Buying guide · 4 picks compared

Best air fryer for one person UK 2026

The Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer is the best choice for most people cooking for one, with six presets from air fry to keep warm, plus a shake reminder.

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For the smallest size, pick the Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer, which Daewoo says suits solo cooking, but it has dial controls only and a 30-minute maximum timer.

By Bez, Editor✓ Updated 25 October 2026

★ Our top pickTower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer (T17205AFR)Image: TowerSee it on Amazon

Which one is for you?

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Which pick suits which need
Ifyou want one fryer that suits most single-person cooking	Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer (T17205AFR)	See it on Amazon
Ifyou want the smallest, cheapest option	Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer (SDA2609GE)	See it on Amazon
Ifyou like to watch food cook	Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer with viewing window (T17174)	See it on Amazon
Ifyou want a small glass bowl plus a bigger one	Ninja CRISPi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer, Stone (FN101UKST)	See it on Amazon

The 4 picks compared

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1★ Top pick
Tower
Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer (T17205AFR)Best for all-round for one
Six ways to cook your dinner, all from one basket
See it on Amazon
2
Daewoo
Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer (SDA2609GE)Best for smallest, cheapest
Cook a hot solo meal in one compact 2 L drawer
See it on Amazon
3
Tower
Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer with viewing window (T17174)Best for viewing window
See your food cook without opening the drawer
See it on Amazon
4
Ninja
Ninja CRISPi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer, Stone (FN101UKST)Best for two glass bowl sizes
Cook small or big with two glass bowl sizes
See it on Amazon

Side by side

From the makers' and retailers' published factsAffiliate

The picks side by side
Pick	Best for	Price	The fact that sets it apart	Where to buy
Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer (T17205AFR)	all-round for one	£39.99	Six presets - air fry, roast, grill, bake, reheat and keep warm.	See it on Amazon
Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer (SDA2609GE)	smallest, cheapest	£39.99	Daewoo describes the 2 L design as ideal for solo cooking or meals for two.	See it on Amazon
Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer with viewing window (T17174)	viewing window	£49.99	A viewing window with cooking lights lets you check food without opening the drawer.	See it on Amazon
Ninja CRISPi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer, Stone (FN101UKST)	two glass bowl sizes	£130	A 1700 W PowerPod snaps onto either of two glass containers, 1.4 L and 3.8 L, which come in the box.	See it on Amazon

Cooking for one and want an air fryer that is not oversized? This guide finds your match. Three things decide the choice: capacity, controls and cleaning. Instant Pot UK recommends at least 3.8 L for one to two people, while Salter says 2 L suits 1–2 person households. Our top pick is the Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital, with six presets and a shake reminder.

Our picks in detail

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1★ Top pickBest for all-round for one

Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer (T17205AFR)

Six ways to cook your dinner, all from one basket.

What it is: A 4 litre digital air fryer with six presets, from air fry and roast to grill, bake, reheat and keep warm. Choose a setting and let it do the work for your meal.
Perfect for: Perfect for you if you cook for one and want one machine that does it all.
Why we picked it: A shake reminder appears on the display about two-thirds of the way through cooking, so you know when to give the basket a shake. Power cuts off when you pull the basket out, and you get a 1 year standard warranty, extendable online for free to 3 years.
Price: £39.99 (towerhousewares.co.uk, checked 25 October 2026)

Six presets - air fry, roast, grill, bake, reheat and keep warm.
A shake reminder shows on the display about two-thirds through cooking, and power cuts off when the basket is removed.
1 year standard warranty, extendable online for free to 3 years.

The catch: At 36.6 cm deep it takes more worktop space than Tower's 2 L model.

Check today's price on Amazon

2Best for smallest, cheapest

Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer (SDA2609GE)

Cook a hot solo meal in one compact 2 L drawer.

What it is: Daewoo's 2 L compact single drawer air fryer cooks in one small drawer. It runs at 900 W and has non-stick components.
Perfect for: If you cook for one or two, this is the air fryer built for you.
Why we picked it: Daewoo says the 2 L size is ideal for solo cooking or meals for two. Manual dials set the temperature from 80 to 200°C, and the timer switches off automatically. Daewoo also gives a 3-year warranty when you register online.
Price: £39.99 (daewooelectricals.com, checked 25 October 2026)

Daewoo describes the 2 L design as ideal for solo cooking or meals for two.
Manual dials set the temperature from 80 to 200°C and a 30-minute timer with automatic shut-off.
It has a 900 W power output and non-stick components.
Daewoo gives a 3-year warranty on online registration.

The catch: Dial controls only, with a 30-minute maximum timer and no presets.

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3Best for viewing window

Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer with viewing window (T17174)

See your food cook without opening the drawer.

What it is: The Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer has a viewing window with cooking lights, so you can check your food without opening the drawer. It also gives you six one-touch presets, so you press one button and get cooking.
Perfect for: If you love watching your dinner crisp up, this is your air fryer.
Why we picked it: Tower lists a 3-year warranty: 1 year standard, plus 2 years free when you extend online. A shake reminder comes about two-thirds through cooking, so you remember to give your food a shake.
Price: £49.99 (towerhousewares.co.uk, checked 25 October 2026)

A viewing window with cooking lights lets you check food without opening the drawer.
Six one-touch presets and a shake reminder about two-thirds through cooking.
Tower lists a 3-year warranty - 1 year standard plus 2 years free when extended online.

The catch: It has the same 4 L single drawer and 27.8 x 25.0 x 36.6 cm footprint as the cheaper T17205AFR, so the window is the main difference.

Check today's price on Amazon

4Best for two glass bowl sizes

Ninja CRISPi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer, Stone (FN101UKST)

Cook small or big with two glass bowl sizes.

What it is: The Ninja CRISPi runs on a 1700 W PowerPod that snaps onto either a 1.4 L or 3.8 L glass container, and both come in the box. Air fry, roast, keep warm or recrisp, all from one unit.
Perfect for: Made for you if you cook for one and want a small bowl, but still want room for a bigger batch when you need it.
Why we picked it: Two glass bowls, one machine: swap the 1.4 L for the 3.8 L when the meal grows. The CleanCrisp glassware is dishwasher safe, so the dishwasher can do the clean-up. It also comes with a 2-year guarantee.
Price: £130 (sharkninja.co.uk, checked 25 October 2026)

A 1700 W PowerPod snaps onto either of two glass containers, 1.4 L and 3.8 L, which come in the box.
Four functions - air fry, roast, keep warm and recrisp.
The CleanCrisp glassware is dishwasher safe.
Comes with a 2-year guarantee.

The catch: At £130 on SharkNinja's UK shop it costs far more than the 2 L and 4 L single-basket models in this guide.

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What we left out, and why

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Small Air Fryer 1.8 L (26500): Russell Hobbs' UK shop shows it as out of stock, and its UK and international pages give different wattages (1500 W and 1100 W).
Russell Hobbs Essentials Air Fryer 3.5 L (27350): Russell Hobbs' UK shop shows it as out of stock today.
Tower Vortx 3 Litre Colour Display Air Fryer (T17125): Tower's UK shop shows it as out of stock today.

How we chose

Our buying criteria

We shortlisted the air fryers UK shoppers search for when cooking for one. We picked on the makers' published specifications and UK listings, read on the update date. We do not lab-test. Each pick has one honest catch. The Tower 4 Litre Digital is 36.6 cm deep, so it takes more worktop space than Tower's 2 L model. The Daewoo 2 L has dial controls only and a 30-minute maximum timer. The Tower viewing-window model has the same footprint as the Tower 4 Litre Digital, so the window is the main difference. The Ninja CRISPi costs more than the single-basket models in this guide.

Capacity: 2 L (litres) is the compact end. Instant Pot UK says at least 3.8 L for one to two people.
Controls: a dial is simple; digital presets save guesswork.
Power: watts (W) run from 900 W on the Daewoo to 1700 W on the Ninja CRISPi, and the Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital sits at 1300 W.
Cleaning: check whether the basket and plate are dishwasher safe.

How we choose every pick

Your questions, answered

What size air fryer do I need for one person?

Salter says 2 litres suits 1–2 person households. Instant Pot UK recommends at least 3.8 litres for one to two people. Our all-round pick for one is the Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer.

Is a 2 litre air fryer big enough?

A 2 litre air fryer is the smallest size on our list. Pick the Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer for the smallest option. Want more room? The Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer is our all-round choice for one.

Can I put air fryer parts in the dishwasher?

It depends on the model. The Ninja CRISPi's CleanCrisp glassware is dishwasher safe, so check the maker's page for any other model before putting parts in the dishwasher.

How much power does a small air fryer use?

Want the all-round pick for one? The Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer uses 1300 W. For a lower-powered small option, the Daewoo 2L Compact Single Drawer Manual Air Fryer has a 900 W power output.

What warranty do Tower air fryers have?

Tower gives you 1 year as standard, and you can extend it online for free to 3 years in total. That makes the Tower Vortx 4 Litre Digital Air Fryer a solid all-round choice for one.