We Tested 20 Air Fryers—12 Crisped the Competition

Best Overall

Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer

View On Amazon $56 View On Cosori.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.9/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  4.3/5

There are some awfully expensive air fryers out there, but the Cosori Pro LE proves that higher price doesn't always mean higher quality. A top performer in all our cooking tests, it boasts extremely easy controls, with precise temperature settings, a cool-touch basket handle, and even a customizable "shake reminder" to ensure you periodically give your food a little agitation to ensure even doneness. It has a really nice, compact, sleek, and—most importantly—safe design. Testing this machine was one of our testers' first time ever using an air fryer, and she had no trouble getting browned Brussels sprouts and crispy fries and wings, though we did note that it took a bit longer than the recipes specified for full doneness.

Many product listings for the Pro LE call it a "9-in-1" appliance, which is a bit of a misnomer: It has settings for seven different foods as well as pre-heat and keep warm, but its only function is air-frying. It doesn't offer dehydration, baking, toasting, or any of the other alternate cooking methods some models have. Still, it does an excellent job at air-frying, and its 5-quart basket had no trouble holding full batches of each recipe we tested. When it comes to cleaning, the basket and crisper plate that fits inside it—the only parts of the machine likely to get very dirty—are non-stick and dishwasher-safe.

Capacity: 5 quarts | Power: 1,500 watts | Dimensions: 10.7 x 10.8 x 11.9 inches

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer

View On Amazon $76 View On Wayfair $80 View On Walmart $80

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

This Ninja model performed beautifully in a range of cooking tests and really impressed us with its ease of use and cleaning. It had no trouble making deliciously crispy french fries, wings, and shrimp, with a basket and crisper plate that go right in the dishwasher after cooking. Its wings were probably the best in all of our testing, with crisp, golden-brown skin and a juicy, evenly cooked interior. The controls couldn't be simpler, and we definitely didn't need to consult the manual before getting started.

On top of its amazing air frying, the Ninja has reheat, roast, and dehydrate settings that extend its capabilities to things such as warming up leftover pizza to crispy-crust perfection, cooking pork tenderloin, and making apple chips. Our only real quibble is that its 4-quart basket is fairly small and shaped in a way that can't fit larger individual items very efficiently: In testing, we needed three batches to air-fry four servings of coconut shrimp.

In all, this Ninja and the Cosori Pro SE we named our top pick would both be a welcome addition to your kitchen. The Cosori won for its slightly larger capacity and lower price, but the Ninja has extra cooking modes that the Cosori doesn't. If you plan to use the machine for more than just air frying, the Ninja might well be worth the extra few bucks.

Capacity: 4 quarts | Power: 1,550 watts | Dimensions: 8.5 x 12.1 x 11 inches

Best Large-Capacity

Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer

View On Amazon $132 View On Wayfair $132 View On Walmart $171

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  4.8/5

We're big fans of the Instant Pot company for its popular line of electric pressure cookers, so our expectations for its air fryer were admittedly high. This multipurpose appliance nonetheless managed to exceed them. It combines the features of a standard air fryer with the functionality of a countertop oven, plus a rotating rotisserie.

As a standard air fryer, the Instant Vortex was able to cook very evenly despite its large capacity, doing a fantastic job with everything we threw at it. The controls are quite user-friendly, but we noted a minor flaw in that the machine uses a tray rather than a basket to hold food. This makes it tougher to shake items while cooking and requires a hot pad to remove afterward.

It takes a time or two to figure out how to set up this machine's included rotisserie basket and spit, but they also work quite impressively. We were able to roast a 4-pound whole chicken in 45 minutes and thought it was as good as those that are slow-roasted for an entire day. You can also use the rotating basket in air-frying mode, which tumbles wings or fries to help them brown evenly. (The basket isn't a good choice for more delicate items that will crumble if tossed around, however.)

Another big plus for the Instant Vortex is cleanup: Almost everything that contacts food is removable, nonstick-coated, and dishwasher-safe, including the drip tray that lines the bottom of the oven. If the door and interior get dirty, you can wipe them down with a sponge and dish soap. It does take up a bit of counterspace, but we think it's well worth it thanks to the variety of tasks it can accomplish.

Capacity: 10 quarts | Power: 1,500 watts | Dimensions: 13.2 x 13.2 x 14.4 inches

Best Budget

Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer

View On Amazon $77 View On Kohls.com $65

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  3/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

We did not expect to find good quality in an air fryer that costs well under $100, but the Chefman TurboFry impressed. Despite its few bells and whistles—it has buttons to set a timer and a temperature, and that's about all—it outperformed models that sell for several times the price in our cooking tests. This is a simple machine made to air fry and only to air fry, but you can use it to air fry anything to your heart's content.

Some items were a little short of browned and crisp at the end of the recipes' recommended times, and the doneness was a little uneven, but neither of those is a fatal flaw: The TurboFry just requires a little extra cooking time and more frequent shaking for best results. Thanks to the lack of custom settings, you trade a steeper learning curve for a lower price with this machine.

The basket is on the smaller side, but it's dishwasher-safe for simple cleanup. If you're a beginner, this couldn't be simpler to use, and if you're more experienced, it's well-built for daily use. A Chefman TurboFry could be a great choice for a dorm room, first apartment, lake house, or cabin.

Capacity: 3.7 quarts | Power: 1,000 watts | Dimensions: 9 x 13 x 11.5 inches

Best Small-Capacity

Dash Compact Air Fryer

View On Amazon $49 View On Wayfair $49 View On QVC $50

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  4.5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

At just 2 quarts, the capacity of the Dash Compact is the smallest we've found among air fryers. It's also the lowest-priced of all the models we tested, but everyone in the Lab was very impressed with the results. It might have taken four batches to cook 12 ounces of coconut shrimp, but they were browned and crisp outside, juicy and sweet within.

In terms of controls, there are analog dials for temperature and a timer, and that's it. With some practice, we were able to get excellent results. The key is to fill the basket to the roughly same level every time: When we cooked biscuit bites, the first batch, with a full basket, came out perfect, but the second one, with a smaller number of bites, was on the verge of burnt.

The Dash Compact is tiny and cheap, but it really does get the job done. It's not the air fryer for a large family, but it might be ideal for someone who lives alone, shares a tiny kitchen with roommates, or is whipping up snacks in a dorm room.

Capacity: 2 quarts | Power: 1,000 watts | Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 11.4 inches

Best With Toaster Oven

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer

View On Amazon $350 View On Williams-Sonoma $350 View On Best Buy $350

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  4/5

The Breville Smart Oven might be pricey, but it does a great job as a toaster, broiler, dehydrator, and pizza oven in addition to an air fryer. It offers a huge capacity: It can fit nine slices of bread, a 13-inch pizza, or nearly an entire bag of frozen french fries. (It helpfully comes with custom-sized pizza and baking pans along with its large air-fry basket and oven racks.) The controls are simple to use, with a light-up display and simple dial to control the time, as well as a large-type display that's easy to read, even from across the room.

With all these different functions (it has 11 presets), you might worry that this unit wouldn't do a great job with any of them, but our tests found quite the opposite. It can make a huge batch of crispy, golden fries and then turn around and bake cookies or broil veggies, fish, or even bananas without missing a beat. The glass door does get hot, so we recommend giving it a good amount of space and using a kitchen towel to open it when in use.

Not only were we impressed with this appliance's performance, but we also liked how easy it is to clean, too: A removable crumb tray collects any stray bits of food, and each of the oven pieces comes out for cleaning with a simple wipe-down. None of the pieces are dishwasher safe, but they are easy to hand-wash.

This thing may be one of the most expensive air fryer/toaster/countertop ovens out there, but it really can replace all three, which might make the price worth it. It's even available in seven different colors to match your kitchen decor.

Capacity: 4.4 quarts | Power: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 10.9 x 18.9 x 15.9 inches

Best With Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Pro Crisp & Air Fryer 8-Quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer

View On Amazon $171 View On Wayfair $171 View On Walmart $250

Our Ratings

• Performance
  4.5/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  4.5/5
• Value
  4/5

Fans of multifunctional kitchen appliances will want to check out this air fryer option from Instant Pot. It comes with two lids—one for air frying and one for pressure cooking—that enable the pot to function as both an air fryer and the classic pressure cooker the brand is known for. Instant Pot has so many different models that it’s hard to remember the differences, but this one stands out from the crowd thanks to its sleek black exterior, and its handy vent/pressure toggle.

The pot holds up to 8 quarts, which is enough room to air fry a whole chicken, and is equipped with 11 cooking functions that are sorted by which lid they require. The pressure-cooking lid can also sauté, slow-cook, steam, and sous-vide, and the air-fryer lid can also warm, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate. The pressure cooker performed well with pork ribs, steamed cauliflower, and sautéed potatoes in tests, while air-fried egg rolls and fries were also a success.

We also noted that the inner pot has some upgraded features compared to other Instant Pot models, including side handles and a flat bottom for even cooking. It can even be used on the stovetop or in a conventional oven. The unit comes with a number of accessories, including a multi-use cooking rack, nonstick air fryer basket, dehydrate/broil tray, a protective pad for the lids, and a storage cover. Most of them are dishwasher-safe, and they also fit inside the machine all at once for compact storage.

Capacity: 8 quarts | Power: 1,500 watts | Dimensions: 14.8 x 12.5 x 15.5 inches (with air-fryer lid)

Best Smart

Cosori VeSync Pro II Smart Air Fryer

View On Amazon View On Walmart $140 View On Home Depot $150

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Performance
  3.5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

The VeSync Pro II is an upgraded version of the Cosori Pro we previously tested, with one major difference: a highly functional app. This means you can control the settings, look up recipes, and monitor cooking all from your phone, including with voice control. There's even an open-basket warning if you forget to lock the basket back in after shaking. Design-wise, it's a sleek device that won't take up too much counter space, but the 5.8-quart capacity is big enough for large meals and then some.

Despite its 12 customizable presets—steak, chicken, shrimp, seafood, frozen foods, french fries, bacon, vegetables, toast, bake, preheat, and keep warm—we found the machine intuitive to use. It performed nearly as well as the Cosori Pro LE which was our No. 1 pick; it actually overcooked some items and probably could have gone for a minute or so shorter than the recipe called for.

The VeSync app is a neat feature that lets you customize the onboard settings and run specialized cooking programs right from your phone. The problem is, the app can't actually start the cooking process—you can use it to set all the options, but you still have to hit the physical start button on the machine. Overall, that's a minor annoyance, and the app has an always-growing library of recipes for inspiration even without its smart features. The perforated basket liner and outer basket have a nonstick coating that makes cleanup easy (and they're dishwasher-safe).

Capacity: 5.8 quarts | Power: 1,700 watts | Dimensions: 13.9 x 12.7 x 11.8 inches

Best Mid-Size

Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer

View On Amazon $180 View On Wayfair $180 View On Walmart $180

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  3.5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  3/5

Many air fryers have a rounder shape, but if you want to maximize on space for your food, you have to go square. The Cosori Dual Blaze Smart Air Fryer has a 6.8-quart capacity, which is ideal for cooking bigger batches without food overlapping. Dual Blaze gets its name from the two heating elements, one above and one below the food tray, that heat ingredients quickly and evenly. During testing, we noticed we didn't have to shake the basket or flip food items nearly as often as other models to ensure the food was evenly cooked.

One minor thing we didn't like was the larger holes in the food basket. There were a few times smaller ingredients fell through the gaps. The edges of the food basket are also a bit sharp, so be careful while you're cleaning. The Dual Blaze more than makes up for those minor downsides with other features, though, such as the intuitive one-touch presets. There are 12 in all, ranging from heating options such as roast and broil to more specific functions including seafood and veggies.

This model is ideal for families for a number of reasons. In addition to the large-capacity food tray, this smart air fryer has voice controls when connected to an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. If you've got kids running around demanding your attention, you can add a timer or set a certain temperature with just your voice. Want to cook up a frozen meal? If you scan the bar code on your phone, the Cosori app will pull up cooking instructions and ideal air fryer settings for optimal results.

Capacity: 6.8 quarts | Power: 1,900 watts | Dimensions: 11.7 x 12.9 x 13.8

Best Multifunctional

Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven

View On Amazon $250 View On Walmart $240 View On Home Depot $250

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

There are several air fryer models that have other capabilities, but very few offer as many cooking styles as the Instant Pot Omni Plus. It's an air fryer, toaster oven, rotisserie, dehydrator, roaster, and is even capable of baking desserts. Despite all the functionalities, the controls couldn't be simpler. In fact, we didn't even need to refer to the user manual once while using the dial to make cookies, toast, fries, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

The Omni Plus has a whopping 19-quart capacity, large enough to bake a 12-inch pizza or roast a whole chicken. Speaking of chicken, the Omni Plus has a rotisserie feature—spit included—so you can evenly cook a whole bird. Other accessories that come with the Omni Plus include a rotisserie lift, air-fry basket, oven rack, and enamel baking tray.

While it is on the bulkier side and will take up some precious counter space, we think it's worth it due to the many capabilities it has. No need to purchase multiple single-function appliances: The Omni Plus is a 10-in-1 powerhouse.

Capacity: 19 quarts | Power: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 13.9 inches

Best Glass

Fritaire Glass Bowl Air Fryer

View On Amazon $200 View On Home Depot $200 View On Macy's $200

Glass may not be the first material that comes to mind when you think of air fryers, but there is a lot to love about the Fritaire Glass Bowl Air Fryer. In addition to being eye-catching and gorgeous (available in multiple colors), you can see what's cooking inside, thanks to the crystal-clear food basket. When we tested the Fritaire, we were able to keep a close eye on cooking tater tots, gooey grilled cheese, and chicken wings. That said, the glass bowl doesn't hide much, so it will require regular cleaning.

In addition to the standard fryer tray, the Fritaire comes with a rotisserie rod and a rotating basket. Since the fryer is on the smaller side, it can't fit a whole chicken but works fine with breasts or thighs. The basket was ideal while cooking tater tots, but it made quite a mess when we tested saucy chicken wings, so maybe focus on dry ingredients instead.

This fancy fryer cooks food using a 1,500-watt halogen bulb and convection vortex airflow for even cooking on all sides. It reaches up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the glass gets quite hot, so be careful while operating. When it's time to clean up, the Fritaire has a self-cleaning function that steams out tough messes.

Capacity: 5 quarts | Power: 1,500 watts | Dimensions: 13.9 x 10.8 x 12.3 inches