Looking for an accessible air fryer that won't break the bank?
Whether you're in the middle of Lidl or browsing an online store, there's a good chance at some point you'll ask yourself "Do I want an air fryer with that?".
If you can find the right one, there's a good chance you won't regret it. (I've had a Tefal Actifry for at least ten years and, unlike other kitchen gadgets – I'm looking at you slow cooker – it's still in regular use.)
I'm not the only one in love with my air fryer. Charlee Jarvis, my researcher for this article, has this to say, "I was born with nystagmus, microphthalmia and optic nerve coloboma. This left me with no useful vision in my right eye, and very limited vision in my left. My visual field is 1:60 (what a fully sighted person can see at 60 meters away, I have to be within a meter to be able to see.) I left home in 2021, aged 23, with very minimal kitchen skills. I don’t have depth perception, so I had burnt my wrists on the oven racks before, and it scared me so much that I didn’t want to touch the oven if I didn’t have to.
"I thought the whole 'air fryer thing' was a fad to be honest. But when I brought my first house earlier this year, I finally took the plunge. I was getting frustrated with myself, and I wanted to regain some independence in the kitchen. It is safe to say this was the best decision I made. After researching the options available to me, I went with the Tefal 2 in 1 air fryer, and I have no regrets! It was one of the cheaper price points, which was great. The dials are audible and tactile. I can label up the relevant settings with bumpons where needed. I am now cooking up a storm. I’m far from Gordon Ramsey but I have my independence and that’s the main thing!"
Air fryers work by blasting hot air around the drawer or oven to produce food that’s healthier than if it had been deep fried. They can be more energy efficient than a standard oven – this may not hold true if you're using the air fryer several times in one session, then you may find it cheaper to use the oven.
Not every air fryer is accessible, and those that are reasonably accessible, or at least adaptable with tactile markings, won't suit everyone, but we've rounded up a selection of air fryers that can be used by people with sight loss without breaking the bank. (We've listed the lowest prices we could find at the time of writing, but it's always worth price-checking when you're ready to shop!)
Jo Franks, Editor
Tefal Easy Fry Classic 2in1 Air Fryer and Grill (4.2L)
This air-fryer has dials for time and temperature which click when turned and an audible timer which produces a distinctive ticking sound when running and an extra-loud alert at the end of cooking.You can easily add tactile bumps or use Tacti-Mark to time settings and frequently used temperatures. Some users prefer to set their own timer (using a smart device or talking timer) to know when they should turn off the air fryer.
It has a removable, reversible tray – use one way up for oven and the other way up for grill – that is extremely tactile, including a hole in the top left corner, so you know which way up it goes. Both the cooking drawer and tray are non-stick and dishwasher-safe.
It has pre-set cooking instructions on the top, which can be read with smart apps like Be My Eyes, that give instructions on foods like chips, jacket potatoes, muffins. It also has eight pre-set programmes you can use. The Tefal app also offers more than 100 recipes.
It doesn't have a pre-heat function, but is ready to go straight away. The fryer does not start until the drawer is safely locked in – the drawer clicks into place, so it is obvious when it is safe to start cooking.
Tefal also provides technical spare parts at a fair price for almost all its products for 15 years after purchase so that the cost to repair is often less expensive than replacing a product, improving sustainability.
Downsides to this air fryer are that the silver numbers on black don't give great contrast, and it's a smaller size than some products, so may not be suitable for larger families.
Tefal says this product allows you to "prepare a wide variety of meals 49% faster than in a conventional oven, get that crispy crunch and taste you love in half the amount of time. Save up to 70% energy whilst saving up to £156 on your energy bills."
They also say you can grill indoors with 98% less smoke.
Tefal Easy Fry Classic 2in1 Air Fryer and Grill (4.2L). £49.00, Amazon.
Tower T17021 Family Size Air Fryer with Rapid Air Circulation (4.3L)
This Tower air fryer also has separate dials for temperature and time, which can be marked with tactile bumps or Tacti-Mark for frequently used times and temperatures. Again, some users prefer to set an external timer with this air fryer.Other advantages to this air fryer are that you can air fry and bake for a variety of meals; and that it includes an auto shut-off function.
Like many air fryers this one has silver markings on black, which doesn't give good contrast. And like the Tefal, it's a smaller size – people report that there aren’t many dishes that fit inside for bakes. It is probably better suited for smaller families.
One specific downside to this air fryer is the small, clear button that has to be pressed to release the basket. People with sight loss report that this is fiddly and difficult to find.
Tower says the air fryer will cook up to 30% faster than a conventional oven, saving you up to 70% on energy. It says you can save £241 a year by switching completely to air fryer cooking.
Tower T17021 Family Size Air Fryer with Rapid Air Circulation (4.3L). £43.99, Amazon.
Dunelm manual air fryer (4L)
Other advantages to this air fryer are that you can air fry and bake for a variety of meals; and that it includes an auto shut-off function.
Other safety features include overheat protection and non-slip feet to keep it in place on your worktop.
The detachable, non-stick drawer is dishwasher safe, for easy clean up.
On the negative side, reviews say this is only suitable for single-person use.
Dunelm manual air fryer (4L). £30.00, Amazon.
COSORI Air Fryer CP158-AF (5.5L)
This COSORI air fryer may suit some people with low vision. It has a large digital time display, which tells you when to shake the food; the touch screen buttons have good white on black contrast; and it offers one-touch control.There is a safety release button to prevent the basket being pulled out unsafely, and when a control is pressed, the button turns blue to show that it's active. If the air fryer has no active cooking programs, the air fryer will clear all settings and turn off after three minutes of inactivity.
The non-stick basket is dishwasher-safe.
On the downside, you can't add tactile marks to the touchscreen, the colour-changing buttons are not suitable for those without vision, and the control buttons are symbols which are quite small. There is also one button to switch between time and temperature and no accessible indicator of the change.
COSORI says its air fryer cooks 50% faster than a conventional oven, saving up to 55% on your energy bills.
COSORI Air Fryer CP158-AF (5.5L). £109.99, Amazon.
Salter Go Healthy 8 Litre XXL Air Fryer
Another air fryer that may suit some people with low vision… It also has a large digital display, but also offers eight pre-set settings to help with ease of use, and has an auto shut-off safety function.The eight-litre capacity is great for larger families and batch cooking, and the non-stick drawer is easily removed for serving and cleaning. It is recommended that the drawer is handwashed, not put in the dishwasher.
This has similar downsides to the COSORI – a touchscreen that can't have tactile marks added, and buttons are quite small icons. It's blue digital text on a black screen will not be clear for everyone, and reviews say it doesn’t come with cooking instructions so it takes some guess work for cooking, which isn't great if you can’t see the physical change in food or read recipes on packaging.
Salter Go Healthy 8 Litre XXL Air Fryer. £74.99, Salter.
Good Housekeeping top tips
Finally, if you're ready to embark on adventures with air fryers, Good Housekeeping offers 10 top tips for getting the best out of your new appliance (I'm not sure about the slice of bread one, to be honest!)Good Housekeeping top 10 air fryer tips.
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