Black Friday lands on 27 November this year, and air fryer ovens are one of the appliances people most often wait for the sales to buy. That is good news if you have been thinking about buying one, but a low price only matters if the oven suits your kitchen and the way you cook. This guide walks you through the two questions that matter most, size and features, and then shows you how to tell a good air fryer oven deal from one that simply looks good.
Why buy an air fryer oven rather than a basket air fryer?
A basket air fryer is a deep drawer. It is great for chips and nuggets, but you cook in one layer and shake as you go. An air fryer oven has a door, a light, shelves and flat trays, so you can roast, bake, grill, dehydrate and reheat as well as air fry. You can see the food as it cooks, and you can fit things that do not suit a basket, such as a pizza, a tray of cookies or a whole chicken.
If you are still deciding between the two styles, our comparison of air fryer ovens vs air fryers goes into more detail. For many households, an air fryer oven ends up replacing the main oven for everyday meals, which is worth bearing in mind when you weigh up the price. Our guide to air fryer ovens vs conventional ovens explains where each one works best.
What size air fryer oven do you need?
Capacity is the decision you will live with longest, so settle it before you look at any deals. Air fryer ovens are measured in litres of cooking space, which is more useful than a basket size because you can use the whole cavity, not just the bottom.
Around 15 litres: one to three people, or smaller kitchens
A compact oven of about 15 litres suits singles, couples and small families, and anyone short on worktop space. The f66 Super Oven is our 15L model. It measures 36cm high, 33cm wide and 33cm deep, runs at 1500W, heats up to 220°C and has 12 presets including air fry, bake, roast, toast, reheat, ferment and dehydrate. It is still large enough to fit a whole chicken, so a compact oven does not mean giving up Sunday dinner.
Around 30 litres: families, batch cooks and anyone who entertains
If you cook for four or more, batch cook for the week or host at Christmas, a 30 litre oven gives you room for a full tray of roast potatoes or two dishes at once. The f77 Super Oven Pro is our 30L model. It measures about 39cm high, 43cm wide and 40cm deep and uses 1600W. It has 18 presets, a temperature range of 30°C to 230°C in 5°C steps, and a rotisserie fork and handle in the box for whole chickens and larger joints. That extra room is what makes jobs like an air fryer turkey crown realistic on Christmas Day.
Measure your worktop first
Whatever size you choose, measure the space before you buy. Check the height under your wall cupboards as well as the width and depth, and remember that air fryer ovens need room around them to vent. The f77 product page asks for 15cm of clearance on all sides while it is running. If space is tight, our guide to the best air fryer oven for small kitchen spaces has more tips on fitting one in.
Which features are worth paying for?
Feature lists can be long. These are the ones that make a real difference day to day.
- Manual time and temperature as well as presets. Presets are handy, but you will soon want to set your own. Look for fine control: the f77 adjusts in 5°C steps and its timer runs from 1 to 720 minutes depending on the mode.
- A strong fan and heating from more than one direction. Even browning comes from good airflow. The f77 uses six stainless steel heating elements and a turbo convection fan, with modes for top heat, bottom heat, both together and convection.
- An interior light and a glass door. Being able to check food without opening the door keeps the heat in and saves guesswork.
- The right accessories in the box. An air fry basket, a baking tray, a grill rack and a crumb tray are the basics. A rotisserie kit, as on the f77, is a bonus if you like roast chicken.
- Low and slow settings. Dehydrate and ferment modes open up dried fruit, yoghurt and dough proving. The f77 can dehydrate for up to 10 hours.
- Easy cleaning. A stainless steel interior wipes down easily. On both Fridja ovens, the tray, rack and basket are dishwasher safe on the top rack at up to 40°C, and the crumb tray is washed by hand. Our air fryer oven cleaning guide covers the rest.
- What the food touches. If coatings matter to you, check the product page. All food contact parts on the f66 and f77 are made without chemical non stick coatings, and both ovens are PFAS free, PTFE free and PFOA free.
How to spot a genuinely good Black Friday deal
Plenty of Black Friday offers are real. Some are not. A few simple checks will help you tell them apart.
- Track the price before the day. Note the price of the ovens you like now, in early November. A real deal is lower than the price the oven has actually been selling for over recent weeks, not just lower than an inflated "was" price.
- Compare like for like. A cheaper oven with half the capacity is not a saving if you outgrow it. Compare litres, wattage and maximum temperature side by side.
- Check what is in the box. Accessories you would otherwise buy separately are part of the value. So is a printed recipe book if you are new to air frying.
- Read the delivery, returns and warranty terms. Fridja offers free delivery, a money-back guarantee and full warranty cover. Make sure any retailer you buy from is clear about all three.
- Look at bundles carefully. A bundle is only good value if you would use everything in it. Our Complete Kitchen bundle pairs the f77 with the f2500 juicer and f600 portable blender, which suits households who would buy all three anyway.
- Buy from the brand or an authorised seller. That way spare parts and servicing are easy to get later.
Quick buyer's checklist
- How many people do you usually cook for?
- Will it sit under wall cupboards, and have you allowed space around it to vent?
- Do you want a rotisserie, or will a tray and basket do?
- Is the deal price lower than the recent selling price, not just the "was" price?
- Are delivery, returns and warranty clear?
You can compare both Fridja models side by side in our digital air fryer ovens collection. Once yours arrives, our guide on how to use an air fryer oven covers settings, temperatures and timings for your first week.
Frequently asked questions
Is Black Friday a good time to buy an air fryer oven?
It can be, as air fryer ovens are often discounted in late November. The best deals are on ovens that already suit your needs. Check the price for a few weeks beforehand so you know what a real saving looks like, and compare capacity, accessories and warranty rather than the headline discount alone.
What size air fryer oven do I need for a family of four?
For four or more people, a 30 litre oven such as the f77 Super Oven Pro is the more practical choice. It gives you room for a full tray of roast potatoes, a whole chicken on the rotisserie or two dishes at once. A 15 litre oven suits one to three people or smaller kitchens better.
Can an air fryer oven replace a normal oven?
For many everyday meals, yes. An air fryer oven can roast, bake, grill and reheat as well as air fry, and it suits smaller portions well. For very large roasts or several big dishes at once, most households still use the main oven, but an air fryer oven frees it up on busy days like Christmas.
How much space does an air fryer oven need on the worktop?
Measure width, depth and the height under your wall cupboards, then add room to vent. The f77 is about 43cm wide, 40cm deep and 39cm high and needs 15cm of clearance on all sides while running. The f66 is smaller at 33cm wide, 33cm deep and 36cm high.