An air fryer makes a good Christmas gift for the kitchen when it suits the person's worktop and the food they cook. Before choosing, find out a few things about them, then match the size and features to their household. The picks below run from a compact basket for a student leaving home to a two-zone model for a parent cooking for the whole family.
What to look for
01Is an air fryer a good Christmas gift?
An air fryer is a good gift for someone who often cooks chips, frozen food, chicken or vegetables and has space for one on the worktop. For someone who rarely cooks, choose something else. An air fryer is a small fan oven. A fan moves hot air around food in a basket or drawer, so it crisps with little or no added oil, and the small space heats up faster than a full-size oven. Russell Hobbs lists its 4.3L Digital model as oil free, and the Ninja Foodi MAX AF400 lists use no oil among its functions. It also suits a person short on time, since most food goes in, gets a shake halfway and needs little watching.
02What should you find out before you buy?
Find out how many people they cook for and how much worktop they can spare, because those two answers decide the size. Ask someone who lives with them, or take a look next time you visit, so the present stays a surprise. Width matters as much as capacity on a short worktop. The Philips 4000 Series stacks its two baskets one above the other and lists 45% less countertop space. Also ask what they cook. Someone who makes a main and a side at the same time will use two zones, and the Philips lists Sync Finish and 2 meals at once. A person who mostly cooks chips or reheats leftovers for one needs only a single basket, such as the Tower T17205AFR, which leaves more of the worktop free.
03Which air fryer suits a student, a couple or a family?
As a rough guide, a 2L basket suits one person, a 4 to 5L single basket suits two, and a family gets more use from a dual model of around 9L. For a student leaving home, the Midea compact has 12 preset menus and 80 to 200°C temperature control, and its listing describes a space-saving design for small kitchens. A couple cooking for two will find the Tower 4L single basket enough for most meals, and it lists overheat protection. For a family, the Ninja MAX DZ400 gives 9.5L across two zones, and the Russell Hobbs Dual offers 9L with two baskets. Someone who wants to roast a chicken or cook on several shelves may prefer an air fryer oven such as the Fridja f77, a 30L oven with 18 presets and a rotisserie function.
04What makes an air fryer easy to use from day one?
Presets, a clear display and a way to see the food make the first few weeks easier for someone new to air frying. Presets take the guesswork out of time and temperature. The Midea has 12, the Tefal Easy Fry Max has 10 auto programmes and the Tower Vortx Vizion has 10 one-touch presets on a digital panel. A window saves pulling the drawer out to check. The Bosch Series 6 XXL has a viewing window, and the Philips 4000 Series lists easy view windows on its stacked baskets. Baskets that go in the dishwasher make daily cleaning quicker, and the Midea and the Ninja Foodi MAX AF400 both list them. Tuck a handwritten note of 3 or 4 favourite foods with their times into the box, since a first-time user will reach for that before a recipe book.
05How can you make an air fryer feel like a gift?
Choose a finish that suits their kitchen and add something small they will use from the first meal. A colour they like makes an appliance feel picked for them. The Ninja MAX DZ400 comes in Stone Gold, the Ninja Foodi MAX AF400 in copper and black, and the Tefal Easy Fry Dual Zone in grey. The AF400 also comes with tongs, handy for lifting food out of a hot drawer. For someone who asks about coatings, the Philips 4000 Series lists a PFAS-free ceramic coating. An air fryer oven such as the HYSapientia 22L comes with 13 accessories, which suits a keen cook who likes trying new dishes. Keep the gift receipt and packaging in case the size turns out wrong for their worktop.
Our top picks
Best for a student cooking for oneMidea Compact 2L Air Fryer
Midea's compact 2L air fryer has 12 preset menus, an adjustable timer and temperature control from 80 to 200°C. The non-stick basket is dishwasher safe and listed as BPA free. It takes little room on a shared worktop in halls or a first flat.
Best for a couple's first homeTower Digital Single Basket Air Fryer
For two people cooking one main dish at a time, Tower's 4L single basket model is plenty. It runs at 1300W with digital controls and lists overheat protection, and it comes in black.
Best for a family who cook two dishes at onceNinja MAX Dual Zone Digital Air
The Ninja MAX Dual Zone splits 9.5L across two zones, so a main and a side can cook together. Its Stone Gold finish looks more like a present than a standard black appliance, which makes it a good choice for a parent feeding a full table.
Best for someone who likes to watch it cookBosch Series 6 Air Fryer XXL
Bosch's Series 6 XXL air fryer has a viewing window, so there is no need to pull the drawer out to check the food. That helps a parent new to air frying learn how long things take. It comes in black.
Best for someone short on worktopPhilips 4000 Series Stacked Dual Basket
For a flat with one short run of worktop, the Philips 4000 Series stacks its two baskets one above the other, 10L in total, and lists 45% less countertop space. It also lists Sync Finish for 2 meals at once and a PFAS-free ceramic coating, so the recipient can cook a main and a side together.
Frequently asked
How do you help a parent get started with a new air fryer?
Set it up with them on the day, since a first cook together takes the doubt out of it. Show them the presets they are most likely to use, then cook one thing they already make in the oven, such as oven chips or a piece of salmon. Leave the manual somewhere they can find it, with the page on cleaning the basket marked.
Should a student have an air fryer or a microwave?
They do different jobs. A microwave reheats leftovers and defrosts quickly, while an air fryer crisps and browns, which suits chips, frozen food and chicken. Many students use both, but check the halls rules first, as some accommodation limits which appliances students can bring.
What accessories make a good gift with an air fryer?
Silicone or paper liners made for air fryers, heat resistant tongs and an oven glove are useful from the first meal. Choose liners sized for the basket, since anything that blocks the airflow slows cooking. Never put a loose paper liner in an empty basket while it preheats, as the fan can lift it into the heating element.
Can an air fryer go on an extension lead?
It's safer to plug an air fryer straight into a wall socket. Air fryers draw a lot of power, and electrical safety advice in the UK is to avoid running high-power appliances from extension leads, especially ones already carrying a kettle or a toaster. Check where the nearest socket is on the worktop you plan to use.
What if they already have an air fryer?
Look at what theirs can't do. A person with a single basket may want a dual zone model to cook a main and a side together, and someone with an older model may like a viewing window. If theirs does everything they need, give them accessories or a cookbook for the one they already use.