You may call it Baader Meinhof syndrome, but there’s no longer any doubt that air fryers are a genuine craze, dominating news cycles.
Whether it’s because of the well-reported energy savings (they cost less to run than a conventional oven), the fact they make once-sinfully fried food acceptable (you only need a fraction of the oil for cooking), or the appeal of slinging in ingredients and leaving them unattended before coming back to a delicious, hot meal, the wonder gadgets are fast becoming a must-have in every kitchen across the UK.
Many have cavernous chambers which are perfect for large households or cooking on big occasions such as Christmas. But if you live by yourself or just one other, such large devices are unnecessary and can be off-putting due to the amount of counter space they take up.
But the beauty of the air fryer - apart from the reasons we’ve already listed, of course - is that they come in a variety of sizes. There are plenty of smaller models to suit single-person households or to keep in caravans or holiday homes so you can continue to enjoy them when you head off on a weekend break or a staycation.
Best small air fryers at a glance
We’ve rounded up the best small air fryers that are still on shelves. But if you want one, move fast - they’re never in stock for long.
See the selection below
Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK
Best for: multifunctional
It’s nice to be reminded that you’re cooking something, but when an air fryer is so loud you can barely hear it over the TV - it’s a problem. Thankfully the Ninja is only as noisy as a fan-assisted oven and its sleekness means we could tuck it away on our worktop without it looking oppressive.
It’s so simple to use that we barely had to pick up the instruction manual - and you can mix up the typical air fryer function and switch to the roast setting to crisp up roast potatoes, or dehydrate to make fruit and vegetable snacks.
A light brush of oil cooked chips from scratch perfectly, while no oil was needed at all for steak or sausages – keeping things super healthy. If you want a machine that does more, opt for Ninja’s multi-cookers which offer slow cook, pressure cook, saute and steam options alongside air frying.
Also available at Amazon, Currys, and Very
Buy now £79.00, Argos
Tefal Easy Fry Precision 2-in-1 Digital Air Fryer and Grill
Best for: healthy eating
Tefal’s Easy Fry Precision 2-in-1 Digital Air Fryer and Grill prepares a diverse range of meals. Use the air fryer to maximise the tender crispiness of your food, or opt for the grill function to char veggies and meats. The piece cooks meals 49 per cent faster than a regular oven, meaning you can whip up a feast with minimum effort.
Was: £139.99
Buy now £159.00, Amazon
COSORI Small Air Fryer, 2L
Best for: whisper quiet
This small and tidy two-litre air fryer is perfect for small homes and student halls with dimensions measuring a compact 25.6D x 21.1W x 26.7Hcm. Not only does it cook faster with less oil but it's quiet about it too making far less noise at just 48dB when it's on (around the same as a quiet library).
Operation-wise it couldn't be simpler to use with a control panel and screen set at the top and just one dishwasher-safe compartment to clean. The small size makes it ideal for single portions - think four cookies, a couple of salmon filets or a plate of chips. As well as air fry there's a reheat mode to warm up leftovers too.
Was: £69.99
Buy now £49.98, Amazon
VonShef 2L Compact Air Fryer
Best for: student halls
There’s no single-person tax to pay for here; VonShef's two-litre machine is not only perfect for solo diners but comes in at a pleasingly smaller price too.
The 1000W machine has one chamber to sling in your ingredients with a control panel at the top to set the temperature (from 80-200°C) and a 30-minute timer that allows you to set and forget while you get on with other kitchen jobs.
Though it's small, you don't have to keep the appliance out if you're into the minimal kitchen look. Measuring a diminutive 21.5D x 25.5W x 27.5Hcm it should easily tuck away behind cupboard doors when not in use.
Buy now £25.99, Amazon
Lakeland Digital Compact Air Fryer
Best for: compact kitchens
This sleek little model hums lightly in the background so you know it’s working, but won’t interrupt any chit-chat in the kitchen. By far one of the smallest models on the market, it’s still big enough to cook everything from chips to vegetables.
The touch screen lights up when you first turn it on and the pre-set buttons for different foods, such as poultry or meat, mean you can’t go wrong when cooking. We lightly covered some potatoes with some oil and added them into the pull-out basket and they cooked with a crisp on the outside and softness in the middle. While turkey burgers did the same.
Small enough to have on your kitchen surface without it looking too out of place, it also comes apart easily to clean.
Buy now £51.99, Lakeland
Instant Pot Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer
Best for: intelligent communication
While it may sound contradictory, this device manages to be both big and compact. This air fryer is similar to some of the other models with a pull-out basket and touch screen buttons.
The air fryer cooks fish quickly and crispy without any oil, and sweet potato fries with just a dash of low-calorie spray, while its other pre-set smart programs mean you can roast, bake and reheat too.
We loved its intelligent communication, informing you how long to preheat for, when to add in your food and also when it’s time to turn your food over.
Cleaning was easy too, taking out the basket for a quick wash. The only slight downside is the noise – it sounded like a noisy air-conditioning unit.
Buy now £82.99, Amazon
Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L
Best for: snacking
An air fryer isn’t just for dinner - you can use this one to make all sorts of healthy snacks like dried fruit and jerky as well as yoghurt. Throwing a dinner party? Hot canapes come together in minutes in this machine, while it’s possible to use it to bake cakes and fresh bread too. Who needs a kitchen?
Best of all, this is currently on sale - was: £89.99
Buy now £44.99, Mi
Lakeland Digital Crisp Air Fryer
Best for: pre-set programmes
This super sleek round air fryer looked very attractive on our kitchen top– even though it was slightly bigger than some of the other models.
With touchscreen controls and eight pre-sets, we found it quick and easy to start the machine and cook different foods including steak and frozen chips. If you’re following a super healthy diet then oil isn’t essential, but we found that a small spritz gave chips a crispy, crunchy finish.
The basket is removable making it easy to clean, and it can be stored out of sight in cupboards - especially helpful if you’ve got a kitchen that’s on the smaller side.
Buy now £63.99, Lakeland
Tower T17079 3L Air Fryer
Best for: trimming household bills
When energy bills are so high, every penny counts. Air fryers may seem like showy, expensive gadgets but they come in all sizes, with all sorts of features and pleasingly, all budgets too. Tower’s three-litre device is £40 right now, making it a cost-effective purchase in every sense.
It uses rapid air circulation technology to turbocharge cooking times by 30 per cent, which means not only are you using it for less time, but your meal is on the table faster too. The manual controls are easy to use, and suitable for students and pensioners alike. Comes with a one-year manufacturer’s guarantee.
Buy now £40.00, Argos
Salter EK2817 Compact 2L Hot Air Fryer
Best for: a bite-sized air fryer experience
Two litres may seem on the small side, but you really don’t need much more if you’re cooking for one or two diners.
Salter’s machine, which runs on 1000W, features adjustable temperature control, a 30-minute timer with auto shut off for safety and a removable frying rack, all working to make it easier to clean.
Use it to roast, broil, bake, steam and reheat meals using less energy than conventional methods.
Was: £39.99
Buy now £31.72, Amazon
