I test kitchen gadgets for a living—here's why I think the Salter EK4221AS Air Fryer is a great budget buy

Price on writing: £50 | Buy now from Amazon

Our verdict

• Ease of use: 4/5

• Ease of cleaning: 3/5

• Features: 4/5

• Results: 5/5

• Design: 4/5

• Value for money: 5/5

At just £50, the Salter EK4221AS Digital Air Fryer is a total bargain. As a seasoned kitchen gadget expert, I was surprised at just how impressive its performance was—bacon turned out perfectly crispy, garlic bread came out mouth-wateringly golden, and frozen food was cooked satisfyingly well in a hurry. No wonder it won a place on our best air fryer round-up for being Mumsnet's top budget pick for small households.

It was easy to use too; the touchscreen controls were simple to figure out, even if the instructions could be better, and I liked that you can manually adjust the time and temperature or use one of the seven presets. It’s not the fanciest air fryer out there, and the settings are a bit more limited than pricier models, but it still gets the job done and is one of the best budget air fryers you can pick up today.

The downsides? Annoyingly you can't pop the basket in the dishwasher, plus large families will need a bigger capacity or the flexibility that comes with a dual air fryer. However, if you’re after a no-frills gadget that won’t cost a fortune, this one’s a solid choice, with a compact size that's ideal for small kitchens.

Cooking in the Salter EK4221AS Digital Air Fryer: how easy is it to use?

Thanks to its sleek touchscreen control panel, I found the Salter EK4221AS pleasingly easy to operate. Although the instructions could be improved, I found it was super simple to press the intuitive time and temperature buttons to adjust the settings manually. Then, it's simply a case of pressing the power icon and letting the air fryer get to work.

If you're new to the wonderful world of air frying, there are seven handy presets that tailor time and temperature for popular dishes, including fries, chicken, bacon, fish, and more. Personally, I prefer choosing air fryer settings manually for more freedom and flexibility, though you can easily select your chosen preset using the 'M' (mode) button.

Its settings are somewhat limited compared to other, albeit more expensive, air fryers; it only goes up to 200°C (for comparison, Ninja air fryers heat up to 240°C), and the timer maxes out at 30 minutes. As it cooks food quicker than a conventional oven, this shouldn't be a problem for most meals—it's only for dishes that take a while, such as baked potatoes, where this would be an issue.

The two components of the basket feel sturdy when secured together, and there's a useful safety lock on the handle, so there's no risk of it coming apart when you're transporting hot food to your plates. The basket slides nicely in and out of the air fryer, and the machine automatically pauses if you pull the basket out to take a peek on how your food is doing, resuming when you slot it back in again. If you want to stop cooking before the timer is done, it's worth noting that when you press the on/off button, it won't halt cooking until you've removed the basket.

While it's running, there is a noticeable fan sound, but this is pretty standard with air fryers and it's quieter than some of the other models I've tested. I found the beeps when the timer was done handy too; I could hear them in another room so I could leave the air fryer alone while it cooked.

Salter recommend preheating the air fryer for three to five minutes before adding your food, which is far, far quicker than it usually takes my fan oven to heat up—another useful time-saver from this impressive air fryer!

Related: The best slow cookers, tried and tested

Salter EK4221AS Air Fryer performance: how were the results?

Excellent! I cooked a range of dishes in the Salter EK4221AS and was very impressed, especially considering its bargain price tag. Frozen favourites like fish fingers and garlic bread were delicious and crispy, while it tackled veg and bacon really well. I also found it better at reheating leftover pizza than my microwave as it left the crust crispy—just how I like it.

As with any air fryer, there can initially be a bit of trial and error in getting the right settings, but I thought the Salter performed great, all while being faster and less faff than cooking in my oven.

Read next: Best food processors for fast meal prep

Salter EK4221AS Digital Air Fryer: design and style

I do like the sleek, modern design of the Salter EK4221AS Air Fryer; I really loved how it looked on my kitchen countertops and found it very stylish. That being said, it does look quite 'plasticky' compared to other premium air fryers, but for such a reasonable price, I can't grumble about that too much!

With a single-basket design, it's also nice and compact if you have a small kitchen—in fact, it's one of the smallest air fryers I've tested. However, this does mean the capacity is compromised, especially when compared to dual-basket models. During testing, I found there was ample space for two people, but if you have a big household, you're better off going for one of our best air fryers for a family of four.

Related: Best air fryers for two people

Is the Salter EK4221AS Digital Air Fryer easy to clean?

This is the area the Salter scored the lowest marks in. That's not to say that it doesn't clean well though; thanks to the non-stick coating, the basket is easy to wash by hand. However, I was disappointed that the baskets couldn't be washed in the dishwasher for extra convenience.

The touchscreen control panel also shows up fingerprints quite easily, though a quick wipe down sorts this out.

Related: The best air fryer microwave combos for space saving

Price: is the Salter EK4221AS Digital Air Fryer worth it?

100%! At just £50, this is one of the best air fryers you can get in this price range. It's one of the cheapest models I've tested out, but that doesn't mean it sacrifices on performance, and I rate it highly. Large families may want to go for something bigger, but for a small household it's a great budget buy.

How we tested the Salter EK4221AS Digital Air Fryer

I put the Salter air fryer through its paces for three weeks, whipping up a variety of treats with it including fish, garlic bread, veg, bacon, plus much more. During testing, I carefully rated the air fryer on its set up, ease of use, ease of cleaning, design, value for money, and those all-important results.

• Tested in a two-person household over a three-week period

• Used to cook a variety of meals

• Cross-compared with other air fryers I've tested

About the author

Natasha Gregson is Senior Content Editor at Mumsnet, with an expertise in home and kitchen product reviews and round-ups. With numerous years of editorial experience under her belt, her work has also been featured in prestigious national publications like The i Paper and Stylist Magazine, and she's written on a wide range of topics.

A keen foodie, Natasha oversees all kitchen content on Mumsnet, and has been on a mission to find the top gadgets, reviewing everything from toasters to air fryers, slow cookers to kettles. She's tested out numerous air fryers, including models from top brands like Ninja, Cosori, Salter and more.

When she’s not busy seeking out the best buys and advice for Mumsnetters, you can find her searching for the next best restaurant, watching live music, curling up with a good book, cross-stitching, or enjoying a good hike or run.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

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