Two air fryer buying mistakes our home appliance expert warns you not to fall for this Black Friday

This Black Friday, we suspect air fryer sales are going to go through the roof. And as it’s one of our favourite kitchen additions, we’re happy to see so many people falling in love with this handy and cost-effective appliance. However, the last thing we want is for those same people to fall victim to these common air fryer buying mistakes. 

At Ideal Home, we take how we test air fryers very seriously - which is why we can say on good authority what makes the best air fryer and what makes a bad air fryer.  That’s exactly why our shopping expert warns you not to fall for these air two common air fryer buying mistakes this Black Friday if you're looking for any air fryer black Friday deals.

There are so many amazing Black Friday deals out there, we'd hate for you to waste your money on something that isn’t quite right. 

Two air fryer buying mistakes to avoid

Buying an air fryer this Black Friday? We don't blame you. But when you're surrounded by deals, it can be hard to know which one to go for. So, hopefully knowing what not to go for will help you narrow down your search. 

1. Buying an air fryer that’s too small

While the best small air fryers are perfect for those who live alone or those who only plan on using them for smaller foods rather than full meals, going too small is one of the biggest air fryer mistakes you can make. 

Our E-Commerce Editor and resident air fryer expert, Molly Cleary, has tested over 30 air fryers at our dedicated testing facility. So, she can say on good authority that size really does matter when it comes to air fryers. 

‘The first thing to have in mind is capacity. The bigger your family or household size, the bigger your air fryer needs to be,’ she says. ‘Most retailers will also make a point of letting you know how many people each air fryer can cater to.'

If not, it’s always a good idea to look at the specifications and check how many litres the basket or baskets can hold. For example, if you’re looking for the best air fryer for a family of four, a capacity of around 5 - 10 litres would suit you best. But if you’re a smaller household, you might not need something as big.

It’s also important to understand how you want to use this capacity - which is where the battle between single-basket air fryers and the best multi-zone air fryers and the best dual-zone air fryers come into the picture. This can be determined by how and what you cook. 

This is something that our Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight, didn't do before she bought her air fryer - which later stung her bank account! 'I made the mistake of buying a smaller air fryer for my flat. But as I started to use it every day and when guests came over, I realised it was way too small and I eventually had to give in and upgrade to a dual-zone air fryer.'

If you have fussy kids and have to make two different meals for the adults and the children, or if you live with a vegetarian and you’re a meat eater, having the two separate (but smaller) compartments of a dual or multi-zone air fryer means that you can cook two different things at once - often at two different temperatures and for two different lengths of time. 

However, you might not need this feature, which means that a single (but larger) basket would suit you and your family better.

If in doubt, we’d always suggest going bigger with your air fryer, as it’s better to have more space than not. Our Deputy Editor of Print, Ginevra Benedetti, advises, ‘Try to aim for the biggest size for the smallest footprint. So, as many ‘litres’ as possible in the smallest physical size, as it’s likely going to live on your kitchen countertop.’

2. Buying an air fryer just because it's cheap

We’ve always been of the opinion that ‘if you buy cheap, you buy twice,’ and this is certainly true when it comes to air fryers. Of course, in a world where everything is going up in price, we understand that a bargain air fryer from an unknown brand can be appealing.

But you have to wonder why it’s so cheap, and that’s normally because it’s poorly made and won’t withstand the test of time. That’s why Molly would always suggest going for a big-name brand that has a long-standing history of making high-quality air fryers. 

Big brands don’t automatically equal high price tags, though. There are so many amazing air fryers under £100 to choose from, all from respectable and reputable brands such as Instant, COSORI, Lakeland, and Tower. 

In fact, after testing dozens of air fryers, our expert tester found the COSORI Lite (which has an RRP of £99.99 but is currently on sale for Black Friday at £79.99 at Amazon) to be the best air fryer for chips hands down. 

COSORI Lite Air Fryer | was £99.99, now £79.99 at Amazon
This is one of our absolute favourite air fryers you can buy under £100 after testing, and now it's at an even better price thanks to Black Friday. Our full COSORI Lite review has all the information you need if your budget is £100 or less.

In Molly’s tried and tested opinion, though, you can never go wrong with two of the biggest players in the air fryer game: Ninja and Instant, and both have some amazing deals on for Black Friday, we're currently tracking all the best Ninja air fryer black friday deals in a live blog so you can get out favourite air fryer for the lowest price.

The Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400UK | was £269.99, now £179.99 at Amazon
Dual baskets, six cooking functions, and a 9.5 litre cooking capacity make the Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400UK one of the most sought-after air fryers around, and this copper-accented model is in style, in stock and exclusive for Black Friday.

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And while these brands are certainly pricier than an air fryer you could pick up from the supermarket during the weekly shop, they have consistently been highly reviewed by our expert reviewers and customers alike. In fact, brands like Ninja have dedicated customer-led social media pages!

If you avoid these air fryer buying mistakes this Black Friday, we have no doubts you’ll find the perfect one for you.