Air fryers have gone from novelty to kitchen staple, and the good news is you no longer need to spend a small fortune to get a genuinely good one. Under £100 you can find models that crisp chips, roast a whole chicken and reheat leftovers far better than any oven.
If you are cooking for one or two people, a 3.5 to 4 litre single-basket model is plenty. The Tower Vortx and Ninja's smaller AF100 sit comfortably in this bracket and regularly drop below £80 during sales. For families, look for a 7 to 8 litre capacity or a dual-basket design so you can cook two things at once. Dual-zone models occasionally dip under £100 around Prime Day and Black Friday, which is the moment to pounce.
What should you actually look for? A wide temperature range (around 40C to 200C) gives you flexibility for everything from dehydrating to roasting. A non-stick, dishwasher-safe basket saves you the worst part of the job. Digital controls with presets are nice, but honest dials work just as well and tend to last longer. Wattage between 1,400W and 1,700W hits the sweet spot for fast preheating without tripping anything.
Be wary of bargain models under £40 from unfamiliar brands. They often have flimsy baskets, uneven heating and a fan that sounds like a hairdryer. A trusted mid-range fryer will cost a little more but pay you back in years of use and lower running costs than your oven.
Our rule of thumb: set a budget, wait for a real discount (more on spotting those elsewhere on the site), and buy the largest capacity you have room for. You will use it far more than you expect.