Best Air Fryer For Sale

Cuisinart Air Fryer Mini Oven

Best mid-range mini oven

• Stubborn mode dial resistant to twist
• Some fries stuck to air fryer basket
• Oddly selected temperature intervals on control gauge
• Quiet ping at the end of cooking time

Wattage: no information

Star rating: 4.5/5

Mini ovens are the perfect appliance for making multiple cooking functions achievable without hob or main-oven access, or for offering extra cooking capabilities to your kitchen by simply plugging into the wall.

This new model from Cuisinart comes with a baking tray, oven rack and air fryer basket for using across the oven’s seven functions: keep warm, panini and toasties, grill, toast, roast, bake and air fry. The four controls are relatively easy to use although we needed to refer back to the instruction manual to decipher the icons which are quite small.

The manual was easy to follow and offered useful guidance on how to get the best from the accessories. Baking functions in air frying gadgets are often tricky to master, but we got a great rise from the apple and almond cake which was moist and soft inside, making this a memorable stand-out from this mid-range mini oven.

• The manual wasn’t clear at explaining some of the functions

Wattage: 1750W

Star rating: 4.5/5

One of our only irks was the navigation of selecting your function and the ambiguity of some of the function icons. The instruction manual could be clearer in this respect. However, thankfully the set-up is intuitive.

• Takes a lot of space up on the countertop

Wattage: 1500W

How Did We Choose The Best Air Fryer

When testing, Homes & Gardens took into account the following factors:

Noise: The noise of an air fryer can impact your ability to use it. Perhaps you like to cook while listening to the TV, or you live in a smaller home and the noise of an air fryer running would distract you as you work. If an air fryer is noisy, we make a note of it.

Speed: Air fryers promise to speed up cooking times, so when testing them we used standardized recipes to see how long they will take to cook classic recipes. While potato fries would typically take around 25 minutes in the air fryer, the speediest air fryers we tested have taken as little as 12 minutes to make crisp, evenly-cooked fries.

Looks: Its going in your kitchen counters, so it has to look the part. You might not mind a less attractive air fryer as much as some other users, but any bulky features or unattractive elements such as smudging or busy display panels were noted during testing.

Cleaning: Cleaning an air fryer should be easy. Most have baskets that can go in the dishwasher, and its rare to find on without a non-stick inside. If we ran into any difficulties cleaning, we marked it down.

Some of the air fryers in our guide have been reviewed on other Future Homes websites, but they have all been reviewed by the same Editor, meaning she can still bring you all her inside knowledge even if you cant click through to read the full review on Homes & Gardens.

Things To Consider Before Buying An Air Fryer

If you’re new to the world of air fryers, then you need to consider a few things. Capacity is one of the main areas compact units are handy but can’t always serve a family. And you may want to check out the cleaning and care regimes of such air fryers, as well as how much space an air fryer will take up.

But do bear in mind that air fryers are very handy for cooking quick, small dishes. Check our our guide on air fryer vs oven for more information.

Recommended Reading: Insta Pot Air Fryer Lid

Different Types Of Air Fryers

There are a few different types of air fryers to choose from, but all of them work in a similar way. You can choose between two main types:

Drawer air fryers have inserts with handles that can be easily lifted out of the cooking unit and shaken up to evenly cook your fries or chicken without having to turn using a spatula.

They are a very popular design because they often have an insert that elevates your food to allow air to circulate inside the air fryer basket as it cooks. You can sometimes even lift this filter out of the main basket, which contains oil and juices as they drip away from your food, to make sure none of it ends up on your plate.

Toaster oven air fryers are the second and less common type. We feature many of them in our guide to toaster ovens because they come with layered designs that can be used to bake and roast as well as air fry.

Some even come with rotisserie functions that can be used to cook kebabs or whole chickens, but because they don’t have a drawer that can be easily pulled out, they can be more fiddly to operate, but they most closely resemble a smaller-scale oven in our experience.

The Best Air Fryer Deals

Why you can trust Homes & Gardens Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, but there’s plenty of savings on the best air fryers just in time for the holidays.

Why you should buy it: Perfect size for families made the best fries prevents cooking odors.

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer made the best homemade fries of any air fryer I tested. They had a fluffy interior and crispy exterior, with evenly browned edges and consistent cooking throughout.

Because there is a removable air fry insert, you can also use the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer to reheat things such as rice or pasta, which would usually fall through the slots in the air fryer tray.

The six-quart capacity is perfect for families, and it will easily cook for 5 or 6 people. My bacon was rendered perfectly, and the innovative OdorErase technology really did help in preventing cooking odors in the kitchen. This is also one of the quietest air fryers I’ve tried, and I found that the control panel is sleek and attractive, just be prepared to wipe away finger smudges.

Why you should buy it: Two baskets for cooking two recipes at once one of the fastest and hottest easy to clean.

What’s better than one air fryer? Two, in one. The Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 XL 2-Basket Air Fryer is incredibly versatile, so prepare for it to replace your oven.

You May Like: Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven At Walmart

What Type Of Air Fryers Are There

• Basket style with heating elements: tall, slim air fryers feature a main unit with heating elements and fans. These have slide-out baskets or trays that slot into place inside. As they tend to have a smaller cooking area than oven-style fryers, in testing we found even results were more likely if the cooking was paused occasionally to rearrange or toss the food around. Some fryers will cut out automatically when you do this, some will need to be paused if you want accurate timings.
• Rotisserie air fryers: these are designed to produce evenly browned but moist cooked chickens, roasted much quicker than in the oven. Plus, thanks to the nifty interior lights, they’re a real crowd-pleaser for entertaining. Chip rotisserie baskets toss raw potatoes within these that allow heat to reach every nook and cranny for a crisp finish.
• ‘Mini ovenâ types: these models use convection or fan technology to cook food on flat, slide-in trays. As well as roasting, their extra air frying functions circulate hot air around the food for more efficient crisping. These took up the space of an average-sized microwave. Some may also include rotisserie elements.
• Interior paddles: The Tefal model we looked at has an interior paddle â its stirring motion keeping the food moving around a doughnut-shaped tray. Unlike âbasketâ models, the oil stayed in the pan rather than draining away, so sauces, rice or even casserole-type recipes could be used here.

What Kind Of Accessories Does An Air Fryer Come With

Some fancy models may come with extra accessories, but really all you need is an air fryer basket with wire or nonstick grates. They come standard with most air fryer models and help the superconvection to hit all sides of your food evenly. I prefer the nonstick variety as wire baskets can be particularly tricky to clean.

All the air fryers we tested came with a grated fryer basket or tray. The Philips Essential Digital model has it attached to the handle making it easier to remove for cleaning.

Also Check: Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer 360 Plus

Best Budget: Dash Compact Air Fryer Oven Cooker With Temperature Control

Also available at Wayfair and Target.

Pros: Its compact size makes it a great pick for small spaces, and its also easy to clean thanks to its non-stick coating.

Cons: It can only hold a few food items at a time because of its small size.

For households that are not looking to invest a lot in an air fryer, the Dash Compact Air Fryer gets the job done with a small footprint . At about the same size as a standard coffee maker, it could even work in a dorm. It also comes in a few colors so you can pick something out that suits your decor.

Getting this basket-style air fryer set up was very easy, with only two knobs to navigate, but with simplicity comes a lack of features. This air fryer took a long time to heat up, and there is no way of knowing what the actual temperature is inside, so that took some guesswork.

In terms of performance, the small size could only accommodate two chicken fingers at a time, but it did a decent job cooking them. This also fried up carrots and fries, but could not fit the whole chicken. The non-stick coating made it super easy to clean, so the sticky residue just washed off easily with soap and water.

While this was not the top performer, we picked the Dash Compact Air Fryer as our best budget pick because it cleans well, is easy to use from the start, and can cook most commonly air-fried items.

When Shouldn’t You Use An Air Fryer

Air fryers are great for crisping foods, but there are certain scenarios when you shouldn’t use one.

• You shouldn’t use an air fryer for liquids, as they can easily spill and splatter, even when heated in a heat-resistant vessel. You also shouldn’t use an air fryer for foods that require a wet batter, like tempura, because the coating doesn’t set quickly enough to stick, which can cause drips and smoking as well as failing to produce a crispy food.
• We wouldn’t recommend an air fryer for many baking tasks: Most can’t actually bake because they have heating elements only on the top of the unit versus the top and the bottom like a toaster oven or oven. The basket or shelf design also generally restricts the size of your baked goods. Air fryers are, however, great for desserts that benefit from browning like a baked apple or an individual sized crumble.
• You should avoid cooking greasy foods in an air fryer. If air frying something greasy, use a lower temperature to help reduce splattering, which can cause grease to hit the elements and create smoke.
• Beware of lightweight food, such as bread, as well some air fryers with a powerful fan can cause it fly around.

Read Also: Bravo Xl Air Fryer Reviews

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.

Should You Buy An Air Fryer Toaster Oven

Air fryer toaster ovens tend to look like larger versions of your classic toaster oven, but come with all the functionality of a toaster oven, air fryer and even roaster combined. If your countertop already houses a toaster oven and you’re wishing you had space for an air fryer, consider this the ideal more-than-2-for-1 upgrade.

For one thing, the shape is sleek and angular, meaning it will fit more easily into a corner and sit flush against your backsplash. And most of these combo machines are stainless steel making them very durable, while many solo air fryers are shiny plastic that can feel like it’s a bit of a cheaper design. Another pro? The air fryer-toaster ovens are designed to hold more food. Many of these models can fit a 12-inch pizza, four-plus slices of bread and a whole chicken. No more batch cooking necessary, which means you can get dinner on the table for your whole family faster.

Jill Novatt

Don’t Miss: Ninja Air Fryer Baking Pan

Is Eating Air Fried Food Healthy

“By circulating really hot air around your food at high speed using Rapid Air Technology , an air fryer will fry your food using a fraction of the oil youd normally use for deep frying,” says Philippa Simmons, head of buying, Lakeland . “So not only is it quicker than cooking food in your oven, cutting down on your energy use, its healthier too.”

Sarah Farquharson, senior marketing manager at Instant Brands , also agrees. “Air frying allows for healthier cooking methods that dont require extra fat or oil to cook food properly keeping them both dry on the outside while maintaining moisture within each bite thanks to its circulating hot air system,” says Farquharson. “Healthy meals have never been so easy.”

Are Air Fryers Worth It

Air fryers are worth it if you like to cook foods quickly with minimal cleanup. Sure, some are bulky and may feel like a usurper of your counter space, but most people who use them learn the benefits right away. They’re especially great for prepackaged frozen foods and leftovers, like french fries or dumplings, that would normally get soggy or rubbery in a microwave. In the Kitchen Appliances Lab, we like using ours for quick dinners. All types of proteins, like chicken, pork chops and salmon, cook up quickly and become golden brown and juicy veggies become nicely blistered or caramelized. We especially like air frying root vegetables, like mini potatoes and diced butternut squash and beets.

Recommended Reading: Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins Air Fryer

What To Look Forward To

Were conducting a new round of testing to expand our coverage of pod-shaped air fryers. In addition to new models, were also testing a wider range of sizes, and special features like dual baskets and smart app connectivity. Were trying out larger air fryers, like the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket Air Fryer and the Ninja Foodi DZ201 Dual Basket Air Fryer, and more models from popular brands, including the Dash Deluxe Electric Air Fryer, the Ultrean Air Fryer AF01, and the new Cosori Air Fryer. While well be looking at more versatile and accessible features this time around, our foundational criteria for a great air fryer remain the same: an intuitive user experience, even cooking, and consistent temperatures.

What Can You Cook In An Air Fryer

Whether you’re a meat eater, a vegetarian or even a vegan, there’s an air fryer recipe out there that’s bound to become your new favourite. Homemade chips come into their own in an air fryer, taking far less time and emerging crisp with far less oil applied in the cooking process. You can achieve succulent results with meat too, like chicken, which ordinarily takes much longer in an oven.

If you love cooking up quick breakfasts and lunches with freezer foods, then an air fryer will make an ideal match for you. Breaded foods are a guaranteed win with an air fryer, as well as frozen staples like hash browns and veggie sausages. Grilled cheese sandwiches in an air fryer are a total revolution too, as well as halloumi.

Looking for healthy air fryer ideas? Once you’ve tried cooking up Mediterranean veg, carrots, broccoli and even sprouts in an air fryer, you won’t look back, with the speed of cooking times for quick veg to add to a midweek meal completely unmatched compared to your oven.

Vegetarian and vegan recipes are a triumph with an air fryer, especially if you love getting a good crisp on your tofu, or if you want to make mock chicken wings with coated oyster mushrooms. Often, veggie cooking requires you to get inventive, and an air fryer is the perfect tool for that.

Recommended Reading: Best Smart Oven Air Fryer

Instant Pot Star Wars Duo Little Bounty

This Baby Yoda- or Grogu-themed Star Wars Instant Pot Duo is on sale right now on Amazon. The deal brings the model’s $116 price tag down to $100.

Four other Star Wars themes are available on Amazon, and while none of the others are marked as on sale, they’re basically going for $100 each, too. The one exception: The BB-8 Instant Pot Duo Mini. It’s listed right now on Amazon for $80. But note: The BB-8 model is a 3-quart model . The Baby Yoda and/or Grogu version, known as Little Bounty, is a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo.