The Best Air Fryers On Amazon, Tested by Kitchen Experts
These air fryers are the best for cooking up crispy wings and fries quickly.
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As soon as people hear that I test kitchen appliances for a living, they tend to ask me one of two questions: "What's the coolest thing you've tested?" and "Should I buy an air fryer?" I usually have to take a second to think about the first question, but I can always confidently respond to the second one with "Yes, you should buy an air fryer."
Air fryers are small countertop appliances that cook food quickly with little to no oil. Some people compare them to convection ovens, but their design is different. Air fryers have heating elements on the top combined with a large fan, meanwhile convection ovens have fans built into ovens and don't typically get as hot or work as quickly. What makes air fryers so convenient is that they're ideal for quick meals and heating up leftovers, plus they require minimal cleanup.
Our top picks:
- Best Overall: Ninja AF161 Max XL Air Fryer
- Best Value: Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer
- Best Glass: Ninja Crispi Air Fryer
I've been testing air fryers since they came out more than 10 years ago, and they've come a long way in terms of power and design. In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab, my team and I have tested more than 60 over the years for performance and ease of use. Here are the top-performing models from our tests that you can buy on Amazon.
Best Deal
Pros
- Cooks quickly
- Straightforward control panel
- Max Crisp setting adds final, crispy touches
Cons
- Some people may prefer an air fryer with a square, air-frying basket
There are a lot of Ninja air fryers to choose from on Amazon, but the 5.5-quart Ninja Max XL has been our top-performing air fryer for the past six years or so.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: It cooks food quickly, providing a nice crispiness without drying it out. What makes it unique is the Max Crisp setting that's great for putting the final, crispy touches on food. The small, round air frying basket is coated in a ceramic nonstick material, and size-wise, it doesn't take up too much room in the dishwasher. The control panel is straightforward and easy to use too.
Ninja recently released new air fryers with square baskets that I'm eager to get my hands on. Some members on my team prefer the square shape because they allow you to fit more ingredients in a single layer, which promotes better browning and more even cooking. I, however, don't mind the smaller, round basket because I tend to cook in smaller batches and find it easier to handle.
Pros
- Often goes on sale on Amazon
- Large, square basket
- Easy-to-read control panel
Cons
- I personally find the large basket bulky to handle and clean
This Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer often goes on sale on Amazon for under $100. With a 6-quart capacity and a large, square basket, it's perfect for busy families. The sleek design it equipped with a glossy touchscreen control panel on the top of the air fryer, which gives it a high-end look—it only lights up only when it's in use and features large, clear fonts. The countdown timer is one of my favorite features because you can monitor it from a distance. Unlike others we tested, the air fryer also shows the fan speed.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: This air fryer cooked quickly and made crispy, juicy wings and evenly browned frozen fries in our tests. One consumer tester used hers daily for more than a year and it continued to perform consistently. However, I personally find the large basket bulky to handle and clean.
Pros
- Comes with two glass containers that you can also use for storage
- Easy to clean
- 4-cup container and heating element is portable for hot meals on the go
Cons
- Can be hard to attach smaller container to air fryer at first
Glass air fryers are the latest innovation in the air fryer world, but they didn't really pique our interest in the Good Housekeeping Institute until we tried this Crispi from Ninja. Other appliances felt big, bulky, and a little unsafe since the large glass container gets so hot, but this one comes with two glass containers in different sizes that are each equipped with plastic handles and lids for storage. The six-cup size is smaller than other average-sized air fryers. The four-cup container is designed be portable, great for packing lunch—you can even take the compact heating element along and cook your meal at the office if you'd like.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: The air fryer works quickly and efficiently, and the glass design allows you to see inside while it's cooking. Not only is it easy to clean, but the glass container lasts longer than standard metal options with a nonstick coating that can chip or build up a greasy residue over time. The only thing to note is that attaching the smaller container to the air fryer can be tricky until you get the hang of it.
Pros
- Small and compact
- Sleek design
- Comes in five stylish colors
Cons
- Can be tricky to program the time and temperature
This little air fryer is my go-to in the office. While I know it's not common for people to air fry at work, the small size makes it perfect for cooking or reheating one to two portions.
The design is undeniably cute, and unlike most air fryers, it comes in five stylish muted shades like seaglass and plum, making it perfect for small kitchens where you might have to leave appliances out on the counter. That said, it's lightweight and easy to move around if you want to store it away in a cabinet.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: It's not as powerful as some of the others I've tested, but it makes food crispy, plus it's nice and quiet. The touchscreen is sleek, but can be a little tricky to program since the time and temperature functions share one button. Inside, the basket's light-grey ceramic coating wipes clean.
Pros
- Can air fry, toast, bake, and more
- Air fries quickly and well
- Large air fryer basket
Cons
- Air fryer basket is not dishwasher-safe
If you want an excellent air fryer that can also toast and bake, the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is the one I recommend the most. It made the crispiest wings and frozen fries in our tests in the shortest amount of time. The results were comparable to those of standalone air fryers, which my team and I have determined are more efficient than most air fryer toaster ovens that aren't necessarily built to air fry.
This one from Cuisinart has four heating elements on the top combined with a large fan that allows it to get very hot quickly. It also has a large air fryer basket that sit atop a tray to promote air circulation and catch grease without falling on the bottom heating elements. The basket, unfortunately, is not dishwasher safe.
How we test the best air fryers on Amazon
We've been testing air fryers in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab since they hit the market, and we're constantly trying out the latest ones. Over the past few years, we've tested more than 60 air fryers and air fryer toaster ovens.
Every time we test products, we test them for performance and ease of use—and we always keep the consumer and how they would use them front and center. For this story, we focused on top-performing models from our tests that are readily available on Amazon.
We start by air frying wings to see how powerful the air fryer is and how quickly it cooks. The best air fryers make wings crispy without drying them out.
We also air fry frozen fries to test for timing and evenness of cooking.
Over the years, we also started air frying frozen mozzarrella sticks and grilled cheese to see if the air fryer can handle more delicate tasks. Sometimes mozzarella sticks can explode or toast can blow around if the air fryer is too strong.
While we're cooking, we assess how intuitive the control panel is to use and how easy the air fryer is to clean.
When we're done with our Lab tests, we continue using the air fryers in our daily lives and even send them home with testers to get feedback on how they perform over time.
Our list of top-tested air fryers reflect how they performed in the Lab, during consumer testing, and throughout long-term testing.
What to look for when shopping for the best air fryer
✔️ Type: Most air fryers have baskets that pull out so you can easily access your food, shake it mid-cook, and pop it in the dishwasher. Some are built into toaster ovens that can also toast and bake. Each have pros and cons (see below).
✔️ Size: Most basket-style air fryers have a capacity around 5 to 6 quarts, which refers to the capacity of the basket. This size is best for households that cook for about four people at a time. There are some larger air fryers out there, but they're big, bulky, and haven't always been the most design-forward. Smaller air fryers seem to be becoming more popular overall.
✔️ Material: Most air fryers have nonstick baskets that are made with either a traditional nonstick coating or a ceramic one. New glass models are coming to the market, which allow you to see your food while it's cooking and are easier to clean.
What's the difference between an air fryer and an air fryer toaster oven?
An air fryer is typically a standalone product with heating elements on the top of the unit that are paired with a large fan. The two components work together to quickly heat and circulate hot air inside the fryer's small cavity to make food extra crispy. Most have baskets that you can shake mid-cook, while others have shelves like an oven. Many have multiple functions listed on their control panel that typically adjust the temperature and fan speed of the unit.
✔️ Pros: Air fryers are best for cooking proteins and veggies quickly with little oil, crisping up frozen foods, and reheating leftovers.
✔️ Cons: They're not always the prettiest (but have gotten nicer looking over the years!) and can be bulky.
An air fryer toaster oven is a toaster oven with a built-in air fryer capability. It can also toast and bake. (Note: Some air fryers claim they can bake but they don't usually have heating elements on the bottom like toaster ovens do.)
✔️ Pros: Air fryer toaster ovens are best for the occasional air frying, toasting bread, and cooking or baking.
✔️ Cons: They're not always the best at air frying.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen & Cooking Lab where she oversees all testing and content related to kitchen products. She's been testing air fryers for more than 10 years and uses both an air fryer and air fryer toaster oven regularly.
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