Best Budget Air Fryers Under $100 for Crispy, Fast Cooking

Top Pick: Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer

Budget air fryers under 100 are compact countertop convection ovens that use fast-moving hot air in a small chamber to cook food with little or no oil, giving you crispy results and shorter cook times than a standard oven while staying affordable for most home kitchens.

If you want one budget air fryer that fits most homes, choose the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer. It combines a 4L glass bowl with an extra 1.5L bowl, both supplied with lids, so you can cook, store leftovers and reheat in the same non-toxic containers without dirtying extra dishes. The glass body and ceramic non-stick coating avoid many of the chemical worries attached to cheaper coated baskets, giving peace of mind for health-conscious cooks. Out of more than 150 air fryers tested, this is the model that stayed on the counter instead of going back in the box, thanks to consistent performance with chips, fish fingers, roasted vegetables, cakes and reheated pizza.

In testing, chips came out evenly cooked and crisp, grilled vegetables caramelised at the edges, and bakes like tomato tart and cupcakes remained flaky and light. The 1500W heater and 90–200°C range give enough power and control for fast weeknight cooking without guessing. The control panel keeps things simple with four presets plus manual time and temperature, which is all most people use on more complex models. If you are upgrading from a basic basket fryer or buying your first air fryer, this is the safest, most versatile option that still sits firmly in the “best cheap air fryers” category.

Design, Capacity and Everyday Usability

The Salter Crisp & Go focuses on practical capacity and everyday ease instead of flashy extras. Its footprint of 29.4 cm wide, 25.0 cm deep and 27.2 cm high fits most countertops, while the glass build keeps it feeling less bulky than many plastic-bodied fryers despite weighing around 5.7 kg. The main 4L bowl suits meals for two to three people, and the 1.5L bowl is ideal for sides like chips or vegetables.

Both bowls come with lids, turning them into fridge-ready storage or lunchboxes without needing extra containers. You can marinate chicken or meat directly in the glass base and then slide it into the cooker, skipping the transfer from a separate bowl. During testing, the smaller pot handled a side portion of chips while the larger pot tackled the main course. You cannot run both bowls at once, but cooking is quick enough that one dish stays warm while the second finishes, and the glass insulates heat better than expected.

The only notable omission is a built-in light, so you rely on the clear glass body and your kitchen lighting to monitor browning. The glass also gets very hot, so you need to handle it with more care than a plastic basket when plating up. According to one expert tester, “the Salter Crisp & Go offers exceptional price while matching its rivals on the most important features,” making it one of the most compelling affordable air fryer models for small and medium households.

Performance vs Premium Brands and Who It Suits

If you have been eyeing premium glass air fryers but do not want a high price tag, the Salter Crisp & Go is the sensible alternative. It offers the same key advantage as high-end glass models: you can watch your dinner cook and see the exact stage of browning through the glass bowl. The ceramic non-stick coating and glass body reduce concern about PFAS and similar chemicals that can appear in cheap coatings, which matters if you are building a non-toxic kitchen.

In use, preset programs and manual control cover most cooking tasks without cluttered menus. Tests showed it crisped chips, sausage rolls, pies and fish fingers faster than a traditional oven while keeping interiors fluffy or tender. It even handled grains with vegetables, cakes and pastry dishes like tomato tart without hot spots or soggy bottoms. The ability to air fry halloumi and fit a full block at once underlines its practical basket capacity for everyday meals.

This model is best for budget-conscious cooks who still care about coating quality, new air fryer users who want to see food as it cooks, and families who want one compact unit that can handle everything from reheated pizza to cupcakes without fuss. One tester’s family reached for it so often that it earned a permanent space on the counter, and even a skeptic in the household “finally clicked” with air frying after using it. For anyone comparing best cheap air fryers, this is the one that behaves like a premium glass model while staying in the budget air fryers under 100 bracket.

Buy if / Skip if

• Buy the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you want a budget air fryer under 100 with a 4L main bowl and 1.5L secondary bowl that can cook mains and sides efficiently in one compact appliance.
• Skip the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you need to cook two different dishes at the same time, because you cannot run both glass bowls simultaneously.
• Buy the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you prefer non-toxic, ceramic-coated and glass-based cooking surfaces instead of unknown non-stick coatings in cheaper plastic-bodied models.
• Skip the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you require an internal cooking light, as the lack of built-in illumination is noticeable when checking food colour.
• Buy the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you want bowls that double as storage with included lids, letting you marinate meat, air fry, then store leftovers in the same container.
• Skip the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you are sensitive to heavier appliances, because the glass body adds weight compared with lighter plastic alternatives and the hot glass needs careful handling.
• Buy the Salter Crisp & Go Portable Glass Air Fryer if you are a new air fryer user who wants straightforward controls, four simple presets and the ability to visually monitor browning through clear glass while learning air fryer cooking.