We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Food and Kitchen Reviews Small Kitchen Appliance Reviews The 8 Best Air Fryers of 2024 for Crispy, Golden Brown Food, According to Testing We tested over 20 air fryers, and these stood out for their impressive results, useful features, and value for money. By Alida Nugent Alida Nugent Alida Nugent is a commerce writer with over 10 years of media experience, with six of those spent creating unique shopping content. She has also written 2 books. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 8, 2024 In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line Our Testing Process Other Air Fryers We Tested What to Know About Them Your Questions, Answered Who We Are What Is BHG Recommends? Better Homes & Gardens / Marcus Millan Plenty of trendy kitchen appliances out there do little more than take up the lion’s share of your countertop space despite being infrequently used in your day-to-day cooking. One trendy appliance, however, has proved to outlast the fad and become as ubiquitous as a toaster or a blender—the air fryer. The air fryer is here to stay and for good reason. They use less energy than ovens, provide similar results to a deep fryer without the oil, and work quickly and efficiently to produce fast, hot meals. And perhaps the most appealing feature of all: the best air fryers make frozen foods taste fresher and crispier than a traditional oven, providing both convenience and comfort to busy households. Kristy Still of Air Fryer Fanatics says, “An air fryer is a must for any home cook because it cooks so fast and so quickly." She also likes them for helping to teach kids the basics of cooking. As Still notes, the simplicity of the machine is another bonus, as many come with pre-set temperatures or guides to ensure consistent, reliable results. We tested over 20 models and selected the best air fryers that ranked highly when it came to ease of use and results. Some work for larger families, others are better for small kitchens, and some have unique features for the more experimental home chefs. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon ($130) Jump to Review Best Budget: Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer at Amazon ($68) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer at Amazon ($180) Jump to Review Best with Toaster Oven: Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven at Amazon ($250) Jump to Review Best Small: Dash Compact Air Fryer at Amazon ($49) Jump to Review Best Large: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon ($133) Jump to Review Best Features: Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer at Amazon ($100) Jump to Review Easiest To Clean: Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer at Amazon ($90) Jump to Review Best Overall Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $130 View On Target $80 View On Walmart $140 Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Performance 4.5/5 Design 4.5/5 Ease of Cleaning 5/5 Value 4/5 Why You Should Get It The spacious basket helps produce evenly cooked, golden brown food and can hold up to 4 pounds of chicken. Keep in Mind It doesn’t have any smart capabilities and only comes with a fryer basket. Whether you’re extremely efficient in the kitchen or use your oven for storage space, the Instant Vortex Plus is likely the best air fryer for you. It’s simple to set up and use, so it’ll be great for those with limited skills, but it’s ability to quickly bake a batch of golden brown biscuits makes it perfect for serious at-home cooks, too. We liked the simple interface, with a clear LCD display screen, pre-set buttons, and a dial to easily set both cooking time and oven temperature. It has a pre-heat option and a 6-quart fryer basket with a secure handle that’s easy to shake and doesn’t move around when cooking. For scale, it’s equipped to hold 2 pounds of French fries or 4 pounds of chicken—quantities that can easily feed a household of three or more people. With the Instant Vortex Plus, you’re able to air fry frozen food without defrosting it first, as well as bake, reheat leftovers, dehydrate, roast, and broil. We found that all of the food cooked in the Instant Vortex turned crispy and golden in less than fifteen minutes (some foods took as little as six minutes). With a non-stick, dishwasher-safe tray and a small overall footprint, this is a great option for someone who prioritizes easy clean-up or has limited counter space—and the stainless steel matches most kitchen appliances, too. While there aren’t any smart capabilities, there is a detailed chart that explains the best default settings for a variety of popular foods, and you can download the app to get tips and more. Product Details: Dimensions: 12.36 x 14.92 x 12.83 inches | Capacity: 6 quarts | Temperature Range: 95–400 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, dehydrate Better Homes & Gardens / Tamara Staples Better Homes & Gardens / Tamara Staples Best Budget Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $68 View On Home Depot $65 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 Why You Should Get It It’s a compact option ideal for a small household of two people or fewer who love to whip up quick meals. Keep in Mind This device isn’t the most consistent with cook times, so expect to monitor food for best results. This budget option might not be the best air fryer for those who want a large number of settings, but if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to prepare dinner, it’s a great option. You’ll find this most useful if you’re a small household (two people, max) and frequently make items like frozen fries, meats, and vegetables. There are some general positives when it comes to this option. It has a dishwasher-safe basket, features automatic shut-off, is simple to set up, and runs quietly. The biggest drawbacks are its limited capabilities—the only setting is air fry—and uneven cooking times and results during our testing. We noticed that the biscuits and coconut shrimp in the center of the air fryer turned out golden, while the food on the outer edges was paler, and took two to three minutes longer to cook to the ideal color. To avoid inconsistent results, we recommend working in smaller batches and checking the food’s progress often to ensure you don’t end up with charred or overdone results. Because it’s such an affordable appliance, this is probably a small inconvenience if you’re looking for an affordable option that will simplify weeknight meal prep. Product Details: Dimensions: 9 x 13 x 11.5 inches | Capacity: 3.7 quarts | Temperature Range: 200–400 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air fry Better Homes & Gardens / Tamara Staples Best Splurge Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $180 View On Target $144 View On Wayfair $180 Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Performance 3.5/5 Design 4.5/5 Ease of Cleaning 5/5 Value 3/5 Why You Should Get It An app that allows you to program the device remotely or by voice command makes this a tech-forward option. Keep in Mind All the special features drive up the price. Customization is what makes the Cosori Dual Blaze the best air fryer if you want to really send it. Not only are there programmed presets for chicken, steak, vegetables, frozen food, fries, and seafood, but you can also customize cooking functions to your preferred time and temperature. It also has smart features that, once paired with the app, allow you to monitor your food’s cooking progress, find recipes, start up the device while in another room, and utilize voice commands. Dual heating elements ensure even cooking, as there are heating coils on the top and the bottom of the air fryer which allow for appropriately distributed heat depending on the setting. For example, hitting the broil option will keep the highest heat on the top coil, while selecting the option to keep food warm produces consistently low heat in both coils. This customization really impressed us, and makes the air fryer stand out as a great option for more complicated meals. We noted a golden brown and crispy coating when making coconut shrimp and biscuits during testing, although the shrimp ended up crispier than the biscuit tops. The basket has a non-stick coating, is machine-washable, and fits up to 17 chicken wings without double-layering or overcrowding. It’s great for a family. Just bear in mind that the special features drive up the price, and you can get a similarly well-performing air fryer for less. Product Details: Dimensions: 11.7 x 12.9 x 13.8 inches | Capacity: 6.8 Quarts | Temperature Range: 176-400 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil, Reheat, Keep Warm Best with Toaster Oven Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven Amazon View On Amazon $250 View On Walmart $250 View On Lowe's $250 Our Ratings Features 5/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Performance 5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It If you’re looking to consolidate some of your appliances, this functions as both an air fryer and a toaster oven. Keep in Mind We noticed slight differences in coloration when we toasted six slices of bread at once. If you have limited counter space, an air fryer with the ability to toast is a versatile product to add to your kitchen—and it’ll save energy, too. This one from Instant Pot is our pick for the best air fryer with a toaster oven due to its large size and the generally even and crispy cooking results we achieved during testing. It fits up to six slices of bread and you can choose different settings to customize the doneness you prefer (it takes a little over five minutes to get the bread to medium-dark). We found that the bread turned out evenly browned for the most part, but the slices in the front had slight variations in color. As for the air fryer feature, it produced crispy French fries, evenly broiled cheese, and a batch of nine cookies (on the darker side, but not burnt). It’s unique for its ability to be used as a rotisserie and comes with an abundance of accessories, including a cooking pan/drip tray, stainless steel oven rack, air fryer basket, rotisserie spit, rotisserie forks, and a lift tool. It’s likely to be perfect for a large family or someone who has a small oven, as this will allow you to cook and bake enough to feed a number of people. Or it can help you consolidate appliances if you live in a small apartment or don’t cook a ton at home. Product Details: Dimensions: 16.53 x 15.74 x 13.89 inches | Capacity: 19 Quarts | Temperature Range: 170–450 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air fry, toast, broil, bake, warm, reheat, dehydrate, rotisserie, convection Better Homes & Gardens / Will Dickey Better Homes & Gardens / Will Dickey Best Small Dash Compact Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $49 View On Wayfair $45 View On Walmart $62 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 Why You Should Get It It stays cool to the touch on the outside, making it a safe option to have in homes with kids or curious pets. Keep in Mind It has a very small basket—if you’re cooking for more than one person, prepare to do so in batches. Air fryers can be chunky devices, but if you don’t have a ton of counter space you can still opt-in with this compact model. Don’t be fooled by the small size—the Dash Compact Air Fryer produced crispy, golden results quickly during testing. The air fryer is easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts and has an automatic shut-off for safety. We also like that it remains cool to the touch while in use, so it’s safe to shake the basket during cooking without the risk of burning yourself. Plus, this makes it a safe option to use in households with kids and pets. While its capabilities are limited to air frying, it should cook a range of proteins and frozen foods with ease. The size is perfect for one person, however, the 2-quart capacity means you’ll need to cook for larger groups in batches. While its simplistic design makes it easy to use, you can only customize time and temperature. Still, the small footprint of this Dash appliance makes it one of the best air fryers to keep in a cramped apartment kitchenette or even an RV. The brand includes a number of recipes and recommended cooking times to get you started on stretching those skills. Product Details: Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 11.4 inches | Capacity: 2 Quarts | Temperature Range: 170–400 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air fry Best Large Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $133 View On Target $100 View On Wayfair $133 Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Performance 4/5 Design 4.5/5 Ease of Cleaning 5/5 Value 4.8/5 Why You Should Get It Large enough to cook a meal for a family, the Instant Pot Vortex has excellent accessories, like a rotisserie spit. Keep in Mind It includes a tray instead of a frying basket, which can be awkward to maneuver. This air fryer from Instant Pot is perhaps most notable for its impressive 10-quart capacity, making it the best air fryer to use for families of three or more. It allows you to fit a few pounds of French Fries, a four-pound chicken, or even an 8-inch pizza inside. We were particularly impressed by its ability to produce fluffy, golden brown biscuits, caramelized apples, and crunchy shrimp. It also earned high praise for its pre-set customizable temperature options and clear, easy-to-read display screen. The appliance includes a non-stick drip pan and two perforated cooking trays, and other accessories like a stainless-steel rotisserie basket, rotisserie spit and forks, and a lift tool. The rotisserie setting and accessories are rare add-ons for a model that is priced under $100. The air fryer also comes with overheating protection and automatic shut-off. The stainless steel model is easy to clean and maintain with its non-stick accessories and a removable oven door that can be wiped down. It pairs with an app for those interested in finding additional recipes. The main downside is that we wish it came with a fryer basket and not just a tray, because the tray is awkward to move and exposes you to more heat. Product Details: Dimensions: 13.23 x 13.23 x 14.37 inches | Capacity: 10 Quarts | Temperature Range: 95–400 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, dehydrate, rotisserie Best Features Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $100 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 Why You Should Get It A distinctive special feature reminds you when to shake your food for the ideal results. Keep in Mind We noticed some discrepancies in the cooking times. No matter how effective your air fryer is, most machines require a certain learning curve when it comes to perfecting the cook times. It’s likely you’ll have to keep a close eye on food until you understand your model enough to produce crispy, golden brown results whether you’re cooking proteins, vegetables, or frozen foods. However, this Cosori option is one of the best air fryers because it takes some of the initial guesswork out of it with useful features. First, there are presets for a number of common foods and food types to help guide a new user. These include seafood, chicken, veggies, steak, bacon, fries, and frozen. The tempered glass display also has a preheat button to ensure you’re putting food in at the perfect temperature, and there’s a keep warm function and a shake reminder. The shake reminder is a feature we didn’t see on any other model on this list—it reminds you to shake the food in the basket to ensure the crispiest, most even cooking results possible. We noted some discrepancies in cooking times (some foods took a few minutes longer than anticipated) and some discrepancies in crispiness, but the air fryer produced overall tasty and golden results. The recipe book includes 30 different recipes for even more experimentation. Product Details: Dimensions: 10.7" x 10.8" x 11.9" inches | Capacity: 5 Quarts | Temperature Range: 170–450 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Preheat, keep warm, air fry Easiest To Clean Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer Amazon View On Amazon $90 View On Target $90 View On Wayfair $100 Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Performance 4/5 Design 4.5/5 Ease of Cleaning 5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It With a dishwasher-safe basket and easily wiped-down exterior, this is one of the easiest air fryers to maintain and clean. Keep in Mind It doesn’t come with any accessories. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance, no-frills option, this 4-quart model from Ninja is likely to be the best air fryer for you. There are not a lot of steps required; simply preheat the device for three minutes and add your food of choice. Besides air frying, you can roast proteins and vegetables, dehydrated foods, or reheat leftovers with ease. And once you’re done, clean-up takes no time at all: The non-stick plate eliminates the need for scrubbing it clean, and you can place the rack, crisper plate, and air fryer basket in the dishwasher. During testing, we did find that smaller pieces of shrimp and apple came out overcooked, but otherwise, we got nice and crispy results. For this reason, we think it would be best for cooking less delicate foods like roasted veggies, as opposed to white fish. We also noted that it's easy to wipe the rest of it down with a damp cloth. Assembly and disassembly are quick and intuitive as well. Simply put, if you’ve been putting off buying an air fryer because you’re worried about another appliance to maintain and clean, this is the perfect model for you. Product Details: Dimensions: 8.5 x 12.1 x 11 inches | Capacity: 4 Quarts | Temperature Range: 105–400 degrees Fahrenheit | Settings: Air fry, roast, reheat, dehydrate The Bottom Line The Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer is our top pick because it’s large enough to fit a few pounds of food, produces crispy and golden brown results, and has a simple, easy-to-use interface. For an option that's more barebones and affordable, the best air fryer on a budget is the Chefman 3.7-Quart TurboFry Air Fryer. Our Testing Process To find the best air fryers, a group of us (including experienced private chefs and infrequent home cooks alike) tested over 20 models to find options that work for all levels of experience. We used two predetermined methodologies, one for traditional air fryers and one for air fryers that doubled as toaster ovens. For all models, we rated based on set-up, manufacturer’s instructions, ease of use, clean-up, design specs, noise output, and value relative to the price. For air fryers with toaster ovens, we prepared several foods: toasted white bread (using the maximum number of slices suggested by the manufacturer), broiled cheese, pre-packaged cookie dough, and frozen fries. We measured the internal temperature every 10 minutes while running. For air fryers without toaster ovens, we prepared biscuit bites, brown sugar-roasted apples, and coconut shrimp. We noted the accuracy of cook time, visual results, and taste and texture for each type of food. Better Homes & Gardens / Tamara Staples Other Air Fryers We Tested Instant Pot Vortex Pro 10-Quart 9-in-1 Air Fryer The Instant Vortex Pro is similar to our pick for the best large air fryer—both are 10 quarts. It also functions as a toaster oven but is significantly smaller than our favorite air fryer/toaster oven combo, the Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven. Essentially, this is a bit of a Goldilocks and the Three Bears situation: the Instant Pot makes solid, reliable air fryers, but the other two made our list because the size and/or functions stood out, making for a better value for money. But if you catch this one on sale, it’s a great choice. Ninja Max XL Air Fryer (AF161) Despite being a good product, the models we chose to feature simply outperformed this Ninja Max XL in their respective categories. Still, we found that it produced crispy, well-cooked food and was easy to clean and maintain. If you’re looking for a good model for two or three people (it’s 5.5-quarts), it’s a nice countertop option. Cosori VeSync Pro II Air Fryer During testing, the Cosori VeSync produced slightly undercooked shrimp and caramelized apples, although the biscuits came out golden brown on the top and fluffy inside. The so-so cooking results combined with a medium-sized basket that forced us to work in batches made it one of the lesser options we tried. Additionally, the ability to enable Google Assistant or Alexa drives the price up without adding a lot of functionality—unlike our splurge option, you can’t start the machine via the app. Philips Premium Airfryer XXL The results from this Philips Premium Air Fryer were not up to par with other models; the biscuits, shrimp, and apples were all inconsistently cooked, and it took the longest time out of all the tested models to prepare food. In addition, there are odd temperature intervals (it goes from 375 to 390 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit) that make it less intuitive to use, and the accessories are not non-stick or dishwasher-safe. We appreciated how easy it was to shake the basket while keeping your hand out of the heat, though. Better Homes & Gardens / Tamara Staples What to Know About Air Fryers Before Shopping Capacity The size of your household will determine the ideal air fryer capacity. You can get away with a 2 or 3-quart air fryer for a single-person household, while households of two or three should opt for a 4 or 5-quart capacity. Larger families, or those who want to make more complex meals like rotisserie chicken, should look for 10+ quarts. Keep in mind that you can’t overcrowd the basket if you want the crispiest results. We found that working in batches was best for smaller foods like appetizers or frozen fries, regardless of the individual air fryer’s size. Temperature Range Most air fryers on our list max out at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is high enough to ensure crispy, golden results without burning. If you want an air fryer that can reheat, keep already cooked food warm, or dehydrate, look for a model that can be set below 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If that’s not a priority for you, temperature range isn’t nearly as important. Features and Settings There are basic features and settings that should be available on any air fryer, such as a programmable temperature and a timer. The rest is largely up to the individual. To cook complete, basic meals, look for an air fryer that can also roast, allowing you to make protein and vegetables. Other common features of more advanced air fryers are broil, bake, and reheat, and more. Several of the best air fryers we tested include rotisserie settings. If you’re not so seasoned in the kitchen, opt for a model that either has a pre-set guide or available settings that allow you to accurately cook certain foods like frozen meals without the guesswork. When looking at the settings, consider how and if you’d use them, because more complicated settings and smart features such as apps or smart device connectivity will drive up the price. Otherwise, stick to the basics. Your Questions, Answered What is the best size air fryer? While the ideal capacity of an air fryer depends on the size of your household, it won’t always correlate to how large the air fryer is on the outside. Measure the area where you’ll keep the air fryer to ensure it fits without hogging too much counter space. And check the manufacturer’s instructions—some toaster oven models should not be kept flush against the wall, for instance. If it doesn’t fit perfectly in your kitchen, the less likely you are to use it consistently. What are the best features of an air fryer? “When trying to decide on which air fryer to choose, be sure to consider how easy it is to clean as well as any safety features that may be of concern to you,” Still says. While many of the best air fryers include a host of features, we found during testing that the basics are still the most important: How well does it prepare the foods you most commonly want to cook? Are the components easy to clean? Is the interface simple to use? If you’re not adhering to a strict budget or like to get creative in the kitchen, we like air fryers that go above and beyond, allowing you to reheat leftovers and roast vegetables, or also function as toaster ovens. Other than that, automatic shut-off and a non-stick basket are two features we appreciated to ensure safety and convenience. How much does an air fryer cost? A countertop air fryer with a standard 2 or 3-quart capacity and no additional capabilities should run you around $50 dollars, give or take. The price will only go up from there, although most models we tested max out around $200 to $250 dollars. Factors that contribute to a higher price tag are extra features and functions, larger capacity, more presets, and app or WiFi connectivity. Toaster/air fryer combos like the Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven are some of the most expensive models. Who We Are Alida is a commerce writer for BHG with years of expertise in kitchen, pets, beauty, bedding, and home, and has been working in the commerce media space for well over six years and the media space for over a decade. She specializes in testing products, editing, writing, and strategizing about the rapidly changing online shopping landscape. For this article, she consulted Kristy Still of Air Fryer Fanatics. What Is BHG Recommends? Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit