Best Air Fryers In 2024
What is an air fryer?
An air fryer functions as a cooking appliance that utilizes circulating hot air to crisp up food, providing a delightful crunchy texture. This method of frying is particularly effective in browning food and caramelizing sugars.
In essence, an air fryer can be visualized as a compact convection oven, tailor-made for cooking smaller food quantities. Its common applications include defrosting and browning desserts such as frozen French fries and KFC. This versatile fryer rapidly defrosts and achieves a golden-brown finish.
The appliance employs a fan to propel hot air over the food, creating the frying effect. The air itself is heated through a coil mechanism.
With the rising popularity of air fryers, attributed to their ability to cook with minimal oil for a healthier approach, they have become indispensable for thawing frozen food. Consequently, choosing the right air fryer from the extensive market options can be daunting. To simplify this decision-making process, we’ve compiled a list of the top 7 air fryers, showcasing those with the best combination of price and features.
Our Top Picks
~~~~BEST AIR FRYER OVERALL~~~~
Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon ($130)
~~~~BEST VALUE AIR FRYER~~~~
Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer at Amazon ($85)
~~~~BEST SPLURGE AIR FRYER ~~~~
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer at Amazon ($350)
~~~~BEST SMART AIR FRYER~~~~
Cosori VeSync Pro II Smart Air Fryer at Amazon (See Price)
~~~~BEST SMALL AIR FRYER~~~~
Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon ($75)
~~~~BEST LARGE CAPACITY AIR FRYER~~~~
Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon ($130)
~~~~BEST AIR FRYER TOASTER OVEN~~~~
Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven at Amazon ($250)
Best Air Fryer Overall: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer
Instant Brands has expanded its product line significantly, extending beyond the renowned rice cooker to become a major player in the kitchen appliance arena. Particularly noteworthy are its air fryers, which stand out as formidable contenders in terms of performance and accessibility. When it comes to accessible, high-performing tools at a reasonable price, Instant is rivaled only by Ninja. Currently, our top pick for the best air fryer is the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart.
This model perfectly balances an ideal (yet not overly large) capacity, featuring a wider square-shaped basket that comfortably accommodates fries and wings without overcrowding. With just the right number of presets, it offers a user-friendly experience without overwhelming the user. The air circulation and power delivered by this air fryer consistently produced excellent cooking results across a variety of foods, including challenging items like coconut shrimp and Brussels sprouts. Operating quietly in a bustling kitchen, its nonstick interior ensures effortless cleanup. Unsurprisingly, it stands as one of the best-rated air fryers, backed by the positive reviews of thousands of satisfied shoppers — our tests confirming its suitability for a wide range of kitchen needs.
Type: Basket-style | Capacity: 6 quarts | Dimensions: 12.4 x 14.9 x 12.8 inches | Presets: Air fry, broil, roast, dehydrate, bake, reheat.
Best Value Air Fryer: Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer
Offering a sleek appearance that seamlessly integrates into your countertop space, the 5-quart Cosori air fryer stands out as our top choice for a budget-friendly air fryer. What sets it apart is its outstanding performance, delivering impressive results at a lower cost compared to other models in the 4- to 6-quart range that we tested.
Surprisingly spacious for a 5-quart capacity, this air fryer boasts a roomy basket — a delightful surprise for any air fryer enthusiast. The inclusion of a pre-heat cycle enhances its efficiency in quickly crisping foods, with fries, wings, and shrimp all receiving commendable results. Its bright, user-friendly display adds to the overall convenience, and the appliance effortlessly cleans with no extra effort required.
One standout feature is the temperature and time adjustment, down to the minute, providing a level of precision that many other air fryers lack. The Cosori Pro not only exceeds expectations for its size but also proves to be an ideal fit for most households, punching above its weight in terms of performance and affordability.
Type: Basket-style | Capacity: 5 quarts | Dimensions: 10.71 x 10.83 x 11.9 inches | Presets: Chicken, seafood, French fries, frozen foods, steak, veggies, bacon, preheat, keep warm.
Best Splurge Air Fryer: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
For families seeking a comprehensive and versatile kitchen appliance that can seamlessly handle a multitude of functions while serving as a permanent fixture on the countertop, the Breville emerges as the top choice. Despite the brand’s reputation for premium kitchen tools, this smart oven stands out impressively in a competitive toaster oven category.
The Breville Smart Oven excels in tackling diverse tasks, effortlessly handling complicated convection needs like chicken wings or French fries, while also adeptly managing simpler tasks such as toasting. One notable feature is the inclusion of a viewing window, a convenience often absent in many basket-style air fryers. This allows users to monitor the cooking progress, turning an intelligent machine into a visual spectacle for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Proving that a kitchen workhorse can indeed be sleek, the Breville Smart Oven combines functionality and aesthetics, making it a standout choice for families committed to investing in a multi-use tool that elevates their cooking experience.
Type: Toaster oven-style | Capacity: 4.4 quarts | Dimensions: 18.5 x 15.75 x 11 inches | Presets: Toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, cookies, slow cook.
Best Smart Air Fryer: Cosori VeSync Pro II Smart Air Fryer
The upgraded Cosori 5.8-Quart Air Fryer introduces a smart app along with its original features, making it an enticing option for tech-savvy cooks and gadget enthusiasts. This air fryer not only showcases excellent results for various dishes, including fries and Brussels sprouts, but it also integrates seamlessly with Alexa or Google Assistant, allowing for convenient program control and monitoring.
With the capability to send cooking status notifications directly to your smartphone, you stay informed about the progress of your meal. The dishwasher-safe parts further enhance the user experience, ensuring easy cleanup. What sets this air fryer apart is not only its smart functions but also its stellar performance, surpassing similar competitors. The addition of smart capabilities enhances the overall appeal, making it a compelling choice for those who appreciate both advanced technology and exceptional cooking results.
Type: Basket-style | Capacity: 5.8 quarts | Dimensions: 11.8 x 13.8 x 12.6 inches | Presets: 150+ (sync from the app)
Best Small Air Fryer: Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer
The Ninja air fryer not only stands out as the best small air fryer but also outperformed larger counterparts with more presets in our comprehensive tests. This 4-quart marvel from Ninja delivered exceptional results across the board, showcasing near-perfect cooking outcomes for garlic, wings, shrimp, biscuits, and, of course, fries.
Its impeccable nonstick surface facilitates effortless cleanup, and the appliance operates quietly during use. The compact footprint ensures easy storage, making it a convenient addition to any kitchen. While the settings may be simpler than some advanced models, the Ninja air fryer excels in executing every classic air fryer function. It proves to be a versatile choice suitable for both beginners and advanced cooks, making it a particularly smart selection for solo cooks and apartment dwellers.
Type: Basket-style | Capacity: 4 quarts | Dimensions: 8.5 x 12.3 x 11 inches | Presets: Air fry, roast, reheat, dehydrate
Best Large Capacity Air Fryer: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer
The Instant Vortex 10-quart Air Fryer proved its excellence by delivering outstanding results in cooking fries, wings, and air-fried apples. Its user-friendly operation, facilitated by a clear display and comprehensive instructions, adds to its appeal. The removable trays and rotisserie insert not only make it easy to use but also simplify the cleaning process after every recipe tested.
While lacking smart features, this large air fryer compensates with a variety of presets and available accessories, rendering it a remarkably versatile tool in the kitchen. The substantial 10-quart capacity stands out as a significant asset, making it the ideal choice for households intending to cook for a crowd. The price, considering the multitude of features included, makes the Instant Vortex 10-quart Air Fryer a no-brainer as the best air fryer option for any family planning large-scale culinary endeavors.
Type: Oven-style with rotisserie | Capacity: 10 quarts | Dimensions: 13.23 x 13.23 x 14.3 inches | Presets: Air fry, broil, bake, roast, dehydrate, reheat, rotisserie
Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven
This expansive oven-style air fryer proves to be a versatile countertop oven with an array of additional functions. Its capabilities extend beyond air frying to include baking, broiling, and even dehydrating, courtesy of consistent air circulation and powerful heating elements. The generous size allows for accommodating a 12-inch homemade pizza, a rotisserie chicken, or a 9 x 13 snacking cake for baking.
The performance and features of this air fryer toaster oven leave little room for criticism, with flawless toasting among its many commendable attributes. While some cooks might find its size cumbersome, and it’s not easily portable or stored, the numerous presets, ample capacity, and the accompanying app elevate this appliance to one of the best multifunctional air fryers available.
Type: Oven-style | Capacity: 19 quarts | Dimensions: 16.5 x 13 x 14 inches | Presets: Air fry, bake, broil, toast, dehydrate, rotisserie, reheat, warm, convection
CLICK HERE TO BUY Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven
