There are a few things in life that scream college, and an air fryer is pretty much at the top. Let’s be honest, not many students think of cooking three-course meals in their college dorms. For a student, convenience is undoubtedly the main concern, and while you cannot house an oven and stove in your room, an fryer takes only as much space as a coffee maker.

What are they? Think of convection ovens but make them smaller and easier to use, and you have an air fryer. As the name suggests, air fryers “fry” your food with nothing but hot air and a fraction of the amount of oil typically used for deep frying.

The amazing thing is that even though foods cooked in air fryers aren’t deep-fried, they taste and feel exactly the same or even better. Air fryers were first made by Philips back in 2010, but they have become one of the most sought-after kitchen appliances over the past few years.

So, you are probably thinking about which one you should get? Worry not. I am listing the 10 best and most affordable air fryers out there to help you make your college experience a bit more bearable.

10. Willz Compact Quick Cook Oil-Free Electric Air Fryer

The Willz Compact air fryer is an affordable option for those who don’t need many servings of food at once. However, it can easily cook 1-2 servings at a time, thanks to the 2.6qt bucket. If you are a college student, you can easily store it as it requires very little space. Two separate knobs allow for easy temp and time adjustments without the need for a digital menu.

Key Features:

• Can hold 2.6qt of food or 1-2 servings
• Easy temp and time controls
• Dishwasher-friendly
• Ideal for small spaces due to the compact design
• Requires little to no oil

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9. BELLA 2.9QT Manual Air Fryer

This Bella 2.9qt air fryer can cook 2-3 servings at a time and is easy to use. The fryer takes little space making it ideal for college dorms. It doesn’t have any fancy digital controls but offers high-quality construction and easy operation. You can set the time and temp as you desire, and the handle doesn’t get hot.

Key Features:

• Doesn’t require any preheating
• Holds 2-3 servings of food
• It can be washed in a dishwasher
• Uses little to no oil
• Ideal for college dorms

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8. Insignia 3.2L Digital Air Fryer

Insignia 3.2L Airfryer comes with digital controls and offers a predefined menu that takes the guesswork out of cooking your favourite foods. You will find easy to use controls and options for many different temperature settings and timings. The BPA Free body provides peace of mind, and the appliance is super easy to clean.

Key Features:

• Uses little to no oil
• The 3.4qt basket can hold 1-2 servings at a time
• Preprogrammed menus for ease of use
• Dishwasher safe
• Auto-shutoff timer

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7. Elite Gourmet Personal 2.1 Qt. Air Fryer

If you are only cooking for yourself, this Elite Gourmet air fryer is perfect. It takes very little space and is easy to use and move around. It can hold enough food for a single serving and requires 85 less oil than conventional methods. However, the fryer doesn’t have a digital interface which might be a problem for some, but the operation is extremely easy.

Key Features:

• Perfect for personal use. Takes very little space
• 1qt bucket can easily hold a single serving of food
• Adjustable time and temp functions
• Very little oil needed
• Solid construction and easy to clean

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6. Maxi-Matic Elite Gourmet Personal Compact Air Fryer

The Maxi-matic personal air fryer is the most affordable option you will find. It comes in a flashy red color and features easy temperature and duration controls. It doesn’t have the thrills and frills of an expensive fryer, but it is an ideal choice for budget-oriented college students.

Key Features:

• 1qt capacity holds a single serving of food
• Ideal for small spaces
• Easy operation via two separate dials for temp and time
• Dishwasher-safe
• Cool-touch handles

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5. GoWISE USA Electric Mini Air Fryer

GoWise makes some of the best and affordable air fryers out there. This model has a nice design and features a digital menu with preprogrammed options for different foods. It has a 2qt capacity which is more than enough for one person at a time or two if you are a light eater.

Key Features:

• Compact design makes it ideal for college dorms
• Digital controls and preprogrammed menus
• 2qt capacity perfect for 1-2 servings
• Very easy to clean up
• Come with a recipe book containing 50 recipes

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4. Dash Compact Air Fryer

The Dash compact air fryer is another no-frills option that is very affordable and reliable. The fryer can cook 2qt of foods easily in one go and come with two knobs for temp and time control. It doesn’t have any fancy features but delivers high quality at a low price.

Key Features:

• 2qt capacity can hold 1-2 servings
• Easy to use, two separate knobs for time and temp
• Auto-shutoff function prevents over-cooking and safety hazards
• Compact and lightweight
• Cool-touch handle

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3. GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Air Fryer

If you are going to have friends over, get this. It has a 3.7qt capacity which can hold 3-4 servings of food. It is a little hefty than the previous compact models, but you get a bigger capacity. Moreover, the digital menu has plenty of preprogrammed options for various foods.

Key Features:

• 7qt capacity can hold 3-4 servings
• Digital menu with presets
• Comes with a recipe book
• Used very little oil
• High-quality construction

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2. Chefman TurboFry 2-Quart Air Personal Compact Air Fryer

This Chefman air fryer is one of the most highly rated. It is a simple appliance with no fancy features but is extremely affordable and reliable. It is an ideal choice for personal use and has a 2qt capacity that can hold 1-2 servings. The operation is very easy but doesn’t come with a digital menu. Both time and temp can be configured.

Key Features:

• Very compact and easy to store
• Holds 2qt of food or 1-2 servings
• Manual controls for both time and temp
• Dishwasher-safe
• Uses little to no oil

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1. Instant Vortex Air Fryer Oven

Finally, the highest-rated and the most trusted air fryer. This neat little appliance is simple and easy. The digital touch controls at the top makes for easy use without any hassle. You will find plenty of predefined settings for common foods, or you can configure it manually to your heart’s desire. It is simple, light and most importantly, compact.

Key Features:

• Can hold 2qt of food or 1-2 serving at a time
• Intuitive touch controls
• Preprogrammed settings for common foods
• Requires little to no oil
• Cool-touch handle and easy to clean

Get it from here.