How To Choose The Best Air Fryer
Air fryers differ in size and versatility so the choosing the best one for you will depend on a few key elements. For example, consider what you’ll most likely be cooking in it, how many you’re cooking for and how much space you have in the kitchen.
If it’s simply a healthier, more efficient method of cooking chips that you’re after, you can narrow your search down to one without bells and whistles and save some pennies on a machine that does the core function well.
Top tip: Watch out for those that will require you to part-boil the cut potatoes prior to crisping – air fryers worth having should be able to fully-cook chips on their own.
More sophisticated models will offer multiple functions like the ability to bake, roast, dehydrate, grill and reheat food.
The circulated hot air from inside these fryers gets released from fans often at the back of the air fryer, which means they can require a lot of room around them for safe use. Style and aesthetics on a countertop are also important.
Emeril Lagasse Power Airfryer 360 With Rotisserie
The Emeril Lagasse Power AirFryer 360 has been named after the American award winner chef Emeril. Its an oven-style air fryer cum toaster oven. The brushed stainless steel color gives a stunning look to your kitchen.
Plus, Emerils special cookbook will introduce you to the world of air frying cooking procedures. The rotisserie feature with the accessories will lock in the juices of your meat and this best air fryer with rotisserie can cook with them with 70% less fat. Although it cooks faster than a typical oven, in terms of air frying it requires a bit more time.
Key Feature
- The presence of five heating elements helps your food to cook evenly
- The custom toaster oven functions let you choose the shade of toast while you can put six slices in total
- You can customize the time and temperature even though it comes with 12 pre-set cooking programs
- The blue LCD keeps you updated on the time and temperature
- You can observe the condition of your food through transparent glass. The interior light even gives you a bright look over your food.
- The removable drip tray is easy to clean and efficiently catches the extra juices.
- The rotisserie setup can hold a chicken up to four pounds.
- The memory feature remembers your last pre-programmed cooking time and temperature
- You can enjoy slow cooking for up to 10 hours.
What do people ask?
Q: How large of a chicken will fit on the rotisserie?
Q: What are the inside dimensions of the oven?
Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Cuisinart Toa
If you prefer the versatility and extra space that comes from having an oven-style air fryer, theCuisinart TOA-60 is a great option. We loved the square shape and compact size of this oven . The large knobs were straightforward and easy to use, and although this is subjective, we appreciated the lack of LCD screen. There was something about the tactile feel of using separate knobs to select the cooking mode, temperature and timer that made us feel in total control over the cooking process.
One of the primary reasons we chose this model over other oven-style fryers is that its fryer basket is just a little bit deeper than the other ones we tested. Its not by much, but just enough to make it noticeably easier to shake up fries or other loose items you may be air frying. We found shallower baskets are more likely to either send a few fries flying off, or just not allow you to shake them up effectively. The interior light was a nice perk as well, and made it easy to keep an eye on the food inside without opening it up and losing heat.
Performance-wise, the Cuisinart TOA-60 cooked food to near perfection and even resulted in our favorite fries of the bunch.
One of the most valuable features of the Cuisinart is its three-year warranty, the longest of any oven-style version we tested. That Cuisinart stands behind this product should address any concerns with the relatively high cost of this model.
Recommended Reading: Fold Up Air Fryer
What Is Air Frying Anyway And How Does It Work
Despite what it sounds like, air frying doesnt actually fry your food. Instead, air fryers are mini convection ovens that use fans to rapidly circulate hot air, cooking food faster and more evenly than a standard oven does.
Convection has been around for more than a century. The first commercially sold convection ovens were developed by the W. L. Maxson Corporation in the 1940s as a way to reheat frozen food for airplanes. And they worked much the same as todays air fryers and convection toaster ovens do: As the fan circulates hot air around the food, it crisps the outside in a way that mimics deep frying. But your tastebuds will tell you that air-fried food isnt anything like traditionally deep-fried food in flavor and texture.
Power Air Fryer Xl 8 Qt Family Sized Power Air Fryer Oven
Another one of the best rated air fryer models that is actually a combination of an air fryer and an oven is this Power Air Fryer XL model. It has 8 qt capacity, which makes it great of you are cooking for up to 6 people. One of the major benefit of this air fryer convection oven is the rotisserie set that comes with 10 skewers. Just like with the traditional ovens, with this Power AirFryer you will get a glass window which will allow you to see how your food is doing, without loosing extra heat. Just like with any of the brands products, you will get 3 cookbooks included in the price. Read more about this impressive oven in my post completely dedicated to air fryer ovens!
Digital Air Fryer Review
Don’t Miss: Bella Pro Air Fryer 6-qt
Dash Compact Air Fryer
- Comes in an assortment of colors
- Homemade fries did not cook evenly
The Dash is perfect for people who cook only for themselves. At 1.7 liters, it can quickly cook one portion of food. A smaller footprint means it takes up less room on your counter, and a smaller basket means easier cleaning. The Dash has a mechanical timer, which makes it a little tricky to program to the exact minute. The temperature dial also doesnât offer many temperature options, but we use the max 400°F temperature to air fry most foods anyway. We love that it comes in an assortment of colors that pop, unlike most air fryers on the market. The aqua, pictured here, is a fave.
How to choose the best air fryer for you
Best With Pressure Cooker: Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer
-
Inner pot is stovetop- and oven-safe
-
Convenient vent/pressure toggle
Fans of multi-functional kitchen appliances will want to check out this air fryer option from Instant Pot. It comes with two lidsone for air frying and one for pressure cookingthat enable the pot to function both an air fryer and the classic multi-cooker the brand is known for.
The pot holds up to 8-quarts, which is enough room to air-fry a whole chicken, and is equipped with 11 cooking functions which are sorted by which lid they should be paired with. The pressure cooking lid functions are: pressure cook, saute, slow cook, steam, and sous vide, and the air fryer lid functions are warm, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate.
Our tester noted the inner pot has some upgraded features compared to other Instant Pot models, including side handles and a flat bottom for even cooking. It can also be used on stovetops and is oven-safe.
It comes with a number of accessories, including a multi-use cooking rack, nonstick air fryer basket, dehydrate/broil tray, a protective pad for the lids, and a storage cover. The accessories fit inside the cooker for compact storage.
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Capacity: 8 quarts | Power Rating: 1500 watts | Dimensions: 14.75 x 12.5 x 15.5 inches with air fryer lid | Warranty: 1 year
You May Like: Barber Raw Stuffed Chicken Breasts Air Fryer
Best Air Fryer Pick #: Secura Saf
Not many brands give you accessories for free. With the Secura SAF-32 Air Fryer, not only will you get recipes, but youll also have a toaster rack and skewers for free. The frying basket has a 3.2-liter capacity, the whole unit weighs 12.5 pounds, and you can adjust the temperature between 180 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Read our Secura SAF-32 air fryer review.
Best Air Fryer For A Small Kitchen: Cuisinart Compact Airfryer Toaster Oven
For anyone living in an apartment or with limited counter space, this compact air fryer from Cuisinart is a great investment. It acts as a replacement for a toaster and toaster oven, in addition to giving you crisp, air-fried foods.
“This air fryer also functions as a toaster oven and would fit easily under a cabinet without taking up too much space on a counter,” says Johnson.
Despite its versatility and size, there were a few drawbacks to this appliance. The air fryer created some burnt bits around the surface of the food. There is also no digital screen for accurate temperature reading. And in terms of cleanup, the removable parts aren’t dishwasher safe, and the mesh basket is a little hard to clean by hand.
This air fryer would take some trial and error to get things just right, but overall it acts as an all-in-one appliance that’s great for small kitchens.
Buy It: Cuisinart Compact AirFryer Toaster Oven, $100 or Williams Sonoma
You May Like: How Long To Cook Barber Chicken Cordon Bleu In Air Fryer
What We Think Of The Chefman Turbofry Air Fryer
Air fryers, especially large capacity ones, are almost always bulky and have to be stored on your counter. If you have a decorated kitchen, you probably want an air fryer that enhances the kitchen, not distracts from it.
The Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer is our sleek pick because it has a modern, minimalistic, and attractive design. It is made from stainless steel, but it has some dark gray and black accents as well. It has a traditional square shape, which means it can fit into most places in the kitchen.
In addition to having a sleek appearance, this air fryer is effective too. It has four preset functions that includes chicken, fries, meat, and fish. These buttons make cooking some of your favorite meals easy.
The model comes with a digital display, which shows you cook times and reminders. Once again, the display enhances the usability of the model, but it makes it look very modern and sleek at the same time.
You can even cook for multiple family members when using this air fryer. Because of its 8 court capacity, it is perfect for large family cooking or gatherings.
Very simple but great. Doesnt heat up the kitchen, dehydrates fast, and air fries perfectly and quickly. You can reheat french fries so they taste restaurant crispy again. Love it!
cheryl
All around, the Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer is a great air fryer because it is sleek and functional, though it may be a tad overpriced for what it offers.
Ninja Max Xl Air Fryer
The first air fryer on our list is Ninja Max XL.
The Ninja brand has a very loyal following and this air fryer is a good reason why. The sleek, black design is aesthetically pleasing while the controls on the top are easy to use.
It boasts six cooking settings, including air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, and dehydrate, with different programmable temperature and time settings.
This air fryer has an ample 5.5-quart capacity. Which is enough to cook food for 3-5 people without cooking in batches.
With 14.8 inches in height it would fit perfectly on a typical countertop.
Its ceramic coated non-stick basket is easy to clean, and the controls are intuitive.
According to the manufacturer, Ninja Max XL Air Fryer does not contain any toxic materials and completely BPA, PTFE, and PFOA free.
Overall its a great and whats more important, safe basket style air fryer for a busy family. You can easily cook chicken wings, french fries, or whatever recipe youd find online. Its relatively quite. And ceramic coated non-stick basket makes the cleaning process easier than anything.
Also Check: Nuwave Oven Reviews Consumer Reports
Best Air Fryers Of 2021
Models from Amazon, Gourmia, GoWise, NuWave, and Oster jockey for top spots in Consumer Reports’ air fryer ratings
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission.Learn more.
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.
Go to Consumer Reports Holiday Gift Guide for updates on deals, expert product reviews, insider tips on shopping, and much more.
Cosori Air Fryer Max Xl
Cosori has rarely shied away from making top quality air fryers. The Max XL is visible proof of this statement. It boasts an award-winning design as its easy-to-use presets and the angled display has made it a darling of its users and experts alike.
Everything from mozzarella sticks, to frozen foods like French Fries and chicken nuggets, to onion rings turns out golden brown and delicious out of this air fryer. It also performs admirably with Brussels sprouts, thanks in no small part to its root vegetable mode.
Aside from offering 11 preset recipes, this unit has also made them easy to choose. A simple tap on display is all that is required to select any of them. With similar ease you can select cooking temperature and time. You may not have to read its manual to get up to speed with this air fryers working.
Cosori has provided this model with a non-stick, dishwasher safe and removable basket to sweeten the deal further. One that is free of harmful substances like BPA and PFOA and has the ability to fit a 6lb chicken with minimal fuss.
Pros
- Outside may get warm
Also Check: Air Fryer That Flips Up
Most Versatile Air Fryer: Ninja 4
In addition to an air fryer feature, this Ninja model also boasts dehydrating, roasting, and reheating features. When tested for its air frying capabilities, Johnson found the fries and nuggets to have a reasonable amount of crisp, although there was some uneven surface browning.
Compared to the other air fryers tested, this one worked more quickly than others, helping to cut down on cook time. The large holes of the crisper plate help to catch any fallen crumbs at the bottom of the basket. Both the basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe.
We would not recommend this air fryer to larger families, as it only fits one to two servings of food per basket.
Buy It: Ninja Air Fryer, $100 or Walmart
Philips Essential Air Fryer
Best air fryer for small kitchens
Size: 47.6 x 32.8 x 26.3cmCapacity: 4.1 litresPrograms:Frozen, fish, meat, vegetables, chicken drumsticks, cake, reheatReasons to buy:
Its perfect for smaller homes and kitchens Easy to clean
Reasons to avoid:
Its more expensive than some other small options
If you want the best air fryer for a small kitchen or two-person household, the Philips Essential Air Fryer is the one for you. In terms of the cooking quality, it was pretty much on par with some of the larger and more premium brands in this guide. Theres plenty of cooking modes, including fish, meat, frozen food and reheat, and you can choose your temperature manually too.
The basket and drawer can both be washed in the dishwasher, which makes cleaning that much easier. We found the controls a little confusing at first but theyre fine once youre used to which button indicates which cooking mode.
One complaint we had was the price, which was pretty high when compared to other small air fryers. It is clearly designed for smaller kitchens and homes though, with grooves that make it easy to carry and store, and a lightweight design.
Ideal Homes rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Recommended Reading: Gourmia Gta 2500
Best Compact: Dash Compact Air Fryer
-
Great for one person and small apartments
-
Dishwasher-safe basket
-
Small capacity
-
Only functions as an air fryer
The Dash Compact Air Fryer was made for small spaces. At 5.6 pounds, its one of the lightest air fryers on the market, and the 2-quart basket is perfect for cooking for one or two people. You can use it to air fry a variety of foods, from meat to vegetables to tofu and beyond.
The Dash is easy to usesimply pull out the crisper basket, add food, slide it back in, and then adjust the temperature and time knobs. While the Dash can only air fry, it is compact and easy to use and clean, with a non-stick air fryer basket that’s dishwasher safe. It’s sleekly designed and comes in a variety of colors, including aqua, red, black, and white.
Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 11.4 inches | Weight: 5.6 pounds | Capacity: 2 quarts | Material: Plastic and metal, BPA-free basket | Dishwasher safe: Yes, accessories are dishwasher safe
