Air fryers can be useful in all kinds of kitchen setups, but they’re especially worth considering if you’re moving into student accommodation. An air fryer can almost completely replace an oven and stove, performing of a whole spectrum of frying and baking jobs with ease. They’re perfect for cooking small portions quickly, without wasting excess energy too.
Our general best air fryer guide runs down more options in more detail, but below I’ve rounded up my top recommendations for students in particular. I’ve focused on affordable options, and included a number of small-footprint fryers for those who find themselves fighting for counter space in a pokey student kitchen. I’ve also featured the Ninja Crispi, which uses the same glass containers for cooking, serving and storing, making it an extremely low-effort (and low-washing up!) option. Scroll down for my top student air fryer picks, or hop to the bottom for my buying tips to help you choose.
Student suppers
How to choose
At this point, the air fryer market is saturated with options. If you’re not quite sure how to choose the right one for you, here are some things to focus on to narrow down your options:
1. Available counter space
Consider the air fryer’s shape and footprint — you need something that’s not going to take up all your counter space. Remember, too, that you should be leaving some breathing space to the sides and rear of the appliance. If you’re short on space, look for a tall design with edges that go straight up (rather than bowing out).
2. Cooking capacity
For one or two people, 4QTs will be just fine. However, if you want to cook for more people, you’ll want something bigger. For more complex meals, consider a dual-zone air fryer with two drawers that can be set to different temperatures.
3. Brand reliability
There are some really cheap, no-brand air fryers on Amazon, but if you want an appliance that’ll last then I’d stick to a brand that’s established in the kitchen appliance arena. Ninja is often touted as the leader in this market, and it makes some excellent air fryers, but we’ve also been impressed by options from the likes of Instant Pot and Cosori.
4. Function options
A lot of air fryers will be advertised as being able to deliver multiple functions in one, and will offer functions like baking, roasting and crisping alongside air frying. I feel these are an unnecessary gimmick — with my own air fryer, I never use anything but the air fry function (and if I’m quite honest, I struggle to see how the process of baking will be different to that of roasting; it’s all just heat being circulated in the cavity at a specific temperature). I wouldn’t factor it too heavily into your choice-making.
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ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton)
