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What “Under £100” Actually Gets You
There’s a persistent myth that budget air fryers are a compromise — that you need to spend £150 or more to get real cooking performance. After testing six models under £100 over the past year, I can tell you that’s not true. The gap between a £70 air fryer and a £200 one is almost entirely about capacity and advanced features — not cooking quality.
For most families of four or fewer, a sub-£100 air fryer will do everything you need. Here’s what I found.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Capacity | Price | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja AF101 | 4 qt | ~£70 | Families of 2–4 | 4.5/5 |
| Instant Vortex Plus | 6 qt | ~£80 | Families of 4–5 | 4.3/5 |
| Cosori 5.8-Qt (sale) | 5.8 qt | ~£89 on sale | Families of 3–5 | 4.7/5 |
| Dreo 4-Qt | 4 qt | ~£65 | Couples/small families | 3.8/5 |
| Tower T17021 | 4.3 qt | ~£50 | Occasional use | 3.5/5 |
1. Ninja AF101 — Best Under £100, Full Stop
Price: ~£70 | Capacity: 4 quarts | Rating: 4.5/5
If you’re buying your first air fryer and you have a family of two to four, buy the Ninja AF101 and stop reading. It preheats in under three minutes, the basket cleans in 90 seconds (genuinely — I timed it), and the non-stick holds up to months of daily dishwasher cycling without degrading.
I cooked over 60 family meals in mine during a three-month test. Crispy chicken thighs, golden chips from scratch, perfectly reheated pizza, roasted broccoli that my children actually ate. It does all of it without fuss.
The one limitation to know: The 4-quart basket means batch-cooking for families of five or more. If that’s you, go straight to the Instant Vortex Plus below.
2. Instant Vortex Plus 6-Qt — Best Under £100 for Larger Families
Price: ~£80 | Capacity: 6 quarts | Rating: 4.3/5
The Instant Vortex Plus gives you 6 quarts — enough to cook bone-in chicken thighs for five people in one batch — for around £80. For a family of four to five, this is the sweet spot: enough capacity to avoid batch cooking most nights, at a price that doesn’t sting.
Six cooking functions (Air Fry, Roast, Grill, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate) cover everything a family kitchen needs. The results are good, though slightly less consistent than the Cosori Pro II — I occasionally get one side crisper than the other on larger batches.
The trade-off: The touchscreen is less intuitive than the Cosori or Ninja, and the manual is unhelpfully brief. You’ll look up cook times online for the first few weeks.
3. Cosori Pro II — Best Under £100 When on Sale
Price: ~£89 on sale (usually £110) | Capacity: 5.8 quarts | Rating: 4.7/5
The Cosori Pro II is normally around £110, but it regularly drops to £89 or less during sales events. If you catch it at that price, it’s the best air fryer under £100 by a significant margin. The 12 presets, square basket geometry, shake reminder, and app connectivity make it the most polished experience in this price range — by far.
Watch for sales in January, spring bank holidays, and Black Friday.
4. Dreo 4-Qt — Good for Couples, Not Families
Price: ~£65 | Capacity: 4 quarts | Rating: 3.8/5
The Dreo is a capable compact air fryer with a smart touchscreen and seven cooking modes. For a couple or a family of two, it’s fine. For a family of four or more, the 4-quart capacity makes it impractical for most evening meals. Results are good but not quite as consistent as the Ninja AF101 at the same capacity level.
Skip it if you’re cooking for more than three people regularly.
5. Tower T17021 — Only for Occasional Use
Price: ~£50 | Capacity: 4.3 quarts | Rating: 3.5/5
The Tower is the cheapest air fryer I can recommend without caveats — and those caveats are significant. Cooking results are noticeably less even than the Ninja or Cosori at the same temperature. The basket doesn’t slide in and out as smoothly, and the non-stick showed wear after about four months of regular use. It’ll cook food. It won’t do it as well, and it won’t last as long.
Buy it if you want to try air frying before committing to a better model, or if you use it two or three times a week rather than daily.
What to Look for in a Budget Air Fryer
Capacity over features. At sub-£100, you’re unlikely to find both generous capacity and extensive features. Prioritise capacity for family cooking — a 6-quart with four functions beats a 4-quart with twelve functions if you’re feeding five people.
Check the basket material. Ceramic-coated baskets are more durable and less prone to flaking than basic non-stick. The Cosori uses ceramic-coated baskets; the Ninja uses PTFE-free non-stick. Both hold up well in testing. Avoid baskets described only as “non-stick” without specifying the coating.
Dishwasher-safe matters. You’re more likely to use the air fryer every day if cleanup is fast. Every model on this list has a dishwasher-safe basket — I wouldn’t buy one that doesn’t.
Wattage: Aim for 1,500W minimum. Lower-wattage models take longer to reach temperature and often produce less consistent results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a cheap air fryer worth buying for a family?
Yes — if you choose the right one. The Ninja AF101 at £70 and the Instant Vortex Plus at £80 both produce results that rival models twice the price. The main sacrifice at sub-£100 is capacity (for larger families) or advanced preset features. Cooking quality is not the sacrifice.
What’s the minimum capacity for a family of four?
5 quarts is the practical minimum for families of four cooking bone-in pieces in one batch. A 4-quart model will work for boneless items but will require two batches for larger cuts.
Do budget air fryers last as long as expensive ones?
Based on my testing, yes — with one caveat. The Ninja AF101’s non-stick has held up as well after months of daily use as any premium model I’ve tested. Build quality varies more by brand than by price point. Stick with established brands (Ninja, Cosori, Instant) even at the budget end.
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Related: Ninja AF101 Full Review · Best Air Fryers for Families 2026 · Air Fryer Buying Guide