Which air fryer brand is the most reliable?

We investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular air fryer brands including Ninja, Philips, Tower and Tefal.

In our unique small-appliance survey, we ask more than 4,244 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their air fryer and if 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 or break down, based on air fryers bought in the past five years.

Which? members can log in to view which air fryer brands are the most and least reliable, and which our members are most satisfied with. 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 would recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand’s Customer Score, and is based on air fryers bought in the past five years.

Which? members can log in to view which air fryer brands last the longest before they need to be replaced. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Browse all of our air fryer reviews.

The three most common air fryer faults

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

Our survey of more than 4,000 air fryer owners also revealed the three most common air fryer faults.

1. Cooking performance malfunction (25% of all faults reported)

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 is no longer usable, check to see if it is 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. Cooking tray broken (22%)

If your air fryer (or accessories that come with it) 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 purchasing a new appliance.

3. Auto programmes not working (21%)

From display issues to interior electrical problems, there can be a number of reasons for this fault, but the solution can often be simple. For example, it may happen because the air fryer's display is on standby mode, which can be fixed by turning the appliance off and on again to reset it. 

If you suspect your air fryer has an electrical fault, you should never attempt to open it up and fix it yourself. Take it to a specialist at an approved repair centre – they should be able to identify and repair the issue.

Food not cooked as you'd like it? Head to our guide to air fryer recipe fails to see if you're making a common mistake.

Can you repair a broken air fryer?

If you're out of warranty then getting your air fryer replaced can be very expensive, so much so that it's worthwhile wondering if you should even bother. Air fryers have fairly short guarantees, usually one or two years, so you'll only be covered for a brief period of time after purchase.

Some manufacturers sell spare parts for air fryers, but for the most part you can only buy parts that are readily accessible and easily exchanged. Buying spare racks and baskets is easy, but internal components are generally too hard to access and not sold separately. 

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

As a general rule, if you've broken something detachable from your air fryer then you might be in luck. If something more complicated has gone wrong, like an internal component has stopped working or if performance has nosedived because of the heating element or the fan, then you'll probably need to take it in for repair if it's not a simpler fix. 

If your air fryer is beyond repair, take it to your local council recycling/reuse centre. Use Recycle Now’s recycling locator to find your nearest one.

Find out more in how to recycle electrical items.

Which air fryer brands offer the best guarantees?

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

• Ninja – two years for appliances purchased from 1 January 2023.
• Tefal – two years for appliances purchased from 1 January 2017. 
• Philips – two years as standard. 
• Tower – one year as standard, but this can be extended to three years if you register your product.

Got a faulty product? find out how to get a refund, repair or replacement.

How we discover the most reliable brands

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

This year, 5,376 of Which? members and 5,342 members of the public told us about more than 32,637 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 fryers to buy.

To find out more about our rigorous lab tests and what makes a Best Buy, head over to how we test air fryers page.