Cut Fat From Your Favourite Dishes Not Flavour Here’s Our Pick Of The Best Air Fryers
The best air fryers are ideal for cooking everything from chicken nuggets and chips to vegetables and even stir-fries. That’s because air fryers are an efficient way to satisfy your craving for “fried” foods with a much lower fat content so you can nibble on your favourite comfort foods with less oil.
They work by convection, meaning they circulate hot air around your food, ensuring every bit of surface area is exposed to the oil and heat. You simply need to spray or pour a little oil onto whatever youre cooking before switching on the appliance. A clever chemical process called the Maillard reaction creates a crispy result with far less fat up to 99% in some cases.
Air fryers generally operate between 150 and 200C, although different models will vary. Because so little oil is used, an air fryer won’t recreate exactly the same results as your favourite chippy, though most of our picks below do come close. So if you’re ready to make your favourite foods that little bit healthier, read our buying guide and bite-sized reviews to find the best air fryer for your needs and budget.
- Best air fryer overall | Tefal Genius+
- Beat air fryer for cooking two things at once | Ninja Foodi
- Best air fryer for cooking chicken | Tower Xpress Pro Combo 10-in-1
Are Air Fryers Worth It
If you’re wondering whether air fryers are really worth it, we think the primary perk of owning one is convenience. Like any kitchen gadget, you want something thatâs going to make life simpler, and thereâs no doubt that frying and baking conventionally can be messy, smelly and even dangerous.
Using an air fryer to bake, roast and fry will speed up the process, and can potentially cut calories and save money as you wonât have to use a larger oven for smaller portions and side dishes.
Think of air fryers as mini ovens that can tackle almost anything youâd put in a conventional oven or deep-fat fryer. Theyâre not just for chips: you can bake, roast and even dehydrate ingredients, too.
Breville Halo Air Fryer Rotisserie Best Combination Air Fryer
Pros
- Used accessories may require a pre-wash soak
- Changing oven light might be tricky
The Breville Halo Air Fryer Rotisserie Oven is designed less like an air fryer and more like a countertop toaster oven. Instead of the drawer youd expect to see in an air fryer, this appliance comes with a mesh drum, for cooking food such as chips, and a rotisserie spit. It also has a huge, 10 litre capacity.
One of the reasons to opt for this and not a traditional air fryer is its versatility: it can do everything than an air fryer can, and then some. The rotisserie spit is good for a whole, 1.3kg chicken and the drum can hold 750g of chips.
It has touchscreen controls, and you can opt for one of the pre-set cooking programmes or one of the manual options .
Another handy feature is that itll switch itself off after cooking, so your food wont be burnt to a crisp if you get distracted during the cooking process.
Also Check: Aria 10 Qt Air Fryer
What Are The Best Air Fryers
We think the Cosori Smart Wifi Air Fryer is the best air fryer for most people. In our tests, it consistently gave crispy results. Plus, it has digital controls and nonstick-coated, dishwasher safe baskets that make it easy to use and clean. At about $125, it’s also not too expensive.
If youâre looking for the best air fryer on a budget, we think the GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer is the best value at well under $100. In spite of its low price, it has digital controls and preset programs to take the guesswork out of air frying.
And, once you purchase a model, be sure to check out our guide on how to use an air fryer for the best results. If you love rice to go with your foods, here are 8 reasons why you should buy a rice cooker.
Should I Buy An Air Fryer Or Deep Fryer
This depends on your food and diet preferences. If your focus is on food, taste, texture, and getting your recipes right, then skip the air fryer and buy a deep fryer. While it uses a lot of oil and is unhealthy, you won’t get the exact taste and texture from an air fryer, and you risk drying out some foods.
If healthy eating is your goal, then an air fryer is a more healthy option. An air fryer requires you to put a small amount of oil on most foods, e.g. hot chips. Studies have found an fryer uses up to 80% less oil than traditional frying methods, and youll be cutting down on the fat and calories ingested through deep frying.
That being said, when you cook air fryer chips of the hot, crunchy and amazing variety, its still not exactly the most healthy cuisine, but the cooking method is cleaner.
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Why You Should Trust Me
As a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, Ive researched, tested, and reviewed toasters, toaster ovens, and deep fryers, among other kitchen gear and gadgets, since 2016. Ive spent more than 250 hours over the past four years researching and testing air fryers for this guide. In that time, Im pretty sure Ive eaten more fish sticks and french fries than the Gortons Fisherman and Ronald McDonald combined.
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
If you arent worried about money or space and you find that youre regularly preparing meals for a bunch of people, the Breville Smart Oven Air is a great convection oven-style air fryer. I have a Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer that I absolutely love, Pitre said. It has 11 cooking functions, like toasting, broiling, baking, and of course air frying. Like most of our recommendations, it has a screen for the timer and temperature. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer has a 4.7-star average rating from around 160 reviews at Best Buy and comes with a one-year warranty. Its important to note here that the Breville doesnt have any dishwasher-safe parts.
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Also Great: Philips Premium Airfryer Hd9741/96
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.
Philips also sells a larger version of this air fryer, the Philips Premium Air Fryer XXL HD9650/96, which has a 7-quart capacity. We havent tested this specific model, but we did test its predecessor, the Philips Avance XL Airfryer HD9240/94. If youre able to fit the larger Philips model in your space, however, we think youre better off getting the Cuisinart toaster oven, as it is only about 5 inches wider than the Philips XXL air fryer yet is capable of so much more.
What Is The Best Air Fryer Brand
As you can see, we think that the best air fryer brand is Instant. We rated its Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer the best on the market when we tested it in our review kitchen, but Ninja came a close second with its Ninja Foodi DZ401 6-in-1 XL 2-Basket Air Fryer. This comes with two cooking baskets and an XL capacity for feasting.
Another brand that really impressed us when it came to cooking quality is Philips, and if you want the best value air fryer brand, take a look at Cosori air fryers.
Recommended Reading: Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fryer Reviews
The Best Air Fryer In 2022
Shopping for an air fryer the small kitchen appliances that claim to re-create the crispy, crunchy taste of fried foods, without the oil and fats used in traditional deep fat frying can be a confusing endeavor when you consider all the options out there. Not to mention the sheer number of opinions on whether or not theyre actually as convenient as they say they are.
So to see which air fryers perform the best, and which might be best for certain users, we put nine models to the test, running them through a comprehensive evaluation process. We selected three top choices that did a great job with our test recipes and impressed us with their features and construction, so regardless of your cooking needs, budget requirements or storage space, you should find an option that works for you.
How Do I Use An Air Fryer
Air fryers heat up much more quickly than a standard oven, making them a great option when youre short on time or just dont want to wait around. most of us who have air fryers, Whens the last time you turned on your oven? Pitre joked. Your oven takes about 30 minutes to preheat, and your air fryer takes two or three. Because air fryers heat up so quickly, you wont heat up your kitchen like you might when using an oven, either.
And though you should use some oil when you cook with an air fryer, experts said you dont have to use tons of it. This might be good news for your health: Deep fried foods from restaurants and fast food joints can negatively impact ones heart health, whereas vegetable cooking oils you might use with your air fryer, like olive oil and sunflower oil, have been shown to have little impact on our cholesterol levels.. When you reduce the amount of oil youre using, your entire cooking process should become simpler and cleaner, too.
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What Shouldnt I Use An Air Fryer To Do
Although the air fryer is a great tool to speed up time spent in the kitchen, the food you make in it isnt going to taste the same as something youve deep-fried, experts told us. Free yourself of those confines and you wont be disappointed.
Linda Larsen, author of The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook, also noted that not every food can be cooked in the air fryer, pointing specifically to frozen stuffed chicken breasts. Foods like this, after being put in the air fryer, will look fully cooked and golden brown on the outside even if theyre still raw and potentially dangerous to eat. Both Larsen and Weinstein explicitly warned against cooking anything with a runny batter in the air fryer, too, since it can make a mess and require more painstaking clean-up.
Top 10 Picks Of Best Air Fryer For 4
Besides the above specifications, you can also check these key features of the 10 best air fryers for 4 people in a family quickly.
The first item that I want to show you first is the Ninja AF161 because everything you need for a quality and functional air fryer is in this one. Packed with many cooking programs, high-intensity air that can circulate 450 degrees, perfect size for 4 people, I am not even overselling it.
But if you do mind the price tag, the Philips HD9650/96 and its advanced Fat Removal technology are amazing in offering the healthiest meals.
| 1400W to 1600W |
Read Also: Cookbook For Ninja Air Fryer
Is An Air Fryer Healthier Than Deep Frying
An air fryer can be a healthy option for deep frying simply because of the reduced use of oil. Air fryers typically eliminate most of the oil you’ll need, with some air fryers claiming you need up to 95% less oil. Frying requires you to submerge your food in oil to cook fully. Air frying uses circulating hot air for the same effect.
Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer
- Cooks very quickly
- Large cooking surface
- Since foods cook quicker than most other appliances when using air fry, we recommend using a lower temp and keeping a close eye on food to help prevent burning
Cuisinart was one of the first brands to introduce a toaster oven air fryer that allows you to toast, bake, air fry and convection bake. We tested the pictured digital version, which not only made the crispiest air-fried food in the shortest amount of time but also some of the most evenly-colored toast in our toaster oven test. The rectangular 15.5- by 16-inch air fry rack offers a large cooking surface and sits atop a drip/crumb tray for easy cleanup. Since launching the toaster oven air fryer, Cuisinart also introduced a smaller, non-digital version with the same features and quality performance as well as a same-sized model with a grill pan that we’re eager to test.
Best Large-Capacity Air Fryer
Also Check: Dash Compact Electric Air Fryer
Is It Worth Getting An Air Fryer
An air fryer is a worthwhile purchase for many people, especially if you want to make quick, tasty meals with less oil. While these appliances cant help you prepare everything, they can cut down cooking time in half for foods that would normally have to be baked or deep-fried. Plus, if you choose an air fryer that doubles as a toaster oven, it can help you save space by allowing you to consolidate appliances.
That said, they arent the right choice for everyone. If you have a large family, even the biggest model might not offer enough cooking space to make all of the food you need. And if you do choose a bigger option or a two- or three-in-one design, they can take up a lot of counter space.
Best Overall Air Fryer
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Read Also: Reviews Of Cuisinart Air Fryer
How We Test Air Fryers
We’ve tested more than 40 air fryers in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, including traditional basket-style air fryers, air fryer ovens, air fryer toaster ovens and even several microwaves and multi-cookers with air fry capabilities. We also cook with them quite regularly and have developed countless recipes for them.
When we test air fryers, we evaluate their performance and ease of use by air frying frozen and fresh french fries as well as chicken wings. We don’t test baked goods like cake because cake and most other desserts benefit from an even distribution of gentle heat and most air fryers don’t have heating elements on the bottom in addition to the top . We score the food on its crispiness, juiciness and evenness, and we consider details like how quickly it cooks, how helpful the user guide is and whether the machine is loud. We also evaluate features like the control panel, temperature range and whether the accessories are dishwasher-safe.
The 10 Best Air Fryers To Buy Right Now
The large capacity fryer basket can roast a chicken that weighs up to six pounds, which makes meal prepping for the week a breeze. A convenient reheat button ensures your leftovers are just as crispy as the day you got them, and a preheat feature fires up the fryer up to 400°F to ensure a quick sear on all your favorite foods.
Read Also: Xl Air Fryer Oven As Seen On Tv
Smart Finish Is The Best Way For Food To Finish At The Same Time
I hate it when my food finishes cooking at different times. Smart Finish is the solution to my problems. Let’s say the chicken takes longer to cook in one basket than your vegetables. I just press Smart Finish for the air fryer to finish cooking both baskets at the same time — regardless of the time or temperature. When it’s done, I have hot food I don’t have to reheat before getting it on the table. Here’s how it works:
1. To start, press Smart Finish.
2. Press 1 and choose your cooking preference: Air fry, Roast, Reheat or Dehydrate.
3. Select the time and temperature for the food in the first basket.
4. Press 2, then repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. Press Start/Pause.
