I’m an air fryer expert and here’s what you need to know before choosing a deal on Amazon

If you’ve been on the hunt for a good air fryer, you’ll know it’s tricky finding the right one. Thankfully, I’m here to help. As kitchen editor, with nearly five years of experience testing air fryers and using them almost daily in my own home, I’m able to sort the good from the mediocre. I can also help you find a great air fryer deal, too – and right now there are a handful of excellent discounts in Amazon’s spring sale.

This five-day event runs from 20 March to midnight on Monday 25 March, however, I often see air fryer deals selling out well before this, so it’s best not to hang around if you spot something you like.

What to look out for when buying an air fryer

While I have my own personal preferences about what makes a good air fryer, there are plenty of things to look out for before you buy. Here are the top things worth thinking about

Size: As a general rule, an air fryer with a capacity of 2l to 5l is ideal for a single portion of food or two smaller ones. If you’re looking to cook for a crowd or want a larger capacity two-person fryer, anything from 7l to 15l should suffice. Bigger is always better for families though.

Automatic presets: Some air fryers have automatic settings, meaning you can press a preset button to automatically set the time and temperature based on the type of food you’re cooking. While these can be easy to use and take the guesswork out of cooking, sometimes the end results are slightly disappointing.

Extra functions: Many air fryers can also bake, dehydrate, prove and even grill. If you plan on using your air fryer as an everyday oven, a bake/roast feature can be useful, as this setting will spin the fan more gently, meaning foods won’t get too crispy on top before they’re cooked inside. This is particularly useful for cakes.

Shape: Basket models are the most common but it’s worth considering if you might be better off with an oven-style air fryer or even a self-stirring one. Baskets are great for most “oven food” and even whole chickens if they’re big enough, but if you want to cook things like pizza, an oven shape might be better suited.

Dual or single basket: Dual fryers give you a lot more capacity and the best ones will also let you use them at the same time but at different temperatures. However, they are more expensive and take up more space.

Budget: You can pick up a relatively basic air fryer for as little as £50 but these models are often small and don’t always offer consistent results. It’s best to spend as much as you can on an air fryer, especially if you plan on using it most days. I think the sweet spot is around £150+ but you can often pick up a really great air fryer for less than this during sales periods.

My favourite air fryer deals

For more discounts on air fryers and other home and tech, check out our Amazon spring deals live blog.

We’ve also got plenty of best roundups for air fryers too, including the best two-person air fryers, the best budget air fryers, the best Ninja air fryers and the best dual-drawer air fryers.