Best Air Fryer

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Updated 11:35 pm

To help you find the best air fryer, we have tried out dozens of models, testing for products that achieve even cooking in short amounts of time, with large non-stick baskets appropriate for multi-ingredient recipes and relatively slim form factors that are perfect for countertops. We also favored air fryers with additional functionalities including digital air fryers with easy-to-use touchscreens and plenty of usable presets. If you need a pressure cooker, then check out our best kitchen appliances.

Our top pick, and the best air fryer we tried was easily the COSORI Air Fryer, which features a large 5.8 quart nonstick basket, perfect for family meals, and a range of presets, including options for bread and desserts. It boasts a high quality touchscreen, the ability to be programmed via smartphone and the basket can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Top 7 Best Air Fryers Compared

 #1  COSORI Max XL 5.8 QT Air Fryer – Top Pick

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WHY WE LIKE IT: Can be programmed via touchscreen or related app with your smartphone, with a large 5.8 quart nonstick basket and a range of usable presets. The fryer created healthy, tasty recipes in no time, making this our top pick.

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  • Smartphone compatible
  • 5.8 quart basket on the larger side
  • Touchscreen is intuitive

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  • Can be controlled via Alexa, but no other smart assistants
  • Does not stir on its own, but does emit a stir alarm
  • Price on higher end

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The COSORI Air Fryer is an extremely durable product, featuring a large 5.8 quart nonstick basket, perfect for a whole six pound chicken, and a suite of usable presets, including options for desserts, bread, poultry and steak. The basket can be removed and placed in a dishwasher, for easy cleaning, and the product can be controlled via an intuitive touchscreen or a proprietary app, allowing for Alexa functionality. There is also a preheating option, adding to this product’s versatility. For those that want an appliance with even more food prep versatility, consider one of the top air fryer toaster ovens.

Related: Also see our best avocado slicer guide.

This air fryer comes with a two year warranty, but be sure to register it on the company’s website to unlock this perk. Additionally, though it does integrate nicely with Alexa, it is not compatible with other smart assistants, such as Google Home and Siri. Also, check out the best electric kettle for your tea needs.

 #2  GoWISE USA GW22731 5.0-11 QT Air Fryer – Honorable Mention


WHY WE LIKE IT: Comes in a large variety of basket sizes, up to 11.6 quarts, making this product suitable for just about any family size, and three color options. This is a great product for those cooking recipes for a large, extended family.

Related: Check out our best water filters.

Read Full Review: GoWise USA GW22731

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  • Up to 11.6 quart capacity
  • Can grill steaks, toast bread, among other functionalities
  • Available in 3 colors

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  • One year warranty for fryer itself, but baskets etc. only get 30 days
  • On the heavy side, 16-20 pounds
  • Largest model is pricey

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The GoWISE USA GW22731 Air Fryer is a great product that is available in a wide variety of size options, with baskets available from 5 quarts all the way to 11.6 quarts, making this great for large families. The unit is controlled via an intuitive touchscreen and boasts a range of presets that allow for recipes other than traditional air frying, including the grilling of steaks and toasting of bread. The three color options are also nice, making this an easy fit for any kitchen. Speaking of a large family, the best toaster oven will help keep everyone fed.

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Though the company does offer a one year warranty for the air fryer itself, additional peripherals, such as the nonstick basket, are only covered for 30 days, forcing you to purchase a replacement if any issues arise.

 #3  GoWISE USA GW22638 3.7-5 QT Air Fryer – Best Budget


WHY WE LIKE IT: Great price to features ratio, with an intuitive touchscreen, eight cooking presets and the ability to raise temperatures up to 400 degrees make this a best air fryer. It’s also available in a small 3.7 quart basket size, making it perfect for those with small families.

Read Full Review: GoWISE USA 3 7 Quart Air Flyer

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  • 8 presets
  • Great price to features ratio
  • Available with 3.7 quart basket, perfect for singles

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  • Not available in sizes above 5 quarts
  • One year warranty for fryer itself, but baskets etc. only get 30 days
  • No alarm for stirring

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The GoWISE USA GW22638 Air Fryer is a great budget item, with a host of features found in higher priced products, including an intuitive touchscreen, eight presets that allow for cooking unique recipes like cake and a temperature that raises to 400 degrees, which is great for steaks and chicken. The product also comes in two size options, five quarts and 3.7 quarts, with the latter being ideal for those with small families.

This air fryer does not have a stir alarm, which lets you know when to open it up and stir the items, so you’ll have to remember to do it at the halfway mark of cooking. Additionally, the product itself comes with a one year warranty, but it does not extend to the frying basket, which is line with other GoWISE USA products. When not air frying, use the best stainless steel cookware for meals.

 #4  Ninja AF101 4.0 QT Air Fryer – Best for Food Dehydration

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Our #4 Pick is the Ninja AF101 4.0 QT Air Fryer
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WHY WE LIKE IT: Comes with a food dehydration functionality, making this a true dual use unit, boasting an extremely light form factor, just five pounds, with many components being dishwasher safe. This is the best air fryer on the market for those looking for added dehydration abilities.

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  • Dehydration functionality
  • Basket and frying racks are dishwasher safe
  • Extremely light, at five pounds

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  • No presets for particular recipes
  • No preheat function
  • Not available in sizes above 5.5 quarts

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The Ninja AF101 Air Fryer is a durable, multi-use product, allowing for a full range of air frying and food dehydration, making this great for cooking up french fries or making beef jerky from scratch. The form factor is extremely light, weighing just five pounds, making this easy to move around the kitchen at will. All removable components, including the nonstick basket and frying racks, are dishwasher safe.

Though the control panel is easy to use, it does not boast any presets tied to individual recipes, so you’ll have to follow an external recipe while making stuff like bread and desserts. You’ll also have to preheat the product manually by turning it on and waiting a few minutes before putting in any ingredients. It gets it done faster than the best slow cooker.

If you like this option from Ninja, also check out the Ninja Foodi 6L Multi-Cooker – a fantastic hybrid cooker that combines a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and an air fryer into one appliance.

 #5  Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Air Fryer – Best Toaster Hybrid


WHY WE LIKE IT: Features a number of functionalities in addition to air frying, including fully fledged toasting and convection oven abilities, with a programmable thermostat up to one hour. This is the best product if you are looking to add traditional toasting to your air fryer.

Read Full Review: Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven Reviews

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  • 3 year warranty
  • Also a full-sized toaster
  • 7 functions, including broiling

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  • Heaviest product on list, at 21 pounds
  • Old school knobs for control, no touchscreen
  • Most expensive item on list

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The Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Air Fryer is a true hybrid device, adding a full featured convection oven and toaster to traditional air frying. The programmable thermostat can cook up to one hour unsupervised, making it great for roasting, baking and grilling. The large 0. 6 cubic foot non-stick interior can easily accommodate a 12” pizza or a four pound chicken and the stainless steel form factor should fit any kitchen aesthetic. The three year warranty is also fantastic.

This is the heaviest product on the list, clocking in at 21 pounds, so it might be a chore to move around the kitchen. Additionally, this is the most expensive item on the list, though the high build quality and dual functionalities makes it worth the price. Those features sound more like the best microwave to me! Keep reading to learn more about the COSORI Air Fryer and the other products on this list.

 #6  GoWISE USA GW22621 3.7 QT Air Fryer – Great for Small Families


WHY WE LIKE IT: Great for small families or singles, thanks to its 3.7 quart basket and compact form factor, with dishwasher safe internal components and an intuitive touchscreen. This is a great air fryer for singles or those with small families of one to three people.

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  • Great Touchscreen
  • Small size ideal for singles
  • Basket is dishwasher safe

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  • Does not come with rack
  • One year warranty for fryer itself, but baskets etc. only get 30 days
  • No stir or shake alarm

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The GoWISE USA GW22621 Air Fryer boasts a small basket, 3.7 quarts, that is ideal for cooking recipes aimed at singles or one to three person families. The basket is dishwasher safe, which is nice, and the touchscreen is intuitive, allowing access to seven presets for cooking chips and cake, in addition to chicken, steak and other meat products.

The product does contain a nonstick basket, but does not include any racks for laying out veggies, though there are some available for purchase that fit nicely. Additionally, it lacks an alarm to let you know when to stir or shake your ingredients.  If you’re looking for other things to complete your kitchen, try this list for the best cookware.

 #7  BLACK+DECKER HF110SBD 2 QT Purify Air Fryer – Best Value


WHY WE LIKE IT: Boasts several high end features at a low price point, including a basket separator, which allows to cook two separate dishes at once, and a nifty two year warranty. This is a great budget air fryer.

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  • 2 year warranty
  • Fantastic price to features ratio
  • Contains basket separator, allows for two foods at once

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  • Basket just 2 quarts, smallest on list
  • Old school knobs, no touchscreen
  • No preheat option

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The BLACK+DECKER Purify Air Fryer is a great starter product, with several features in line with comparable models at an attractive price point. It boasts a basket separator, allowing to cook two different dishes at once, and a basket that is dishwasher safe. The temperature easily reaches 400 degrees, allowing for crispy chicken and other recipes, and the company throws in two year warranty.

The basket is just around two quarts, making it the smallest on this list, and only makes enough for two or three servings. This is also an old school product, with rotary knobs, instead of a touchscreen, for control.

How We Decided

To narrow down to the above list, we tested out dozens of the best air fryers, only choosing products that cooked ingredients evenly and quickly, favoring models with large baskets that can fit an entire chicken, for instance. We also looked for fryers with internal components, such as baskets and racks, that are dishwasher safe, simplifying the cleaning process.

Everyone knows that fried foods are tasty but not always the healthiest option. That’s why air fryers are a fabulous investment that don’t drown your chicken nuggets or onion rings in tons of oil. We favored air fryers that were extremely easy to use, often with intuitive touchscreens or, as is the case with our top pick, a fully featured app that interacts with Alexa, allowing for voice activation. Additionally, we liked products with a variety of presets, allowing users to cook a wide variety of recipes with just the press of a button.

We also took a look at several hybrid products, which offer functionalities in addition to air frying, such as food dehydration and toasting, plus built-in convection ovens. It is also worth noting that each item on the above list has a warranty of at least one year, with two securing two year warranties and one coming with a massive three year warranty.

Another popular model that just missed our list but is worth looking at is the Dash Compact Air Fryer – a great option for individuals or couples with a small kitchen. If you don’t mind spending a bit more, check out the Smart Oven Air Fryer – a modern option with 10 smart cooking functions including Air Fry. And finally, the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer is another solid choice that offers six cooking modes: Air Fry, Roast, Broil, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate.

Best Air Fryer Buying Guide

The Most Important Features to Consider

  1. Cooking Time and Basket Size
    Basket size is an important feature to consider. The larger the basket, the more you can throw in it. An average basket size is around four or five quarts, though one product offers models with seven quart and 11.6 quart baskets. On the other end, a small basket, in the 3 quart range, would be perfect for a single or a small family. Typically, air fryers allow for cook times in the thirty minute or one hour range. Being as how air fryers cook foods quickly, this is more than enough time for most dishes, though a large whole chicken may require you to go back to the settings and restart it when the timer has dinged. If you are worried about this, be sure to pick a product with a one hour maximum cook time, as opposed to thirty minutes.
  2. Intuitive Controls
    You are going to want to look at the controls of the device. Many modern air fryers are controlled via touchscreen and offer many presets for individual recipes, simplifying the cooking process. Our top pick can actually be controlled via smartphone, thanks to a related app, and boasts full Alexa functionality. There is nothing wrong with old school rotary controls, however, though they will require you to look up a particular recipe instead of just pushing a button.
  3. Hybrid Devices
    Thanks to the success of devices like the InstantPot, many kitchen gadgets nowadays offer dual functionalities. On the above list, we feature a Ninja air fryer that also doubles as a food dehydrator and another product that doubles as a high quality toaster oven. If you are looking to maximize counter space in your kitchen, you may want to look into a hybrid device.
  4. Temperature
    Air fryers can reach temperatures of up to 445 F, which is plenty hot and gets close to an oven’s broiler feature, which is around 550 F. Make sure the product you buy can go this hot and also features a fully adjustable thermostat, so you can control how hot it cooks up your favorite ingredients. Additionally, though air fryers do not technically have to preheat, forgoing the option does mean your food will have to cook slightly longer.

Air Fryer FAQs

Do air fryers actually fry?

No. The name is something of a misnomer. Air fryers work by circulating hot air throughout the inside, helping foods to cook evenly and quickly. Thanks to this cooking method, air fryers shine with ingredients that are traditionally deep fried, such as fries and chicken wings.

Why are air fryers healthy?

It all comes down to the cooking method. Air fryers cook via ultra-hot air and often feature nonstick surfaces, so you can whip up meals without using any oil or butter, making for healthy and flavorful dishes.

Can you use frozen foods in an air fryer?

Yes. One of the main benefits of using an air fryer is that ingredients get cooked extremely quickly. This also pertains to frozen ingredients. They will cook frozen sides, like fries, and even large chunks of meat.

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