The 9 Best Air Fryers for Healthier Fried Food

Air fryers have become a popular kitchen tool among cooking fanatics and casual home chefs due to their functionality. They’re just so handy to have in your lineup of kitchen essentials. For one, they make crispy food that tastes delicious in a way that’s healthier than traditional frying. And though you may think of french fries or chicken wings, air fryers are way more versatile than that. As air fryer ovens gradually get more advanced, choosing the best one is becoming a little challenging. To be frank, it seems as though every kitchen gadget has an “air fry” feature these days.

So, to help you out, we’ve put together a roundup of products that claim to fry first and then have secondary features, instead of kitchen gadgets that also happen to have an air fry or crisp feature. The most obvious indication that an air fryer is primarily designed to perform as an air fryer is if it has a basket (or two). We also included a couple of options from different categories (pressure cookers, convection ovens) that have air fry features for those who don’t want to give up kitchen space to a dedicated air fryer. If you’re looking for an alternative to deep-frying, check out the best air fryers on the market below, and learn how an air fryer works and how you can pick the best one that matches your needs and lifestyle.

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Best Overall: Ninja Air Fryer Max XL

The Ninja Air Fryer Max XL is an air fryer first and everything else second. Ninja is a name you see on a lot of thoughtfully designed and high-value kitchen appliances, and its air fryer is no exception. This 5.5-quart capacity fryer is Ninja’s answer to the consumer demand for a bigger version of its 4-quart fryer. And yet, it’s not so big that it hoards all your counter space.

The digital control panel has multiple settings like roast, broil, and dehydrate. You can set the cooking temperature anywhere between 105 and 450 degrees, and it has a convenient built-in timer. Besides producing great food and having the heating power to reheat your fried chicken to perfection, it provides incredible value.

Best Runner-Up: Philips Digital Twin TurboStar Air Fryer XXL

The Ninja Max XL just edged out this Philips Digital Twin TurboStar XXL for a few reasons. First, we just couldn’t get behind the high price point, which from what we could tell was added simply because of the name brand. The two fryers pretty much match up toe to toe on features, capacity, and cooking performance. There are three features that Philips has that are nice but not really game-changers.

First is the dial temperature control. It does make setting the temperature slightly easier and makes for less wear and tear on the control panel caused by greasy fingers. The second is the Fat Removal technology. This is essentially a nonstick, fan-shaped mold at the bottom of the basket. It’s a moderately more attractive version of the Ninja’s perforated drain but performs the same function. Lastly, its Twin TurboStar technology is supposed to provide better air circulation, resulting in a more evenly browned product. However, we didn’t see any noticeable difference from the Ninja.

If you want a product that’s a little easier on the eyes and trust the name Philips more than the name Ninja, then this fryer’s for you. Just keep in mind you’ll be paying more for it.

Best Budget: Dash 6-Quart Deluxe Electric Air Fryer

This Dash air fryer is no-frills and to the point, with one job in mind: To air fry. It has a large, 6-quart basket, so you’d definitely be able to feed a crowd. The temperature dial makes it easy to set the heat level. It’s also easy to clean by hand while also dishwasher safe. This fryer will do its job and provide a delicious and consistent product every time.

Best Compact: Dash Compact Air Fryer

If you’re in a dorm with minimal space or need something more transportable for camping, then the Dash compact air fryer is perfect. It’s a no-frills, countertop-friendly device, featuring a straightforward and retro-styled design that consists of temperature and time dials with a slide-out 1.6-quart cooking basket.

Although it’s small, the Dash air fryer does exactly what you need an air fryer to do. Just bear in mind that, for the best results, you’ll generally be limited to frying about half a pound of food at one time, and some items might need to be turned during cooking.

Best Convection Oven With Air Fry Feature: Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer

Given that air fryers cook food using a process similar to that of a convection oven, it’s easy to see why some innovative makers like Cuisinart have decided to combine the two. The Cuisinart TOA-60 looks pretty much like a toaster oven at first glance, and that’s because it is. But along with baking, broiling, and toasting, this handy unit can also air fry your favorite foods — the thing can even fit a whole chicken inside.

It is a bit chunky compared to stand-alone air fryers. However, it’s still a good option where counter space is limited since it combines a lot of cooking functionality in a single appliance. If you love the brushed stainless look (we sure do) and just want a simple air fryer, there’s also the more compact Cuisinart AFR-25.

Best Pressure Cooker With Air Fry Feature: Instant Pot Duo Crisp 8-Quart 11-in-1 Air Fryer

If an air fryer isn’t on your list of must-have kitchen devices, then it’s likely that an Instant Pot is. Since their introduction, Instant Pots have been all the rage. They can do the job of practically any appliance in your kitchen, air frying being one of them. This is a great machine, and for everything it can do, it’s also affordable. Like we mentioned in the intro, this pressure cooker doesn’t get top billing in the air fryer category. Still, we’ll give it a nod for having that ability. Keep an eye out for our best pressure cookers article, where you’ll more than likely see it again.

Best Dual-Basket Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Two-Basket Air Fryer With DualZone Technology

Like the Ninja Max XL, this Ninja Foodi two-basket fryer is an excellent product. It missed out on the top spot for a couple of reasons. First, it’s not quite as affordable as the Ninja Max XL. Second, we felt that most people won’t really need two fry baskets. Although the overall capacity is 8 quarts, if you’re frying one thing that’s more than 4 quarts, then you have to split it up between the two baskets. This needlessly results in more parts having to be cleaned.

Yet the dual-zone cooking function is great if you’re a frying fanatic. It eliminates the need for back-to-back frying in most instances. It also provides a lot of versatility, as you’re able to cook different items simultaneously at different temps. If your game plan is to do a ton of frying, this Ninja air fryer is for you.

Other Air Fryers We Love

Gowise USA 7-Quart Air Fryer & Dehydrator

This air fryer from Gowise offers larger-capacity cooking with a compact design which makes it capable of living on your countertop without taking up too much space. We really liked the stackable racks that let you customize your frying sessions and make for easy cleaning. The pre-programmed cooking buttons are straightforward and the 100-recipe cookbooks that it comes with not only offer tons of great cooking ideas, but help you get acclimated to the machine quickly.

Hamilton Beach Air Fryer

Coming in at a slightly higher capacity than our compact pick at 3.7 quarts, this mighty-mini air fryer is a great tool for a bachelor pad or if you’re a less-frequent fryer. This model comes with six pre-programmed settings and is one of the more affordable air fryers on the market.

How To Choose the Best Air Fryer

How often you plan to use your air fryer

Many kitchen appliances we buy seem like a crucial purchase at the time but wind up in the basement only to be seen again a few times a year. If this seems like more of a novelty purchase for you, it may be best to get a more basic, affordable model. However, if air frying is now your way of life, it may benefit you to get a more top-of-the-line model with more cooking features. This will make it less likely that your air fryer will lose its luster over time.

What you plan on cooking

It goes without saying that an air fryer with more features gives you more cooking options. However, if you aren’t that much of a whiz in the kitchen, a more no-frills air fryer may be best. Suppose your plan is to enjoy a more authentic frozen mozzarella stick than your oven can provide. In that case, there’s no need to go in on an air fryer with tons of cooking options.

The cleanup factor

If you’ve tried to fry anything at home in a pot of oil, you know cleanup is a nightmare. The cleanliness factor is where air fryers really shine. Plus, it’s way safer than frying with oil, especially if you have a gas range. However, some air fryers can be more difficult to clean than others — specifically the convection oven and pressure cooker air fryers. With the convection oven air fryers, people complain about the bottom of the oven being hard to clean and it becoming caked in old grease. With pressure cookers, there are simply more moving parts, thus more to clean. If you hate cleanup, a simple basket fryer that is dishwasher safe may be the way to go.

More Things To Know About Air Fryers

Now that we’ve gone over some of the best air fryers you can buy, we’d like to debunk a few air fryer myths to give you a better understanding of air frying in general.

How it works

The first myth to debunk is that air frying is not really frying at all. Air fryers use high-powered convection ovens that rapidly circulate hot air so that the food you put in the basket becomes evenly browned. So a better term for the device could be a “browning oven.” But we all know that marketing teams have a much easier time promoting air fryers than browning ovens.

Health factor

Another myth about air fryers is that they give you a healthier alternative to fried foods since you’re not using oil. Although some air fryer recipes don’t call for oil, most do. Granted, it’s significantly less than dunking your food in a vat of scalding grease. Still, you’ll want a touch of oil to enhance flavor and crispiness. How healthy or unhealthy an air-fried dish is will come down to the food’s nutritional value. An air-fried basket of cauliflower is naturally going to be healthier than a basket of air-fried chicken wings.

Since you’re using less oil, there’ll be less absorption by the food; thus, less fat and calories are consumed. But oil is oil, and if you’re using any at all, you’ll eat the good with the bad. Another thing to keep in mind is that you’ll sometimes be using your air fryer to reheat previously fried then frozen foods. Your air fryer won’t magically turn your frozen mozzarella stick into a carrot stick.

Cook time

Finally, a common misconception that people have is that air fryers are as fast as conventional fryers. Although the condensed, high-heat cooking area makes the process faster than a regular oven, you’re not flash-frying a basket of fries in three to four minutes. It depends on what you’re frying, but some air fryer recipes call for up to 40 minutes of cooking time.

Why Are Air Fryers Popular?

Air Fryers are great for people who prefer less oily foods but one of their best uses is for reheating food. If you’re someone that meal preps or loves to make a meal out of leftovers an air fryer is perfect for you. You can reheat just about anything without losing its flavor. It’s one of the best methods to reheat a rotisserie chicken without drying up its juice.

Another trend that is taking the food world by storm and is contributing to the rise in sales of air fryers is the keto diet. This carb-averse diet, which promotes maximum meat and fat consumption, has people lining up for a device that can bring more cooking variety to the kitchen.

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