The trend of air frying is here to stay, so you should get in on the action by purchasing a high-quality air fryer. Don't be deceived into believing that these countertop cookers are only a healthier alternative to a deep fat fryer; they can make a wide variety of foods, not simply fries. You can make everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to roasted veggies and crispy chicken nuggets.
There are many different types of air fryers on the market, making it difficult to pick the right one. If you haven't made up your mind about an air fryer yet, keep reading our reviews first.
The Best air fryers Reviews
1. Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer with ClearCook & OdourErase - The best air fryer overall
The company that brought you the world-famous Instant Pot also produces air fryers, and the highest-end model of the company's air fryers consistently produces the crispiest french fries and chicken wings out of all of the air fryers that we reviewed.
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer with ClearCook & OdourErase improves upon the original Instant Vortex Plus by including a plastic window in the basket, along with a light so that you can keep an eye on the food while it cooks. It also includes a built-in filter to reduce odors.
The air fryer requires little to no preheating time, allowing you to go from frozen to golden in minutes! With a temperature range of 95 to 400° F, you can cook delicious meals.
The air fryer makes use of cutting-edge EvenCrisp Technology, which directs the flow of air from the top down, ensuring a flawless golden finish and consistently crispy and tender results. It is ideal for cooking tasty dinners quickly, as well as for making side dishes, appetizers, wings, and other foods. It is perfect for preparing meals for four to six people; a must-have for any kitchen.
It has a number of built-in safety features, such as overheat protection and auto-off, that should put your mind at ease when using it. And they have a free app, Instant Pot, that you can use to make some amazing dishes, including new quick-and-easy meals. Plus, the air fryer basket and tray are both non-stick and safe for the dishwasher, making for easy cleaning.
However, this air fryer has some drawbacks. It does not provide any cooking charts, so you will have to spend some time testing to find the optimal cooking time and temperature, especially when dealing with frozen food.
Also, the display gets dirty easily, and the crisper plate might slide out of the basket if you tip it too high when taking food out. These are, however, minor complaints about what is otherwise the best air fryer available.
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2. Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 - The best budget air fryer
The Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 is an affordable option if you're looking for a high-quality air fryer that won't break the bank. Unlike other air fryers we have reviewed, this one has a sleek design thanks to its control panel's placement on the glossy top.
It has a 5-quart capacity, which is plenty for cooking for 1 to 4 people, and its small footprint means it won't take up much room on your kitchen counter.
With the revolutionary new 360° quick heat circulation technology, you'll get the same crunchy textures as when you deep fry, but with up to 85% less fat.
This air fryer has the highest cooking temperature in its class, reaching 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and is 20% more efficient at heating food than previous models, helping you make a fast meal.
This air fryer successfully fries chicken wings and French fries to crispiness on the outside and fluffiness on the inside. But it doesn't work well for cooking frozen foods. and it doesn't brown things well, so you have to change the cooking time.
The tempered glass touchscreen has nine one-touch cooking functions, including preheating and custom shake reminders. On the other hand, the seven preprogrammed settings handle a wide variety of foods, from bacon and fish to cake and pastries. You can set a timer, and, halfway through cooking, the air fryer will tell you to shake so that the food cooks evenly on all sides.
Cooking has never been more fun or easier with the free VeSync app and the bundled cookbook, which has 30 dishes developed by Cosori R&D chefs. You'll soon be a master in the kitchen. The nonstick basket is safe (no PFOA or BPA) and simple to clean.
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3. Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400 - The best premium air fryer
This air fryer features two cooking areas, allowing you to prepare two separate meals at once.
With a total capacity of 10 quarts (or 9.5 liters), the two cooking drawers can accommodate a 3-pound (1.4 kilogram) batch of fries or a 4.4 pound (2.0 kilogram) chicken.
The multifunctionality of this kitchen appliance doesn't end with air frying; it also dehydrates, bakes, and reheats, but it's not as effective as a microwave oven. We liked how you can use two different cooking methods in each section simultaneously, and the "sync" feature makes sure they both complete at the same time so you never have to wait for your food.
Reviewers were amazed by how quickly and evenly the air fryer could brown and crisp food. You can prepare two chickens weighing up to 6 pounds with 75% less oil than a conventional oven. The air fryer has an extremely large temperature range, from 105 degrees to 450 degrees. Meals that can go from frozen to crispy in less than half an hour.
It takes up quite a bit of counter space and is one of the most bulky air fryers we've reviewed. A shiny black exterior with silver accents is nonetheless quite stylish.
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4. Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Toaster Oven - The best air fryer mini oven
When compared to the other options, Cuisinart's mini oven or oven toaster design stands out as superior. The Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Mini Oven may cost more than comparable models, but it is well worth the investment because it does every imaginable cooking task.
Air frying, roasting, baking, and reheating are just a few of the functions it has. It can be used to bake, broil, toast, and convection bake. And it has seven different cooking modes that all perform admirably, so it's safe to say this is one powerful air fryer. Just keep in mind that, in some users' experiences, getting the cooking times and temperatures right requires some experimenting and guesswork.
Last but not least, while the air-frying feature doesn't make the most of its large capacity, the roomy interior does provide extra room to spread out your food when cooking. The fact that it performs the jobs of many separate appliances in the kitchen means that valuable counter space can be preserved.
Read our full Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Mini Oven review.
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5. Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill & Air Fryer with Built in Thermometer, 2nd Generation, DG551 - Best air fryer with smart thermometer
The Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill & Air Fryer with Built-in Thermometer, 2nd Generation, DG551, is unlike anything we've ever seen. Because of how long the name is, we'll just call it the Ninja DG551.
The Smart Cook System perfectly delivers the right levels of doneness for many types of meat. The Foodi Smart Thermometer, which stores neatly on the side of the machine when not in use, can be used to check the internal temperature of your food and help you choose the best cooking mode from among four protein options. The Smart Cook System will then use the thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the meat and alert you when it is done cooking based on your preferences.
While you can’t cook different dishes at different temperatures at the same time, this grill produces superb char and crispier air-fried meals, and it can even cook frozen meat and fish in under 25 minutes. It cooks food quickly and evenly with char-grilled marks and flavor thanks to cyclonic airflow heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Ninja DG551 is not just an air fryer; it also grills, roasts, bakes, dehydrates, and broils food, and it does all of these things better than its predecessor, the Ninja Foodie 6-in-1 10-qt. XL 2-Basket Air Fryer with DualZone Technology.
It comes with a Ninja Smart XL Grill, a 9-by-12-inch grill grate, crisper basket, 4-qt, a 4-quart cooking Pot, a Foodi Smart Thermometer, a cleaning brush, and a Cookbook Containing 15 Chef-Created Recipes are Included.
The ceramic coating on the detachable grill grate, crisper basket, and cooking pot makes them PTFE/PFOA-free, easy to clean, and safe to put in the dishwasher.
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6. Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket Air Fryer - The air fryer that lets you keep an eye on food
Need to check on your meal without releasing all the heat by opening the fryer basket? The newest air fryer from Instant Pot is a good option.
Not only does the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer come with two separate baskets that allow for the simultaneous preparation of two different types of food, but it also features a transparent plastic window on the front of each of those baskets. You can keep an eye on your food as it browns thanks to the windows and the light within the cooking chamber.
Very little or no time is needed for preheating with this air fryer; it only takes a few minutes to get from frozen to golden. The temperature range of 95 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit gives you the ability to create delicious meals.
The air fryer produced consistently crispy and uniformly browned fries and chicken wings with the help of the EvenCrisp technology, which we found to be a highlight of our review. Unfortunately, it's one of the priciest models available, and there aren't any cooking charts to help you get the results you want.
When compared to rival instant air fryers, its capacity is significantly higher. However, it's important to remember that this is split between two frying baskets, so each basket carries a somewhat lesser amount of food, meaning it won't be suited for larger homes.
The Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket Air Fryer comes with a number of built-in safety features, such as Overheat Protection, auto-off, and others, to put your mind at ease. Additionally, the air fry baskets and trays are non-stick and suitable for use in the dishwasher.
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7. Ninja Air Fryer Max AF160 - The best air fryer for frozen foods
This air fryer is the best option currently available for frying frozen foods, thanks to its Max Crisp setting and abundance of cooking charts providing guidance on cooking time. With the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL, you will be able to make fries and chicken wings that are both crispy and evenly browned.
The Ninja air fryer provides 450°F of superheated air to cook food up to 30% quicker (in comparison to the Ninja AF100), and 3 pounds of French fries or chicken wings can fit in the 5.5 QT ceramic-coated nonstick basket and crisper plate, allowing you to enjoy your favorite fried meals without the guilt.
Max Crisp, Air Fry, Air Roast, Air Broil, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate are just a few of the many cooking modes included.
The ceramic basket is both nonstick and dishwasher-safe. Plus, you can cook like a pro with 20 recipes from top chefs.
Unlike many other similar appliances, this compact circular air fryer does not include a shake reminder function that helps distribute heat evenly across the cooking chamber. Even the reheat setting isn't up to par with a microwave because of the lack of an automated preheat feature.
However, this is the best air fryer for individuals who often prepare frozen meals. A 4-quart (3.8-liter) Ninja Air Fryer is also on the market for those who want a more compact appliance.
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8. Philips Airfryer XXL HD9650/99 – Best large capacity air fryer
The Philips Airfryer XXL HD9650/99 is a fantastic option if you need an air fryer with a large capacity (more than 7 liters, or 7.3 quarts). Everything from frozen steak-cut chips to chicken wings comes out perfectly crunchy in the air fryer.
In addition, the air fryer incorporates an insert that lies between the frying basket and the drawer, which Philips claims helps to separate and retain the fat generated by the food during cooking. When using an air fryer, this is especially helpful because air fryers often require more oil.
Using 1 tablespoon of oil for every 1.1 pounds (500 grams) of potato when preparing homemade fries and the same number for six chicken wings can somewhat lower the healthiness of the food you're cooking, so any fat-trapping qualities are worth having.
This one appliance can do anything from air frying to baking to grilling to roasting to rehydrating to toasting. The air fryer heats up in an instant and is ready to use in a matter of seconds, making it possible to cook food four times more quickly than in a traditional oven. Because there is no requirement for preheating, you could get a head start on the cooking process without wasting any time.
A dishwasher-safe basket and detachable parts that are safe to clean in the dishwasher are included with this Philips Airfryer XXL to save you time.
However, this is a large appliance. That said, you might have to store it in a cabinet if you're short on counter space.
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9. Philips Essential Airfryer HD9252/91 – The Best compact air fryer
The Philips Essential Airfryer HD9252/91 has a capacity of 5 quarts (4.8 liters), making it more compact than the majority of the other air fryers that we've reviewed. Philips says that it can make enough for three servings, which makes it a great choice for homes with fewer people.
Even though it performs admirably for crisping fries and chicken wings, it needs oil to cook many dishes, including foods like chicken wings, which can be fried in rival air fryers on our list without any oil. The dinner that you are now preparing will be significantly less nutritious as a result of this.
The air fryer's versatility extends beyond frying to grilling, roasting, baking, and reheating. Seven preprogrammed temperatures and a "keep warm" feature make it simple to select the optimal cooking temperature through the digital touch screen. And both sections of the frying basket are suitable for use in the dishwasher.
It registered 52 decibels on our meter, which is comparable to the low hum that is produced by a refrigerator. In addition, it is the quietest air fryer that we have reviewed to this point. Moreover, the exterior casing doesn't become hot to the touch at any point during the cooking process.
You can get the Philips Kitchen app to make the most of your Philips Air fryer and prepare healthier, tastier meals. You can learn how to prepare healthy, delicious meals from scratch with the click of a button by exploring hundreds of delicious recipes and features designed to help improve your culinary abilities.
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10. Instant Vortex Air Fryer - The Best Easy to use Air Fryer
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven is a versatile kitchen appliance that allows you to cook a variety of different dishes with ease. It features 6-in-1 functionality, which means that it can be used for air frying, roasting, baking, broiling, reheating, and dehydrating. This makes it a great choice for anyone who is looking for a multi-functional appliance that can handle a variety of different cooking tasks.
One of the standout features of the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven is its EvenCrisp technology. This technology ensures that your food is cooked evenly and comes out crispy every time. The technology circulates hot air around the food to ensure that it cooks evenly, and the result is delicious, crispy food.
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven also features one-touch smart programs that make cooking your favorite dishes a breeze. With just a touch of a button, you can select from a variety of pre-programmed cooking options, including air fry, roast, bake, broil, reheat, and dehydrate. These programs are designed to make cooking fast and easy, and they take the guesswork out of cooking.
In terms of preheating and temperature range, the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven heats up quickly and has a wide temperature range. The oven can be preheated in just a few minutes, and the temperature range is from 90°F to 400°F. This makes it easy to cook a variety of different dishes at different temperatures.
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven is also designed for easy clean-up. It features a non-stick interior that makes it easy to wipe down, and the accessories are all dishwasher safe. This makes clean-up a breeze and ensures that the oven stays in great condition for years to come.
The oven has a compact design and stainless-steel accents that give it a sleek and modern look. It's perfect for cooking meals for 4-6 people and uses up to 60% less energy than traditional ovens, making it an excellent choice for those who are looking to save on their energy bills.
In terms of safety the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven has overheat protection, which automatically shuts off the oven if it gets too hot. This helps prevent accidents and ensures that the oven is safe to use. The oven also has an automatic shut-off feature, which turns off the oven after a certain amount of time has passed. This helps prevent overcooking and ensures that the oven is not left on by mistake.
The exterior of the air fryer stays cool to the touch, even when it's in use. This helps prevent burns and ensures that the oven is safe to handle.
The air fryer also comes with the Instant Pot app which is a great resource for anyone who owns an Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven. The app provides a wide variety of recipes that are easy to follow and include step-by-step instructions and specifically designed for use with the Instant Vortex Plus.
The recipes range from appetizers to main courses to desserts. There are recipes for every occasion and every taste, so you're sure to find something that you and your family will love.
One potential drawback of the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer Oven is that it can be a bit noisy when in use. Additionally, some users have reported that the temperature may not always be accurate, so it's important to keep an eye on your food while it's cooking.
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11. Instant Vortex Mini air fryer - The best air fryer for individuals
This air fryer with a tiny capacity is perfect for a single person, a couple with modest appetites, or a family with young children. During our tests, a smaller version of the Instant Vortex (shown above) made chicken and fries that were both crisp and evenly browned.
No lengthy thawing is required. The air fryer quickly transforms frozen food into a golden feast. With a temperature range that goes all the way up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, you can easily prepare delicious dishes.
It also has built-in safety measures that will put your mind at ease, such as overheat protection and auto-off, among other features.
In addition to being able to air-fry, roast, bake, and reheat food, the Vortex Mini is also simple to clean; however, while the crisper plate can be washed in the dishwasher, the basket itself cannot be cleaned in a dishwasher.
The lower capacity means you'll need to do some experimenting to ensure you achieve the right crunchy exterior, and the reheat function is no match for a microwave's capabilities in this regard. Nevertheless, taking into account the low cost and the compact size, we believe that it is a fantastic purchase.
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Best Air fryer Buying Guide
When deciding on the best air fryer for your needs, there are a lot of factors to consider.
To get started, choose an air fryer model. Healthier options include basket-style air fryers, which drive the food's natural juices and fat away from the dish, but require opening the appliance, which might slow down the cooking time by letting cold air in.
Bowl-style air fryers, on the other hand, have see-through glass lids that allow you to see the progress of your meal while it's cooking; this feature is convenient, but it also means that the food's cooking liquids will remain in the air fryer with it, making it tastier but less healthy.
Air fryer capacity is another factor you should consider. You'll need a larger air fryer, holding around 6.5 quarts (about 6 liters), to serve a family of four, while a smaller one, holding about 2.5 quarts (about 2.5 liters), will be enough for a couple. You can cook a variety of dishes at once with the best air fryers because some of them include more than one chamber.
We have previously noted that those with limited counter space should seek out air fryers that can perform many functions in order to reduce the number of appliances they need to store. Think about whether or not you'd like an air fryer that you can control with your smartphone.
How to choose the best air fryer for you?
Air fryers don't require as much time to heat up as conventional ovens and use significantly less power.
Most modern air fryers include a drawer that you can pull out, and within you'll find a crisper tray, which is quite similar to the perforated trays in a conventional fryer or oven. A lower total fat intake can be attained thanks to its design's ability to drain away any surplus oil from the contents. The drawer's handle is also useful for giving the food a shake halfway through cooking to distribute crispiness.
When it comes to cooking multiple dishes at once, some of the larger air fryers even include dual-zone options. Check out our breakdown of how air fryers function for even more advice on getting the most out of your equipment.
One of the main reasons people make the switch to air fryers is the reduced amount of oily food that needs to be cleaned up afterward. Even if you make a mess, you can easily clean it by following the instructions in our article on cleaning an air fryer, which may involve nothing more than placing the necessary parts in the dishwasher when you're done.
Of course, not every kitchen will benefit from having an air fryer, despite all the advantages they provide. If you're limited on counter space but still want the convenience of an air fryer, look into the best Instant Pots or other multi-cookers.
Is air-fried food healthier?
Compared to deep frying, air frying certainly uses a lot less oil, but how healthy is it? Air frying without oil is possible for some meals, typically those that are frozen or have naturally existing fat, like chicken wings. Traditional crisp meals such as fries, roast potatoes, and crackers will require oil; however, the amount required will vary depending on the air fryer.
If you're looking to reduce your oil use, we recommend reading the manufacturer's guidelines before settling on a model. The recommendations we saw ranged from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of oil per 1.1 pounds (500 grams) of fries. It's also important to keep in mind that the healthiness of the food you cook in an air fryer depends entirely on the ingredients you use.