Air fryers are quick turning into a staple gadget in many individuals’s properties, seemingly as a result of they’re quick, handy and don’t price a small fortune. And with current technological developments, there are air fryers in the marketplace that may prepare dinner, bake, sauté, dehydrate, strain prepare dinner and extra. In the event you’ve been mulling over the considered investing in an air fryer, now’s the time to leap on the bandwagon — allow us to enable you to select one of the best air fryer in your wants. Whether or not you’re up for roasting an entire hen, making a meal for your complete household or wish to attempt your hand on the notorious air-fryer muffins (sure, you learn that proper), there’s an air fryer to swimsuit everybody.
Desk of contents
What does an air fryer do?
Let’s clear one factor up first: it’s not frying. Not likely. Air fryers are extra like smaller convection bake ovens, ones which can be typically pod-shaped. Most work by combining a heating component and fan, which suggests the new air can normally higher crisp the surface of meals than different strategies. They typically attain greater high temperatures than toaster ovens – which is a part of the enchantment.
For many recipes, a skinny layer of oil (normally sprayed) helps to duplicate that fried appear and feel higher. Nonetheless, it is going to hardly ever style exactly just like the deep-fried or pan frying model when it comes out of the air fryer basket. Don’t let that put you off, although, as a result of the air fryer, in its many types, combines a number of the greatest elements of different cooking processes and brings them collectively into an energy-efficient manner of air fryer cooking dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch.
Learn extra: We’ve additionally rounded up the greatest pizza ovens and the greatest sous vide machines.
Finest air fryers for 2025
Prompt Pot
Capability: 6-quart | Sort: Pod-shaped | Cooking features: Fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, dehydrate | Weight: 16.19 lb | Energy consumption: 1700W | Depth: 14.92” | Top: 12.83” | Width: 12.36”
You in all probability know the “Prompt” model from the road of highly regarded Prompt Pot strain cookers, however do you know that the corporate makes nice air fryers too? We’re particularly impressed by the Prompt Vortex Plus with ClearCook and OdorErase, which encompasses a clear viewing window so you may see the air fryer basket whereas your meals is cooking, plus an odor-removing filter. In our testing, we discovered that it didn’t utterly get rid of smells, so for those who’re whipping up an air fryer salmon it may be apparent, nevertheless it appeared considerably much less smoky when in comparison with our Breville Good Oven Air. We love its ease of use, intuitive controls, the easy-to-clean nonstick drawer basket, plus the roomy inside – it’s sufficiently big to suit 4 hen thighs. Plus, this high choose heats up in a short time with nearly no preheating time.
A barely extra inexpensive choice is its predecessor, the Prompt Vortex Plus 6-Quart. It lacks the viewing window and the odor-removing filters, nevertheless it nonetheless has the identical intuitive management panel and roomy nonstick inside, so you may simply prepare dinner a hen breast or smaller meals out of your favourite cookbooks. If you need an excellent larger choice, Prompt additionally provides Prompt Vortex Plus in a 10-quart mannequin that has a viewing window and a rotisserie function.
- ClearCook window helps you to see your meals because it cooks
- Intuitive controls
- Straightforward to scrub drawer basket
- Cannot prepare dinner very massive meals
COSORI
Capability: 6-quart | Sort: Pod-shaped | Cooking features: Air fry, broil, roast, frozen, bake, reheat, preheat, dry, proof, heat | Weight: 13 lb | Energy consumption: 1725W | Depth: 14.4” | Top: 11.9” | Width: 11.8”
We’ve examined a couple of Cosori small kitchen home equipment up to now and have usually favored them, and the six-quart 9-in-1 air fryer is not any totally different. Whereas Prompt’s Vortex has the higher hand largely due to its ClearCook window, those that don’t thoughts peeking contained in the machine to take a look at their meals ought to take into account Cosori’s machine. Its six-quart capability is nice for facet dishes like brussel sprouts and onion rings, nevertheless it’s additionally massive sufficient to have fairly a couple of hen wings and an entire block of tofu with out an excessive amount of overlap. The rounded-square basket is among the roomiest I’ve seen on a tool with as (comparatively) small of a footprint as Cosori’s air fryer.
Total, this Cosori air fryer crisped up meals properly no matter in the event that they began off uncooked, frozen or fridge-cool. The 9 preset cooking modes embody a preheat choice for beginning issues off proper on the exact temperature, a proof choice for bakers and a devoted frozen setting for premade appetizers and snacks. Most individuals will seemingly use the usual air fry mode probably the most, nevertheless it’s handy to have so many different choices, together with the fundamentals like broil, bake and roast.
After testing various air fryers over the previous few years, I recognize the small options this Cosori mannequin has like a straightforward to make use of touchscreen, a basket launch button ( security function, since you could press it to take away the basket from the primary unit) and the auto-pause function that turns the cooking component off while you launch the basket (it’ll flip proper again on, although, for those who simply opened it up for a fast look).
- Spacious cooking basket
- 9 preset cooking modes
- Useful basket-release button
- A little bit on the extensive facet
Ninja
Capability: As much as 10-quart | Sort: Pod-shaped | Cooking features: Fry, broil, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate | Weight: 19.80 lb | Energy consumption: 1690W | Depth: 17.1” | Top: 12.8” | Width: 13.9”
Most machines could make one factor at a time, however Ninja’s Twin Zone digital air fryer can deal with two completely totally different meals concurrently, making it a high air fryer by our requirements. Obtainable in 8- and 10-quart capacities, this dual-basket air fryer isn’t compact, so it received’t be choice for these with small kitchens. Nonetheless, in case you have the counter house, it may very well be one of the best air fryer to spend money on particularly for those who prepare dinner for a big household. You possibly can prep two completely totally different meals, like a hen breast and brownies, on the similar time with completely totally different cooking modes, or use Match Cook dinner to arrange meals within the twin baskets the identical manner. The heating zones are impartial, so for those who solely wish to replenish one facet with french fries and go away the opposite empty, you are able to do that as effectively.
We recognize how shortly the Ninja air fryer heats up (there’s little to no preheating time in any respect) and the way it runs comparatively quietly. It additionally has a function referred to as Good End that may routinely regulate cooking occasions in order that your fried hen thighs within the first chamber and asparagus within the second will end on the similar time, so that you don’t have to attend for one a part of your meal to be prepared whereas the opposite will get chilly. Generally, dual-zone air frying capabilities aren’t mandatory for most individuals, however those that prepare dinner typically will get quite a lot of use out of machines just like the Ninja Foodi.
- Two separate chambers for cooking totally different meals
- Good End function adjusts cooking occasions so meals end concurrently
Prompt Pot
Capability: 2-quart | Sort: Pod-shaped | Cooking features: Fry, bake, roast, reheat | Weight: 7.28 lb | Energy consumption: 1300W | Depth: 11.26” | Top: 11.73” | Width: 9.02”
Not solely is the Prompt Vortex Mini budget-friendly with a $60 price ticket (and you may typically discover it on sale for much less), nevertheless it’s additionally one of the best small air fryer on this record. Most air fryers will take up quite a lot of treasured countertop house, however this two-quart mannequin is nice for many who don’t have loads to spare and are on the lookout for one thing that’s notably user-friendly. The Vortex Mini can air fry, bake, roast and reheat, and you may management the temperature and prepare dinner time utilizing the dial sitting in the course of its touchscreen. In contrast to a number of the different, dearer air fryers we examined, which have a wide range of modes and settings, the Vortex Mini is lifeless easy to make use of. Simply plug it in, press the preset cooking technique of your selection, customise the temperature and prepare dinner time and press Begin. The machine will beep about midway by the cycle to let when to flip your meals, and it’ll chime once more as soon as it’s completed.
Arguably the largest caveat to the Vortex Mini can also be its greatest energy. It’s so compact that cooking a couple of factor, or quite a lot of one factor, received’t be straightforward. However I used to be capable of prepare dinner an entire block of tofu lower into cubes (with a little bit of overlap) and reheat (and re-crisp) leftovers in it for myself and my fiancé with no issues. Total, this compact air fryer can be onerous to beat for these with tight budgets and tiny kitchens.
- Inexpensive
- Straightforward to make use of touchscreen and dial
Breville
Capability: 1 cubic foot | Sort: Convection oven | Cooking features: Toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, heat, pizza, proof, fry, reheat, cookies, gradual prepare dinner, dehydrate | Weight: 38.9 lb | Energy consumption: 1800W | Depth: 17.5” | Top: 21.5” | Width: 12.7”
Hear, most individuals don’t want the Breville Good Oven Air Fryer Professional. However for those who like to prepare dinner, have a big household or throw a bunch of events, you’ll seemingly get a ton of use out of this machine. This stainless-steel countertop oven is a beast, measuring one cubic foot, so be ready to carve out some house in your kitchen for it. However its dimension permits it to prepare dinner a complete 14-pound turkey and match issues like a five-quart dutch oven and a 9 x 13 pan within it. This huge air fryer principally acts like a second oven, or perhaps a main one in case your most important oven is out of fee.
As one of the best air fryer toaster oven on this record, it’s fairly succesful and its dimension helps since you may unfold your meals out to make sure issues are as crispy as doable. It additionally helps that you would be able to prepare dinner quite a lot of servings without delay, which can make it simpler for those who’re making ready snacks like bagels for brunch, appetizers for a celebration or a facet dish for a household dinner. Along with air frying, it has various different cooking modes together with toast, broil, bake, pizza, dehydrate, gradual prepare dinner and proof. Regardless of the “good” moniker, this mannequin doesn’t have app connectivity – however you may get that function for those who improve to the Joule. That’ll will let you get push notifications when your meals’s prepared, and the companion app additionally has guided recipes which you’ll be able to observe together with. Unsurprisingly, like most Breville devices, each the Joule and the usual Good Oven Air Fryer Professional are fairly costly, coming in at $500 and $400, respectively. However for those who’re wanting so as to add the flexibility of a multi-use machine to your kitchen, Breville has you coated.
- Can prepare dinner a complete 14-pound turkey
- Versatile with 13 cooking modes
Ninja
Capability: 5.5-quart | Sort: Pod-shaped | Cooking features: Air fry, air roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate | Weight: 11.7 lb | Energy consumption: 1750W | Depth: 11” | Top: 14.75” | Width: 14”
Ninja’s 5.5-quart Air Fryer XL may very well be thought of a good different price range choice contemplating it’s ceaselessly on sale for between $90 and $110. Whereas that’s nonetheless not less than $30 greater than our most important price range choose, Ninja’s machine greater than doubles the capability and provides a useful dehydrate preset for anybody that likes to make their very own fruit or veggie chips. Some will recognize the marginally raised buttons on Ninja’s air fryer for offering a bit extra tactile suggestions when adjusting cooking time and temperatures, and the truth that it’s tall quite than extensive, profiting from seemingly unused vertical house in between your counter and cupboards.
The most important difficulty for me with this Ninja air fryer was its pod form. Whereas fairly commonplace on this planet of air fryers, I discovered its round cooking basket to really feel rather more cramped than the rounded sq. basket of our Cosori high choose. Nonetheless, Ninja’s machine cooked uncooked and frozen meals effectively and is one other easy-to-use choice that solely requires a few button presses to get began.
- Tactile raised buttons
- Consists of dehydrate setting
- Makes use of vertical house in your countertop
- Barely cramped, round cooking basket
Shopping for information for air fryers
Convection ovens
You possibly can separate most of those machines into two forms of air fryers, and every has totally different professionals and cons. Convection ovens are normally ovens with air fryer features and options. They may have greater temperature settings to make sure that meals crisps and cooks extra like truly fried meals. Most convection ovens are bigger than devoted air fryers, defeating a number of the goal of these trying to shrink cooking equipment floor space. Nonetheless, they’re typically extra versatile with a number of cooking features, and most have finer controls for temperatures, timings and even fan pace.
It’s possible you’ll by no means want a built-in oven in case you have a good convection oven. They typically have the quantity to deal with roasts, total chickens or tray bakes, and easily prepare dinner extra, capacity-wise, making them extra versatile than the pod-shaped competitors.
The flip facet of that’s that you simply’ll want counter house within the kitchen to accommodate them. It additionally means you need to use conventional oven equipment, like baking trays or cake tins, that you simply may already personal.
Pod-shaped air fryers
Pod-shaped air fryers are what you think about while you assume “air fryer.” They appear to be a cool, space-age kitchen gadget, larger than a kettle however smaller than a toaster oven. Many use a drawer to carry elements whereas cooking, normally a mesh sheet or a extra strong, non-stick tray with holes to permit the new air to flow into. With a couple of exceptions, most require you to open the drawer whereas issues prepare dinner and flip or shake half-cooked gadgets to make sure the even distribution of warmth and airflow to all the things.
That’s one of some caveats. One of these air fryer usually does not have a window to see how issues are cooking (with just a few exceptions), so that you’ll have to carefully scrutinize issues as they prepare dinner, opening the machine to verify progress. Basket-style air fryers additionally usually use much less vitality – there’s much less house to warmth – and plenty of have elements that may be put immediately right into a dishwasher.
Among the bigger pod-shaped air fryers supply two separate compartments, which is particularly helpful for anybody planning to prepare dinner a complete meal with the equipment. You can prepare dinner a few tasty hen wings or tenders whereas concurrently rustling up sufficient frozen fries or veggies for everybody. Naturally, these choices take up more room, they usually’re normally heavy sufficient to cease you from storing them in cabinets or cabinets elsewhere.
As talked about earlier, you may need to purchase further issues to make these pod fryers work the way in which you need them to. Among the larger producers, like Philips and Ninja, supply handy additions, however you’ll must pay for them.
Air fryer professionals and cons
Past the strengths and weaknesses of particular person fashions, air fryers are fairly straightforward to make use of from the outset. Most fashions include a handy cooking time booklet overlaying many of the main meals you’ll be air frying, so even novices can grasp these machines.
One of many early promoting factors is the flexibility to prepare dinner fries, wings, frozen meals and different delights with much less fats than different strategies like deep frying, which will get meals the crispiest. As air fryers work by circulating heated air, the trays and cooking plates have holes that may additionally let oil and fats drain out of meats, which means much less fats and crisper meals while you lastly plate issues up. For many cooking conditions, you’ll seemingly have to frivolously spray meals with vegetable oil. In the event you don’t, there’s the prospect that issues will burn or char. The oil will maintain issues moist on the floor, and we advise refreshing issues with a splash of oil spray while you flip gadgets throughout cooking.
Most air fryers are straightforward to scrub – particularly compared to a shallow or deep fryer. We’ll get into cleansing steerage a bit later.
With a smaller house to warmth, air fryers are usually extra energy-efficient for cooking meals than bigger home equipment like ovens. And for those who don’t have an oven, air fryers are rather more inexpensive – particularly the pod choices.
There are, nevertheless, some drawbacks. Whereas air fryers are straightforward sufficient to make use of, they take time to grasp. You’ll regulate cooking occasions for even the only forms of meals – like hen nuggets, frozen French fries or brussels sprouts. In the event you’re the sort of individual that loves to search out inspiration from the web, in our expertise, you may just about throw their timings out of the window. There are quite a lot of air fryer choices, and elements like how briskly they warmth and the way effectively distributed that warmth is can – and can – have an effect on cooking.
There’s additionally an area limitation to air fryers. This isn’t a TARDIS – there’s merely much less house than most conventional ovens and plenty of deep fats fryers. When you’ve got an even bigger household, you’ll in all probability wish to go for a big capability air fryer – presumably one which has a number of cooking areas. You additionally may wish to take into account a special kitchen equipment, like a multicooker, sous vide or gradual cooker to fulfill your particular cooking wants.
You might also wrestle to prepare dinner many gadgets by as the warmth settings will prepare dinner the floor of dishes lengthy earlier than it’s cooked proper by. In the event you’re planning to prepare dinner an entire hen or a roast, please get a meat thermometer!
Finest air fryer equipment
Past official equipment from the producer, attempt to choose up silicone-tipped instruments. Tongs are excellent, as is a silicon spatula to softly loosen meals that may get caught on the edges of the air fryer. These silicone mats may also assist cease issues from sticking to the wire racks on some air fryers. They’ve holes to make sure the heated air remains to be capable of flow into across the meals.
Silicone trivets are additionally helpful for resting any cooked meals on when you kind out the remainder of the meal. And if you end up needing oil spray, however don’t really feel like repeatedly shopping for tiny bottles, you may decant your favourite vegetable oil right into a everlasting mister like this.
Methods to clear an air fryer
We’re conserving clear up easy right here. Sure, you possibly can use energy cleaners from the grocery retailer, they may injury the floor of your air fryer. Likewise, metallic scourers or brushes might strip away the non-stick coating. Keep in mind to unplug the machine and let it cool utterly.
Take away the trays, baskets and all the things else from inside. If the producer says the elements are dishwasher protected – and you’ve got a dishwasher – the job is just about executed.
In any other case, hand wash every half in a combination of heat water, with a splash of Daybreak or one other robust dish cleaning soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to tug away any crumbs, greasy deposits or bits of meals caught to any surfaces. Keep in mind to rinse all the things. In any other case, your subsequent batch of wings might have a gentle Daybreak aftertaste. Belief us.
Take a microfiber fabric and sort out the outer elements and handles that may additionally get a bit messy after repeated makes use of. That is particularly helpful for oven-style air fryers – use the fabric to wipe down the inside sides.
If Daybreak isn’t shifting oily stains, attempt mixing a small quantity of baking soda with sufficient water to make a paste, and apply that in order that it doesn’t seep into any electrical elements or the heating component. Go away it to work for a couple of seconds earlier than utilizing a humid fabric to tug any greasy spots away. Rinse out the fabric and wipe all the things down once more, and you have to be prepared for the subsequent time you might want to air fry.
Methods to discover air fryer recipes
Past fries, nuggets and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are a couple of methods to search out recipes for air-fried meals. First, we discovered that the air fryer instruction manuals typically have cooking guides and recipe recommendations so that you can check out in your new kitchen gadget. The nice factor with these is that they have been made in your air fryer mannequin, which means success ought to be all however assured. They’re typically a bit unimaginative, nevertheless.
Lots of the high recipe websites and portals don’t have any scarcity of air fryer recipes, and there’s no hurt in googling your favourite delicacies and including the phrases “air fryer” on the tip of the search string. We’ve picked up some dependable choices from Delish, which additionally has a useful air fryer time converter for altering oven and conventional fryer recipes. BBC Good Meals can also be value looking for some easy concepts, as is NYT Cooking, with the flexibility to immediately seek for air fryer recommendations. Apart from that, you too can seize loads of cookbooks out of your native bookshop with a number of recipes that you need to use in your favourite air fryer.
And in case you have a killer recipe or distinctive use in your air fryer, tell us within the feedback. What’s the air fryer equal of the Prompt Pot cheesecake? We’re able to attempt it.
How we check air fryers
We put every air fryer we check by its paces by cooking a wide range of meals in it together with uncooked proteins like fish and hen, uncooked greens like potatoes and cauliflower and frozen snacks like mozzarella sticks. We try to make use of every cooking technique that the machine has pre-programmed, and when doable, observe a few recipes in any offered recipe booklets that include the air fryer. We additionally clear the cooking basket and all different detachable elements as many occasions as doable, and can put these elements right into a dishwasher in the event that they declare to be dishwasher-safe. We additionally make observe of how loud the machine is when utilizing totally different cooking settings and the way heat the encircling space turns into.
