The best air fryers, tried and tested for crisp and crunch

Air fryers inspire the sort of feelings that microwaves did in the 1980s. I vividly remember those new-fangled boxes being spoken about often, either dismissively or with delight. A rash of cookbooks followed, and dinner changed across the land. Fast-forward a few decades, and air fryers have become the same kind of kitchen “disruptors”, offering time-saving convenience and healthier cooking, but with the added allure of easily achieved, mouth-watering crispiness.

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Since launching with a single-drawer design, air fryers have evolved. Sizes range from compact to XL, while drawer configurations can be double, split or stacked. Alongside air frying, many will grill, roast and bake, and some will dip to lower temperatures for dehydrating, fermenting and proving dough. One we tested features steam cooking, allowing you to whip up dim sum as easily as a roast dinner, while another included racks for cooking on four levels.

Given that the air fryer market is so crowded, it’s worth seeking out the best style for your needs – whether that’s for the simple pleasures of homemade chips or to really shake up your meals.

At a glance

Best air fryer overall:

Tefal Dual Easy Fry XXL EY942BG0

Best budget air fryer:

Tower AirX AI Digital Air Fryer

Best single-drawer air fryer:

Lakeland Slimline air fryer

Best air fryer for chips:

Philips 5000 Series NA555/09 dual basket steam air fryer

Best two-in-one air fryer:

Caso Design AirFry DuoChef

Best air fryer grill:

ProCook air fryer health grill

Best compact air fryer:

Ninja Double Stack XL SL400UK air fryer

Why you should trust me

While air fryers have made the transition from novelty to must-have in recent years, there’s been one in my kitchen for well over a decade, and it’s in daily use. I’ve been a consumer journalist for decades, and as well as air fryers, I’ve tested air-frying health grills and ovens, multi-cookers that can air fry, and everything in between. Anything I can make chips with is welcome in my kitchen. Hang around me long enough and I’ll fill you in on what air fryers can do, how they work, common issues, and how many I’ve tested over the years (about 50).

How I tested

View image in fullscreen ‘My commitment to the cause has seen me peel and chip more than 7kg of potatoes.’ Photograph: Rachel Ogden/The Guardian

By now, you must have worked out that I take testing air fryers very seriously. My commitment to the cause has seen me peel and chip more than 7kg of potatoes – which was just as tedious as it sounds. The internet is awash with hacks for peeling potatoes, including everything from worktop gadgets to peeling hot pre-boiled potatoes with your hands – and even (and I’m not making this up) power drills and toilet brushes in a bucket. I decided a sharp peeler was the best choice.

Each air fryer was run empty from cold for one hour at 200C to rate its power use. Where available, I followed the manufacturer’s instructions for cooking chips. This is because the guidance is often based on the air fryer’s capabilities. Where there was none, I defaulted to 24 minutes at 200C. The same was true for onion rings – if there was a similar frozen food, I followed the suggested times and temperatures; if not, I chose 18 minutes at 200C.

View image in fullscreen Frying tonight: the chips were scrutinised on their colour, crisp and crunch. Photograph: Rachel Ogden/The Guardian

Any food that looked at risk of burning was removed before it did so, meaning one or two cycles were ended early. Finished food was assessed on appearance (colour and texture), crisp and crunch, and the consistency of the batch (such as whether some items were less brown than others).

The 12 machines I tested for this article are either recognisably an air fryer or an air fryer grill. I haven’t tested compact ovens or multi-cookers that air fry because they don’t offer the same experience, such as the ability to shake or turn the contents quickly, and they often don’t have removable parts that are easy to clean.

The best air fryers in 2025

View image in fullscreen ‘Anything I can make chips with is welcome in my kitchen.’ Photograph: Rachel Ogden/The Guardian

Best air fryer overall:

Tefal Easy Fry Dual XXL EY942BG0 Tefal Easy Fry Dual XXL EY942BG0 from £119.99 £119.99 at Tefal £119.99 at Amazon What we love

A stellar performance coupled with cooking flexibility What we don’t love

It’s a bit of a worktop hog, so make some room Photograph: Rachel Ogden/The Guardian £119.99 at Tefal £119.99 at Amazon