If you’re wondering what an air fryer is as well as how it differs from convection baking, imagine a small oven that can crisp up wings, fries, and veggies with little (or no!) oil in a matter of minutes. Air fryers are available in a variety of styles, including basket-style, which is ideal for large batches of foods like fries along with vegetables that benefit from shaking; oven-style, which is ideal for cooking food on multiple shelves and often includes rotisserie accessories along with toaster oven-style, which can toast, bake, broil, and more in addition to air fry. They require minimal cleanup regardless of style, which is one of the main reasons we like using them.
Over the years, we have tested many air fryers. Our top performers air-fried food to a crispy texture with a moist interior and were simple to operate, with large, easy-to-read controls which didn’t even require the owner’s manual. These are the top air fryers and air fryer toaster ovens on the market.
List of the best high-performance Air Fryers
Ninja Air Fryer Max XL
The top performer in our air fryer test was this 5.5-quart basket-style Ninja Air Fryer Max XL. It received the highest marks for ease of use across the board, thanks to its simple to use easy-to-read buttons as well as clear and useful owner’s manual. During our tests, the air fryer basket easily slid in and out, making handling a breeze. We like how the basket has a removable tray and a slick, ceramic interior that makes it nonstick. The tray also fits snugly and securely on the bottom of the basket, eliminating the risk of it falling out once you turn the food out onto a plate. Both the basket and tray are dishwasher safe and simple to clean, even if you prefer to hand wash them.
COSORI Pro II 5.8 Quart Air Fryer
The Cosori Air Fryer is a great buy, even though it is not the cheapest air fryer on our list: it is simple, easy to use, as well as can feed a whole family without breaking the bank. It has a 5.8-quart square basket, which provides more cooking space than round competitors. The basket is detachable and lightweight, with numerous vents for improved air circulation. The control panel is pre-programmed with recommended cooking temperatures and times, as well as a preheat option. If none of the presets are a perfect fit, the Cosori Air Fryer can be used manually.
The Cosori scored highly for usability in our tests, and over 24,000 Amazon five-star reviews agree. It also quickly produced good fresh fries and wings.
Dash Compact Air Fryer
The Dash Compact is an excellent air fryer for those who only cook for themselves or are new to air frying as well as want to give it a try. It has a capacity of 2 quarts and can cook one portion of food. It takes up less counter space because of its smaller footprint, and the compact basket makes cleaning easier. This model has a dial timer, which makes it difficult to programme to the minute.
The temperature is also controlled by a dial and there aren’t many options, but we found the Dash to be a good choice because we air fry most foods at the maximum 400°F temperature. Unlike most air fryers on the market, it comes in a variety of colourful models.
Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven
Cuisinart was one of the first companies to release a toaster oven air fryer that can toast, bake, air fry, and convection bake. We tested this digital version, and it not only produced the crispiest air-fried food in the shortest amount of time of any air fryer we tested, but it also produced some of the most evenly-coloured toast in our toaster oven test. The rectangular 15.5-by-16-inch air fry rack provides a large cooking surface (particularly when compared to basket-style air fryers) as well as sits atop a drip/crumb tray for easy cleanup. Cuisinart has released a smaller, non-digital version which has the same features and quality performance as the toaster oven air fryer, as well as a similar-sized model with a grill pan.
Instant Pot Vortex Plus ClearCook
The same company that makes Instant Pot multi cookers, has been on our list of best air fryers since we began testing them. The ones we tried, including this one, are easy to programme and effective. This one is notable for its see-through window design, which allows you to peer inside without removing the basket. It also has a light that can be manually or automatically turned on just before the timer expires. The digital control panel is extremely responsive, and the knob allows you to quickly programme the temperature and time.
Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer
One of the most recent air fryers we’ve tested is the Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker and Air Fryer. While it looks and feels different from the majority of air fryers on the market, it deserves a spot on your counter. Not only can the 12-in-1 appliance air fry well and quickly, but it can also sear, sauté, bake, roast, broil, steam, cook sous vide, and even dehydrate. For the most flavorful and juicy results, it can also steam and bake/air fry at the same time.
GoWISE USA 7-Quart Air Fryer
This one is too large and because of that we prefer the GoWISE USA 7-Quart Air Fryer for cooking in large batches. In our tests, it was the air-fried crispy fries and juicy wings that kept us coming back for more.Its oblong air fryer basket allows for more cooking in a single layer than round baskets, which is a significant advantage when dehydrating. This GoWise air fryer is distinguished from others on the market by the addition of three additional stackable racks. Using the stacking racks, you can air fry and dehydrate up to four layers at once. If you want to add some colour to your kitchen counter, it’s also available in red and mint.
