Air fryers are one of the hottest kitchen appliances of the 21st century. Not only do they produce delicious meats and vegetables, but they also allow cooks to use less oil and fat, cook meals faster, and sometimes require less cleanup than cooking in the oven. However, given the number of options, searching for an air fryer can become overwhelming. That’s where I come in.
Like most appliances, air fryers come in a variety of colors and sizes, but they all typically feature similar cooking capabilities, including air frying, roasting, baking, dehydrating, and reheating. These days, you may even see some air fryers with specific cooking presets, such as bacon or fries. Brands are getting creative with air fryer designs, whether it’s in terms of space, touch screens, water infusion technology, or the newest trend: smart cooking.
I got a firsthand opportunity to test a range of air fryers, and have whittled it down to this list of the best. Keep reading, and you’ll find eight fantastic air fryers for big families, self-claimed “bad cooks,” small kitchens, and more.
The best air fryers are: Best air dryer overall — Kalorik vivid 7-quart air fryer: $98.37, Amazon.com Best budget air fryer — Cosori lite 2.1-quart air fryer: Was $59.99, now $49.97, Amazon.comBest compact air fryer — Gourmia 7-quart fry ‘n fold digital air fryer: $69.99, Target.comBest double-stack air fryer — Ninja doublestack XL 8-quart two-basket air fryer: $219.99, Ninjakitchen.comBest for versatility — Bella 4-quart trizone air fryer: $89.99, Target.com
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How I tested
I put the full features to test including numerous cooking presets (Alex Temblador/The Independent)
I tested the same dishes in each of the air fryers. I used the provided accessories, rotating through the units’ preset cook buttons: air fry, roast, and bake, as well as other settings that synced cook times. I paid close attention to how evenly and thoroughly the preset functions cooked, took heed of food turning notifications, and tested cook probes or thermometers. Don’t worry — I also assessed the cleaning process for every air fryer. Eight air fryers were chosen that feature a variety of designs, range in their ease of use, and have helpful settings for every type of cook.
When testing, I considered cooking versatility, capacity, cooking speed, maintenance and cleaning, appearance, and additional cooking functions. You can read my detailed air fryer testing methodology at the end of the review.
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Dining and Cooking