Deep frying your food is simply divine, but eating fried foods can do a number on your brain and body. Fortunately, there’s a way to get close to the unbeatable tastes and aromas of greasy fryer-prepared foods. An air fryer is one of the best small appliances you can add to your kitchen.
Air fryer guides
So, how exactly does an air fryer work? It cooks your food with electric heat that’s circulated by powerful fans, and that hot air helps get the surface of the food dry and crispy while keeping the inside moist. Some air fryers include other features and functions. You might see an air fryer that also has a dehydrating function or a convection feature, for instance.
With so many options to choose from, it can be tough to find the right air-frying appliance for you. If you’re looking to try an air fryer as a calorie-saving alternative to traditional frying, we rounded up the best air fryers on the market.
We’ve also found plenty of air fryer deals for today if you’re looking to snag one at a discount.
Ninja Digital Air Fry Oven
Similar to some of the best convection ovens, the Ninja Foodi Air Fry Oven is small enough to sit in a nook on your countertop, and it flips up to store away even more inconspicuously. But in spite of its small footprint, the Foodi oven can cook a pretty decent sized batch of french fries. It also has air roast, air broil, bake, dehydrate, keep warm, toast (up to nine slices at a time), and bagel functions in addition to its air-frying function.
Features like the crumb-release tray help you keep the oven clean, and a light comes on in the oven’s interior at the end of the cooking cycle so you can see your food. The digital display and stainless exterior make the Ninja Digital Air Fry Oven feel high-quality, and you get an included air frying tray and a nonstick pan.
COSORI 5.8-Quart Smart Air Fryer
One of the most annoying things about air fryers is that they tend to perform much better when cooking small portions than they do when cooking larger batches of ingredients. The COSORI air fryer has a square-shaped nonstick basket, which is large enough to fit enough french fries for your family. The basket is also dishwasher safe to make cleanup easier.
This air fryer is smart too, and it includes an app with 100 different recipes to get you started. You can control the air fryer using the app, or even voice-control the air fryer using Alexa. You can just add your ingredients and say, “Alexa, cook French fries in the smart air fryer for 25 minutes.” You can see how much time your food has left without going in the kitchen, and you can schedule cooking times in advance (up to four hours ahead of time).
The Cosori Smart Air Fryer boasts an array of user-friendly features like fast pre-heating, 11 different presets, automatic shutoff, and an LED screen that makes cooking super easy.
Chefman TurboFry 2-Quart Air Fryer
This little Chefman air fryer accurately air fries your food at temperatures between 200 and 400 degrees. You set the temperature with a turn dial, and there’s a 30-minute integrated timer. It’s pretty hard to mess up your recipes in this device.
The Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer is a very, very small air fryer. It’s designed for one, maybe two people. But, its flat basket design maximizes its ingredient capacity. If you live alone or it’s just you and one other person, this unit is a great find because it works well, yet it doesn’t have all the frills so it’s super-affordable. Plus, because it’s so small, it’s easy to tuck away in a cabinet. The basket is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. This is also a great choice for those who want to try out air frying without spending too much dough.
Philips Digital Turbostar Airfryer
The Philips Digital TurboStar Airfryer is a solid option for anyone looking to try air frying for the first time, or for seasoned air fryers. This foolproof air fryer is much more user-friendly than most models, thanks to its digital display, programmable timer, and intuitive interface. This appliance is also good at what it does — it cooks fried foods 50% more evenly than other brands. You’ll likely experience some trial and error when cooking air-fried foods for the first time, but the five presets will help start you out on the right foot. The air fryer also comes with a recipe book and app that includes hundreds of recipes to choose from.
If you want a more inexpensive option, Philips Viva Collection Analog Air Fryer is a solid option, but it has a different display, and fewer bells and whistles.
Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer
Not a fan of digital displays and touchscreens? This air fryer keeps it old school in the best way and is perfect for those who prefer manual controls and a traditional vibe.
The Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven is a simple option for those who just can’t stand digital displays, touchscreens, and other modern contrivances. It has 1,800 watts of power for fast heating, and it is extremely quiet. The controls are easy to use and the seven preset functions make this a versatile addition to your kitchen counter space. Whether you’re frying some chicken, roasting a turkey, or cooking up some asparagus, this Cuisinart toaster oven and air fryer has you covered in one convenient package.
Black + Decker Extra Wide Air Fry Toaster Oven
If the Cuisinart is just a bit much for your budget, then consider Black + Decker’s Extra Wide Air Fry Toaster Oven. It’s almost half the cost, but doesn’t compromise in what it does. It features five cooking functions: Bake, broil, toast, keep warm, and yes, air frying as well. With its extra-large space, this air fryer toaster oven can fit a 9 x 13-inch pan with handles, eight slices of bread, or a 12-inch pizza with ease.
Having so much versatility means that the Black + Decker Air Fry Toaster Oven can replace several appliances in the kitchen without taking much room. Cleanup is also a cinch thanks to the crumb tray on the bottom that catches and collects pieces of food that may break apart during the cooking process.
Gowise Electric Air Fryer
Maybe you’re looking for a decent-sized air fryer without making a large dent in your wallet. After all, if you’re new to air frying, you won’t want to make a big up-front investment before you know how often you’ll cook with the unit. If that’s the case, this gadget might be for you. The Gowise Electric Air Fryer delivers effective air frying for a lower price than most brands.
The Gowise Electric Air Fryer delivers excellent performance at a reasonable price. It truly can hold its own against many more costly fryers. The removable, easy-to-clean basket is a wonderful feature for aspiring air fry chefs. It sets users up for success with features such as easy-clean, which also helps to flatten the learning curve for newbies. The Gowise’s user-friendly screen also offers preset programs for your favorite recipes. If you were apprehensive to try air frying due to the cost, this could be the optimal solution.
Dash Compact Air Fryer
The almighty Dash is featured in both of our air-fryer breakdowns, and it has rightfully earned its spot. This product gives you the same ease of use, simple settings, quick cleanup, and a compact design and takes up even less counter space. The Dash Compact Air Fryer is an essential product when it comes to really tiny kitchens, or really anywhere space is scarce. Designed with college dorms and apartments in mind, the Dash Compact offers the perfect solution to avoid over-cluttering your kitchen.
While the 1.2-quart basket is tinier than the bigger fryers on our list, this air fryer can fit where those behemoths can’t. It doesn’t skimp out on features, though, with great settings such as an auto shut-off timer, cool-touch housing and handles, and an assortment of color options to suit any decor or style. The Dash Compact Air Fryer is a small form factor solution from a company that knows how to make reliable appliances that fit every kitchen.
