Behind the scenes

Air fryers are all the rage with the Instagram generation

24.9.2024

Translation: Katherine Martin

These days, 8 out of 10 deep fryers bought on Galaxus are oil-free, running solely on hot air. Annual sales of air fryers have grown by a double-digit percentage, with young people being the main target group. The brand that pioneered the device, as well as a market newcomer, are the main companies benefitting from the trend.

Air fryers are all the rage right now with the Instagram generation. Driven by clever marketing and the trend towards healthier food, the gadgets are becoming an increasingly common sight in European kitchens.

A glance at Galaxus’s sales figures confirms as much. In 2023, the online retailer’s customers bought 14 times as many air fryers as in 2019. This year, demand is almost twice as high as it was in 2023. Oil fryers, on the other hand, aren’t quite as sought-after as they once were.

Nowadays, 8 out of 10 deep fryers ordered on Galaxus run on air. For years now, air fryers have been steadily gaining market share from their oil-based counterparts. Technically speaking, air fryers aren’t actually deep fryers, because they don’t involve cooking food in boiling-hot fat. «Air fryers are like little convection ovens,» says Nicola Brand, the woman responsible for the deep fryer range at Galaxus. «They’re particularly popular with health-conscious people who don’t want to give up crispy, fried food.» Air fryers may also be better for the environment. Unlike ovens, they’re compact, so use less electricity.

The air fryer was invented by a Dutchman named Fred van der Weij. He sold the patent for his device to electronics giant Philips, which then launched the first mass-market air fryer in 2010. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around food at high speed. As a result, the food’s cooked evenly until crispy without having to be dipped in hot oil. Although air fryers almost always need oil to prevent the food from drying out, they require significantly less of it than conventional deep fryers. Oftentimes, just a few splashes will do the job. As the success of the air fryer grew, other companies entered the market. Brands such as Tefal and Ninja then developed their own versions boasting extra features and improvements, resulting in a diverse mix of air fryers and price segments.

Social media content and ad money has also helped fuel the air fryer hype. There are now well over half a million posts under the #airfryer hashtag on TikTok, racking up billions of views in total. In their videos, TikTokers show their predominantly young audiences how they prepare their breakfasts, chicken with veggies, popcorn and marshmallow desserts with their air fryers. The #airfryer hashtag’s also proving popular on Instagram.

Galaxus sales data shows that air fryers are particularly appealing to young people, with 4 out of 10 buyers aged under 35. When it comes to oil fryers, the figure drops to less than 3 out of 10.

In Europe, the two brands benefitting most from the fad are Netherlands-based air fryer pioneer Philips and US rival Ninja. As an air fryer specialist, Ninja has increased its market share at Galaxus from 4 to 18 per cent in less than two years – thanks in part to the support of social media influencers.

Throwing their weight behind air fryers has allowed Philips and Ninja to knock former fryer king Tefal off the top spot. «Tefal is still our strongest brand when it comes to oil fryers, but it’s lost a bit of ground in the air fryer category,» Nicola explains. Just behind French company Tefal in the sales rankings is Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi, which mostly sells budget-friendly air fryers.

According to Nicola, the trend’s showing no signs of slowing down: «Manufacturers are bringing better and better appliances to market.» Some fryers, for instance, have an automatic feature that calculates when food will be ready. You can also get devices with two drawers, allowing you to prepare a main course and side dish separately. Cutting-edge air fryers have even received a thumbs-up or two from our resident culinary expert and former air fryer basher Simon Balissat.

Product test
Philips Airfryer XXL review: good things come to those who wait
by Simon Balissat

*What do you make of the air fryer trend? Are you keen on air-frying or do you prefer using some nice, bubbly oil? What are your favourite air fryer recipes? The comments section’s all yours!