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7 Best Air Fryers, According to Our Testing
We've tested more than 50 air fryers in our Lab and used them at home for years to come up with these top picks.
About once a week, I get asked: "Should I buy an air fryer?" And after testing them since before they hit the U.S. market more than 10 years ago and using mine at least a couple of days a week, I'd say yes. They're not the only appliance I'd recommend you use all the time, but they're great at reheating food and cooking frozen ingredients, like fries and chicken nuggets. I particularly like using mine to make proteins like salmon and chicken — both come out juicy and flavorful with barely any effort.
Our Top Pick: The Ninja Max XL remains our best overall air fryer for making the crispiest food in the shortest amount of time and being easy to use. The Instant Vortex Plus Clear Cook is another popular model that works well and offers more cooking space.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, my team and I have tested more than 50 air fryers over the years for performance and ease of use. When we test them, we use them to air fry common foods people would air fry at home, like frozen fries and fresh chicken wings. We also use them in our daily lives, survey our consumer testers and correspond with our Test Kitchen editors, who use them to develop the most delicious air fryer recipes, to really understand what makes an air fryer "the best." Our findings prove that the best air fryers are quick, powerful and easy to use.
Ninja Air Fryer Max XL
Pros
- Best performance of the basket-style air fryers we tested
- Easy to use
- Cooking basket is nonstick and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
Cons
- Some may find the basket diameter a bit small
Type of air fryer: Basket-style | Dimensions: 11"D x 14"W x 14.75"H | Capacity: 5.5 quarts | Settings: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Air Roast, Air Broil, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate
Most people will like this 5.5-quart, basket-style Ninja air fryer that's suitable for making a batch of food for two to four people. It continues to be the top performer in our air fryer tests. It consistently makes the crispiest and most golden chicken wings we've come across, which are juicy and not dry, in the shortest amount of time.
It also scored the highest marks across the board for ease of use, thanks to its intuitive, easy-to-read buttons and clear and useful owner’s manual. During our tests, the air fryer basket slid in and out easily, which made handling a breeze.
We’re fans of the basket’s slick, ceramic nonstick interior that has held up over time, and we like that the removable tray fits snugly and securely in the bottom of the basket — you don’t have to worry about it falling out when you turn the food out onto a plate. Both the basket and tray are dishwasher safe and easy to clean, even if you choose to hand wash. It comes with a broiling rack, too, which is helpful when you're looking to add some extra color to food. One thing to note about the basket: Some testers mentioned they think it's small compared to other air fryers.
This model features several cook settings, which are programmed with unique maximum and minimum temperatures — including "max crisp" and "air broil" (which reach 450˚F) and dehydrate (which reaches a low of 105˚F). It has a timer that counts down to the second.
Over the years, this air fryer has held up to daily use and continues to cook well.
READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Ninja Max XL Air Fryer
Instant Vortex Plus ClearCook
Pros
- Preheat function
- Manual light turns on right before the timer goes off
- Cooking basket is nonstick and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
Cons
- Tray falls out when basket is turned upside down; use silicone-tipped tongs to serve
Type of air fryer: Basket-style | Dimensions: 12.8"D x 11.8"W x 14.9"H | Capacity: 6 quarts | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Broil, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate
Those cooking for a family of four or meal preppers will especially like this air fryer with a square basket from Instant, the makers of the Instant Pot. The basket's large surface area allows for more cooking at once without being too bulky to put in the dishwasher. Plus, the window and light allow you to peer inside without pulling out the basket. (The light even turns on right before the timer is about to go off — a unique feature!)
This model is easy to program and high-performing – it's a steal when on sale and a great value even at full price.
In our tests, chicken wings came out crispy, golden and juicy in just 20 minutes, and frozen fries were moist but crisp and evenly cooked without the need for shaking midway. This 6-quart ClearCook model has a preheat function built in, which isn't too common in air fryers. It takes about 3–5 minutes to reach 400˚F and chirps when it's at the right temperature. It does not require you to press Start again after it preheats, which is helpful if you want to add your food from the beginning and walk away. It also alerts you halfway through cooking, should you want to shake or turn the food.
The digital control panel is highly responsive, and the knob makes it easy to program the temperature and time quickly. It has six settings that are preset with recommended (but adjustable) cooking temperatures and times, including air fry, bake, roast, reheat, broil and dehydrate. One downside? The removable tray didn't stay put in our tests when we flipped the basket over to transfer our food so we recommend using tongs.
READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer
Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer
Pros
- Shorter, sleeker design than many air fryers we've tested
- Easy to read and use control panel
Cons
- Air fry setting was too strong for grilled cheese, but you can choose a gentler setting
Type of air fryer: Basket-style | Dimensions: 14.4"D x 11.8"W x 11.9"H | Capacity: 6 quarts | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil, Dehydrate, Frozen, Proof, Reheat, Keep Warm
Even though this air fryer from Cosori has a 6-quart capacity like many of the air fryers we test (great for a family of four), it's shorter and sleeker, which makes it feel more compact. It has a square basket and a removable tray that remains securely in place.
Its easy-to-view screen is flat and located on the top of the air fryer, unique compared to others that are angled or front-facing. It has large lettering, a clear font, straightforward settings and contrasting colors. It's completely black when not in use.
Food came out golden brown, moist and evenly cooked in our tests. The air fry setting was powerful and the fan blew the bread around when we tried to make grilled cheese, but we appreciate that this air fryer tells you the fan speed when you select each setting because we were able to choose a gentler option the next time.
One tester with two small children has been using hers for over a year several times a day. She relies on it for after-school snacks the whole family can enjoy as well as side dishes and whole steaks.
Ninja AF101 Air Fryer
Pros
- Smaller size doesn't compromise cooking performance
- Easy to use and clean
Cons
- Not as small or compact as some other models we've tested
Type of air fryer: Basket-style | Dimensions: 8.5"D x 12.1"W x 11"H | Capacity: 4 quarts | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, Dehydrate
If you're short on space or mostly cooking for one, this air fryer is for you. It performs as well as our best overall air fryer, but is shorter and a little slimmer with a 4-quart capacity. (Our best overall pick, the Ninja Max XL, has a 5.5-quart capacity.)
In our tests, chicken wings came out super crispy quickly, and fries cooked well. It's easy to program and clean with a nonstick basket and removable cooking tray. The smaller basket fits nicely into our dishwasher.
I've been using this model at home for more than six months now. It doesn't take up too much room alongside my other appliances, and I mostly use it for proteins like chicken, salmon and pork chops. I'm impressed with how well it browns and how quickly it cooks.
RELATED: The Best Small Air Fryers, According to Our Lab Testing
Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 8-Quart 2-Basket Air Fryer
Pros
- Two baskets offer more cooking versatility
- Comparable performance to our best overall air fryer
Cons
- Can be confusing to program if you don't select the right basket on the control panel
Type of air fryer: Dual-basket style | Dimensions: 13.86"D x 15.63"W x 12.4"H | Capacity: 8 quarts | Settings: Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate
Whether you're cooking for a family or yourself, you'll want to consider making room for this large air fryer in your kitchen. The dual baskets come in handy for cooking large portions all at once, different foods for the picky eaters or just making something small for one person. I used it in my apartment for a long time and liked that the baskets were smaller than other air fryer baskets and fit more easily into my dishwasher. I also liked that one was always at the ready if I forgot to clean the other the night before.
Each basket is perfect for air frying one to two portions and is capable of using each of the air fryer's six settings; you can program them to cook separately or at the same time.
This was one of the few dual-basket air fryers that produced crispy wings when we cooked them solo in either basket or all at once in both. (Many other dual-basket air fryers cooked wings inconsistently in different scenarios.) Fries also cooked well and crispy in our tests.
One con? The dual-basket design makes it a little tricky to set the air fryer, but once you make sure the correct side is selected, you're golden.
RELATED: Best Large Air Fryers
Cuisinart Air Fryer + Convection Toaster Oven, TOA-70
Pros
- Multi-functional
- Comparable performance to a standalone air fryer
- Works quickly
Cons
- Since the air fry function is so powerful, we recommend using a lower temp and keeping a close eye on food to help prevent burning
- Mechanical dials make it hard to program toaster oven to the exact minute
Type of air fryer: Air fryer toaster oven | Dimensions: 12.25"D x 15.75"W x 13.75"H | Capacity: 0.6 cubic feet | Settings: Air Fry, Toast, Convection Bake, Bake, Convection Broil, Broil, Grill, Keep Warm
Families who live in a large home or apartment, as well as singles, will appreciate the multi-functionality of this air fryer. While it excels as air frying, it's also very good at toasting, baking and broiling like a regular toaster oven.
In our tests, this model made the crispiest air-fried food in the shortest amount of time out of all the air fryer toaster ovens we tested as well as the most evenly-colored toast in our toaster oven test. Just note that the "air fry" setting is very powerful and we recommend using a lower temperature than you're used to and keeping a close eye on food to help prevent burning.
The rectangular 15.5-inch by 16-inch air fry rack offers a large cooking surface (especially compared to basket-style air fryers) and sits atop a drip/crumb tray for easy clean-up. The rack and tray are not dishwasher safe.
If you want more control than this mechanical version offers with its dials, Cuisinart makes another version that's digital; it's just pricier and we found its performance to be comparable.
READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Instant 10-Quart Air Fryer
Pros
- Chicken wings air fried nicely
- Rotisserie feature is easy to use and produces an evenly browned and juicy chicken
Cons
- The door needs to be pushed firmly to close
Type of air fryer: Air fryer oven | Dimensions: 13.23"D x 13.23"W x 14.37"H | Capacity: 10 quarts | Settings: Air Fry, Broil, Bake, Roast, Dehydrate, Reheat, Rotisserie, Toast, Warm, Convection Oven
If you're looking to air fry a lot of food at once, this large oven-style air fryer from Instant might be your best bet. It's also good for people who like to mostly cook proteins and other foods that benefit from cooking in a single layer like wings, chicken and dehydrated goodies since you can better spread your food out on the multiple trays. (You just need to rotate the trays during cooking for the most even results.) Another perk about the trays? They're easy to clean and fit into your dishwasher.
This one includes two nonstick trays and a drip pan that can double as a baking pan. In our tests, wings came out crispy, tender and evenly browned when cooked on the top shelf. Fries came out nicely as well but cooked better in the rotisserie basket where they stayed more moist.
The rotisserie spit is another great feature: It allows you to cook foods, like a 4-pound chicken, to juicy perfection. The chicken was easy to insert onto the spit and into the oven, and it came out evenly browned.
Compared to other air fryer ovens, this one has an appealing stainless steel design and a clear, easy-to-use control panel. Like most other air fryer ovens we tested, the door needs to be pushed firmly to close.
RELATED: Best Air Fryers With Rotisserie
How we test air fryers
In the Kitchen Appliances Lab, we've tested more than 50 air fryers. When we test them, we cook an assortment of foods that someone would most likely cook at home.
We air fry chicken wings and frozen fries to see how quickly and evenly they cook. We score the timing and evenness as well as the crispiness and how juicy or dry they turn out.
We air fry grilled cheese and frozen mozzarella sticks to test how powerful the fan is — some are so strong they can blow your food around or cause cheese to ooze too much.
We also assess the functionality of the control panel and the cleanability of the various accessories.
What to look for when shopping for the best air fryer
✔️ Type of air fryer:
Basket-style air fryers, like the Ninja Max XL, are our favorite at the GH Institute. They’re standalone appliances that feature a cooking basket where you place your food to cook. They pull out like a drawer and allow you to easily shake foods to toss them.
There are two common types of basket designs to keep an eye out for. Most of the basket-style air fryers we’ve tested, especially the newer ones, consist of one basket with a removable, perforated tray. (These trays have gotten better at staying put when you turn the baskets over to serve the food.) Some basket-style air fryers instead have a perforated basket that sits inside a drawer. We prefer the removable tray version because they’re less bulky — imagine having to put two large pieces in the dishwasher. Some people, however, like the basket-in-drawer design because you can remove the basket and leave behind the grease-filled drawer.
Dual-basket air fryers are also more popular now. The baskets can be positioned side-by-side or one on top and one on bottom to offer more cooking versatility.
Oven-style air fryers, like the Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-1 Air Fryer, have numerous trays you can spread your food onto. They’re ideal for foods with larger surface areas, like chicken cutlets, fish and other proteins, that benefit from flipping versus shaking. These models are also better for dehydrating since they offer more surface area. They often come with rotisserie features as well. Their downside: the trays need to be rotated during cooking because the top trays get more browned than the bottom ones.
Air fryer toaster ovens, like the Cuisinart TOA-70, are among the most popular air fryer styles. These have an air fryer function built into a toaster oven so they can air fry and truly toast, bake, roast and more. (Many air fryers say they can perform all of these functions but they’re not actually built to do so.) Air fryer toaster ovens sound like dreamy multifunctional appliances, but few can air fry as quickly or as well as standalone air fryers; we’ve also found their cleanup to be a little cumbersome since the baskets are often made of stainless steel, which is hard to clean.
Glass air fryers are becoming increasingly popular but haven't made it mainstream yet. They have glass bowls versus the nonstick baskets most basket-style air fryers have. We've tested a couple so far but found the glass bowls to get too hot to safely recommend at this time.
✔️ Size: How many people are you cooking for at one time? A compact size (around 2 quarts) is good for one to two people, while the average size is around 6 quarts for a family of four. Opt for 10 quarts+ if you want to cook for more.
✔️ Price: You can get a good air fryer for around $80 to $120. Small air fryers cost less if you're looking to save. Other details to keep in mind when it comes to price? Digital air fryers tend to cost more than mechanical air fryers, as do stainless steel options versus plastic. And models that provide more functions, like steam cooking or slow cooking, will also cost more than those that are focused solely on air frying.
How do air fryers work?
Air fryers work by heating food at a high temperature and using a large fan to circulate the air, much like a convection oven, to cook foods quickly and make them crispy. The size, speed and placement of the fan are what make air fryers different from convection ovens. Air fryer fans are typically large, operate very quickly and are located on the top of the air fryer where the powerful heating elements are.
Traditional convection ovens have smaller, slower fans that are usually located on the back or side of the oven. The air fryer design, paired with a small cavity, makes for a sizzling cooking environment. Plus, air fryers require little to no oil and grease falls through the perforated tray away from your food, which helps make food crispier.
Is air frying healthy?
"Air frying uses significantly less oil than deep frying and pan frying, so it can provide a lower-calorie and lower-fat alternative that still delivers a crisp texture," says Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N. "But air fryers are only as healthy as the foods you choose to cook in them. They won’t magically remove saturated and trans fats from your meals.”
To get the most health benefits out of your air fryer, Sassos recommends using it as a way to add more veggies and lean proteins to your diet. One of her favorite uses is air frying frozen veggies. "I couldn't believe how easy it was the first time I tried it," she says.
Can you put aluminum foil or parchment paper in your air fryer?
Air fryers work best when you put food directly on the air fryer tray. If you use aluminum foil or parchment paper, the air may not circulate as well, resulting in less crispy food. If you want to use aluminum foil or parchment paper because you're worried about food sticking to the bottom, oil your food well before cooking and remember that most air fryer baskets and trays are made with a nonstick coating. If you're concerned about ease of cleaning, try parchment paper liners. They're less reactive than aluminum foil and, since they're pre-cut, there's less of a chance of them accidentally touching the heating element and catching fire.
When should you replace your air fryer?
If you think of your air fryer basket like a nonstick pot, it might help you better understand when to replace it. Nonstick cookware wears over time and should be tossed if it's nicked or scratched. It also won't work well if it has build-up on it or an overwhelming amount of residue. Cleaning your air fryer basket gently and often will help prolong its longevity. Many brands offer basket replacements, too, so you don't have to replace your entire air fryer.
You might want to consider replacing your air fryer if you've had it for more than five years or find that it doesn't truly crisp up food. Newer models have proven to be more powerful in our tests.
Lastly, if you ever experience an electrical or mechanical malfunction, you should stop using your air fryer immediately and contact customer service for guidance.
The best way to clean an air fryer
It's important to clean your air fryer after every use to prevent build-up that can negatively affect the taste of your food and potential burning.
After serving your food and once all parts are cool, carefully empty the grease into the trash and place the basket and/or tray in the dishwasher. You can also wash the pieces by hand with warm, soapy water. I like using a bottle brush for the best and easiest results — they're great for getting into all the nooks and crannies. Allow all pieces to dry completely before placing them back into the air fryer.
Use a damp cloth to wipe the bottom of the air fryer and the control panel as needed. You can also follow our tips for a deeper clean.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab. She has worked at kitchen appliance companies, where she helped develop some popular air fryers as well as many recipes for them. Since joining Good Housekeeping, she has had her hands on all of the new air fryers that come through the Lab (whether testing herself or overseeing testing) and has tasted food that was made in almost all of them. She's an avid air fryer user at home, too, where she has at least three to choose from on any given day.
Sarah Wharton is a deputy editor with the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has tested many air fryers and contributed to versions of this story.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
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