Air fryers are replacing UK takeaway culture, new survey reveals

If you haven’t already bought an air fryer, you’re officially in the minority as of this year. That is according to a recent Expert Reviews survey, which concluded that a whopping 56% of households in the UK have an air fryer at home – that’s 11% up on 2023 figures.

When talking to someone who loves their air fryer, chances are you’ve either been influenced to get one, or have stuffed your fingers in your ears as a stubborn act of defiance. Some people believe that air fryers are simply a fad but having tested heaps of air fryers, while they have clear pros and cons, their popularity comes as no surprise to us. They can help cook healthy, tasty meals and some are even big enough to cook full family meals in under 15 minutes. They’re also ridiculously easy to clean.

Love them or loathe them, air fryers are here to stay – our recent survey has highlighted the interesting ways air fryers have solidified their presence in kitchens across the nation. We’ve found out which areas of the UK are most likely to be air fryer lovers, and which age groups are most likely to be ditching regular takeaways for a trusty, home-cooked air-fryer meal.

Which UK areas love air fryers the most?

While it’s clear the UK has developed an affinity for air fryers as a whole, our survey shows some surprising differences between areas. For example, 66% of adults in Wales own an air fryer, while just 43% of Londoners have made the investment.

However, air fryer lovers who are looking for like-minded people will have the best luck in Northern Ireland. That’s because air fryer ownership has reached a whopping 74%. That means almost three-quarters of homes in the area have invested in an air fryer.

Interested in finding out about air fryer ownership in your area? The full findings from our survey are listed and displayed in our graphic below.

Are air fryers replacing takeaway culture?

With the cost of living soaring and home cooking being more convenient than ever, our recent survey also explored the potential impact air fryer ownership could be having on UK takeaway culture.

We surveyed 2,091 UK adults and asked those who own air fryers whether they have had fewer takeaways since their purchase. Of the respondents who owned an air fryer, 34% reported that they had reduced the amount of takeaways they consumed.

As ever, this varies across the UK. Northern Ireland is the region that is most likely to buy fewer takeaways, followed closely by London. This is surprising since they are the most and least likely areas to own an air fryer respectively.

At the bottom of the table, we have the North East, of whom just 27% of respondents claimed they had reduced their takeaway intake. That’s a huge difference between the 45% of air fryer owners who live in Northern Ireland.

We also noticed a significant age difference in those who ditched the takeaways after buying an air fryer. Unsurprisingly, 18-24 year olds are most likely to cut back on eating out, while those over the age of 55 are the least likely to change their takeaway habits.

What does this mean for UK takeaways?

With air fryer popularity on the rise and them starting to influence our eating habits, it begs the question whether UK takeaways need to keep an eye on this unlikely competition.

The reality is, they’ll probably be absolutely fine. However, the rising popularity of air fryer meals, which use far less oils than your typical takeaway, indicates a positive shift in UK eating habits.

Furthermore, the rising cost of living could be contributing to a greater desire or need to cook meals at home. An air fryer is a sage investment for those wanting to cook tasty, crispy, takeaway-style meals for a fraction of the cost.