But, which air fryer should you choose? These come in all shapes and sizes, and offer an assortment of functions, so how can you know which to buy? That’s why we’ve put a range of models to the test. We cooked all kinds of recipes to see which machines manage to deliver nothing but delicious results. We considered everything from the design, to the ease of cleaning, to find the best for every situation. If you’d prefer a toaster oven, which comes at a greater price, but offers more versatility, we’ve covered these too. Whatever your circumstance, these are the best air fryers.
The best air fryers you can buy today
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, you’ll 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. Read our full Cosori Smart Wifi Air Fryer review. Don’t let the low price of the GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer fool you. It’s no slouch at air frying and comes with the digital controls and preprogrammed settings you’d 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. You don’t have to preheat the GoWise, which is a timesaver, and as it cooks, it doesn’t get too hot to touch so you don’t have to worry about an accidental burn. While the baskets aren’t dishwasher safe, they are coated with a nonstick finish for easy hand cleaning. To give you inspiration as to what to cook, the GoWise comes with a cookbook full of recipes. If you find black appliances boring, the GoWise also comes in bright red and purple. If you’re on a budget, the GoWise is the best air fryer for you. Read our full GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer review. We think the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is the best air fryer if you want the functionality of several appliances in one package. In addition to air frying, it can crisp up bagels, roast a 4-pound chicken, and bake a 12-inch pizza. There’s no preheat required which adds to the cooking time but saves you a step. As it cooks the Cuisinart is very quiet so it won’t prevent you from chatting in the kitchen or having a phone conversation. Unlike most air fryers, the Cuisinart isn’t housed in plastic and it’s not shaped like a space capsule or giant egg. Instead, it’s constructed of stainless steel and has a boxy design. Not only will it fit neatly on your countertop, it will actually look good. The controls aren’t digital which means they’re very straightforward to operate — you simply set the well-marked dials. However, there are no pre-programmed settings so you have to refer to the manual for air frying temperatures and times. Read our full Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven review. The best air fryer for small families is the Dash Compact Air Fryer. It’s not much bigger than a coffee maker and does a good job of cooking up an air-fried chicken dinner or hamburgers for just one or two people. With a pair of dials, one for temperature and one for time, it couldn’t be easier to program. When you use the Dash, you may find air frying times are a little on the long side and you will want to be vigilant about tossing your French fries and turning over your chicken cutlets to get evenly browned and crisped results. Thanks to its petite, cylindrical shape and glossy finish, the Dash Compact Air Fryer is adorable. In addition to black and white, it also comes in red and aqua. The basket is safe for dishwasher cleaning and because it’s small, it won’t hog too much of your precious rack space. Read our full Dash Compact Air Fryer review. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a handsome appliance that does a lot more than air fry, but it comes with a huge price tag. We think it’s worth the splurge though. Large enough to roast a small turkey, it can just about replace your full-size oven for everyday cooking and serve as a second one at the holidays. On the LCD panel, in addition to the air frying, toasting, baking, and broiling settings you expect from a toaster oven, there are ones for slow cooking, dehydrating, proofing, and reheating among others. The controls are intuitive to operate and we found that it excelled at roasting a chicken and frying breaded chicken. The brushed stainless steel surfaces give the Breville a professional look but they do get excessively hot during cooking, reaching 252°F during our tests, although the towel bar handle and controls stay cool to the touch. With this oven, you get several racks and pans for pizza and baking which you will have to store when you’re not using them. Breville doesn’t recommend placing them in the dishwasher and the air fryer rack in particular can take a bit of work to get clean. Read our full Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro review. The Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer can put an end to squabbles over whether to serve French fries or chicken wings at dinner. It has two baskets in which you can cook two different items at the same time at different temperatures; the machine makes sure they’re both ready simultaneously. You also have the option of only cooking in one basket or making a double batch of let’s say chicken nuggets. No preheating is required, which eliminates one step in the cooking process. This is a well-thought out machine and the settings are clearly marked, but the multi-functionality can be confusing and you will find yourself referring to the manual often at the beginning. However, once you get the hang of programming, it’s easy to do and this air fryer produces great results, particularly for chicken wings, Brussels sprouts and breaded chicken. With its matte gray finish, the Ninja is good looking, but at about the size of a small microwave, will take up considerable countertop space. It’s also heavy so you won’t want to be moving it in and out of a cabinet or closet often. Read our full Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer review. You might notice something familiar about this toaster oven — it looks very similar to the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. In fact, the Joule Oven is the upgraded version of this model and we consequently found the design, accessories and cleaning instructions were along the same lines. There were however some minor differences in performance, which is why this upgrade ranked slightly lower. First, we loved that this toaster oven comes with smart connectivity. Simply download the Joule App recipe assistant and you get step-by-step guidance to create some delicious dishes. Plus, with 13 settings at your disposal on this toaster oven, the possibilities are pretty endless. You can also use Alexa or Google Assistant to change settings or set timers remotely, although we found this was a bit unnecessary. In terms of performance, the Joule Oven exceeded its Smart Oven predecessor when it came to making toast. It was also slightly better at frying up chicken wings as well as frozen French fries. However, the Smart Oven came out on top when cooking French fries from scratch and breaded chicken. On the whole, recipes emerged beautifully cooked from the Joule Oven and we were particularly impressed by the roast chicken it produced. This model still gets hot to the touch, particularly on the glass, and it’s by no means a cheap investment, but if you love all things tech and you want your toaster oven to make a statement, it’s worth considering. Read our full Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro review. The Philips Premium Airfryer XXL is one solidly built machine with a sky high price tag. In our tests, it was one of the only air fryers that could crisp up two pounds of French fries to perfection. In fact, your kids might just be convinced that they came from their favorite fast food restaurant. However, other foods, like chicken wings and French fries made from scratch, came out less evenly browned and crunchy. It did broil burgers well and turned out an impressive crispy-skinned roast chicken though. The Philips doesn’t require preheating, which saves a step, but it does take longer to cook than other air fryers as a consequence. On this model you’ll find digital controls and a dial to select the setting, temperature, and time. The basket glides out on a track, but when you lift it out, it can drip on the countertop or floor and it’s a little tricky to replace. Because the Philips is so heavy, you won’t want to store it away between uses so we suggest you make sure you really want an air fryer before investing in this expensive machine. If you feed a lot of people who love French fries often, it’s definitely the best air fryer and is worth the expense. Read our full Philips Premium Airfryer XXL review. The Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Oven DT201 will deliver exceptional results, no matter which setting you’re using. The display and controls can all be found on the handle, which means this oven is making the most efficient use of its space — this puts the controls in an easy-to-read position as well. It can fit nine slices of bread at once, or a 12 pound turkey and comes with 10 cooking settings including roast, bake, broil and air fry. Two oven racks are also included, which can fit two 12-inch pizzas at once. When put to the test, we found it was brilliant at baking yellow cake as well as browning toast and air frying chicken wings. Our only real complaint about the design was how hot the glass door grew in use, reaching temperatures as high as 282°F. It’s not the quietest of toaster ovens either, with noise readings of 61.3 dBa. All of the parts are dishwasher safe though for easy cleaning, and the manual couldn’t be more thorough in terms of guiding you through multi-rack cooking. Read our full Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Oven DT201 review. We think the Gourmia 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer is one of the best air fryers out there. When it comes to crisping and browning foods while keeping them moist and tender, it’s a close runner-up to our top pick, the Cosori. Plus, it can also be used for broiling and roasting without leaving you with spatters and messy pans to clean up. The only test we found it struggled on was fresh French fries, which just weren’t up to scratch compared to others. The electronic controls have preset cooking programs to give you an idea what temperature and time to use for foods that you’re most likely to air fry. Once you set the Gourmia, it automatically goes into a preheat mode and then, halfway through the air frying process, alerts you with an onscreen prompt that it’s time to turn your food over. The basket goes in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. Our only gripe with the Gourmia is that it’s not a particularly attractive product, but we’re big believers that function is more important than design. Read our full Gourmia 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer review. If you want browned and crisped foods and you want them fast, you’ll find the Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven is the quickest air fryer out there. But, it doesn’t sacrifice cooking results for speed. We found it turned out well browned and crunchy chicken cutlets, fries and Brussels sprouts. Without making a mess, it did an impressive job of broiling burgers and roasting a chicken too. As it cooks, the Instant stays cool enough to touch without risking a burn. This air fryer has a large and clear control panel, which is easy to use. However, there are no preset programs for specific foods and there are also no time and temperature recommendations in the owner’s manual. If you’re new to air frying you’ll have to visit the company’s website to get cooking charts for various items or seek out another resource. When you do set the oven, it preheats automatically and gives you a prompt when it’s time to shake your mozzarella sticks or flip over your fish. Just bear in mind that this isn’t the same appliance as the typical Instant Pot — check out our guide on Instant Pot vs air fryer for more details. Read our full Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven review. The versatile KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fryer saves countertop space by serving as a toaster, air fryer and countertop oven in one. For anyone who’s fanatical about how their toast comes out, it produces evenly browned bread that matches the chosen setting. And while the KitchenAid’s not small, it’s not as large as other air fryer toaster ovens, yet has enough room to roast two chickens or bake a large lasagna. This is because the controls are located underneath the oven cavity, not on the side. When it comes to air frying, the KitchenAid can compete with the best of them. In fact, of all we tested, the KitchenAid was the best at making French fries from Idaho potatoes that we had cut ourselves. To control this model you use two dials and three buttons in conjunction with a small LCD screen. Some of the exterior surfaces, and in particular the door, get excessively hot during cooking — reaching 278°F on test. As it operates, the KitchenAis is fairly quiet though and won’t interfere with after-dinner conversation. The manufacturer includes a large shallow enamel baking pan. While the pan and the racks are dishwasher safe, the manufacturer recommends hand washing them. Read our full KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fryer review. Chefs who like to have a lot of control over the cooking process will love the NuWave Brio 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer. In addition to 100 preset programs, it offers multi-stage cooking, features a sear function, comes with a probe for cooking to exact temperatures and a basket divider for cooking two things at once. However, all this functionality makes it very complicated to operate. Before you even begin cooking, you need to read the manual carefully and then keep it nearby to use as a reference. In our cooking tests, the NuWave did a good, but not great job at air frying. It cooked unevenly, but kept foods moist and tender. The probe worked well, indicating when a chicken was roasted to a spot-on degree of doneness. The basket can be cleaned in the dishwasher if placed on the top rack. With the unit, you get a cookbook and a laminated guide to the 100 preset programs. You can’t remotely control this air fryer, but you can access recipes from the NuWave Cooking Club app. Read our full NuWave Brio 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer review. The Chefman is not the best air fryer on the market, but it just might be the easiest to use. Anyone who likes things to be simple to operate may be willing to compromise a bit on cooking results and avoid the confusion of the many choices and steps when it comes to programming. We didn’t see as much browning and crisping as we did from other air fryers, even though cooking times tended to be on the longer end of the suggested time range. With some trial and error, we think you could get better results by fine tuning the amount of food, the number of times you stir or turn during cooking and the length of cooking time. The Chefman did excel at air frying hamburgers, producing patties that actually looked like they were cooked on a grill. We like the compact size and no-frills design of the Chefman and think it would easily fit into even a fancy kitchen without calling attention to itself. Lastly, the price is very reasonable, and will be especially attractive to people who aren’t 100 percent certain they want an air fryer. We’re dubbing this the “starter air fryer”. Read our full Chefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer review.
How we tested
To find the best air fryers, we tested a range of popular models to determine how well they air fry as well as how convenient they are to use. In each air fryer, we cooked both frozen and homemade French fries, Brussels sprouts, chicken wings, chicken breasts breaded with Panko crumbs, and hamburgers. We cooked whole chickens in those fryers that had baskets large enough to accommodate them. We added a tablespoon of oil to the made-from-scratch French fries and Brussels sprouts but otherwise added no other ingredients to any items. Everything was cooked on the setting recommended by the manufacturer until tender or cooked to a safe internal temperature. In those models that can toast, we toasted white bread on the light, medium, and dark settings. Each food was evaluated for browning, crisping, and how evenly it cooked and how moist and tender it came out. To rate the ease of use of each air fryer, we considered how convenient it was to set the controls, slide the basket in and out, and of course, how easy it was to clean up. We checked to see if the manual adequately explained how to use the product, which we think is particularly important in view of the fact that air fryers are more often part of a multifunctional design. We measured the sound level of each air fryer while it was operating to determine how much it would interfere with conversation in the kitchen and took surface temperatures on eight places that the user is likely to touch during cooking to determine if it could be a hazard.
Air fryer test results
The following table shows the noise produced from each air fryer in operation as well as the highest recorded external temperature.
How to choose the best air fryer for you
Air fryers vary in size, shape, capacity and price. The most expensive ones are solidly built, but not necessarily the best at air frying, nor the most convenient to use. Here are the five things to consider when shopping for an air fryer. Also, be sure to check out the best air fryer recipes to get the most out of your air fryer and the biggest air fryer mistakes people make. If you’re stuck between buying an traditional air fryer or a toaster oven design, our Homes Editor would buy an air fryer over a toaster oven — here’s why. Size: Most air fryers are not only large, but they’re irregularly shaped. Be sure to measure the space on your countertop where you plan to keep your air fryer and the machine itself before making a purchase. Don’t forget to check how much room you have from the counter surface to the bottom of your cabinets if you want to be able to move the fryer back and out of the way when you’re not using it. If you don’t plan on using it often, also consider how heavy the appliance is to see if it will be convenient to lift it in and out of a cabinet or closet. Capacity: Air fryers are labeled with a wide range of capacities from as little as two quarts to as much as eight. However, the stated capacity is not necessarily a good indication of how much food you can cook at one time. For best results, it’s not a good idea to pile up food to the top of the basket. Few models can cook more than a pound of food like French fries or veggies at a time. When you’re making chicken or hamburgers you’re limited to how many pieces you can fit on the bottom of the basket. It’s more important to check the diameter of the basket than its volume. Type of Controls: Dial controls are intuitive to operate but offer less precision. To set the time you’re basically turning a mechanical timer that dings when time is up. While digital controls can take a little more work to figure out, they are exact and allow for special settings for various types of food so you don’t have to guestimate what temperature to use and how long to cook. Other functions: Some air fryers double up as other appliances. This gives you more versatility and means you’ll have fewer products taking up space in your kitchen. However, it also adds to the price of the air fryer so be realistic about whether or not you need the extra functions. Whatever you purchase, air fryers are more versatile than you’d think, here are 7 foods you never knew you could cook in an air fryer. Price: You can spend anywhere from $50 to $400 on an air fryer. While the best air fryers tend to cost more, you can get a very good one for about $100. If you are not sure that you will use your air fryer often, resist the temptation to spend top dollar. Ever wondered which is cheaper: air fryer vs oven, we’ve found the answer.
When to replace your air fryer
An air fryer will last for as long as you take care of it, although there are ways to make an air fryer last longer. There are reports of some breaking within a few months because there are things you should never put in an air fryer, while others last up to eight years. Most brands will offer around three years of warranty. The best way to extend the life of your air fryer is to keep it clean and wash it thoroughly between each use; see our guide on how to clean an air fryer for more details. If you hand wash the basket and avoid using metal tools, the non-stick finish won’t take damage — this is one of the most common problems with air fryers. Another common complaint is the handle breaking away from the basket. The answer to this, once again, is washing by hand, as being exposed to the high temperatures within a dishwasher won’t help the plastic. Try not to pull on the handle with too much force during everyday use as well. If your air fryer malfunctions, and it’s not under warranty, it’s best to replace it. If you request a repair quote, and find it’s more than half the price of a new air fryer, we recommend replacing the model. When you’re on the market for a new air fryer, you might notice that there are more options than there’s ever been before. There are compact designs for small families, which will save space on your countertop, and then there are multifunctional options which can bake, toast and roast, as well as air fry. This can get bulky and expensive though, so make sure you only buy what you intend to use. Some can also pressure cook and slow cook as well, such as one of the best instant pots. If you want to air fry two different things at once, some even offer two baskets. If you’re looking at cast iron skillets, we have a guide on the best cast iron skillets to choose from. Check out more of our appliance coverage: Air fryers don’t tend to look very attractive on display either, unless you opt for a premium design toaster oven model. So you may need to make room to store it while it’s not in use. Keep in mind that while everyday cleaning will be easy, thanks to most parts being dishwasher safe, you will need to take the time to deep clean your appliance on occasion too. So these machines aren’t entirely free of maintenance. Finally, if you’re buying an air fryer based on the belief of it being a healthy cooking method, this isn’t necessarily true. You’re still cooking in oil, and the healthiness largely depends on what you’re cooking and how often. While it is healthier vs deep-frying, the air fryer should be used in moderation with appropriate recipe selections. See are air fryers actually healthy for more details. While these drawbacks are worth considering, remember that the pros still far outweigh the cons. Air fryers can create tender and delicious dishes in a matter of minutes, surpassing the oven in terms of both cost and time. Best refrigerators | Best gas ranges | Best electric ranges | Best dishwashers | Best washing machines | Best clothes dryers| Best vacuum cleaners | Best microwaves | Best grills | Best bread machines | Best blenders | Best stand mixers | Best coffee makers | Best espresso machines | Best food processors | Best juicers | Best Cuisinart coffee makers | Best patio heaters | Best solar lights | Best coolers | Best inflatable hot tubs | Best outdoor pizza ovens | Best cutting boards
title: “Best Air Fryers In 2023 Tested And Rated” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-23” author: “James Tsai”
But, which air fryer should you choose? These come in all shapes and sizes, and offer an assortment of functions, so how can you know which to buy? That’s why we’ve put a range of models to the test. We cooked all kinds of recipes to see which machines manage to deliver nothing but delicious results. We considered everything from the design, to the ease of cleaning, to find the best for every situation. If you’d prefer a toaster oven, which comes at a greater price, but offers more versatility, we’ve covered these too. Whatever your circumstance, these are the best air fryers.
The best air fryers you can buy today
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, you’ll 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. Read our full Cosori Smart Wifi Air Fryer review. Don’t let the low price of the GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer fool you. It’s no slouch at air frying and comes with the digital controls and preprogrammed settings you’d 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. You don’t have to preheat the GoWise, which is a timesaver, and as it cooks, it doesn’t get too hot to touch so you don’t have to worry about an accidental burn. While the baskets aren’t dishwasher safe, they are coated with a nonstick finish for easy hand cleaning. To give you inspiration as to what to cook, the GoWise comes with a cookbook full of recipes. If you find black appliances boring, the GoWise also comes in bright red and purple. If you’re on a budget, the GoWise is the best air fryer for you. Read our full GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 8-in-1 Air Fryer review. We think the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is the best air fryer if you want the functionality of several appliances in one package. In addition to air frying, it can crisp up bagels, roast a 4-pound chicken, and bake a 12-inch pizza. There’s no preheat required which adds to the cooking time but saves you a step. As it cooks the Cuisinart is very quiet so it won’t prevent you from chatting in the kitchen or having a phone conversation. Unlike most air fryers, the Cuisinart isn’t housed in plastic and it’s not shaped like a space capsule or giant egg. Instead, it’s constructed of stainless steel and has a boxy design. Not only will it fit neatly on your countertop, it will actually look good. The controls aren’t digital which means they’re very straightforward to operate — you simply set the well-marked dials. However, there are no pre-programmed settings so you have to refer to the manual for air frying temperatures and times. Read our full Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven review. The best air fryer for small families is the Dash Compact Air Fryer. It’s not much bigger than a coffee maker and does a good job of cooking up an air-fried chicken dinner or hamburgers for just one or two people. With a pair of dials, one for temperature and one for time, it couldn’t be easier to program. When you use the Dash, you may find air frying times are a little on the long side and you will want to be vigilant about tossing your French fries and turning over your chicken cutlets to get evenly browned and crisped results. Thanks to its petite, cylindrical shape and glossy finish, the Dash Compact Air Fryer is adorable. In addition to black and white, it also comes in red and aqua. The basket is safe for dishwasher cleaning and because it’s small, it won’t hog too much of your precious rack space. Read our full Dash Compact Air Fryer review. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a handsome appliance that does a lot more than air fry, but it comes with a huge price tag. We think it’s worth the splurge though. Large enough to roast a small turkey, it can just about replace your full-size oven for everyday cooking and serve as a second one at the holidays. On the LCD panel, in addition to the air frying, toasting, baking, and broiling settings you expect from a toaster oven, there are ones for slow cooking, dehydrating, proofing, and reheating among others. The controls are intuitive to operate and we found that it excelled at roasting a chicken and frying breaded chicken. The brushed stainless steel surfaces give the Breville a professional look but they do get excessively hot during cooking, reaching 252°F during our tests, although the towel bar handle and controls stay cool to the touch. With this oven, you get several racks and pans for pizza and baking which you will have to store when you’re not using them. Breville doesn’t recommend placing them in the dishwasher and the air fryer rack in particular can take a bit of work to get clean. Read our full Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro review. The Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer can put an end to squabbles over whether to serve French fries or chicken wings at dinner. It has two baskets in which you can cook two different items at the same time at different temperatures; the machine makes sure they’re both ready simultaneously. You also have the option of only cooking in one basket or making a double batch of let’s say chicken nuggets. No preheating is required, which eliminates one step in the cooking process. This is a well-thought out machine and the settings are clearly marked, but the multi-functionality can be confusing and you will find yourself referring to the manual often at the beginning. However, once you get the hang of programming, it’s easy to do and this air fryer produces great results, particularly for chicken wings, Brussels sprouts and breaded chicken. With its matte gray finish, the Ninja is good looking, but at about the size of a small microwave, will take up considerable countertop space. It’s also heavy so you won’t want to be moving it in and out of a cabinet or closet often. Read our full Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer review. You might notice something familiar about this toaster oven — it looks very similar to the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. In fact, the Joule Oven is the upgraded version of this model and we consequently found the design, accessories and cleaning instructions were along the same lines. There were however some minor differences in performance, which is why this upgrade ranked slightly lower. First, we loved that this toaster oven comes with smart connectivity. Simply download the Joule App recipe assistant and you get step-by-step guidance to create some delicious dishes. Plus, with 13 settings at your disposal on this toaster oven, the possibilities are pretty endless. You can also use Alexa or Google Assistant to change settings or set timers remotely, although we found this was a bit unnecessary. In terms of performance, the Joule Oven exceeded its Smart Oven predecessor when it came to making toast. It was also slightly better at frying up chicken wings as well as frozen French fries. However, the Smart Oven came out on top when cooking French fries from scratch and breaded chicken. On the whole, recipes emerged beautifully cooked from the Joule Oven and we were particularly impressed by the roast chicken it produced. This model still gets hot to the touch, particularly on the glass, and it’s by no means a cheap investment, but if you love all things tech and you want your toaster oven to make a statement, it’s worth considering. Read our full Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro review. The Philips Premium Airfryer XXL is one solidly built machine with a sky high price tag. In our tests, it was one of the only air fryers that could crisp up two pounds of French fries to perfection. In fact, your kids might just be convinced that they came from their favorite fast food restaurant. However, other foods, like chicken wings and French fries made from scratch, came out less evenly browned and crunchy. It did broil burgers well and turned out an impressive crispy-skinned roast chicken though. The Philips doesn’t require preheating, which saves a step, but it does take longer to cook than other air fryers as a consequence. On this model you’ll find digital controls and a dial to select the setting, temperature, and time. The basket glides out on a track, but when you lift it out, it can drip on the countertop or floor and it’s a little tricky to replace. Because the Philips is so heavy, you won’t want to store it away between uses so we suggest you make sure you really want an air fryer before investing in this expensive machine. If you feed a lot of people who love French fries often, it’s definitely the best air fryer and is worth the expense. Read our full Philips Premium Airfryer XXL review. The Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Oven DT201 will deliver exceptional results, no matter which setting you’re using. The display and controls can all be found on the handle, which means this oven is making the most efficient use of its space — this puts the controls in an easy-to-read position as well. It can fit nine slices of bread at once, or a 12 pound turkey and comes with 10 cooking settings including roast, bake, broil and air fry. Two oven racks are also included, which can fit two 12-inch pizzas at once. When put to the test, we found it was brilliant at baking yellow cake as well as browning toast and air frying chicken wings. Our only real complaint about the design was how hot the glass door grew in use, reaching temperatures as high as 282°F. It’s not the quietest of toaster ovens either, with noise readings of 61.3 dBa. All of the parts are dishwasher safe though for easy cleaning, and the manual couldn’t be more thorough in terms of guiding you through multi-rack cooking. Read our full Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Oven DT201 review. We think the Gourmia 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer is one of the best air fryers out there. When it comes to crisping and browning foods while keeping them moist and tender, it’s a close runner-up to our top pick, the Cosori. Plus, it can also be used for broiling and roasting without leaving you with spatters and messy pans to clean up. The only test we found it struggled on was fresh French fries, which just weren’t up to scratch compared to others. The electronic controls have preset cooking programs to give you an idea what temperature and time to use for foods that you’re most likely to air fry. Once you set the Gourmia, it automatically goes into a preheat mode and then, halfway through the air frying process, alerts you with an onscreen prompt that it’s time to turn your food over. The basket goes in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. Our only gripe with the Gourmia is that it’s not a particularly attractive product, but we’re big believers that function is more important than design. Read our full Gourmia 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer review. If you want browned and crisped foods and you want them fast, you’ll find the Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven is the quickest air fryer out there. But, it doesn’t sacrifice cooking results for speed. We found it turned out well browned and crunchy chicken cutlets, fries and Brussels sprouts. Without making a mess, it did an impressive job of broiling burgers and roasting a chicken too. As it cooks, the Instant stays cool enough to touch without risking a burn. This air fryer has a large and clear control panel, which is easy to use. However, there are no preset programs for specific foods and there are also no time and temperature recommendations in the owner’s manual. If you’re new to air frying you’ll have to visit the company’s website to get cooking charts for various items or seek out another resource. When you do set the oven, it preheats automatically and gives you a prompt when it’s time to shake your mozzarella sticks or flip over your fish. Just bear in mind that this isn’t the same appliance as the typical Instant Pot — check out our guide on Instant Pot vs air fryer for more details. Read our full Instant Pot 6 Quart Vortex 4 in 1 Air Fryer Oven review. The versatile KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fryer saves countertop space by serving as a toaster, air fryer and countertop oven in one. For anyone who’s fanatical about how their toast comes out, it produces evenly browned bread that matches the chosen setting. And while the KitchenAid’s not small, it’s not as large as other air fryer toaster ovens, yet has enough room to roast two chickens or bake a large lasagna. This is because the controls are located underneath the oven cavity, not on the side. When it comes to air frying, the KitchenAid can compete with the best of them. In fact, of all we tested, the KitchenAid was the best at making French fries from Idaho potatoes that we had cut ourselves. To control this model you use two dials and three buttons in conjunction with a small LCD screen. Some of the exterior surfaces, and in particular the door, get excessively hot during cooking — reaching 278°F on test. As it operates, the KitchenAis is fairly quiet though and won’t interfere with after-dinner conversation. The manufacturer includes a large shallow enamel baking pan. While the pan and the racks are dishwasher safe, the manufacturer recommends hand washing them. Read our full KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fryer review. Chefs who like to have a lot of control over the cooking process will love the NuWave Brio 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer. In addition to 100 preset programs, it offers multi-stage cooking, features a sear function, comes with a probe for cooking to exact temperatures and a basket divider for cooking two things at once. However, all this functionality makes it very complicated to operate. Before you even begin cooking, you need to read the manual carefully and then keep it nearby to use as a reference. In our cooking tests, the NuWave did a good, but not great job at air frying. It cooked unevenly, but kept foods moist and tender. The probe worked well, indicating when a chicken was roasted to a spot-on degree of doneness. The basket can be cleaned in the dishwasher if placed on the top rack. With the unit, you get a cookbook and a laminated guide to the 100 preset programs. You can’t remotely control this air fryer, but you can access recipes from the NuWave Cooking Club app. Read our full NuWave Brio 6 Quart Digital Air Fryer review. The Chefman is not the best air fryer on the market, but it just might be the easiest to use. Anyone who likes things to be simple to operate may be willing to compromise a bit on cooking results and avoid the confusion of the many choices and steps when it comes to programming. We didn’t see as much browning and crisping as we did from other air fryers, even though cooking times tended to be on the longer end of the suggested time range. With some trial and error, we think you could get better results by fine tuning the amount of food, the number of times you stir or turn during cooking and the length of cooking time. The Chefman did excel at air frying hamburgers, producing patties that actually looked like they were cooked on a grill. We like the compact size and no-frills design of the Chefman and think it would easily fit into even a fancy kitchen without calling attention to itself. Lastly, the price is very reasonable, and will be especially attractive to people who aren’t 100 percent certain they want an air fryer. We’re dubbing this the “starter air fryer”. Read our full Chefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer review.
How we tested
To find the best air fryers, we tested a range of popular models to determine how well they air fry as well as how convenient they are to use. In each air fryer, we cooked both frozen and homemade French fries, Brussels sprouts, chicken wings, chicken breasts breaded with Panko crumbs, and hamburgers. We cooked whole chickens in those fryers that had baskets large enough to accommodate them. We added a tablespoon of oil to the made-from-scratch French fries and Brussels sprouts but otherwise added no other ingredients to any items. Everything was cooked on the setting recommended by the manufacturer until tender or cooked to a safe internal temperature. In those models that can toast, we toasted white bread on the light, medium, and dark settings. Each food was evaluated for browning, crisping, and how evenly it cooked and how moist and tender it came out. To rate the ease of use of each air fryer, we considered how convenient it was to set the controls, slide the basket in and out, and of course, how easy it was to clean up. We checked to see if the manual adequately explained how to use the product, which we think is particularly important in view of the fact that air fryers are more often part of a multifunctional design. We measured the sound level of each air fryer while it was operating to determine how much it would interfere with conversation in the kitchen and took surface temperatures on eight places that the user is likely to touch during cooking to determine if it could be a hazard.
Air fryer test results
The following table shows the noise produced from each air fryer in operation as well as the highest recorded external temperature.
How to choose the best air fryer for you
Air fryers vary in size, shape, capacity and price. The most expensive ones are solidly built, but not necessarily the best at air frying, nor the most convenient to use. Here are the five things to consider when shopping for an air fryer. Also, be sure to check out the best air fryer recipes to get the most out of your air fryer and the biggest air fryer mistakes people make. If you’re stuck between buying an traditional air fryer or a toaster oven design, our Homes Editor would buy an air fryer over a toaster oven — here’s why. Size: Most air fryers are not only large, but they’re irregularly shaped. Be sure to measure the space on your countertop where you plan to keep your air fryer and the machine itself before making a purchase. Don’t forget to check how much room you have from the counter surface to the bottom of your cabinets if you want to be able to move the fryer back and out of the way when you’re not using it. If you don’t plan on using it often, also consider how heavy the appliance is to see if it will be convenient to lift it in and out of a cabinet or closet. Capacity: Air fryers are labeled with a wide range of capacities from as little as two quarts to as much as eight. However, the stated capacity is not necessarily a good indication of how much food you can cook at one time. For best results, it’s not a good idea to pile up food to the top of the basket. Few models can cook more than a pound of food like French fries or veggies at a time. When you’re making chicken or hamburgers you’re limited to how many pieces you can fit on the bottom of the basket. It’s more important to check the diameter of the basket than its volume. Type of Controls: Dial controls are intuitive to operate but offer less precision. To set the time you’re basically turning a mechanical timer that dings when time is up. While digital controls can take a little more work to figure out, they are exact and allow for special settings for various types of food so you don’t have to guestimate what temperature to use and how long to cook. Other functions: Some air fryers double up as other appliances. This gives you more versatility and means you’ll have fewer products taking up space in your kitchen. However, it also adds to the price of the air fryer so be realistic about whether or not you need the extra functions. Whatever you purchase, air fryers are more versatile than you’d think, here are 7 foods you never knew you could cook in an air fryer. Price: You can spend anywhere from $50 to $400 on an air fryer. While the best air fryers tend to cost more, you can get a very good one for about $100. If you are not sure that you will use your air fryer often, resist the temptation to spend top dollar. Ever wondered which is cheaper: air fryer vs oven, we’ve found the answer.
When to replace your air fryer
An air fryer will last for as long as you take care of it, although there are ways to make an air fryer last longer. There are reports of some breaking within a few months because there are things you should never put in an air fryer, while others last up to eight years. Most brands will offer around three years of warranty. The best way to extend the life of your air fryer is to keep it clean and wash it thoroughly between each use; see our guide on how to clean an air fryer for more details. If you hand wash the basket and avoid using metal tools, the non-stick finish won’t take damage — this is one of the most common problems with air fryers. Another common complaint is the handle breaking away from the basket. The answer to this, once again, is washing by hand, as being exposed to the high temperatures within a dishwasher won’t help the plastic. Try not to pull on the handle with too much force during everyday use as well. If your air fryer malfunctions, and it’s not under warranty, it’s best to replace it. If you request a repair quote, and find it’s more than half the price of a new air fryer, we recommend replacing the model. When you’re on the market for a new air fryer, you might notice that there are more options than there’s ever been before. There are compact designs for small families, which will save space on your countertop, and then there are multifunctional options which can bake, toast and roast, as well as air fry. This can get bulky and expensive though, so make sure you only buy what you intend to use. Some can also pressure cook and slow cook as well, such as one of the best instant pots. If you want to air fry two different things at once, some even offer two baskets. If you’re looking at cast iron skillets, we have a guide on the best cast iron skillets to choose from. Check out more of our appliance coverage: Air fryers don’t tend to look very attractive on display either, unless you opt for a premium design toaster oven model. So you may need to make room to store it while it’s not in use. Keep in mind that while everyday cleaning will be easy, thanks to most parts being dishwasher safe, you will need to take the time to deep clean your appliance on occasion too. So these machines aren’t entirely free of maintenance. Finally, if you’re buying an air fryer based on the belief of it being a healthy cooking method, this isn’t necessarily true. You’re still cooking in oil, and the healthiness largely depends on what you’re cooking and how often. While it is healthier vs deep-frying, the air fryer should be used in moderation with appropriate recipe selections. See are air fryers actually healthy for more details. While these drawbacks are worth considering, remember that the pros still far outweigh the cons. Air fryers can create tender and delicious dishes in a matter of minutes, surpassing the oven in terms of both cost and time. Best refrigerators | Best gas ranges | Best electric ranges | Best dishwashers | Best washing machines | Best clothes dryers| Best vacuum cleaners | Best microwaves | Best grills | Best bread machines | Best blenders | Best stand mixers | Best coffee makers | Best espresso machines | Best food processors | Best juicers | Best Cuisinart coffee makers | Best patio heaters | Best solar lights | Best coolers | Best inflatable hot tubs | Best outdoor pizza ovens | Best cutting boards
