Fryers Price Comparison
Compare 481 fryers from Ninja, Philips, Tefal and more — find the best price across top UK retailers, from compact air fryers to large dual-zone models.
Fryers price comparison UK
Air fryers have quietly taken over the British kitchen — and the numbers back it up. With 481 models tracked across dozens of UK retailers, the fryer category spans everything from a basic Swan compact unit at 32 £ to premium Ninja dual-zone systems pushing towards 249 £. The median price sits around 83 £, which tells you something useful: most buyers don't need to spend a fortune to get a genuinely capable machine.
The market is dominated by three heavyweights. Ninja leads on average price (around £233 per model) and consistently earns strong reviews on TechRadar and Trusted Reviews — their dual-basket and Double Stack designs are genuinely clever. Philips, the brand that popularised rapid air convection technology, remains a benchmark for build quality and non-stick durability. Tefal sits in the middle ground, offering reliable performance at slightly more accessible prices. If you're watching the budget, Tower and Swan both average well under £100 and have earned a loyal following among buyers who want straightforward functionality without the premium branding.
One thing worth noting: the shift from traditional deep-fat fryers to hot air convection models is essentially complete at the mainstream level. Oil-immersion fryers still exist — Russell Hobbs and Swan both list them — but they account for a small fraction of the catalogue. The real action is in air fryers, where dual-zone cooking (two independent baskets running at different temperatures simultaneously) has become the standout feature of 2026. It's genuinely useful for cooking a main and a side at the same time, and Ninja's implementation is particularly well-regarded.
Capacity is the single most important spec to get right before buying. A 2–3L basket suits one or two people; a family of four will want at least 5.5L, and batch cookers should look at the 8–9L dual-basket models from Daewoo or Ninja. Pair your fryer research with a look at multi-cookers if you want a single appliance that also pressure-cooks and slow-cooks, or browse contact grills if grilling is your priority. For complete kitchen setups, toaster ovens offer an alternative approach to countertop cooking that's worth comparing side by side.
Prices shift regularly — Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day consistently produce the sharpest drops on Ninja and Philips models in particular. Use MagicPrices to track price history and set alerts before committing to a purchase.
How to Choose the Right Fryer for Your Kitchen
With prices ranging from 32 £ to 249 £ and dozens of brands competing for shelf space, picking the right fryer isn't as simple as grabbing the best-reviewed model. Capacity, cooking method, and basket design matter far more than brand name alone — here's what actually makes a difference.
Capacity matched to your household size
This is the spec most buyers get wrong. A 2–3L basket is fine for one or two people — Swan and Russell Hobbs cover this range well at budget prices. For a family of three or four, you need at least 4–5.5L; anything smaller means cooking in batches, which defeats the point. If you're regularly cooking for five or more, or you like batch-cooking at weekends, look at the 8–9L dual-basket models. The Daewoo 9L and Ninja Double Stack XL are the standout options here. Don't be tempted to buy bigger than you need — a half-full large basket cooks less evenly than a properly loaded smaller one.
Single basket vs dual-zone: which actually suits you?
Dual-zone fryers (two independent baskets with separate temperature and timer controls) sound like a luxury, but they're genuinely practical if you cook complete meals rather than just chips. The Ninja AF400UK Dual Zone is the most popular example — you can run chicken at 200°C in one drawer while roasting vegetables at 180°C in the other, finishing simultaneously. The trade-off is size: dual-zone models are bulky and will dominate a small countertop. If you mostly reheat leftovers or cook single items, a well-specified single-basket model at a lower price point makes more sense.
Wattage and preheat time
Standard air fryers run at 1550–1700W; high-performance models and traditional deep-fat fryers push to 2000–2300W. Higher wattage means faster preheat (2–3 minutes vs 5+ minutes) and better temperature recovery when you load cold food. For daily use, the difference is noticeable — a slow-preheating fryer becomes an annoyance quickly. That said, higher wattage also means higher running costs, which matters if you're using the appliance twice a day. Check your kitchen's circuit capacity if you're running multiple high-draw appliances simultaneously.
Basket design and cleaning reality
Square or rectangular baskets use space more efficiently than cylindrical ones — you can fit a whole chicken breast flat rather than folding it. More importantly, check whether the basket and tray are dishwasher-safe. Brands like Ninja and Philips are explicit about this; some budget models technically allow it but the non-stick coating degrades faster with repeated dishwasher cycles. A crumb tray beneath the basket is a small feature that makes a big difference to weekly cleaning effort. If easy maintenance matters to you, it's worth reading the manual before buying, not after.
Non-stick coating: PTFE vs ceramic vs hard-anodised
Older PTFE (Teflon-style) coatings work well when intact but can flake over time, particularly if you use metal utensils or run aggressive dishwasher cycles. PTFE-free ceramic coatings are increasingly common at mid-range prices and are generally considered safer and more durable with proper care. Hard-anodised aluminium baskets (found on some Philips and Ninja models) are the most robust option but come at a price premium. Whatever the coating, avoid metal utensils and don't stack baskets when storing — that's how most non-stick damage starts.
Controls: digital precision vs mechanical simplicity
Touchscreen LCD panels with preset programmes look impressive and do offer genuine convenience for common foods (chips, chicken wings, fish fillets). But they add cost and are a potential failure point. Mechanical dial controls are less precise — temperature accuracy can vary by ±10–15°C — but they're robust and intuitive. For most home cooks, a digital display with manual temperature and time control (no presets needed) hits the sweet spot. Smart app connectivity exists on a handful of premium models but adds little practical value for the majority of users.
- Budget picks (From 32 £ to 57 £) : Compact deep-fat fryers and entry-level air fryers from Swan, Russell Hobbs, and Tower. Expect 1.5–3L capacity, mechanical or basic digital controls, and plastic-heavy construction. Perfectly adequate for singles or couples who fry occasionally. Don't expect dishwasher-safe baskets or precise temperature control at this end.
- The sweet spot (From 57 £ to 83 £) : Where most buyers should start looking. Tower, Breville, and Daewoo offer solid 5–6L air fryers with digital controls and removable dishwasher-safe baskets. Build quality is noticeably better than the budget tier. This range also covers the Ninja AF100UK — a compact but well-built entry point into the Ninja ecosystem.
- Mid-range performers (From 83 £ to 147 £) : Tefal, Princess, Cosori, and lower-end Philips models live here. You get larger capacities (6–8L), better non-stick coatings, more accurate thermostats, and often dual-zone functionality. The Ninja AF400UK Dual Zone sits at the top of this bracket and represents excellent value for families. Recommended range for most households.
- Premium and dual-zone flagships (Over 147 £) : Ninja and Philips dominate above this threshold. The Ninja Double Stack XL, Ninja Foodi Health Grill combos, and top-tier Philips models with app connectivity. Genuinely useful extra features — larger capacity, superior build quality, multi-function cooking — but diminishing returns set in quickly. Worth it for heavy daily users; overkill for occasional cooking.
Top products
- Ninja AF400UK, Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer, Black (Ninja) : The benchmark dual-zone air fryer for UK families — two independent 4.75L drawers with genuine separate temperature control. Bulky on the worktop, but if you cook complete meals rather than just sides, nothing at this price matches it.
- Ninja Foodi Health Grill & Air Fryer AG301UK (Ninja) : The most-listed product in the category for good reason — it combines a contact grill with air frying in one unit. Excellent for households that grill regularly, though it takes up more counter space than a standard air fryer.
- Ninja SL400UK, Double Stack XL 9.5L Air Fryer, Black (Ninja) : Clever vertical stacking design that fits a 9.5L capacity into a surprisingly small footprint. The best option for large households who want dual-zone cooking without a wide countertop footprint. Premium price, but genuinely justified.
- Tower 6 Litre Vortx Space Saver Digital Air Fryer (Tower) : The strongest budget-to-mid case in the catalogue — 6L digital air fryer at a price well below the category median. Tower's build quality won't match Ninja or Philips, but for a family that wants a capable everyday fryer without overspending, this is hard to argue with.
- Ninja AF100UK fryer Single 3.8 L Stand-alone 1550 W Hot air fryer Black (Ninja) : The entry point into the Ninja range and genuinely the best compact air fryer for one or two people. 3.8L is enough for two portions, build quality is well above budget rivals, and it's regularly discounted. Not worth it if you're cooking for a family.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What size air fryer do I need for a family of four?
For a family of four, you need a minimum of 5.5L capacity — ideally 6–8L if you want to cook a full meal in one go without batching. A 4L basket can technically serve four people but you'll be cooking chips in two rounds, which most people find frustrating after the first week. Models like the Tower 6 Litre Vortx or the Daewoo 9L dual-basket are well-suited to this household size. If counter space is limited, a dual-zone model like the Ninja AF400UK lets you cook two different foods simultaneously in a relatively compact footprint.
Is an air fryer actually healthier than a deep-fat fryer?
Yes, meaningfully so — air fryers use little to no oil compared to deep-fat fryers, which require full oil immersion. Studies consistently show air-fried food contains significantly less fat than deep-fried equivalents. That said, the texture difference is real: deep-fat frying produces a crispier, more uniform crust through full oil contact, while air frying achieves browning via the Maillard reaction from hot circulating air. For chips and chicken, most people find air-fried results perfectly satisfying. For battered fish or doughnuts, a deep-fat fryer still wins on texture.
How much does it cost to run an air fryer per use?
A typical 1700W air fryer running for 20 minutes costs roughly 10–15p per use at average UK electricity rates — considerably less than a conventional oven for the same task. Deep-fat fryers at 2000–2300W cost slightly more per session, and the oil itself adds to the running cost. The real saving comes from not preheating a full-size oven: an air fryer reaches cooking temperature in 2–3 minutes versus 10–15 minutes for an oven. For households that cook daily, the annual saving is noticeable.
Are cheap fryers worth buying, or should I avoid them?
Budget fryers under 57 £ are worth buying for occasional use, but they have real limitations you should know about upfront. Non-stick coatings on cheaper models tend to degrade faster, temperature accuracy is often poor (±15–20°C), and build quality means they're unlikely to last more than two or three years with regular use. Swan and Tower are the most reliable names at the budget end — avoid unbranded or very obscure brands entirely. If you're cooking daily, spending up to 83 £ gets you a significantly more durable machine that will pay for itself in longevity.
What's the difference between a dual-zone and a double-basket air fryer?
A dual-zone air fryer has two completely independent cooking chambers, each with its own heating element, temperature setting, and timer — the Ninja AF400UK is the classic example. A double-basket fryer (like the Daewoo SDA2616GE) typically has a larger single chamber divided into two sections, often sharing one heating element. The practical difference is significant: true dual-zone models let you cook chicken at 200°C and vegetables at 160°C simultaneously and finish at the same time. Double-basket designs offer more capacity but less independent control. If simultaneous multi-food cooking is your goal, pay for the genuine dual-zone.
Can I put air fryer baskets in the dishwasher?
Most modern air fryer baskets are technically dishwasher-safe, but the reality is more nuanced. Ninja and Philips explicitly rate their baskets for dishwasher use and their non-stick coatings hold up reasonably well. On budget models, repeated dishwasher cycles accelerate coating degradation — the high heat and harsh detergents attack PTFE-based coatings faster than hand-washing. Ceramic-coated baskets are generally more dishwasher-tolerant. Our advice: check the manual specifically, and if in doubt, hand-wash with a soft sponge. It takes 90 seconds and your basket will last twice as long.
Which fryer brands are most reliable for long-term use?
Philips and Ninja consistently top reliability surveys and Which? assessments for air fryers — both offer at least a one-year warranty as standard, with Philips often providing two years on higher-end models. Tefal and Breville are solid mid-tier choices with good UK after-sales support. Tower and Swan offer decent reliability for the price but spare parts availability is more limited. Avoid buying fryers from brands with no UK customer service presence — returns and warranty claims become a significant hassle, and the saving rarely justifies the risk.