Top 5 Best Air Fryers

What About The Vortex Plus

While its very similar to the 4-in-1 air fryer, the standout feature in the Vortex Plus is the dehydrator. If youre looking for a reliable air fryer that can also produce perfectly dried fruits and veggies, the Vortex Plus is for you. Just like the 4-in-1, the Vortex Plus has a roomy, 6-quart basket with a nonstick coating for easy cleanup. Equipped with pre-programmed settings and a temperature-controlling dial, the interface is also super user-friendly. The only downside to this model is the broiler function, which is pre-set to 400 degrees F and for two minutes and didnt perform well for us in testing.

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What Can You Not Cook In An Air Fryer

You can cook most foods in an air fryer, but there are some exceptions. You want to avoid air-frying battered foods, like beer-battered fish or corn dogs. While these types of foods fare well with deep fryers, they can splatter and cause a huge mess in an air fryer.

Its also a good idea to avoid using an air fryer to cook things with a lot of cheese, like fresh mozzarella sticks or jalapeño poppers. While frozen versions of these items do okay, fresh cheese melts too quickly , leaving you with a mess and a not-so-great finished product.

Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6

Best air fryer for families

Size: 28.6 x 22.9 x 29.8 cmCapacity: 5.7 litresPrograms:Air fry, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate, grillReasons to buy:

Amazing air frying, and it does so much more Smart brushed finish Made some of the best fries weve tried

Reasons to avoid:

Controls are noisy

The Instant Vortex Plus wowed us with its speedy and delicious cooking. It has a removable air fryer insert that slots neatly into the base of the air fryer drawer, and you can remove this if you want to reheat rice, bake cupcakes, or even roast some potatoes for your Sunday lunch. Thats right, while the Instant Vortex Plus is an immense air fryer, it also does a lot more thanks to its six cooking modes. You can even use it to dehydrate.

We enjoyed how speedy the Instant Vortex Plus was when it came to cooking frozen food. Frozen chicken fillets that would usually take 20 minutes only took 12, and sweet potato fries that would usually take 40 minutes only took 25.

The controls are touch-operated, and you can change the temperature and time using the dial at the front of the fryer. The brushed metal finish also elevates the look, and we thought it was a real treat to look at when left on the kitchen counters.

Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Best Air Fryers Of 2021

Models from Amazon, Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, Dreo, Gourmia, GoWise, and NuWave jockey for top spots in Consumer Reports’ air fryer ratings

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Crispy fries without all the oil? Thats the golden promise of air fryers, and it might explain why, in the U.S., the market for these appliances continues to grow 10 percent year over year. In fact, air fryers are predicted to progress at that rate for the next five years, according to research firm NPD Group.

These irregularly shaped countertop cookers dont fry food at all. Theyre actually small convection ovens. A fan circulates hot air to quickly cook food in the basket from the outside in. These little appliances initially seemed right for finger foods . But you can use an air fryer to cook virtually anything youd throw in the oven or deep-fry. Most have small capacities, though, from 2 to 5.8 quarts .

In the lab, we found that the models in our air fryer ratings turned out nicely cooked food, though staffers who sampled the results werent fooled into thinking they were deep-fried. “You can tell the difference,” says Larry Ciufo, the Consumer Reports test engineer who oversees air fryer testing.

Instant Vortex Pro 10

Amazon

• Features: Minimal preheating time, simple touch controls
• Additional Functions: Roast, broil, bake, toast, reheat, proof, dehydrate, rotisserie

If youre cooking for a family or want to be able to air fry for guests, you may want something thats a little larger. The Instant Vortex Pro Air Fryer offers a much larger capacity than other options on this list, sitting in at a hefty 10 quarts.

Thankfully, its not just bigthe Instant Vortex Pro air fryer is also highly functional, boasting nine settings, including the ability to bake, broil, air fry, dehydrate and more. Its a little more expensive than some of the others on this list, but its still very affordableand nowhere near the price of the premium options.

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Best Compact Air Fryer

If kitchen space is limited or you’re just cooking for one or two, this air fryer from Dash is a solid option. It comes in a variety of fun colors and the controls are simple and straightforward, with one dial for temperature and another for time. It has an auto shut off function that helps to prevent overcooking, plus a cool touch handle for safe, easy use. This air fryer features a redesigned crisper basket with more surface area so that you can get crispier food faster.

Shop Now: Dash Tasti Crisp 2.6-Quart Air Fryer, $55, .

Ninja Af300uk Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer

Best air fryer for multi-drawer cooking

Size: 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cmCapacity: 7.6 litresPrograms: Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat & DehydrateReasons to buy:

Sync or Match two useful zones Both drawers are diswasher-safe It can cook an entire meal, fish in one drawer, chips in the other

Reasons to avoid:

A large option for most kitchens

Whats better than one air fryer? Two, in one. The Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer comes with two distinct air frying zones that allow you to air fry your fish and chips individually, or bake a side dish such as mac and cheese while you air fry chicken. You can match or sync these two drawers to make sure all elements of your meal are complete at the same time.

The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer also comes settings to reheat, dehydrate, roast, and bake. Its Max Crisp setting is designed for frozen food and we found that it gave us next-level frozen chips, fish fingers, and other freezer staples. It also cooks food in record time, because theres no preheat time and its temperature can be easily adjusted. This air fryer gave us crispy chips and wedges every time, and always cooked our meat through completely. We even used it to make cauliflower wings, which were an unexpected triumph. The trays can be a little deep to reach into, so make sure you use non-stick cookware to take your food out when its done. The exterior stays cool though, even when its cooking at 240 degrees.

Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Best Toaster Oven Air Fryer: Instant Pot Plus 11

A beast of a machine with 11 smart programs , the Instant Pot Plus is the go-to appliance for making everything from morning bagels and apple crisps for snacking to proofing buns and air frying potatoes. It comes with an oven rack, a cooking pan, a rotisserie spit and forks, and an air fryer basket, and its large capacity fits 12-inch pizzas and whole chickens. The toaster oven air fryer achieves the same crispy texture as a deep fryer with 95% less oil than the latter usually requires. crowned it a “game-changer in the best way.” “It’s a little large, but it can accommodate two racks that can cook at the same time,” said the shopper. “I barely use my oven anymore.” The air fryer is out of stock at Amazon, but you can still find it at Williams Sonoma.

To buy: $200 williams-sonoma.com

What To Look Forward To

Some readers have asked why we havent tested a new round of air fryers for this guide since our 2020 update. So far, we havent seen convection technology advance in any significant way. Nearly all air fryersparticularly the pod-shaped modelsare carbon copies of one another . How do we know this if we havent physically tested any new models? We attend the Inspired Home Show each year , where we get to see new or soon-to-be-released models, and so far we havent seen any major advancements. That said, we hope to test newer models once our test kitchen is fully operational again later this year.

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Gourmia Gta2500 Air Fryer

Mostly a slap and tickle air fryer that wants you to push a button and then leave it alone, the GTA2500 comes with a quartet of presets that youll need to get familiar with to understand what is going to be best in any given situation. Youre better off operating solely with the included temperature control, and can start with the recipes included to get a feel for the operation. Purchase: $236

Amazon Basics 32 Quart Compact Multi

Amazon

• Capacity: 3.2 quarts or 3 liters
• Features: Timer, automatic shut off and rubber non-slip feet
• Additional Functions: Air fry, bake, grill and roast

Air fryers can be expensive, but its possible to find a high-quality one at an affordable price point. This 1400-watt air fryer from Amazon Basics can make crispy fried food in minutes using very little cooking oil. For those not familiar with how to use an air-fryer, it comes with a cooking manual about using the device and how to cook popular foods such as potatoes, fries, etc. Featuring a detachable, non-stick air frying basket, its easy to clean and get food out of when mealtime approaches.

And if youre not happy with your air-fryer for any reason, Amazon offers free returns for items and new and unused condition.

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How To Use An Air Fryer

These devices are easy to use and often easy to clean. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions, but most will follow these basic procedures:

1. Preheat before cookingYour air fryer needs time to come to temperature before you use it, just like your oven or skillet. In general, preheat the appliance at 375°F for three to five minutes, depending on the size of the fryer.

2. Dont overcrowd the food and lay food down flatJust like conventional frying, overloading your air fryer will not produce the best results. Adding too much foodespecially frozen foodsin the basket could produce soggy or uneven cooking results. It could also increase the cooking time.

3. Flip while fryingSome of the same principles of deep-frying apply to an air fryer: Don’t forget to batter and/or bread items properly before dropping them into the air fryer, and be sure to flip your food halfway through the cooking process.

Also, keep an eye on your food while it cooks. This will let you adjust timing as necessary and help get you used to your new appliance.

4. Clean the air fryer when you’re doneDont forget to clean the appliance after cooking and the device has cooled down. Food particles can get lodged in the nooks and crannies, building up over time and causing issues down the line.

Best Air Fryers In 2021 Tested And Rated

USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer

Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer

Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Oven DT201

6 Quart Digital Air Fryer

Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven

Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fryer

Brio 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer

TurboFry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer

When you want the comfort that only crispy French fries or southern-style chicken can bring, but really want to avoid all that bad-for-you fat, one of the best air fryers could be just the ticket. These countertop appliances let you cook up chicken nuggets, wings, mozzarella sticks, onion rings and more while using barely any oil in the process.

Air fryers are unlike a traditional deep fryer, where food is submerged in a vessel of hot oil. Rather, theyre like a super-powered convection oven with a fan to circulate hot air around the food to crisp it up as it bakes. Not only do you avoid adding excess fat to your diet, you dont have to lug home gallons of oil, preheat it slowly, and then worry about disposing of all that hot grease after youve finished cooking. We tested 12 air fryers, cooking up everything from wings to brussels sprouts to entire chickens to find out which is the best.

• Check out the best toaster ovens

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Best Large Fryer: Instant Vortex Pro 10

The Instant Vortex Pro isn’t just big in size, but in features, too. With nine pre-programmed settings such as proofing, broiling, and dehydrating, there’s almost nothing you can’t cook with this massive fryer. Its huge rotating basket can fit a whole chicken, and the fryer even comes with a rotisserie kit, so you’ll have everything you need for big family dinners. Plus, the Instant Vortex Pro includes two baking trays that you can fit in the air fryer simultaneously, so it’s incredibly simple to fry up your main course and side dishes all at once. You can even create custom programs based on your go-to temperatures and preferred time settings and return to them for reheating dinner from the previous night. It currently has more than 7,500 five-star ratings, with a reviewer saying it’s “the best kitchen appliance” they have ever bought, adding, “we use it for so many different things and it saves me from having to heat up the whole kitchen with the regular oven.”

To buy: $160

What Foods Can I Prepare In My Air Fryer

Air fryers were initially designed to replace your need for deep frying food with oil so you wont have to consume too much oil and calories. All of the air fryers included on this list are perfect for cooking all of those foods you normally would have deep fried. This includes foods like onion rings, fries, potato wedges, sweet potato fries, crumbed fish, crumbed chicken, pop tarts, nuggets, fish fingers, crumbed mushrooms, and many other foods.

While your air fryer is mainly designed to replace the need for deep frying, you can use it to produce roasted foods as well. Deep fryers have different settings and functions but most modern digital units function with compact air that crisps the outside of food and cooks the inside of the food. The result is food that has a crispy or roasted outside with a soft center. You can use your fryer to roast all sorts of foods such as fruits, veggies, kebabs, sausages, chicken, steak, pies, and many other foods.

Many people even use their air fryers to make dried fruit slices. These fruits slices are an ideal snack to substitute sugary treats that can cause weight gain. You can use your air fryer to dry out all sorts of fruits slices such as banana, grapes, apple, pear, strawberry, and many others to preserve these foods.

If you want to get an air fryer that can be used for cooking various foods then it is probably best to consider all of the specifications before you buy.

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Buying Guides For Small Air Fryers

Sometimes, the size of a product matters. In some cases, you dont need a huge appliance as long as it can deliver what you are looking for. And this is especially true if you live alone or with your partner. Small-sized appliances are perfect for those living on their own or those who want to cook small portions from time to time.

But how do you choose a good small fryer? Taking a look at some consumer reports and online reviews should give you a better perspective of what considerations you need best. Then again, I have got all the information you need here in this section! Lets see which factors you should care about when buying small air fryers:

Size and Capacity

The size of the fryer is important to determine if its truly portable or not. For some people, 6 inches in diameter makes a perfect fit while others find that it takes too much space after all.

You can check out online reviews before deciding if its truly worth buying one for your kitchen cabinet. There are also small air fryers with larger sizes but these are usually more expensive than their smaller counterparts.

On the other hand, capacity does matter when you want to cook food for several people at once. Most small appliances yield around 1-3 quarts only which make them perfect for cooking small portions of fried foods like potatoes, fish and meatballs, etc.

Safety System

Functionality

Consistency

Easy Care and Maintainance

Price

What Is An Air Fryer And Why Buy One

An air fryer is essentially a miniature version of a convection oven theyre an alternative for deep fryers. If youre living in a place that doesnt have an oven or doesnt have a room for an oven, air fryers are a great multi-functional appliance that can replace an oven. You can make anything from bacon to cakes using an air fryer the same cant be said for most other appliances. They can also be used to dehydrate fruits and other foods. Other reasons buy air fryers include wanting to cut down on the amount of deepfried food they eat and wanting to spend less time cooking, since air fryers reach high temperatures faster than an oven would.

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