The best energy efficient air fryers in 2024 - tried and tested

Air fryers have been hugely popular over the last few years thanks to their convenience, speediness and healthy cooking properties, but in the last few weeks they've been flying off the shelves, with many of the best air fryers selling out completely.

So what's with the high demand? With the recent rises in energy prices, people are on the hunt for ways to keep their bills down.

Luckily for us, the savvy air fryer happens to have excellent energy-efficient properties.

We've put the top four best air fryer brands - Ninja, Tower, Tefal and Cosori - through their paces to see which one came out on top when it comes to cooking our favourite meals, to help you save money. Read on to discover our favourite energy efficient airfryers!

With the recent rises in energy prices, people are on the hunt for ways to keep their bills down, and the savvy air fryer happens to have excellent energy-efficient properties.

Tried-and-tested: best air fryers at a glance

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• Best air fryer for families: Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker | Buy now from Ninja Kitchen
• Best air fryer for budgets: Tower T17087 Vortx Compact Air Fryer | Buy now from Tower Housewares
• Best air fryer for fuss-free cooking: Tefal ActiFry Advance Snacking | Buy now from JD Williams
• Best smart air fryer: Cosori Lite Smart 3.8L Air Fryer | Buy now from Amazon
• Best air fryer for smaller households: Ninja Foodi Mini 6-in-1 Multi-Cooker | Buy now from Ninja Kitchen
• Best rotisserie air fryer: Proscenic T31 Air Fryer oven | Buy now from Amazon
• Best air fryer for everday use: Cosori’s XXL 5.5L Air Fryer | Buy now from Amazon

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How we tested the air fryers

We decided to find out if we could cook a roast dinner in three of the top-selling air fryers; Ninja, Tower and Tefal. We cooked a turkey crown in the Ninja, a chicken crown in the Tower and chicken legs in the Tefal (due to the shape of the basket), plus potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and stuffing. (We cooked the TikTok feta sauce recipe in the Cosori and Ninja Mini, which we tested at a later date).

For the roast dinner testing models, we scored them on how easy they were to use (out of 4), the cooking results (out of 6), their value for money (out of 4) and the tech specs (out of 4) meaning the maximum score a model can get is 16/16.

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Best energy efficient air fryers - tried and tested

Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker

Pros This airfryer is super easy to use. It created a delicious juicy turkey, and potatoes that were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.

Cons The Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 is weighty and large, so it might not be great if you don't have much counter space.

Should you buy it? Definitely. The Ninja 9-in-1 air fryer function will reduce oven cooking time, and the handy cheat sheet booklet helps to take the guesswork out of timings and temperatures. The eight other cooking modes are a huge help for busy households too.

Overall score 15.5/16

Looking for more info on the Ninja Airfryer? Read our full, in-depth Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker review here.

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Tower T17087 Vortx Compact Air Fryer

Buy from Tower Housewares (£34.99)

Score: 14.5/16

Pros Tower’s Compact air fryer may be small but the size didn’t compromise on performance. Overall the veg, stuffing and potatoes were delicious and we were impressed by how yummy they were out of this more, straightforward affordable model. The chicken was juicy and flavoursome too.

Cons Less functions than other models

Should you buy it? Yes. It's budget friendly, it’s easy to set up and compact. The instruction manual is helpful and the cooking results spoke for themselves.

Overall Score: 14.5/16

Want to learn more about this airfryer? Read our full, in-depth Tower Vortx Compact Air Fryer review here.

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Tefal ActiFry Advance Snacking

Pros The Tefal ActiFry is simple to set up and lightweight. It cooked fluffy potatoes and deliciously juicy turkey with salty crispy skin - the viewing window was a huge help when determining if food was ready or not.

Cons This airfryer cooked a brilliant roast, but it's very expensive considering it doesn't have many additional functions

Should you buy it? Yes. For crispy, succulent meat and flavoursome veg, you can’t fault this model.

Overall score: 13/16

Read our full, in-depth Tefal ActiFry Air Fryer review.

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Cosori Lite Smart 3.8L Air Fryer

Pros We made the TikTok viral Feta pasta recipe to test this model and it was hands-down one of the easiest meals we've ever made. The airfryer is so simple to use, and can go up to 230 degrees. This model also has the advantage of smart technology so you control cooking times via your phone.

Cons This model is much larger than the other drawer air fryer we tested. That being said, it looks pretty neat out on display and its capacity is nearly double the amount of the Tower Compact.

Should you buy it? Definitely. The Cosori Lite is great all-rounder air fryer that fits in a large amount of food. We were impressed by how quickly our ingredients cooked.

Overall score 4.5/5

Read our full, in-depth review of the Cosori Lite 3.8L Smart Air Fryer

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Ninja Foodi Mini 6-in-1 Multi-Cooker

Pros This cooked delicious, creamy and rich feta pasta in 20 minutes. The Ninja Foodi Mini is pricier than other air fryer models, but it has a greater capacity than many standard designs (4.7L) and offers more cooking functions than your standard oven. Its clear digital navigation screen and comprehensive instruction guide made setting it up easy too.

Cons Even as a mini version, the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Multi-Cooker is still pretty hefty in size and weight, so not good if you've got limited space

Should you buy it? If you have a 2-3 person household and storage space, yes.

Overall score 4.9/5

Read our full, in-depth review of the Ninja Foodi Mini 6-in-1 Multi-Cooker

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Proscenic T31 Air Fryer O

Pros The rotisserie function elevates this from simply being half air fryer and half oven, to being a fun - albeit sizeable - addition to your kitchen. While this functions well as an air fryer - it cooked chips and a jacket potato in around 20 minutes, you'll want to choose this model over the more compact, basket-style air fryers if you have a large family, or love the idea of cooking a rotisserie chicken in well under an hour.

Cons If you're looking for a straightforward airfryer, this probably isn't for you. This is a bit of a beast compared to other air fryer's on test - but then it's a bit of a hybrid as it's part oven too.

Should you buy it? If you're renting, or student or are looking for a compact oven for your camper van, this is a great option for you.

Read our full review of the Proscenic T31 air fryer oven.

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Cosori XXL 5.5L Air Fryer

Pros This model has 11 preset buttons with a default time and temp. These are so handy and cover everything from bacon, vegetables, and frozen foods to make sure you get the best results possible from whatever you cook. It even has a button for baking bread in just 8 minutes!

Cons You have to shake vegetables and French fries half way through cooking with this model, but some of the presets do give you a reminder. Preheating is also recommended

Should you buy it? Yes. This airfryer has managed to cook everything I’ve thrown at it and is super easy to clean, so definitely stands up to everyday wear and tear. It comes with a 2-year warranty upon registration, and it feels reasonably priced for the size and the amount of food you can cook at once.

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More bestselling energy-efficient air fryers:

While we haven't had chance to test these models yet, we have done plenty of research and read their reviews, and believe they are well worth recommending.

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• Rotisserie air fryer: Tower Vortx Air Fryer Oven, £150
• Cheap air fryer: ProBreeze Air Fryer with Digital Display, £79.99
• Energy-saving air fryer: Instant Brands Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer, £99.99

Tower Vortx Air Fryer Oven

We love the rotisserie feature

Specifications

• Size 38.2 x 32.4 x 33.9cm (H x W x D)
• Capacity 11L
• Power 2,000W

Key features

• Viewing window to keep an eye on your cooking
• Eight pre-set cooking programs
• Removable wire shelves
• Roasts a 1kg chicken in 40 minutes

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ProBreeze Air Fryer with Digital Display

We love the great price

Specifications

• Size 33.2 x 34.3 x 29.3cm (H x W x D)
• Capacity 4.2L
• Power 1,400W

Key features

• Seven pre-set cooking modes
• Detachable non-stick frying basket
• Roasts chicken in as little as 25 mins (weight not specified)

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Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Digital Air Fryer

Great for saving energy when you're cooking

Specifications

• Size ‎31.4 x 37.9 x 32.6 cm (H x W x D)
• Capacity 5.7L
• Power 1,300W

Key features

• Fun colours to choose from
• Space-saving
• Can roast a 1.8kg chicken in as little as 40 minutes

Energy Efficient airfryer: FAQs

Which is the best air fryer?

We asked our 104,000 HomeStyle Instagram followers whether they owned one of the two most popular air fryers; a Tower or Ninja air fryer. These are the results... It was a close call!

• Ninja air fryer - 58%
• Tower air fryer - 42%

How does an air fryer work?

Essentially an air fryer is a countertop oven. It rapidly circulates hot air to evenly cook your food from every angle and crisp the food’s outsides without the need for oil.

How much do air fryers cost to run?

Not only are air fryers ideal for making healthier meals but they also heat up much faster than conventional ovens, meaning you can have a sizzling roast chicken in half the usual time. Their speediness also makes them a more economical way of roasting and baking, as they are so much faster to heat up than traditional ovens. Given the current cost of living crisis, this has made air fryers a viable option if you're looking to reduce your energy bills and well worth the investment.

Research by Utilita in August 2022 found that using an air fryer could save you up to £279.66 per year. Air fryers were found to cost £55.91 per year to run, versus traditional gas cookers which cost £121.06 per year, and electric cookers which cost £335.57 per year.

With that kind of saving, why not try using an air fryer to cook your Sunday roasts this year? With an efficient air fryer you can make a flavour-packed feast with less oil and less energy used - what's not to love?

What can I cook in an air fryer?

The question might be, what can’t you cook in an air fryer (and for the inquisitive among you, we’ve answered this below). The point is, part of the reason there’s such a frenzy around air fryers is that they can be used in so many different ways. Our favourites include:

• Pancakes! Believe it or not, you can whip up a batch of fluffy pancakes in five minutes using an air fryer - here's how
• Roasts – as we discovered with our tests, air fryers cook roasts quickly, while still retaining the hallmarks of a great roast: juicy meat and brown, crispy skin. And don’t forget, this includes crispy roast potatoes, too. Air fryers can even cope if your Sunday joint is frozen – simply check the manual and factor in extra cooking time.
• Weekday quick suppers – and by this, we mean sausages, burgers and patties. Cooked on a medium to high heat, they can be ready in around 15 minutes. Perfect for feeding a hungry mob.
• Chips – probably one of the most popular foods to cook in an air fryer as considerably less fat is used to produce top notch fries, which are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
• Unusual ingredients – OK, garlic and tofu aren’t that unusual, but you’d be forgiven for grabbing a frying pan rather than an air fryer. However, they come out well in next to no time at all. Try chickpeas too, for a tasty, crunchy snack.

But this list is by no means exhaustive, because you can cook pizza, bacon and frittatas in an air fryer, and we haven’t even started on puddings and deserts.

What can’t I cook in an air fryer?

As much as air fryers are championed for cooking most dishes known to man, there are some that are best left to an over or other kitchen appliance. We suggest you stay clear of the following foods:

• Popcorn – mostly because air fryers can’t get hot enough, but there’s also an issue with stray kernels getting stuck in the heating element (if it’s exposed), which could cause a fire hazard.
• Pasta & rice – air fryers aren’t designed to boil or steam food so best to stick to the traditional methods.
• Stews – as with boiling rice and pasta, stews with lots of liquid aren’t designed to be cooked in an air fryer. Ovens or slow cookers are a much better bet here.

How to clean an air fryer?

Most air fryers to clean, with removable sections that are easy to clean. Start off by wiping clean with a power towel to remove greasy residue, and then wash in warm soapy water, or in some cases, in the dishwasher (check your user’s manual). Don’t neglect the exterior, where grease and dirt builds up overtime. Wipe with a damp microfibre cloth (we love these ones from Minky) focusing on the buttons and controls. For stubborn marks, try using a light cleaning spray and then wipe clean.