Lidl's glass air fryer is £100 less than the Ninja Crispi - and it's non-toxic too
With an air fryer like this, a Lidl goes a long way to changing the way you cook
The rumours are all true. Lidl's new Glass Air Fryer launches in stores from 2nd August, and at roughly £100 less than the immensely popular Ninja Crispi.
The main draw is, as the name suggests, the glass build. Rather than the usual opaque plastic or metal drawer, this one uses a heat-resistant glass container, so you can watch your food cook. It's a small change that makes a big difference, and this is one of the best air fryers to achieve such a premium feature at this price point.
The glass isn't just useful from a visibility perspective though. It's also a strong pick if you're after non toxic air fryers, because Lidl have used an ILAG-coated trivet inside to make sure this is a stress-free cooking process. With four pre-set programmes, a simple dial control and a temperature range of 60–200°C, it's a serious threat for some of Ninja's best air fryers. So, should you be excited? Maybe just a Lidl.
Lidl SilverCrest Glass Air Fryer launch
As with all Lidl middle aisle buys, this is exciting for its price point. Coming in around £100 less than the Ninja Crispi while offering a comparable glass-container design is a significant draw, and it puts a feature that's usually reserved for premium models within reach of a much wider range of budgets.
Add in the dial-operated temperature control for advanced and creative air fryer chefs, which adjustable from a gentle 60°C right up to 200°C, and you've got an air fryer that can handle everything that you might want to cook in an air fryer from delicate dehydrating to properly crisping roast potatoes, without needing to spend three figures more to get that flexibility. It also isn't one for beginners to shy away from, thanks to the useful menu of pre-sets, which take the guesswork out of recipes, so you don't make mistakes with your air fryer.
This is also the air fryer I'd point meal-preppers and batch cooks towards. Because the glass containers double as storage, you can cook a portion, pop the leak-proof lid on and go straight into the fridge, or clip it shut and take it with you, without needing to do any decanting into a separate Tupperware, or any extra washing up.
Specifications
RRP: £59.99
Settings: 4 - Air Fry, Roast, Re-Fry, Keep Warm
Temperature range: 60 to 200°C
Capacity: 2L for 250g chips; 4L for 650g chips
Accessories: 2 glass containers
Power: 1500 watts
Cable length: 120cm
Warranty: 3 years
It's also brilliant if you're conscious of the chemicals that you cook with. Non-toxic matters to me and it's not just marketing spin here. The glass containers sidestep any concerns around plastic leaching at high heat, while the trivet's ILAG-coated non-stick surface is built for corrosion resistance rather than the flakier coatings you sometimes find on cheaper models. So if you've been put off air fryers by worries over what their non-stick drawer is made of, this is a worry free, affordable model. Although, I'd still recommend using silicone air fryer accessories to preserve the lining. That's more of advice for longevity than it is a concern over toxicity though.
Lidl SilverCrest Glass Air Fryer design
Working your way around the Lidl Glass Air Fryer is super simple, especially because the heat-resistant glass container gives you full visibility on how your food is cooking.
The temperature is controlled via a simple dial rather than a digital touchscreen, which does mean that you'll have a little less precision (most Ninja and Breville models will let you control the temperature down to 1 or 5°C). However, that doesn't make much difference for the average cook.
It's ultimately a deliberately no-fuss set-up. Beginners and hurried chefs can choose from four pre-set programmes (Air Fry, Roast, Re-Fry, Keep Warm) or adjust the temperature manually anywhere between 60°C and 200°C, giving you the range to dehydrate gently or crisp up food at full heat.
Sitting inside each glass container is a trivet with a non-stick coating from ILAG®, a system known for its corrosion resistance, which is what keeps food from sticking without relying on the older non-stick chemicals some cooks are trying to avoid. Both containers come with cool-touch handles, so you're not reaching for oven gloves every time you check on your food, and leak-proof lids that turn the cooking pot into a storage or travel container the moment you're done.
Potential drawbacks
Of course, there are a few quirks that come with cheaper models. The large container's 650g chip capacity is on the smaller side compared with some full-drawer air fryers designed for bigger households have up to 10L (the Philips is one of my favourite examples), so if you're regularly cooking for a family of four or more, you may find yourself doing batches, or needing a bigger model.
Glass is also inherently heavier than plastic, and while the cool-touch handles help, lifting a hot, full container in and out will feel different, and require a bit more care, than pulling out a lightweight basket. The dial control, while simple, means less precision than a digital display offers, so fine-tuning to the exact minute or degree isn't really on the table here.
And as with any glass cookware, there's the obvious caveat that it's more fragile than metal or plastic if dropped, which is worth bearing in mind if it's going to be moved around a kitchen often, or thrown in a bag for lunches on the go.
Similar models to the Lidl SilverCrest Glass Air Fryer
If you want a large, luxurious model, this is the one to go for. Ninja conceived of the all-glass air fryer and this is their second iteration and upgrade from the original (which is £100 cheaper). It has extensive temperature control, versatile capacity, and is top quality too.
Salter is one of the best brands for affordable appliances without any compromise. They have a fantastic lookalike for the Ninja DoubleStack and so I have a good feeling about this. It's also one that falls into the non-toxic category, so you can cook without concern.
This oven offers a little more versatility. The glass double doors give you visibility on what you cook, but you can choose to use a full oven for a roast chicken, or you can split it in half for dual drawers or multiple trays.
There aren't many things that would get me out of bed and queueing outside the supermarket, but Lidl's Glass Air Fryer has done it. Whilst the design doesn't reinvent the glass air fryer format, it does make it affordable. It's a fridge-friendly containers, non-toxic air fryer which knocks £100 off the price of the model that started the trend of glass air fryers. I'll be putting through its paces against the rest of the field very soon.
