Back-to-school cooking: the best air fryers for college students

If you're heading to college, then an air fryer might prove an excellent investment. A convenient, economical way to prepare your meals, a good-quality model might even cost you less than you'd expect. If you'll mostly be cooking for one, the best air fryer for your needs might cost well under $100 / £100 / AU$100, and it will take up very little of your valuable countertop real estate.

At this price point, don't expect features such as multiple baskets, interior lights, or windows to enable you to peek inside to check how your fries are coming along; but the air fryers we've listed below have the basics covered, delivering evenly cooked food with minimal oil and easy cleanup afterwards.

If you're staying on campus, bear in mind that many dorms don't allow students to use appliances with a heating element in their rooms. You may be allowed to have your own air fryer in a shared kitchen, but make sure you check the rules first. We don't want to get you in trouble.

Need to upgrade your tech or student supplies ready for the new school year as well? Take a look at our guide to the best back-to-school sales 2024 .

The best air fryers for students

Budget pick

Best cheap air fryer for students

The Cosori Lite is surprisingly roomy (many fryers in this price band offer half the capacity), making it a great, affordable choice for cooking a whole meal. We found it surprisingly quiet during testing, so it shouldn't annoy your housemates, and you'll be able to toss many of the parts in the dishwasher for easy cleanup – if you're lucky enough to have one.

Read our full review

Best beginner air fryer for students

The Magic Bullet only has a 2.5-quart capacity (compared to 4 quarts for the Cosori Lite), but it's incredibly easy to use, making it a good option if you're living and cooking for yourself for the first time. It automatically switches itself off when the timer runs out, too, which is a good safety feature, although you'll need to clean its basket by hand once you're done cooking.

Read our full review

Best small air fryer for students

The Instant Vortex Mini is only available in the US at the time of writing, but it's great for small kitchens if you can work with its 2-quart capacity – and we found it browned food evenly and consistently. It will remind you to shake your food part way through cooking, which is super helpful if you're not used to using an air fryer, and it's affordable, too.

Read our full review

How to choose a student air fryer

When you're shopping for an air fryer for your college cooking adventures, at first the choice might seem overwhelming. However, there are certain key factors that should take priority. You probably won't be feeding a whole family or preparing multi-course meals, but make sure you know your priorities before you part with your cash.

Price

Unless you're planning to share the cooking with several housemates and all chip in towards the cost, there's no need to spend over $100 / £100 / AU$100 on a student-friendly air fryer – unless you're a particularly keen home chef. There are plenty of excellent entry-level fryers available in this price bracket, with a single basket that's just the right size for preparing meals for one.

Our list of Ninja promo codes includes lots of special offers, including deep discounts and free delivery on air fryers, so take a minute to check out what's available right now.

Size

Before choosing an air fryer for your student accommodation, take a minute to measure the space available on your kitchen counter – and in the cupboard, if you'll need to stash it away when you're done cooking. All the machines we've listed above are small; but even the smallest measures 11.3 x 9 x 11.7in / 29 x 23 x 30cm, so you'll need a reasonable amount of room.

Consider cooking capacity, too. Air fryers in this price bracket range from 1.5 to 4 quarts, with the smallest only really being suitable for particularly petite appetites. If you want to make whole meals, or occasionally cook for two, consider a model such as the Cosori Lite 4.0, which has the bonus of being one of the cheapest air fryers you can buy.

Food

Pretty much all air fryers in this price bracket are basket-style, which is a design that works well for food that you want to crisp (such as fries and breaded chicken). Fat and cooking juices drain away, keeping food items dry. If you want to cook something moist, you'll need to spend a little more on a bowl-style fryer.

Alternatively, if you want to cook dishes such as soup, curry or stew regularly, an air fryer might not be the right choice at all. If you like your meals with plenty of sauce, an Instant Pot might be a better option. Our guide to the best Instant Pots includes several budget-friendly models, and you'll find the best deals on some of our favorites below:

Need some recipe inspiration? All the following dishes are quick and easy to prepare, and can be cooked in a basket-style fryer:

• Air fryer shrimp: ready in 10 minutes
• Air fryer sesame chicken: easy and delicious
• Air fryer Nutella pies: the ultimate comfort snack
• Air fryer sausage rolls: better than store-bought

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