Streamlining your cooking while reducing energy consumption in the kitchen, air fryers are one of 2023’s hottest tickets. Not only are these nifty appliances a fast-track to healthier meals, but they help rustle up food in a fraction of the time compared to an oven.

With consumers catching on to their benefits, air fryers can barely stay on shop shelves – with market-leading brands like Ninja, Salter and Tower rising to coveted culinary status.

Using little to no oil, air fryers work by rapidly circulating hot air, creating that perfectly crispy finish you’re sure to have seen on your TikTok or Instagram feed. Better still, the average appliance costs around 17p per day to run, so has the potential to lower your household bills – something that’s more important than ever during the cost of living crisis.

But, despite this hype, I just was not sold on the cost-busting and healthy claims surrounding air fryers last year. That is, until we tried Lakeland’s digital crisp air fryer, which has fast replaced my oven during most dinnertime prep.

Proving you don’t have to spend a fortune on a good air fryer (I’m looking at you, Ninja), Lakeland’s appliance is currently reduced down to just under £100. Boasting touchscreen controls, eight presets (from seafood to baked goods and even steak) and a 2.8l capacity, the high street stalwart’s appliance is the ideal entry-level air fryer that the brand claims suits two to three people.

How we tested

Using the air fryer for around two months, I assessed how easily it replaced my usual oven during meal times, as well as how well it cooked food, the time it took and its crispy credentials. Serving up brunches and afternoon snacks, right through to dinner, here’s my deep dive on Lakeland’s £99 digital crisp air fryer.

Lakeland digital crisp air fryer

Best: Entry-level air fryer

Capacity: 2.8l

Dimensions : 26cm x 32cm x 35cm

Power : 1350W

Maximum temperature: 200C

Presets : Eight

Weight : 5kg

Despite my initial concerns over its hefty size, Lakeland’s surprisingly lightweight air fryer managed to slot seamlessly onto the kitchen counter.

Setting it apart from more boxy designs on the market, Lakeland’s appliance is sleek and cylinder and as such, it takes up less space than a microwave but slightly more than a large toaster. Plus, set-up is a breeze. After unboxing the appliance, simply plug the cable (which is a decent length) into the mains and you’re good to go.

How to use

Owing to the LED touchscreen design, using it is just as easy to get to grips with. Featuring eight presets (including fresh fries, fish, seafood, frozen fries, pizza, baked goods, chicken and steak), you select one by pressing the button in the middle of the screen.

Handily, there are also temperature (from 80C-200C) and time functions, which you can adjust by pressing each icon and turning the dial to change the setting. Once your pre-set, time and temperature are selected (each preset calculates the functions for you, but you can also customise them), simply press the same power dial to start cooking.

Designed with vents at the top to control air flow, the basket is situated in the centre of the air fryer and pulls out easily thanks to the large handle. Plus, the entire inner basket can be pulled out of its plastic case, allowing for more thorough cleaning.

Performance

I first tested the air fryer on my go-to afternoon snack, Quorn’s vegetarian chicken nuggets. Cooking them from frozen, I used the frozen fries preset which runs on 200C for 20 minutes (though I did reduce it down to 10 minutes for the nuggets). Coming out crispy, golden and well-cooked in five minutes less time than it would have done in the oven, Lakeland’s air fryer boasts impressive efficiency.

I’ve since grilled salmon, cooked crunchy tenderstem broccoli, rustled up restaurant-worthy crispy french fries (there’s capacity for up to 500g of chips), golden brown halloumi, chicken burgers and more in the versatile appliance.

One thing to note though is the limitations of the basket size. While there’s enough room to cook halloumi and tenderstem broccoli together for up to two people, Lakeland’s air fryer is probably too small to be a worthwhile investment for a larger household.

Cleaning

The most boring part of owning an air fryer is of course the clean-up. But Lakeland has made the tedious task a whole lot easier with the separate basket design. Being able to remove the food basket from its plastic container lets you clean up any grease residue far more thoroughly and quickly. Before returning the basket to the air fryer, make sure you let it dry out entirely first.

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The verdict: Lakeland digital crisp air fryer

For those stepping tentatively into the air fryer world, Lakeland’s under-£100 appliance is the perfect introduction. It’s a breeze to use with its eight wide-ranging presets while the customisable temperature and time functions are handy touches. Another big bonus is how easy it is to clean while its sleek, circular design will slot easily onto your kitchen counter. Elevating your meal times while helping you reduce your household bills, Lakeland’s cost-effective air fryer is hard to fault.

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