Air fryers have soared in price over the past year as demand for low-energy home appliances grows during the cost-of-living crisis.
The price of air fryers at some of the UK’s biggest retailers has soared by up to 90% in the past year, with some lines seeing hikes of up to £62 within the last six months.
Research by Retail Week, which looked at product retail sale prices on archived website data from retailers including Argos, Amazon, John Lewis and Currys, found shoppers could be paying significantly more for air fryers than they would if they had purchased them even a few months ago.
The analysis found the Gourmia Digital 5.7-litre digital air fryer from Amazon is £62 more expensive than it was in June 2022, the Instant Vortex ClearCook 7.6-litre from Argos is £50 higher than it was in September 2022 and the Ninja AF100UK from John Lewis would cost shoppers £30 more to buy today than it would this time last year.
| Air fryers in Argos | Sept 2022 (£) | Jan 2023 (£) | £ difference | % difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instant 4-in-1 Vortex 4 3.8-litre air fryer | 75 | 100 | 25 | 33% |
| Ninja Max AF160UK 5.2-litre air fryer and dehydrator | 130 | 149 | 19 | 15% |
| Instant Vortex ClearCook 7.6-litre air fryer – stainless steel | 170 | 220 | 50 | 29% |
| Tower T17088 9-litre Dual Basket Vortx air fryer – black | 130 | 149 | 19 | 15% |
| Tefal EasyFry Precision+ EY505D27 4.2-litre air fryer and grill | 125 | 144 | 19 | 15% |
| Air fryers in John Lewis | Jan 2022 (£) | Jan 2023 (£) | £ difference | % difference |
| NinjaFoodi AG301UK 5-in-1 health 5.7-litre grill and air fryer | 178.99 | 199 | 20.01 | 11% |
| Ninja OP100UK Foodi Mini 6-in-1 4.7-litre multi-cooker | 149 | 169.99 | 20.99 | 14% |
| Ninja AF100UK 3.8-litre air fryer – grey | 99.99 | 129.99 | 30 | 30% |
| Tefal EY505D EasyFry Precision+ 2-in-1 4.2-litre digital air fryer and grill | 137.99 | 149.99 | 12 | 9% |
| Air fryers in Currys | Feb 2022 (£) | Jan 2022 (£) | £ difference | % difference |
| Tower T17021RG 4.3-litre air fryer – black and rose gold | 59.99 | 69.99 | 10 | 17% |
| Tefal EasyFry Precision EY505827 4.2-litre air fryer – black | 125 | 135 | 10 | 8% |
| Tower Vortx T17039 11-litre air fryer – black | 99.99 | 119 | 19.01 | 19% |
| Air fryers on Amazon | Jun 2022 (£) | Jan 2023 (£) | £ difference | % difference |
| Cosori 5.5-litre air fryer | 109.99 | 119.99 | 10 | 8% |
| Gourmia Digital 9254 5.7-litre digital air fryer | 67.99 | 129.99 | 62 | 91% |
Air fryers have been one of the most in-demand products through the cost-of-living crisis as consumers switch from large ovens to more economical options in a bid to reduce energy consumption.
Data from Google Trends shows that searches for the term ‘air fryer’ began to slowly climb in December 2020 and reached a peak in the same month two years later, with the sharpest spike in August last year.
The demand has coincided with steep price rises for the product across many of the major retailers as suppliers increase production and additional costs filter through to shoppers.
All the retailers in the research were approached for comment.
A John Lewis spokesperson said: “The standard price for our air fryers hasn’t changed. The small number of examples noted were sold at a discounted rate last year, primarily due to a supplier offer. We also offer a range of air fryers, across different price points, so customers can choose the best option for them.”
Prices are subject to change and were correct as of the publication date
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