Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer: Which Should You Actually Buy?

The air fryer debate splits kitchens into two camps: converts who haven't touched a pan of oil in months, and sceptics who insist chips need a proper bath. Both have a point.

Where the air fryer wins

Oil. A tablespoon instead of a litre — which matters twice over, because cooking oil is expensive and disposing of used oil is a nuisance. Air fryers also reheat food brilliantly; last night's pizza comes back to life instead of going soggy. Cleanup is a removable basket, not a pot of cooling grease.

Where the deep fryer still wins

Volume and authenticity. An air fryer basket feeds two per batch; a deep fryer feeds a family at once. And battered foods — proper fish-and-chips batter, bhajias, mandazi — simply don't work in an air fryer. If those are staples, the debate is already settled.

The electricity question

A 1,400W air fryer cooking for 20 minutes costs roughly the same per batch as heating a litre of oil on a jiko or electric plate — but you're not buying the oil. Over a year, the oil savings alone cover the appliance.

Our verdict

For most households, the air fryer is the better daily driver — healthier, cheaper to run, easier to clean. Our pick remains the 4L air fryer for its simplicity and local service network. Keep a sufuria of oil around for the bhajia days.