When I fired up an air fryer for the very first time, I never anticipated how much a kitchen appliance could transform my cooking experience and how an inanimate object could steal my heart.
Over time, it became evident that my choice of equipment can significantly influence the outcome of a meal and my family's opinions of my cooking skills.
In the world of modern cooking, where health consciousness meets convenience, selecting the right air fryer is the key to achieving delicious, guilt-free meals.
From perfectly crispy fries to succulent chicken wings, different air fryers are designed to cater to specific culinary needs. To assist home chefs in making the most informed decisions for their family kitchens, I dove head first into the world of air fryers available on the market today.
Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting your culinary adventure, this guide will help you find the best air fryer to elevate your cooking game.
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My Top Air Fryer Choices
- Best Overall Family Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Air Fryer
- Best Dedicated Air Fryer: Cosori 5-Quart Air Fryer
- Best Dual Basket Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi Two-Basket Air Fryer
- Best Multicooker Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Smart Lid Multicooker
- Best Budget Air Fryer: Gourmia 7-Quart Air Fyer
- Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Instant Omni Plus Toaster Oven
Types of Air Fryer
Before I became an air fryer addict, I was oblivious to the variety of styles available. Each type has the potential to make or break your culinary reputation, depending on the size of the thinking cap you don when you decide to join the air fryer revolution.
Here are the different types of air fryers I've tested while cooking for my tribe and writing for Also the Crumbs, Please:
1. Dedicated Air Fryer
A dedicated air fryer only air fries. It doesn't try to be something it isn't, and as a result, a quality air fryer usually does the job better than other multifunctional appliances.
2. Digital Air Fryer
Digital air fryers have touchscreen control panels, LCDs, and CPU-controlled cooking functions for air fryers, baking, roasting, and a whole host of other options.
3. Dual Basket Air Fryer
This appliance has two air fryer baskets so that you can cook different foods simultaneously. The really nice ones of synching and time matching so all your food will be ready for when your family sits down to eat.
4. Air Fryer Multicooker
The creme-de-la-creme of air fryers. The multicooker can also slow cook, steam, saute, and other wizardry that leaves you looking like a less sweary Gordon Ramsay.
5. Toaster Oven-Style Air Fryer
Toaster oven-style air fryers work like a regular toaster oven but with added convection power to turn them into kitchen powerhouses. They're not for people with limited counter space.
Testing The Best Air Fryers
To be considered the "best" air fryer in any of my categories, the appliance needs more than just a good air fryer; even a great air fryer won't cut the mustard.
Only the best will do.So, I've tested air fryer performance, capacity, ease of use, cleaning, and durability and sought the opinions of hundreds of other air fryer enthusiasts.
6 Best Air Fryers in 2023
1. Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Smartlid Multicooker: Best Overall Air Fyer
SPECIFICATIONS | Brand: Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Type: Multicooker Unique Feature: Steam Air Fry Cooking Functions: 11 Display Type: LCD & Analog |
TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
REASONS TO BUY | + A-Star Performance + Massive Capacity + Amazing Air Flow + A Breeze to Use + More than an Air Fryer + Effortless Cleaning + Impressive Customer Service |
REASONS TO AVOID | - Very Expensive - Mine Broke - Redundant Cooking Functions |
The Ninja Foodi Smartlid multicooker is my choice for the best air fryer you can buy because it outperforms all other contenders without taking up too much countertop space.
I'm not going to cover the additional functions in this segment because this appliance (which is still my go-to air fryer after all this time) is also my pick for the best multicooker.
I've used this appliance so extensively that I can confidently say that the air fryer function alone is enough to crown it the king (or queen) of the kitchen.
Overall Impressions
I can't speak highly enough of this air fryer. If I fused the wordsmithery or Shakespeare, the genius of Professor Hawking, and the eloquence of Keats, I still don't think I could adequately portray my love for this air fryer.
Long story short, the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 smart oven air fryer has made my complex life easier. It reduces kitchen-related stress on a daily basis and ensures my massive family continually has delicious yet healthy meals without me going any balder than I'm already going.
Performance
Superlatives aside, I've tested this Ninja Foodi large air fryer on every food group imaginable, and I'm yet to pose a challenge that it could not meet.
It delivers perfect chicken wings, frozen french fries, joints of beef, apple pie, bacon & sausages every time. You name it, the Ninja air fryer can cook it.
If you read my original review, you'll know that my first unit malfunctioned after two months and sadly passed on to the great kitchen in the sky. The amazing Ninja customer service team had a new air fryer in my house within two days.
I can happily report no further performance issues despite using the air fryer (or other functions) at least twice a day for almost a year.
Favorite Feature
Ninja's design team did a first-rate job with the cavernous capacity and superior air flow for evenly cooked food.
They even invoked the dark arts to create a "steam air fry" function that lets you cook seriously crispy yet tender food using evaporated water. Yeah, I don't get it either, but it works!
Verdict
Perfect for massive families, replacing out-of-date cookers and ranges, or for anyone who loves air frying, this Ninja Smart Oven air fryer outperforms most air fryers. Still, it does it on a vast scale without taking up too much space.
Buy it. Buy it now!
2. Cosori 5-Quart Air Fryer: Best Dedicated Air Fryer
SPECIFICATIONS | Brand: COSORI Air Fryer Type: Dedicated Air Fryer Unique Feature: Angled Tempered Glass Touchscreen No. Cooking Functions: 9 Display Type: LCD |
TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
REASONS TO BUY | + It’s so much fun to use + Affordable quality + Excellent performance (after a steep learning curve) + Stunning appearance + Super Quiet + Straightforward usability |
REASONS TO AVOID | – Fingerprint magnet – Requires trial & error to find the right settings – Short power cord |
Once I realized I'd neglected all other air fryers as a result of my love affair with the Ninja Foodi multicooker, the Cosori 5-quart compact air fryer was one of the basket-style air fryers that I tested.
It took me a while to remove my rose-tinted glasses, and I was critical of the learning curve accompanying this appliance.
Still, once I got to grips with it, this Cosori air fryer was a joy to use and has a premium quality that betrays its affordable price point.
Overall Impressions
The lasting impression the Cosori 5-quart air fryer made on me was one of futuristic innovation combined with simplistic engineering.
Cosori somehow managed to create an appliance that looks like it belongs on the bridge of The Enterprise but is still incredibly simple to use.
Performance
I was initially frustrated with how my food turned out when I started cooking with this Cosori air fryer.
As a card-carrying member of the Burnt Food Lovers Club, I found every food setting left my wings, sausages, roasted veg, and sweet treats slightly under-done for my tastes (though they were cooked properly).
However, my frustration dissipated once I'd found the correct times and temps to ensure my food was how I liked it. The more I used this air fryer, the more I fell in love with it and realized it has the upper hand on most air fryers.
Favorite Features
While the air fryer's performance was excellent once I'd perfected the settings, the user interface stole the show and won my heart.
The tempered glass touchscreen looks stunning and has the technical ability to match. The intuitive layout made using the settings, functions, and features super simple, and the responsivity of the controls makes for effortless air frying.
Verdict
If you're looking at basket-style air fryers to use alongside your traditional oven, or you're a lone wolf who doesn't need a massive cooking capacity, this air fryer could be for you.
It wouldn't look out of place in any contemporary kitchen and is an absolute blast to use.
3. Ninja Foodi Two-Basket Air Fryer: Best Dual Basket Air Fryer
SPECIFICATIONS | Brand: Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Type: Two-Basket Air Fryer Unique Feature: Sync & Match No. Cooking Functions: 6 Display Type: LCD & Analog |
TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
REASONS TO BUY | + Cook different foods simultaneously + No cross contamination + Straightforward to clean + Efficient meal prep + Eliminates complex cooking math |
REASONS TO AVOID | – Takes up a lot of counter space – Sub-optimal air flow – Can’t accommodate large food items |
One of the main drawbacks of regular air fryers is you can typically only cook one food at a time (unless you're not bothered by cross-contamination).
So, the dawn of the 2-basket air fryer allowed people to cook multiple foods simultaneously without needing additional accessories.
The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer is my favorite of the bunch because a) I'm a Ninja fanboy, and b) it has the fewest drawbacks out of all the two-basket air fryers on the market.
Overall Impressions
This stylish yet admittedly massive air fryer has done the best job of mastering the two-basket air fryer genre with high-quality engineering that's synonymous with the Ninja brand and valuable features.
While not without its limitations, you won't find a better two-basket air fryer on the market.
Performance
The performance of the Ninja Foodi pales compared to the other air fryers in this blog, but it still puts up a good fight.
All two-basket air fryers struggle with the same issue, airflow, which results in unevenly cooked food or a necessity for shaking the basket more often.
The small drawers of this kind of air fryer mean you can't use large crisper baskets, and airflow suffers as a result. But if you need a two-basket air fryer, this one will serve you the best.
Favorite Features
I'm not great at math, and I can get overwhelmed trying to figure out when to start cooking what food to ensure the whole meal is ready at the same time.
The Sync and Match features take care of all that, so each draw finishes cooking at the same time, regardless of different cooking times and temperatures.
Verdict
You can't go wrong with the Ninja Foodi 2-basket air fryer if you have plenty of spare kitchen space and don't mind giving your food an extra shake or two mid-cycle.
The boffins at Ninja have done their very best to mitigate the intrinsic problems of 2-basket air fryers, the result of which is an excellent kitchen accomplice to help you get hot meals on the table at the right time.
4. Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Smart Lid Multicooker: Best Air Fryer Multicooker
SPECIFICATIONS | Brand: Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Type: Two-Basket Air Fryer Unique Feature: Sync & Match No. Cooking Functions: 6 Display Type: LCD & Analog |
TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
REASONS TO BUY | + It’s a space saving marvel + Magnificent performance across all functions + Cavernous frying basket & cooking pan + The King (or Queen) of one pot meals + Easy to clean + Steam-air frying witchcraft + Keep warm & Buffett function |
REASONS TO AVOID | – Relatively expensive – Short power cord |
Earlier in the blog, I named my beloved 11-in-1 Foodi as the best air fryer for 2023, and without hesitation, I now choose it as the best air fryer multicooker on the market.
I don't need to go into great detail about its air-frying capabilities any further, so I'll use this section to gush about its other features that have impressed me greatly.
Overall Impressions
I can not over-emphasize how good the accompanying features of this air fryer are. The slow cook, pressure cook, steam air fry, and keep warm/buffet features have made all my other kitchen appliances obsolete.
We still have an oven in our house, but we rarely use it, and we've got rid of everything else because we don't need it.
The 11-in-1 Foodi air fryer multicooker is a beefy unit, but in the grand scheme of things, it saves so much space by being god-like at everything it tries its hand at.
Performance
There's very little this air fryer multicooker can't do at the highest level. I constantly use it for one-pot cooking lasagnas, five-bean and chorizo stew, pasta bakes, chicken thighs and potato pies, and halloumi and broccoli curry.
Then there's the steam air fryer that, even after a year of use, still baffles me how it can cook crispy food with hot water. The pressure cooker makes light work of whole roast chicken and large portions of mashed potatoes.
Favorite Features
With the exception of the Dehydrate and the Yogurt features, which I've never used (has anyone?) I love every single function on this Ninja appliance and use them all regularly.
Verdict
While it's tempting to say this sizeable multifunctional air fryer is mainly suited to large families, the Ninja Foodi multicooker could be helpful for everyone.
The main stumbling block is the relatively hefty price point; however, if you can save up for the sizable outlay, this appliance will probably pay for itself in less than a year.
5. Gourmia 7-Quart Air Fyer: Best Budget Air Fryer
SPECIFICATIONS | Brand: Gourmia Air Fryer Type: Digital Air Fryer Unique Feature: N/A No. Cooking Functions: 11 Display Type: LCD & Analog |
TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
REASONS TO BUY | + Outstanding performance + Super-cheap price point + Rapid cooking + Additional rack improves capacity + Straightforward to clean + Easy to use |
REASONS TO AVOID | – Everything feels stiff – Unresponsive touchscreen – Short power cord |
The old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" needs "or the first few chapters either" applying to it when talking about the Gourmia 7-quart air fryer. Because my first impressions of this appliance weren't good, and that's being kind.
I hated it.
But after a little perseverance, this impressively affordable air fryer won me over with an outstanding performance that I did not see coming when I switched it on for the first time.
Overall Impressions
My initial impression of this Gourmia air fryer was so low that I thought its super-cheap price point was too expensive. The basket was too tight, the crisper plate was hard to insert, the power cord was too short, and the control panel was frustratingly unresponsive.
Gourmia turned my opinions on their head when I cooked with this paradoxical air fryer for the first time.
Performance
No small kitchen appliance has ever surprised me as much as the Gourmia 7-quart air fryer did.
I was expecting a performance to match the build quality: disappointing. However, each and every dish that came out of this air fryer was cooked to perfection—juicy, tender, crispy, and delicious.
The air fryer basket has impressive airflow, and the bonus rack almost doubled its already sizable capacity. It makes light work of chicken wings, bacon joints, potato croquettes, and frozen fries more easily than other basket-style air fryers.
Favorite Features
My favorite feature isn't a feature at all. In fact, my favorite thing about this air fryer is its ability to do the job it was built to do.
I can't overstate just how good this air fryer's ability to cook foods is, especially joints of meat, sausages, and anything else a caveperson might have roasted over an open fire.
Verdict
If you're in the market for a mid-sized dedicated air fryer that cooks food straightforwardly, without any bells and whistles, look no further.
However, for those who value substance over style and can overlook imperfections in pursuit of culinary excellence, the Gourmia 7-quart air fryer offers the means to prepare some of the juiciest, most delicious meats at a surprisingly reasonable price.
6. Instant Omni Plus Toaster Oven: Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven
SPECIFICATIONS | Brand: Instant Air Fryer Type: Toaster Oven Unique Feature: Rotisserie No. Cooking Functions: 10 Display Type: LCD & Analog |
TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
REASONS TO BUY | + Beautiful aesthetics + Enormous cooking capacity + Superb rotisserie + Multi-layer cooking + Gluttony of dishwasher safe accessories + More affordable than a full-size cooker |
REASONS TO AVOID | – Overly complex control panel – Frustrating amount of notification beeps – Oven door feels flimsy – Overwhelming plastic smell on first use |
I love futuristic-looking appliances, so I was instantly drawn to the Instant Omni Plus 10-in-1 air fryer toaster oven's sleek exterior and sci-fi control panel when I first ventured into the world of toaster ovens.
Though I was initially disappointed with how finicky and bafflingly complex the user interface was to operate (and utterly frustrated with the overuse of notification beeps), Instant quickly won me over via my love of pizza, chicken, and inappropriate amounts of toast.
Overall Impressions
The Instant Omni Plus has an expansive capacity and comes with a thoughtful collection of accessories that double the cooking space, allowing for the rapid cooking of multiple food groups simultaneously.
I love the look of the crisp and clean LCD and control panel. The controls are beautifully responsive (despite being difficult to use), and everything has a quality feel that gives you confidence in the longevity of this toaster oven.
Performance
Much like the Gourmia 7-quart compact air fryer, everything that annoyed me about the Omni Plus toaster oven melted away when I started cooking.
Even though this toaster oven has a mammoth 19-quart cooking capacity, this thing heats up faster than a Space X rocket attempting to leave the atmosphere.
Being able to cook a 12" pizza, toast six slices of bread, or a batch of french fries big enough to satiate your whole tribe is something you can only achieve with an appliance of this size.
And that the Instant Omni Plus does it so effortlessly is why I chose it as my favorite air fryer toaster oven.
Favorite Features
Roast chicken is a staple in my house. So being able to rotisserie cook a juicy bird in a toaster oven without needing a regular convection oven is a massive win.
Verdict
Despite the Instant Omni Plus having a counterintuitive control panel and notification beeps that could drive one to hair-pulling frustration, it stands out as a colossal toaster oven.
It's the logical choice for those seeking to replace their traditional cooker or range with a more energy-efficient alternative. Perfect as a complementary appliance for large families, this champion of air fryer toaster ovens matches a convection oven's capabilities.
Things to Think About Before Buying an Air Fryer
Before you embark on your air frying journey, it's essential to weigh several key factors to ensure that you make a well-informed decision.
Consider pod-shaped air fryers and larger air fryers. If they cook evenly or have customizable cooking programs, how well do they circulate hot air?
Here are six important considerations that will guide you toward selecting the perfect air fryer to meet your needs.
1. Budget
Your budget is one of the initial aspects to ponder when diving into the world of air fryers. These appliances come in a wide range of prices, so it's essential to determine your budget before starting your shopping expedition.
While there are air fryers to suit various budgets, remember that investing a bit more might provide additional features and better build quality.
2. Capacity
When it comes to capacity, think about the size of your household and your typical cooking needs.
A larger-capacity air fryer will be a lifesaver if you cook for a family or frequently host gatherings. Smaller models are ideal for individuals or couples. Assess your cooking habits to choose a suitable capacity.
Related: What Size Air Fryer Do I Need?
3. Multi-Function
Many air fryers offer more than just air frying capabilities. Some come with additional functions such as baking, roasting, and dehydrating.
If you're seeking a versatile kitchen appliance that can handle various cooking tasks, consider an air fryer with multiple functions. It can save you both time and counter space.
4. Size
Space is precious in the kitchen, so consider the physical dimensions of the air fryer. Measure your available counter space and select an air fryer that fits comfortably.
Compact models are great for smaller kitchens, while larger units with higher capacities might suit more extensive cooking needs.
Related: Where to Put Air Fryer in Kitchens
5. User-Friendliness
Look for models with intuitive controls, precise timers and temperature settings, and safety features like automatic shut-off.
For a hassle-free experience, opt for air fryers with removable, dishwasher-safe components, such as the basket and tray. This feature will make cleanup a breeze and save you time in the long run.
6. Cleaning
The cleaning process can significantly impact the performance of your air fryer.
Prioritize models with components that are easy to remove and dishwasher-safe, such as the basket and tray with a nonstick coating. This feature simplifies cleanup, reducing the time and effort needed to maintain the appliance.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Air Fryers
An air fryer heating element and a high-powered fan circulate hot air at breakneck speeds to cook food. It employs convection technology to create a crispy outer layer while cooking your favorite dishes with significantly less oil than traditional frying or in a conventional oven.
The versatility of most air fryer models is broader and more varied than you realize. You can cook everything from classic french fries and chicken tenders to veggies, desserts like muffins and chocolate chip cookies, and even frozen foods.
Yes, air frying is generally healthier than deep-frying because it uses only hot air and far less oil, reducing the overall fat content of your dishes while maintaining that satisfying crispiness.
Absolutely! Air fryers excel at reheating leftovers. They can bring back the crispy texture to foods that would otherwise turn soggy in a microwave.
Cleaning an air fryer is relatively easy. Remove the cooking basket (and rack, tray, or baking pan if you have them), wash them with warm, soapy water, and wipe down the interior with a damp cloth. Check out the easy-to-follow cleaning guide for an in-depth analysis.
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