Philips Air Fryer on offer in Lidl for £90: is it a good deal?

Lidl is selling the Philips HD9218 Air Fryer for around £50 less than the typical price from today, Sunday 10 March, while stocks last.

Along with Tefal, Philips is one of the established air fryer brands, and its models usually command a premium of £150 or more, so on the face of it, this looks quite tempting.

But a high price doesn't guarantee great results. Our tests have uncovered some pricey models that struggle to cook a batch of chips properly, leaving you with a sorry mixture of raw and burnt fries.

We've also found two Best Buys for less than £90, so if you're looking for tasty chips on the cheap there may be better options to consider.

• Check ourBest Buy air fryers to see which are the best cheap air fryers
• Read the full Philips HD9218 Daily Collection Air Fryer reviewto find out if this model is one to snap up

Philips HD9218 Air Fryer: is it worth buying?

This Philips has an 800g capacity, enough to cook about four large portions of chips. Like most air fryers, it uses a small amount of oil and fanned hot air to cook lighter fried food.

It doesn't have the modern features that some newer models have -like the Tefal Easy Fry Deluxe EY401D40- such as a touchscreen with digital controls. But it does have a smart, minimalist exterior and fully adjustable manual time and temperature controls, which allow you to set cooking times and temperature. The removable non-stick bowl and the food basket can be popped in the dishwasher, for easy cleaning.

Rival brand Tefal's Easy Fry Deluxe EY401D40 air fryer, originally £110, is also being sold in certain online stores for £99.99. See how they compare in the table below:

The Philips air fryer has a smaller capacity, so you'll have to cook smaller batches, but that won't matter if it's better at cooking and easy to use.

Both brands claim food cooks evenly with little need for stirring during cooking. Head to our air fryer reviews to compare these models, and more, side-by-side and find the best.

Cheap vs expensive air fryers

Generally speaking, the more you spend, the more likely you are to get a larger cooking capacity and digital controls. Some top-end models have smartphone apps full of recipe ideas and tips.

In recent years we've seen a wider range of brands start to sell air fryers, such as Argos, Lakeland, Morphy Richards, Russell Hobbs, Tower, Salter and Swan. Some sell for as little as £50, but we've found that, while some cheaper models are pretty good, others are so poor at cooking we've named them Don't Buys to avoid.

Philips Airfryer vs Tefal Actifry- see how the big brands compare and which one lasts the longest in our full guide

Finding the best air fryer

Our testing has shown stark differences between the best and worst air fryers. The model you choose will determine how much you have to monitor the cooking progress, the amount of time it takes to cook and the number of portions you can make at one time - as well as how well your food turns out.

Many air fryers can only cook a great batch of chips if you stir them frequently during cooking, despite claims to the contrary.However, the best models will do a great job of cooking and stirring food so you don't have to. Head to our Best Buy air fryers to see our top picks.

For advice on choosing the best air fryer for you, including what size model you need and features to consider, take a look at our full air fryer buying guide.