Life
This $50 Air Fryer Is A Cinch To Clean — & It's The Kitchen Upgrade You Deserve
For crisp food without the need for oil, home cooks turn to an air fryer. Similar to how a countertop convection oven works, the best-rated air fryers circulate hot air in a tight space to evenly and quickly cook food. But an air fryer can cook so much more than fries, and no matter your budget or space, there’s an air fryer for you.
The first thing to consider is the capacity to determine if it works for your home. Capacity ranges from about 1.5 quarts for a compact air fryer great for individuals to about 6 quarts for a large air fryer that can feed up to five people. Your air fryer's size and weight can also impact your storing ease and capability; so keep this in mind.
Then ask yourself how important speed is to you. Some models require preheating while others heat more quickly for faster, more immediate cooking. Air fryers with higher wattage heat more quickly and maintain temperatures more consistently; they also tend to be more energy efficient. While all air fryers require periodic during the cooking process, one pick below features a "shake reminder."
Look for an air fryer with a crisper drawer and accessories that are dishwasher safe for easy and quick cleaning. Some models may include extra features like automatic shutoff, a warming function, and removable handles that remain cool. These extra features also encompass recipe booklets or apps, preset buttons for cooking specific foods, fingerprint resistant surfaces, and non-slip feet for stability; but these are largely up to your preferences and lifestyle needs.
Now it's time to the shop for the best rated air fryer.
1The Overall Best
Reviewers love the top quality and performance of this highly-rated air fryer with its 2.75-quart capacity that serves up to four people. With TurboStar technology, this Philips air fryer heats almost instantly and submits food to constant, circulating heat for even browning without needing to toss or turn food, resulting in food that's crispy outside and tender inside.
The easy-to-use digital interface and "quick control" dial have five presets for popular dishes and the keep-warm function keeps food warm for up to 30 minutes. With 1725 watts, the appliance can reach up to 400 degrees to fry, grill, roast, or bake. Cleaning is easy with a dishwasher-safe, nonstick drawer and food basket. Plus the air fryer recipe app for this brand provides more than 200 recipes.
- Size: 14.4 by 10.5 by 11.3 inches; 15 pounds
Fans say: “We tried other brands and now that we have this one we know the difference! This is truly the best brand on the market today. It cooks so even and much quicker than the cheaper ($40-$100) ones. We have found many healthy freezer items that cook much better in this air fryer. Even found some healthy egg rolls from Whole Foods that are wonderful in the air fryer and of course they are not greasy because they are cooked in the air fryer. We recommend this one!”
2The Best Overall Air Fryer Under $100
The Elite air fryer has a capacity of 3.5 quarts but can be expanded to 4.75 quarts if used without the basket; both the basket and pan are nonstick and dishwasher-safe. Thanks to the 1,400 watts this fryer has, it heats quickly, but since it's lower wattage than #1 so it will probably take longer. up to 400 degrees and features a 60-minute timer. The easy-to-read digital interface has six presets: bake, meat, fish, cheese, veggies, and fries. You can set your appliance to grill and roast settings using the digital touch screen, too. For low-maintenance cooking, there's an automatic shutoff feature, and a full-color recipe booklet with more than 25 recipes.
- Size: 15.6 by 11.4 by 12.4 inches; 12 pounds
Fans say: “Oh my goodness! If I could give this product 10 stars I would. I just made a 5.5 pound whole chicken and after the chicken was done I made a medley of 6 vegetables...The chicken was so good, just like the rotisserie chicken you bring home from the grocery store...I had about 7 cups of raw vegetables. I added a tablespoon of fat to them then tossed in spices, wow. I wish I had bought this years ago.”
3The Best Small-Capacity Air Fryer
Want to try air frying on a smaller scale and budget? This compact air fryer with its easy-to-read temperature dial and nearly 2-quart capacity is great for one or two people who want to air fry or bake. Thanks to its 1,000 watts, reviewers say the appliance preheats in as little as 30 seconds up to 400 degrees.
The nonstick crisper basket is conveniently dishwasher-safe, and this little appliance is not without extra features: automatic shutoff with a 30-minute timer, non-slip feet for stability, a handle that remains cool to the touch, and a recipe guide book with more than 15 recipes. Choose from five color options including red, black, grey, white, and aqua.
- Size: 10.2 by 8.1 by 11.4 inches; 6 pounds
Fans say: “Love this little DASH air fryer. Household of 2 - so perfect size and the food comes out great. I've tried several items and cooking chicken breasts is my favorite so far. Fish is great too as well as tater-tots & fries. [...] Would like to say that the design is so cute on my kitchen cabinet and the food comes out nicely browned on the outside and not overcooked on the inside. Such a good purchasing decision for me :)”
4The Best Large-Capacity Air Fryer
The best large air fryer has a 5.8-quart capacity that can fit up to a 6-pound chicken to feed up to five people. The COSORI air fryer powers up to 1,700 watts and up to 400 degrees. Just note, this bigger machine does benefit from preheating, which takes no more than five minutes. Use the digital LED touch screen to choose from 11 presets: steak, poultry, seafood, shrimp, bacon, frozen foods, French fries, vegetables, root vegetables, bread, desserts, and preheat.
The dishwasher-safe food basket is nonstick and BPA-free. Plus, the sleek surface is fingerprint resistant to help it look cleaner longer, especially great if this appliance because a permanent fixture on your counter. This pick features a "shake reminder" function so you know when to toss food for more even cooking. There's also a warming function, and the air fryer comes with 100 recipes. Plus, it's highly rated after more than 3,000 reviews.
- Size: 11.8 by 12.6 by 11.7 inches; 16 pounds
Fans say: “I love, love, love this air fryer! I literally use it everyday. I researched several before taking the leap and purchasing this one and I’m so glad I did. Large square basket that feeds at least a family of 4. The preset buttons cook spot on. So far, I have tried the fried chicken from the recipe book and my family said it was delicious. Nice and crispy.”
5A Space-Saving Lid That Turns Your Pressure Cooker Into An Extra-Large Air Fryer
If you own a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot and want to try air frying without committing to another appliance, this pick is for you. This air-fryer lid attaches to a 6-quart or 8-quart stainless steel inner pot of an electric pressure cooker, allowing it to function as an air fryer. It has a digital interface and heats quickly up to 500 degrees.
The space-saving lid, which wipes clean with a cloth, comes with several dishwasher-safe, BPA-free accessories: a raised trivet, fryer basket, stainless steel tongs, heat-resistant silicone mat, recipe booklet, and a user guide. There's also a free app for recipes and videos. You can also peek on food as it cooks through the tempered glass lid.
- Size: 12.5 by 11.7 by 9.4 inches; 6 pounds
Fans say: “Dreams do come true! I had been comparing air fryers for a while, but couldn’t justify bringing another appliance into my 800 sq’ apartment. The Crisplid fits the bill and more! SO easy to store, use, and clean, I’ve used it on a number of vegetables [...] It fits perfectly on my 6qt instant pot, which as I mentioned, may be my favorite thing about it.”
6Also Nice To Have
Air fryers come with a bit of a learning curve, and this air fryer cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen helps you get great results from the start with recipes that take 45 minutes or less. The book includes 75 foolproof recipes with full nutritional information for every recipe. There are also tips for maintaining your air fryer and how to get the most out of it. Reviewers love the easy-to-follow recipes that are followed by plenty of photos.
Fans say: “Good recipes and you learn the techniques for best results with the air fryer. I [love], LOVE the fresh French fries made as this book describes! I enjoy several recipes here and it’s made my air fryer more versatile. Cookbook layout and photos very well done. I really like the 'why this recipe works' on every recipe.”
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