Which air fryer brand is the most reliable?

We evaluated some of the most popular air fryer brands – including Ninja, Philips, Tefal and Tower – to see how reliable they are.

In our unique small appliance survey, we asked more than 8,500 Which? Members and members of the public if they’re happy with their air fryer and whether they’ve experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money.

Head to our round-up of the best air fryers to help you decide what type of air fryer you need.

Which air fryer brands develop the fewest faults?

This table summarises what we found about how quickly air fryer brands develop faults, based on air fryers bought in the past six years.

Only logged-in Which? members can see the full results of our air fryer brand survey. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Looking to buy an air fryer? Read our guide to Ninja Foodi vs Tower Air fryer vs Tefal Actifry.

Which air fryer brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which air fryer brands owners feel happy with – and which they’d recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand’s customer score, and are based on air fryers bought in the past six years.

Only logged-in Which? members can see the full results of our air fryer brand survey. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Browse all our air fryer reviews.

The three most common air fryer faults

Taking good care of your air fryer will keep it in top shape and extend its working life. Try to clean it thoroughly after every use, and always unplug it from the wall outlet first.

Our survey of more than 8,500 owners also revealed the three most common air fryer faults.

1. Cooking performance deteriorates (24% of faulty products)

If your air fryer isn't cooking properly, the most likely cause is that the food inside it is unevenly distributed. Make sure you spread food evenly on the cooking trays, and use the recommended temperature setting and cooking time for the best results.

If the issue is internal and the fault is affecting your appliance to the point that it's no longer usable, check whether it's still within warranty. You may be able to get it repaired or replaced, depending on how long you've had it.

Cleaning your air fryer thoroughly after every use will help it last longer. Always unplug the unit from the wall outlet before cleaning.

2. Control panel stops working (19%)

When the controls on your air fryer become unresponsive, first try unplugging the device for a couple of minutes, then turn it back on to reset the electronics.

Assuming a full reset doesn’t solve the problem, the issue might be internal. Check whether your air fryer is still under warranty, and contact the retailer to arrange a replacement.

3. Cooking tray breaks (14%)

If your air fryer (or any supplied accessory) is damaged when you open the box, you should either return it to the store or, if you bought it online, report the problem to the retailer, supplying photographic evidence. In both cases, you're entitled to a refund or a replacement.

However, broken accessories, including trays and baskets, can also be the result of general wear and tear after long-term use. 

Depending on the brand, you may be able to order a replacement. Replacement trays generally cost between £7 and £25, which is cheaper than buying a new appliance.

How easy is it to repair a broken air fryer?

If you're out of warranty, replacing your air fryer can be very expensive, to the point where you might wonder if it’s even worth it. Air fryers usually come with short guarantees of just one or two years, so you’ll be covered for only a limited time after purchase.

Some air fryer manufacturers sell spare parts, but usually only those that are easy to access and replace. Buying spare racks and baskets is easy, but internal components are generally too hard to access and are not sold separately. 

• Ninja sells parts such as baskets and racks for its air fryers, but no internal components.
• Philips sells dials, handles, baskets, racks and more.
• Tefal has a fairly extensive spare parts shop, although for air fryers, you're only likely to be able to get spare paddles, baskets, drawers and components that are readily accessible.
• Tower sells pots, lids, baskets, thermometers, pressure regulators and more.

Alicia Day, Which? scientist, says:

'As a general rule, if you've broken something detachable from your air fryer, you might be in luck. If something more complicated has gone wrong, for example an internal component has stopped working or performance has nosedived because of the heating element or the fan, then you'll probably need to take it in for repair.' 

If your air fryer is beyond repair, take it to your local council recycling/reuse centre.

See our guide on how to recycle electrical items.

Which air fryer brands offer the best guarantees?

Most offer product guarantees of one year as standard, but there are a few brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Ninja – manufacturer’s guarantee lasts for one year from the date of purchase as standard, or for two years if you register your purchase within 28 days.
• Tefal – offers a two-year guarantee on its products, although appliances bought before 1 January 2017 are covered for just one year.
• Philips – two years as standard.
• Tower – one year as standard, but this can be extended to three years if you register your product.

Dealing with a faulty product? Find out how to get a refund, repair or replacement.  

How we uncover the most reliable air fryer brands

Which? has a wealth of information on Britain's favourite brands. Every year, we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they'd be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year, 7,643 Which? members and 6,978 members of the public told us about more than 48,000 individual products. We calculate each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating using the results of our annual survey.

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best air fryer to buy.

To find out more about our rigorous lab tests and what makes a Best Buy, see our guide on how we test air fryers.