Whether air fryers seem like vital kitchen gadgets or just a clever bit of marketing, we’re here to tell you that the best air fryers will make quick work of many of your cooking tasks—like churning out extra-crispy chicken wings and blistered Brussels sprouts in a flash, or bringing frozen fries and leftover pizza slices back to life. You can think of these countertop appliances as mini convection ovens that combine multiple kitchen appliances into a single machine. In fact, some air fryers actually boast the name of “multicookers” and can do the job of your microwave, your toaster oven, and even your standard full-size oven—but better, thanks to the fact that they use a little fan to evenly circulate hot air all around your food.
The best air fryers
But with so many brands, models, and features to choose from these days, finding the best air fryer for your kitchen can be daunting. To help get you started in your search, we’ve rounded up our top picks for the best air fryers for home cooks. So whether you’re looking for a small air fryer you can tuck away when not in use, or the best air fryer-toaster oven for roasting a whole bird—we know there’s an option you’ll love below.
In 2010, Philips made the first-ever air fryer, so it’s no surprise the brand still makes some of the best models on the market. Bon Appétit deputy food editor Hana Asbrink has owned the Philips Premium Air Fryer XXL for years, and highly recommends it to anyone who wants a large capacity air fryer but doesn’t have the counter space for a toaster oven-style appliance. The truth is, “actually large” basket-style air fryers like the Philips are hard to come by. While most of them have a 3 to 6 quart capacity (even when labeled extra-large), the Philips Premium XXL has a substantial 7-quart capacity, which can hold up to six servings at once. “It offers more versatility and the opportunity to cook a wider variety of foods,” says Hana, who often turns to this air fryer instead of her full-size oven: “I use it for so many different foods: frozen fries, crispy ravioli, egg rolls, various proteins like chicken, fish, and even pork belly.” Unlike other basket-style air fryers, this one can fit whole chicken (as long as it’s on the smaller side). Another big perk? It doesn’t have to be preheated. “This makes it an exceptional kitchen helper during the hot and sticky summer months,” Hana says.
The Philips Premium XXL is equipped with a sleek digital touchscreen, a special two-piece base plate that allows the hot air to swirl throughout the machine, and most importantly, it’s proven to churn out food that’s more crispy and evenly cooked than food that’s prepared in other basket-style air fryers. This isn’t the most compact air fryer, but we’ve learned that large-capacity options like this one tend to work better—more space means more room for air to circulate around the food. But, like every other air fryer, it has its drawbacks. Hana says that you must be mindful of the residual fat that drips when cooking meat, which can quickly smoke up a small kitchen or apartment.
Features:
Capacity: 7 quarts
Wattage: 1725
5 cooking functions: French fries/frozen snacks, chicken, meat, fish, and baking
Colors: Black
Weight: 19 pounds
Dimensions: 15.55″ x 15.55″ x 15.67″
Warranty: 1 year
If you’re looking for a great air fryer that’s more compact (and significantly less expensive than the Philips Premium XXL) we present to you: the Instant Vortex Plus 4-Quart Air Fryer, created by the makers of the beloved Instant Pot. After extensive testing of 20 different air fryers, our Epicurious colleagues named it the best budget air fryer money can buy. Compared to similar models with similar price points, this air fryer performed immaculately when tasked with crisping up frozen tater tots and tenders, quickly cooking cuts of meat and fish, and blistering fresh vegetables. Its less massive 4-quart capacity is ideal for two or three servings, and its shallow design works wonders for cooking foods that need to be arranged in a single layer, like larger pieces of meat that can’t be easily tossed around. We’ve found that its square shape actually fits more food than circle-shaped air fryers with the same capacity. Like the Philips Premium XXL, it has an intuitive digital control panel. Unlike the Philips, the Instant Vortex uses a perforated rack to hold food instead of a somewhat bulky air fryer basket insert. That rack makes it super easy to take apart and clean in between uses.
The Instant Vortex Plus is a wonderful appliance, but as with most other basket-style air fryers, it’s really only meant to be used for small amounts of food—over-packing it will lead to subpar results. You also have to shake the food periodically while air frying. Even though the rack has a nonstick coating, shaking will still help make sure the food gets crispy all around. We think that’s a forgivably small inconvenience, though, and this air fryer notifies you when it’s time to shake.
Features:
Capacity: 6 quarts
Wattage: 1700
6 Cooking functions: Air fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, and dehydrate
Weight: 11.4 pounds
Dimensions: 4.92” x 11.81” x 12.99″
Warranty: 1 year
If you have the counter real estate and want an air fryer that can truly do it all, opt for the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. This toaster-oven style air fryer is much-loved among BA staffers, and it’s the top pick for award-winning cookbook author Nik Sharma, who’s developed some of our favorite air fryer recipes. “I prefer toaster oven-style over basket style-air fryers, because they’re easier to use for more common tasks like baking, toasting bread, and roasting more efficiently,” says Sharma. He likes that this appliance is basically several appliances combined into one. While most basket-style air fryers do have a few cooking functions in addition to an air fry function, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro simply performs all those tasks better—especially when it comes to baking, says Sharma. It has the most cooking functions we’ve seen in an air fryer with settings to toast, broil, bake, roast, dehydrate, slow cook, reheat, and proof—and food-specific presets for things like pizza, bagels, and cookies. It’s also capital R-roomy: big enough to fit nine slices of toast, a 5-quart Dutch oven, a 9×13-inch pan, and an entire 14-pound turkey. If you’re looking for an air fryer that can do everything your regular oven can do plus more (and probably do those things better), this is your appliance.
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