honest — I resisted air fryers for years. I thought they were just small ovens with better marketing, the kind of thing you'd buy after watching too many TikTok videos and then quietly shove to the back of the cupboard. Then my wife bought one, and I ate my words. Along with some properly excellent chips, a surprisingly crispy roast chicken, and reheated pizza that tasted better than it did the night before.

If you're reading this, you're probably in the same place I was: curious but sceptical, and not keen on spending £200+ to find out. Good news — you don't have to. The under-£100 bracket is where the real value sits. You get proper brand-name build quality, useful features, and enough capacity to feed a family without paying for bells and whistles you'll never touch.

I've been testing air fryers on and off for the past year, and these five are the ones I'd actually recommend to a mate. No filler picks, no padding the list — just five machines that do the job well at a fair price.

What should you look for in a budget air fryer?

Before you get lost comparing models, here's what actually matters:

• Capacity: 3-4 litres is fine for one or two people. If you're cooking for a family, you want at least 5 litres. Dual-drawer models let you cook two things at different temperatures — handy but they take up more counter space.
• Temperature range: Most budget air fryers max out at 200°C, which handles 90% of what you'll cook. Some go up to 240°C for that extra crispiness on chips and chicken skin. Worth having if you care about texture.
• Controls: Digital touchscreens with presets are convenient. Analogue dials are simpler and have less that can go wrong. Neither is objectively better — pick what suits you.
• Basket shape: Square or rectangular baskets fit more food than round ones of the same stated capacity. This is one of those things manufacturers don't shout about, but it makes a noticeable difference.
• Dishwasher safety: If the basket and crisper plate can go in the dishwasher, you'll actually use the thing regularly. Hand-washing a greasy basket gets old fast.
• Noise: They all make some noise — it's a fan in a box. But there's a range. If your kitchen opens onto your living room, this is worth checking in reviews.

The 5 best air fryers under £100 for 2026

1. Ninja AF160UK — best all-rounder (£99)

The Ninja AF160UK is, for my money, the best air fryer you can get at this price. The 5.2-litre capacity handles a whole chicken or a generous batch of chips for four, and the Max Crisp mode hits 240°C — which is 40 degrees hotter than most competitors. That extra heat makes a genuine difference to how crispy things get, especially on frozen food straight from the bag.

Six cooking functions cover air frying, roasting, baking, reheating, dehydrating, and max crisp. The digital controls are straightforward, the basket slides in and out smoothly, and everything is dishwasher safe. Build quality is what you'd expect from Ninja — solid, no cheap-feeling plastics, and a crisper plate that's lasted well after months of regular use.

The only downside? It's right at the £100 ceiling, and the 5.2-litre capacity means it's not ideal for big families wanting to cook everything in one go. But for two to four people, it's hard to beat.

Pros:

• 240°C Max Crisp for genuinely crispy results
• 6-in-1 versatility including dehydrating
• Solid build quality and dishwasher-safe basket
• 5.2L capacity suits most households

Cons:

• Right at the £100 budget limit
• Single drawer only — no dual-zone cooking

Best for: Couples and small families who want the crispiest results under £100.

Where to buy: Amazon (£99)*

2. Cosori Pro LE L501 — best value for families (£80)

The Cosori Pro LE is what I'd call the sensible choice. It doesn't have one standout feature — it just does everything well, quietly, and for less money than most of its rivals. The 4.7-litre square basket fits more food than round baskets of the same stated volume, which is a small thing that makes a big difference when you're trying to fit a family's worth of chicken goujons in one layer.

Eleven presets cover the usual suspects — chips, chicken, steak, fish, frozen food — and there's a shake reminder that beeps halfway through cooking. It sounds trivial, but it stops you forgetting and ending up with chips that are crispy on one side and sad on the other. The non-stick coating has held up well, and the whole basket assembly is dishwasher safe.

At around £80, it undercuts the Ninja by a decent margin and gives up very little in return. The main trade-off is a lower max temperature (205°C vs 240°C), which means slightly less crispiness on things like frozen chips. For most cooking, you won't notice.

Pros:

• Square basket maximises usable cooking space
• Shake reminder prevents uneven cooking
• 11 presets with sensible defaults
• Excellent value at around £80

Cons:

• Max temperature of 205°C (fine for most things, but less crisp than the Ninja)
• 4.7L is slightly snug for larger families

Best for: Families of three to four who want reliable performance without paying top whack.

Where to buy: Amazon (from £80)*, Cosori UK*

3. Tefal Easy Fry & Pizza FW402 — best compact option (£70)

Tefal have been making non-stick kitchen gear since before most of us were born, and the Easy Fry shows that experience. The 4.5-litre capacity sits in the sweet spot for one to three people, and the wide, flat drawer shape means it'll fit an 11-inch pizza — something most air fryers at this size can't manage without awkward folding.

Nine preset programmes, a digital touchscreen, and a detachable pizza cutter (yes, really — it comes with one). The non-stick coating is Tefal's own, which in my experience outlasts the generic coatings on cheaper brands. It's a compact unit too, so if counter space is tight, this is the one to look at.

It won't cook for a big family and the max temperature is 200°C, so don't expect maximum crispiness. But for a couple or someone living alone who wants something reliable and compact, it's a cracking little machine.

Pros:

• Wide drawer fits 11-inch pizzas
• Tefal's durable non-stick coating
• Compact footprint for small kitchens
• Good value at around £70

Cons:

• 4.5L suits 1-3 people only
• 200°C max temperature

Best for: Couples or solo cooks with limited counter space who love reheated pizza.

Where to buy: Currys (£70)*

4. Tower Vortx 4L Digital — best under £50 (£50)

If you just want to try air frying without committing much money, the Tower Vortx is the one. At around fifty quid, it's cheap enough that you won't feel cheated if air frying isn't for you, and capable enough that you might never feel the need to upgrade.

Four litres is enough for one or two people's meals. The digital display and touch controls feel surprisingly decent for the price — I was expecting flimsy, and got functional instead. Temperature goes up to 200°C, the basket is non-stick and dishwasher safe, and it heats up in about three minutes.

It's basic. There's no dehydrate function, no shake reminder, and the build quality isn't going to win any awards. But at this price, those are compromises worth making. Tower have sold millions of these for a reason — they just work.

Pros:

• Exceptional value at around £50
• Digital controls that work well for the price
• Dishwasher-safe basket
• Compact and lightweight

Cons:

• 4L is too small for families
• No advanced features (dehydrate, max crisp)
• Build quality is adequate, not premium

Best for: First-time buyers, students, or anyone who wants to spend as little as possible.

Where to buy: Amazon (from £50)*, Tower Direct (£50)*

5. Salter Dual Air Fryer EK4750 — best dual zone under £100 (£80)

Dual-zone air fryers under £100 are rare, and most of them are rubbish. The Salter EK4750 is the exception. Two independent 3.7-litre drawers give you 7.4 litres of total capacity, with separate temperature and timer controls for each side. Cook your chips in one drawer and chicken in the other, both finishing at the same time. It's the closest thing to a cooking superpower I've found at this price.

The sync function is the key feature — set different cook times and it'll stagger the start so everything finishes together. No more chips going cold while you wait for the main course. At around £80, that's a proper bargain considering Ninja's equivalent dual-zone models start at £150+.

The trade-off is build quality. Salter sits a tier below Ninja and Tefal in terms of how premium things feel, and the non-stick coating on the drawers may not last as many years. But for the price, it's a lot of air fryer for your money.

Pros:

• Two independent cooking zones with sync finish
• 7.6L total capacity — enough for a full family meal
• Hugely undercuts Ninja's dual-zone models on price
• Digital controls with presets for both drawers

Cons:

• Build quality isn't as premium as Ninja or Tefal
• Non-stick coating may wear faster with heavy use
• Takes up significant counter space

Best for: Families who want dual-zone cooking without spending £150+.

Where to buy: Amazon (from £80)*, Currys*

How do they compare side by side?

Model	Capacity	Max Temp	Zones	Dishwasher Safe	Price
Ninja AF160UK	5.2L	240°C	Single	Yes	£99
Cosori Pro LE L501	4.7L	205°C	Single	Yes	£80
Tefal Easy Fry FW402	4.5L	200°C	Single	Yes	£70
Tower Vortx 4L	4.0L	200°C	Single	Yes	£50
Salter Dual EK4750	7.4L (2x3.7L)	200°C	Dual	Yes	£80

When is the best time to buy an air fryer in the UK?

Air fryers go on sale predictably throughout the year. If you can wait, these are the windows to watch:

• Amazon Prime Day (July): Ninja and Cosori typically see 20-30% reductions. The AF160UK has dropped to £79 during past Prime Days.
• Black Friday / Cyber Monday (November): The biggest discounts of the year. Budget models that normally sit at £50-80 can drop to £30-50. Premium models like the Ninja regularly hit their all-time lowest prices.
• January sales: Retailers clear Christmas stock. Not as dramatic as Black Friday, but you'll find solid 15-20% discounts across the board.
• Bank holiday weekends: Currys and Argos run flash sales around May and August bank holidays. Worth checking if you're not in a rush.

That said, if you need an air fryer now, just buy one. The price differences between sales are usually £10-20, and you'll save that much in reduced oven energy bills within a month of regular use.

Frequently asked questions

Are air fryers actually healthier than deep frying?

Yes, and it's not even close. Deep frying submerges food in oil, typically adding 100-200 calories per serving. Air fryers use a tablespoon at most — sometimes none at all. The results aren't identical (deep-fried chips will always have that specific texture), but they're close enough that most people end up preferring the air fryer version once they've adjusted. Your clothes won't smell of oil either, which is a bonus nobody talks about enough.

What can you actually cook in an air fryer?

More than you'd think. Chips, chicken wings, and frozen food are the obvious ones, but I regularly use mine for roasting vegetables, reheating leftover pizza (a revelation — the base goes crispy again), baking small cakes, and cooking salmon fillets. Some people do entire roast dinners in stages. The main limitation is size — you're cooking in batches if you're feeding more than four people with a single-drawer model.

Do air fryers use less energy than an oven?

Significantly less. A typical air fryer uses 1,000-1,500 watts compared to 2,000-2,500 watts for a conventional oven. More importantly, an air fryer reaches cooking temperature in 3-5 minutes versus 10-15 for an oven, and the smaller cooking space means less wasted heat. Energy Saving Trust estimates suggest you could save £30-50 a year by switching from oven to air fryer for suitable meals.

How long do budget air fryers last?

With reasonable care, three to five years from a branded model like Ninja, Cosori, or Tefal. The non-stick coating is usually the first thing to go — avoid metal utensils and abrasive sponges and it'll last longer. Unbranded models from marketplace sellers can be more variable, which is one reason I've stuck to established brands in this guide.

Our verdict

For most people, the Ninja AF160UK is the one to buy. It's the crispiest air fryer under £100, the build quality is a step above everything else at this price, and the 5.2-litre capacity hits the sweet spot for most UK households. Yes, it's at the top of the budget — but the extra £20-30 over cheaper models buys you noticeably better results.

If you want to spend less, the Cosori Pro LE at around £80 gives you 90% of the Ninja's performance for 80% of the price. And if you're after dual-zone cooking without breaking the bank, the Salter Dual EK4750 at £80 is the only realistic option under £100.

Whichever you pick, your oven is about to get a lot less use. Mine certainly has.