Cheapest place to buy an air fryer in the UK

A category with more model numbers than there are meaningful differences between them.

Updated 3 September 2026 · 3 min read

Why this category is so hard to compare

Air fryers sell in enormous volume, which has produced an enormous number of near-identical models. A single manufacturer may list a dozen variants differing only in a preset, a display, or a colour, each with its own model number and its own price.

The practical effect is the same one you get with televisions: the exact model at one shop frequently does not exist at another, so there is no like-for-like comparison to make. The difference is that with air fryers the variants really are close to identical, so the closest sibling is usually a fair comparison.

Capacity is measured in more than one way

This is the trap that costs people money. A dual-drawer model advertising a total capacity splits that figure across two baskets, so no single drawer holds anything like the headline number. A single-basket model of the same stated litres holds considerably more in one go.

Worse, some capacities are measured to the very top of the basket rather than to a usable fill level. Two fryers with the same number on the box can differ noticeably in what they actually cook.

What actually drives the price

• Drawer configuration. Single, dual, or oven-style. This is the real dividing line and it matters more than brand.
• Brand tier. The premium names carry a genuine premium, and the mechanism inside a budget model is not that different. Where you notice the difference is build, noise and how long the coating lasts.
• Seasonality. This category is discounted hard around major sale events and in January, when energy-saving appliances are heavily promoted.
• Retailer-exclusive bundles with racks, liners or recipe books, which make direct price comparison harder without adding much.

Single drawer and dual drawer are different machines

Stated capacity on a dual-drawer model is the total across both compartments, so a nominally large unit has two modest baskets rather than one big one. For anything needing a single layer in one basket — chips, a tray of wings — the usable figure is one drawer, roughly half the headline. A single-drawer model of the same total litres holds considerably more of one thing, while a dual lets you cook two things at different temperatures. Neither is better; they are different tools.

What wears out, and whether you can replace it

• The non-stick coating on the baskets is the wear item, and replacement baskets are model-specific. Check one exists before buying.
• Dishwasher safety applies to baskets and crisper plates separately and is not implied by one another.
• Racks, tins and liners are sold separately, and third-party versions fit at a fraction of branded prices.
• The fan is the usual mechanical failure, and on most models it is not user-serviceable.

Where the price actually moves

This category is discounted heavily and often, particularly around seasonal events, because competition is intense and the machines are close to commodity. Manufacturer refurbished stock is the other genuine channel. Worth knowing: a small conventional oven does much of the same job, so if the choice is a cheap air fryer or using the oven you already own, the running-cost argument is smaller than the marketing suggests on anything but small portions.

Before you buy

1. Decide single-basket or dual-drawer before looking at any price.
2. Note the full model number and search it, then search the range to find the siblings.
3. Check the drawer dimensions, not just the litre figure.
4. Compare the closest sibling models across retailers — with near-identical variants that is a fair comparison.