Why Asda’s £30 air fryer is rivalling Aldi’s £30 Special Buy – it’s bigger and has three extra colours

London. UK- 05.01.2023. The entrance and exit of a branch of Aldi grocery supermarket with the company name sign and logo in the middle. Credit: Getty THE Aldi middle aisle has owned the cheap air fryer market for years, but Asda is giving it a run for its money… The George Home Manual Air Fryer matches Aldi’s specialbuy on price and beats it on size. The Asda air fryer comes in several different colours to match your kitchen decor Credit: Asda George Home Manual Air Fryer 4L: £30 at Asda The George Home Manual Air Fryer 4L is £30, holds half a litre more than Aldi’s £29.99 Ambiano version, and comes in five colourways rather than two. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Four litres capacity against Aldi’s 3.5 litres doesn’t sound like much on paper, but in a small kitchen that’s the difference between cooking enough portions for your household in one go. The George Home model comes in black, white, cream, green and navy, while the Ambiano is black or cream only. For anyone who’s spent time trying to make a worktop appliance disappear into a kitchen scheme, that matters more than it should. The Asda model is dial-driven rather than digital, with variable temperature and timer controls, a 60-minute timer and automatic shut-off when the dial runs down. The basket is removable, non-stick and dishwasher-safe, which is the spec line that’s the difference between an air fryer getting used twice a week or once a month. It measures 35.1 x 25.5 x 26cm and weighs 7.4kg, so it’s a solid thing rather than a flimsy one, but it will need permanent worktop space. Most read in Money Aldi’s air fryer is only available while stocks last Aldi’s version has more features and runs a digital LED display with eight preset programmes, a temperature range from 40°C to 200°C, a keep-warm function, a shake reminder and overheat protection. It also comes with a three-year warranty. If you want presets and a screen, Aldi wins that argument outright. Asda’s pitch is simpler: more room, more colours, straightforward functionality, done. Asda’s own reviews for the George Home model are strong, if thin on the ground. One shopper called it “very good value for money”, praised the simplicity of dials over a digital display, and said it cooks evenly. Another described the manual setting as easy to use and the washing-up as painless after cooking omelettes, fish, sausages and a small whole chicken in it. The other major difference is the Ambiano is a Specialbuy and only available while stock lasts, whereas the George Home fryer is a permanent line that you can order online or pick up in store. We’ve also spotted 10 Aldi special buys hitting shelves this weekend guaranteed to keep the kids entertained all summer. I also spotted an ice cream maker to rival Lidl’s middle aisle deal – it’s £25 cheaper.