What Size Air Fryer Is Best
Now, this can be a confusing question! A manufacturer will say a 3-quart air fryer will serve four, while another asserts a 5.8-quart model serves three to five. In our testing, we found that if you have the space, its worth investing in a larger , which will give you more room for browning and allow you to scale things up or down.
Bella Electric Hot Air Fryer
The Bella Electric Hot Air Fryer has a 2.6-quart removable basket thats dishwasher-safe and holds up to 2.2 pounds of food, according to the brand. Because it’s smaller, the Bella is better for one or two people instead of a larger family. All you have to do to use the Bella is set the temperature and timer its indicator light will tell you when your food is ready, the brand says. It has a 4.6-star average rating on Amazon, with more than 3,600 customer reviews. It also comes with a two-year warranty, double the warranty lengths of every other air fryer on this list.
Phillips Premium Xxl Digital Airfryer
The Phillips Premium XL has enough room to easily cook up to four portions of food like its previous iterations but in a more space-saving unit. The air fryer comes with four cooking presets and an easy-to-read digital interface. The one downside to air fryers in general may be cleaning out the gathered oils but Philips’ proprietary technology separates and removes excess fat and makes it easier to clean. Best of all? Air fryers dont need to be preheatedsimply press power and youre ready to start cookingand this model gets up to temp in almost no time at all. It’s also designed for optimal airflow so food ends up crispier than you could ever hope for.
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How Well They Cook
To get a sense of how each air fryer in this test group handles, we ran a battery of three tests on each model. Each test focused on one food: chicken wings, Brussels sprouts and frozen french fries.
Most air fryers we tested passed the French fries test, although it’s critical to check on them frequently so you don’t overcook and dry them out.
How To Buy The Best Air Fryer For You
Look for easy-to-use controls for both temperature and time, as these are the most important features on any air fryer. Auto-stop and keep warm functions can be useful but chips, if left for any amount of time will soon lose their crispness. More expensive machines will feature touch screens rather than dial controls, which will help with accuracy.
The bigger the basket capacity, the more people youll be able to cook for. So if youve got a family, then a 5 litre machine is probably a must.
A loud beep to signal the end of cooking time is a good idea if youre using the time to wander off and do something else. Most air-fryers will only cook one food group at a time but some will cook a whole meal in one go if youre after a one-pot solution.
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Review: Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven By Instant Pot
Vortex plus air fryer review: Our air fryer reviews and tests are REAL. We put them to the test, cook with them and share our honest opinions. Many other review sites dont actually own or test the products and only write generic reviews with commission links. We share our original photos and results along with an affiliate link that helps us earn a small commission to help pay for the recipe testing.
Dash Compact Air Fryer Review: Design
With its cylindrical shape and glossy finish, the Dash Compact Air Fryer has quite a sweet appearance.
Like all air fryers, the basket handle protrudes from its front. Its control panel consists of two dials, one on top to set the temperature and another on the front to set the timer. On your countertop, it will take up about the same amount of space as a coffee maker, measuring just 8.1 x 9.5 x 12.5 inches.
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Best Large Air Fryers For 5
For 5-6 people: If youre wanting to cook fresh food from scratch for a big family of about 4-6 servings, we suggest the large Oven-style, Rack, Countertop or Toaster style air fryer ovens. These models have at least 2 racks to cook on and some of them are large enough to use standard 8 or 9 cake pans, pie dishes and casserole bakeware. Just double check the dimensions before you buy the air fryer to fit your existing dish ware.
Is A Reusable Silicone Air Fryer Liner Worth It
While we didn’t test them, a reusable silicone air fryer liner would probably cut down on cleanup. However, we question if it would inhibit browning since the air fryer basket’s perforations aid in air circulation. And while it’s definitely not reusable, you could also just use foil to line an air fryer’s basket when cooking something particularly sticky/messy.
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Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro
If youre looking for the biggest bang for your buck, the Cosori Air Fryer Max XL is hard to beat . This touchscreen digital air fryer is one of our favorite basket-style units and the one Rachel Gurjar used to test her air-fryer recipes . Its a spacious 5.8-quart air fryer thats both larger and more affordable than most other basket air fryers, so you can get a double portion of French fries in the frying basket at once. The removable basket is nonstick and dishwasher safe, and its easy to unplug and stash this thing under the counterideal if you have limited counter space. Unlike with the Breville Smart Oven, you can also fry foods right in the basket without worrying about dripping and smoking fat. Bonus: Its equipped with a “shake” reminder to ensure all of your chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, and brussels sprouts come out super crispy. When the alarm sounds, just pull the basket out and give it a shake to make sure the goods are all evenly exposed to the circulating air.
The downsides: The basket is enclosed, meaning youll have to keep opening it to check for doneness, which will release some heat. And as a single-purpose appliance, its just not as versatile as the multitasking Breville oven.
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.
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Heats Up And Cooks Fast
Compared to conventional ovens or toaster ovens, an air fryer preheats and cooks food in a fraction of the time.
Most air fryers can preheat to 400°F in five minutes or less. Gas ovens take up to 13 minutes to reach that same temperature, while electric ovens take between 17 and 19 minutes to hit 400°F.
Of course, preheating times may vary by model. Yet, most ovens dont heat up as fast as an air fryer.
Air fryers not only preheat faster, but they also cook faster. Thats because the chamber in an air fryer is much smaller than a large oven, so the heating is more concentrated.
As a rule of thumb, you can convert most oven recipes to air fryer recipes by reducing the temperature by 25°F and cooking time by 20%. That said, youll need to reduce the temperature and cook time even more with some recipes.
Since its not an exact science, only use this rule of thumb if you cant find a specific air fryer version of the recipe.
Best Air Fryer Deals This Week Start At $50
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Today’s Top Deals
Of course, there are a few different reasons air fryers are so popular. First of all, the health benefits associated with air frying are undeniable. You can fry up delicious food with an electric air fryer oven without all the oil youd need in a deep fryer. As a result, your food still tastes great and its nice and crispy. But it has so much less fat and other bad things that are associated with deep-frying.
And do you know what makes your air-fried food taste even better? Cooking it in a best-selling air fryer that you saved money on thanks to Amazons best air fryer deal of the month.
If you think about it, the only real downside to air fryers might be that they have become too popular. Seriously. That means finding a good air fryer can be tough because there are so many options out there.
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Tips For The Best Air Fryer Steak
Follow these reminders for juicy air fryer steak or any steak!
- Bring to room temperature. Doing this before cooking helps the steak cook evenly.
- Season generously. A good seasoning on both sides creates a mouthwatering crust on the meat.
- Avoid overcooking. Use a meat thermometer to ensure you cook your steak to your desired doneness.
- Let steaks rest. It may be tempting to cut into that juicy steak right away, but let it rest for 5 minutes so that the juices have time to redistribute into the steak.
- Finish with compound butter. It adds unbelievably rich flavor.
The Criteria: What To Look For In An Air Fryer
The best air fryers are equipped with wide, tall baskets, make well-browned food, have handles that stay cool to the touch, and have intuitive, easily legible controls. Other qualities that were helpful, but not 100% necessary: a knob that allowed you to easily adjust the time and temperature and the ability to increase/decrease the temperature in 5-degree increments.
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Best Budget: Cosori Compact Air Fryer
If you dont have a lot of space or money to spare, Cosoris Compact Air Fryer is a great option. As a 3.7-quart capacity machine, it doesnt take up too much counter space and it can easily fit into a cabinet when youre not using it. It has a traditional, square-ish pod design with a touch panel on the top half and a removable cooking basket on the bottom. I was impressed by how easy this air fryer was to use from start to finish. Learning how to program cooking modes and times was easy and using the basket is simple as well. It also has a handy release button that disconnects the air fryer basket from the base, which makes cleanup quick and simple.
This is a true air fryer in the sense that it has presets rather than a bunch of different cooking modes. It does have toast and bake, which are different from air fry, but otherwise you can choose from different food-specific presets like french fries, shrimp, frozen foods and more. While thats not so great if you want a multipurpose device, its ideal if youre just looking for an air fryer that can do exactly that very well. Not only was the Cosori machine fairly quiet, but it also only took between three and five minutes to preheat in most cases, and everything I cooked in it from tofu nuggets to chicken wings came out crispy and flavorful.
How Much Does An Air Fryer Cost
You can typically expect to pay between $80 and $150 for an air fryer, but a few of our top picks come in at under $80, and some of the smarter options go up to $200. As a general rule, as you go up in budget you’ll find that the options become smarter and larger. The best value air fryers I’ve tested come with one large-capacity basket and a drawer-style design that is easy to use and clean.
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Temperature And Timing Range
If you like to try many culinary recipes, you should choose those that come with a larger range of temperature as some cooking ideas will need low temperatures, while some need higher heat.
In addition, a precise timer is also essential to ensure your dishes will not be overcooked or undercooked. Some devices have timer alarms to tell you when the food is ready.
The Best Air Fryers You Can Buy Today
Why you can trust Tom’s Guide 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.
The Cosori Smart Wifi Air Fryer is the best air fryer for most people, and because of that it won the Tom’s Guide 2022 Award for Best air fryer. It consistently browned and crisped everything from frozen crinkle cut fries to brussels sprouts. It also quickly and superbly roasted a chicken and broiled hamburgers with a lot less of the fuss and mess you get from a traditional oven.
The Cosori has electronic controls with preset programs for commonly cooked foods. During cooking it stays cool enough to touch without risking a burn. The baskets are not only nonstick, they can be popped in the dishwasher. If you like technology, youâll appreciate the ability to control this appliance and search for recipes from your mobile device or give it orders with a digital assistant.
This air fryer is also one of the best gifts for home cooks this holiday season. Check out our guide for more inspiration.
Donât let the low price of the GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer fool you. Itâs no slouch at air frying and comes with the digital controls and preprogrammed settings youâd expect from a much more expensive machine. Although the basket is smaller than in many models and could only hold 3 burgers in one layer at once, it was able to roast a 4-pound chicken.
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Misconceptions About Energy Usage
Since air fryers are smaller than ovens and heat up faster, most people believe they save energy .
While that can be true, consider this.
Air fryers continuously heat and circulate air until the food is ready. The heating element and fan expend energy throughout the entire cooking process.
In contrast, convection ovens limit the power flow and go into maintenance mode when the desired temperature is reached. When the thermometer detects the temperature is dropping, the heat and fan turn on.
That said, air fryers dont use much energy compared to other appliances in your home, especially since theyre only on for short periods each day.
Most models use between 1.4 kWh and 1.7 kWh per hour of use. Depending on electricity prices in your area, air fryers cost between 18 and 25 cents per hour to run.
The point is, dont buy an air fryer because you think itll save energy and money. Energy usage varies by model, but you wont see a significant change in your electricity bill in most cases .
How To Choose The Best Air Fryer
Air fryers differ in size and versatility, so it’s worth considering the following while you do your research.
- What would you like to cook in it?
- How many people are you cooking for?
- How much space do you have?
- What is your budget?
- Do you have a specific requirement for ease-of-use? For example, large, clear function icons and controls, or perhaps an audible indicator for when each function has finished?
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 â air fryers worth having should be able to fully cook chips on their own.
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How Air Fryers Work
Before I get into the pros and cons of air fryers, its important to understand the basics of how they work.
Simply put, air fryers dont actually fry food.
Actual frying involves immersing food in hot oil. The hot oil dehydrates the surface of the ingredients, and the Maillard reaction makes the food crispy and delicious.
Instead, air fryers mimic the effect of frying by blowing hot air on and around food.
Air fryers heating element is often an electric coil much like the ones youll find on some electric stoves.
A fan sits just above the coil and blows air down onto the food. The hot air surrounds the food, making it crispy and golden.
If the process of cooking food by blowing hot air around an enclosed chamber sounds familiar, thats because convection ovens work the same way.
In essence, air fryers are countertop convection ovens.
