How Big Of An Air Fryer Do I Need
For the average buyer, I suggest buying a five-quart air fryer. The basket is large enough to not be crammed when cooking for your family, but won’t take up too much space on the counter.
For two-person households, between two and four quarts of capacity will serve your day-to-day air frying needs. However, if you want to cook for more than two people or you plan on cooking two elements of your meal at once, some of the top dual-drawer air fryers offer up to nine quarts of cooking space.
How To Clean An Air Fryer
You’re a few simple steps away from your basket fryer looking good as new again!
Your air fryer is probably one of your favorite kitchen appliances, and it comes in so handy to cook foods fast and without excessive oil. Think about crisped-up fish sticks or chicken wings with no added oil, and perfect al dente zucchini noodles, and leftovers reheated to perfection.
That said, air fryers need to be cleaned after every use. Even after using minimal or no added oil, food bits and grease can accumulate and cause your air fryer can smell, or even begin to smoke. Whether you use a basket-style or tray air fryer, here are some tips from the Good Housekeeping Institute to make cleaning it a breeze:
See Emeril Lagasse French Door Air Fryer In Action
Dont take my word for it heres a short video demonstration from Colleen.
The Emeril Lagasse French Door Air Fryer is an extensive countertop oven with a capacity of 26 quarts serving 4-6 people in one cooking. Naturally, it produces ~70% less fat meals than the usual deep frying. More importantly? Its 24 automatic programs make the cooking experience seamless.
*Product Images and Videos Courtesy of Emeril Everyday
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Secura Electric Air Fryer
The versatility of the Secura Electric air fryer may keep this handy appliance on the kitchen island. From barbecue to kabobs and cake, there are so many things you can make healthier in this air fryer. The preset times and temperatures make it easy to get the perfect crisp on your foods.
The larger 4.2-quart size of this model means you can cook for company or just one. The fryer comes with a basket, rack, skewers, and a cooking pan. You may like that you can roast, bake, or fry foods without heating the entire kitchen.
What’s The Best Way To Clean An Air Fryer
It depends on your air fryer model, so consult the user manual. Generally, you should clean the fryer basket and grease catcher with hot, soapy water and a soft sponge after each use.
You can simplify cleanup by air frying your food on aluminum foil or parchment paper.
For more details, check out our article on cleaning air fryers.
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What Is An Air Fryer
An air fryer is an all-purpose cooking appliance that can crisp nearly anything, from sweet potatoes to sizzling bacon. It provides a compact environment thats generally smaller and more lightweight than a microwave, for heated air to be blown around quickly in order to heat up and cook whatevers inside it. The hot air crisps the food actually frying the edges, Bruce Weinstein, author of the The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook, explained so you barely have to use any oil at all. But you must use some , he added.
Simply add a spritz of oil atop a slab of steak, for example, and put it in the air fryer. Its outsides will get crispy and the taste of the food will get more flavorful as the moisture evaporates and flavors condense.
Air Fryer 2 Quart Small Air Fryer Electric
Are you having much need for cooking? This will be a perfect choice you can cook, a new complete air fryer for a family of 2 people only, dehydrate vegetables, roast, pizza, frozen food, and perfect for picky couples of the house. Sixty minutes timer will make cooking more comfortable and convenient with auto-shut off function will help you get food uninterpreted.
SPECIFICATION
- did not work on the first day
VERDICT:
Convenient to use, and even if any problem occurs, you have one year warranty, which will also be suitable to redeem. Washing by hand and in the dishwasher will make the fryer clean inside out and bake any favorite food again without grease and fat, and no cooking spray is required. All within the budget for a couple of people.
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Also Great: Philips Premium Airfryer Hd9741/96
*At the time of publishing, the price was $250.
The Philips Premium Airfryer HD9741/96 is the best pod-shaped air fryer weve tested. Its a far less versatile appliance than the Cuisinart convection toaster oven, but its smaller footprint may make it ideal for tiny kitchens with limited counter space. Smaller households that plan to make only one or two portions of food at a time may also prefer this model. Compared with other pod-shaped air fryers we tested, the Philips cooked food the most evenly, aside from the occasional soggy french fry on average, it cooked faster than most other models we tried and with better results. Like all pod-shaped air fryers, this Philips model isnt good for baking or making toastits fan is too powerful and produces overcooked, irregularly shaped cakes and wonky, unevenly browned toast. But if you dont plan to bake in it, we think its a suitable choice for cooking frozen snacks, smaller portions of meat and vegetables, or certain dishes you want extra crispy, like chicken wings or flautas.
Is The Ninja Dz201 Easy To Use
Ill be honest, the Ninja Double Air Fryer can be intimidating at first with its multitude of buttons and the dual basket setup. Luckily, after a few runs, youll get the hang of it.
If you watched the video above, its just like a mini version of a full-sized oven. The only challenging part is setting the right amount of time and temperature for each recipe.
You wont be able to memorize it, but the good thing is youll have a quick start guide courtesy of Shark Ninja.
On top of that, theres also an included recipe book to get you started right away.
In comparison to the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Max XL, this model doesnt automatically pause when removing the air fryer basket. To ensure youre following the cooking time religiously, youll have to pause and start it manually whenever youre shaking or flipping your ingredients.
On a slightly different note:
The cleanup is easy-peasy.
First of all, its dishwasher safe, so you can simply load the basket and crisper plate into the dishwasher.
If not, then you can always hand wash itwhich is also straightforward.
It has a non-stick coating, so most food residue will come off quickly.By the way, only use a soft sponge and non-abrasive cleaners to prevent damaging the coating.
Last but not least, use a damp cloth to wipe the main unit.
Thankfully, the brand has a quick guide on how to clean it.
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Things To Consider When Buying An Air Fryer
1. CapacityTo start with, how many mouths do you have to feed? Compare the litres with how many people are in your household. This will also depend on what you are planning on using it for. If you only want an air fryer for chips, then you can go small, but if it’s a whole chicken that you want to squeeze in there, the bigger the better. Ideally, you don’t want to cram food items in, as air needs to circulate properly for the real crisp factor.
2. SizeWith a bigger capacity unfortunately comes a larger size air fryer. Depending on where you’ll want to place your air fryer, you might want to get out your tape measure, as some models can be quite large. If you’re planning on keeping your air fryer on your kitchen worktop, think of where it will go as you need to allow some room behind your air fryer for air to escape. Otherwise, a lot of the models above can easily be squeezed inside a cupboard after use.
3. VersatilityWhat else can your air fryer do? Some models are great little multi-taskers and have the ability to reheat, roast, or grill as well as fry, so if youre in the market for a versatile small appliance, these are a good bet.
6. Does it have a cooking rack?Finally, if youre short on time, but your ingredients list is long, look for an air fryer with a cooking rack included, which offers an extra compartment for cooking two different foods at the same time, or one with a mixing paddle, so you dont have to hover over it.
Best Air Fryer Overall
- Deep-fried texture without the mess of cooking with oil
Skip if:
- You have low cabinets
If youre looking for a multifunctional air fryer that is sleek, efficient, and easy to use, the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL is my top pick. Chef Damon Daye says the single most important aspect of an air fryer is to circulate air quickly to turn out crispy, crunchy foods, and this one did that with ease. This convenient cooker heats up quickly and circulates air efficiently, which left us with food that was uniformly fried or crisped to perfection every time. During my hands-on testing this air fryer delivered the most tender yet crunchy chicken wings, golden and crispy fries, and the most moist chocolate chip cookies of all the competitors. We found that having a wider temperature rangeand the ability to reach 450 degreeshelp this product yield supremely crispy foods with more precision.
The Ninja produced crispy, consistent results when testing foods like fries, wings and cookies.
Laura Denby
When it comes to cleaning, I love that the Ninjas basket is dishwasher-safe, but I found this oven to be very easy to clean by hand, toothanks to the nonstick coating on the surface of the fryer. Simply wipe any grease or drippings out with a paper towel, or wash with soap and water. Remember to avoid metal utensilssilicone is best for maintaining nonstick cookware.
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Air Frying Is Healthy Right
Air-frying is ingenious marketing it sounds so light, so fat-free, so noncaloric. But its not healthy by default. Yes, the air fryer uses a lot less oil than deep-frying, but were you really deep-frying that much before? I do love that it makes roasted veggies and salmon in a flash, which maybe means Ill eat more of them. If youre looking to make some changes in your eating habits, Id suggest talking to a registered dietitian, not your toaster oven.
What Can You Make In An Air Fryer
The options for foods you can cook in an air fryer are vast, but some air fryer favorites include chicken wings, chicken tenders, french fries and mozzarella sticks. You can also make fish in an air fryer, including salmon, for a moist inside and roasted outer crust. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are great when made in an air fryer, as are certain vegetables like Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, onions, peppers and carrots. Frozen foods such as dumplings, potato skins, Hot Pockets and tater tots can be made in an air fryer for a quick and easy snack or side dish. Air fryers can also quickly reheat food, like last night’s pizza or leftover fried chicken.
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Why Trust Good Housekeeping
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab. She has worked at kitchen appliance companies, where she helped develop some popular air fryers as well as many recipes for them. Since joining Good Housekeeping, she has had her hands on all of the new air fryers that come through the Lab and has tasted food that was made in almost all of them. She’s an avid air fryer user at home, too, where she has about six to choose.
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Best For 2 Quarts Capacity: Ninja Af080 Mini Air Fryer
Model: Ninja AF080Dimensions: 9.65 x 10.39 x 8.03 InchesWarranty: 1 year limited warranty
The Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer are not only great for small snacks, but they also have a quick set timer and are easy to clean. This makes them perfect for busy families or anyone who wants the convenience of being able to quickly toast or bake without having to wait for a large oven to heat up.
Additionally, Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer come with special features such as a built-in broiler or self-cleaning cycle. Moreover, this air fryer is compact in size, easy to move and clean. And so, Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer is a great choice for you.
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Ninja Af160uk Air Fryer Max 52l
Best air fryer for quick baking
Pros:
- Non-stick tray with silicone corner protection
Cons:
- Might not fit under low countertop cupboards
Wattage: 1750W
Star rating: 5/5
Most air fryers are multifunctional but not all extend their practicality to usable baking functions. This model’s round non-stick pull-out tray lends itself well to baking cakes. Ninja is great as a brand at plastering its packaging in clear, easy to read instructions. The box itself explains all options: max crisp, air fry, bake, reheat and dehydrate but, if you’re too excited to bother, a comprehensive quick-start guide and instruction booklet will do the same.
The controls are labelled and textured. It also emits a loud beep mid-cook if you need to shake the contents. The 5.2 litre capacity tray has nice high sides which allows room for cakes to rise and small whole chickens to roast. Drawers can be put in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. For a smaller option, the Ninja 3.8L AF100UK air fryer was awarded 4/5 stars by our reviews team. Read our full Ninja AF160UK Air Fryer Max review.
Available from:
- Progress bar indicates pre-heat and cooking time
- Clear notifications to shake food
Cons:
- Awkwardly-sized drawers for fitting a separate dish for baking
Wattage: 1700W
Star rating: 5/5
More like this
Wattage: 1200W , 2400W
Star rating: 5/5
Available from:
Things To Consider Before Purchasing The Best Air Fryer For 2 Person
When it comes to air fryers, there are a lot of things to consider before purchasing the best one for your needs. Here are 6 things to keep in mind when shopping for an air fryer:
1. Capacity
Air fryers come in different capacities, so be sure to choose one that can accommodate your needs. If youre cooking for two people, youll want an air fryer with a smaller capacity.
2. Temperature range
Make sure the air fryer you choose has a temperature range that will work for your needs. Some air fryers only go up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, while others can reach temperatures of up to 500 degrees.
3. Timer
Many air fryers come with timers, so be sure to check the specs to see how long the timer can run. If youre looking for an air fryer that can do other things like roast or bake, make sure the timer is long enough to accommodate those tasks.
4. Size
Air fryers come in different sizes, so be sure to choose one that will fit in your kitchen. If you have a small kitchen, you may want to opt for an air fryer with a smaller footprint.
5. Price
Air fryers vary in price, so be sure to find one that fits your budget.
6. Accessories
Some air fryers come with accessories like baking pans or racks, while others do not. If youre looking for a specific accessory, be sure to check to see if the air fryer youre considering comes with it.
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Ninja Foodi Max Health Grill & Air Fryer
Best blow-out multifunctional air fryer
Pros:
Wattage: 2460W
Star rating: 5/5
This is both a pricey and chunky investment purchase that looks more like a pizza oven than an air fryer. However, for the quality of components and cooking results it’s great value for money offering roast, bake, grill and dehydrate functions in addition to air frying.
You always get a good recipe booklet with Ninja products. The one accompanying this product focusses on its grill and air frying features but there’s a comprehensive cooking guide for everything in the box. It’s particularly adapted for roasting meat joints. The integrated digital thermometer meant the gadget alerted us when the whole chicken was full cooked, preventing it from being over-done.
Requiring zero oil, the chips were well-sealed and soft inside. Its grill function didn’t disappoint when it came to grid cooking and if you like a traybake, cakes are ready in 25 minutes.
Wattage: 2400W
Star rating: 5/5
Think of this smart little stainless steel appliance as a new permanent fixture in the kitchen, and watch as you start using it in place of your main oven more and more.
It would be a lifesaver for Christmas and parties, a winner for small kitchens, or a good option for Aga and range cooker owners who donât want to âfire up the beastâ for the sake of a chicken kiev.
Offering pre-sets and functions that can tackle anything from a crumpet or chips to slow-cooked casseroles, itâs so much more than an air fryer.
Philips Premium Digital Xxl Air Fryer
Weinstein recommended this air fryer from Philips, and while he acknowledged its hefty price tag, he also noted that its built to last. Ive had forever and its lasted a long time, Weinstein said. Like its name implies, the Philips is extra large its rated to hold 7 quarts, more than any other air fryer we recommend here. The Philips has a screen to display the temperature and time. It also comes with five preset options from baked goods to beef and seven functions, ranging from air frying to toasting. It has a dishwasher-safe drawer and basket for easy clean-ups, too, according to the brand. It has a 4.6-star average rating out of nearly 2,000 customer reviews on Amazon and comes with a one-year warranty.
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