Best Air Fryers Reviews: Air fryers are probably the most talked about kitchen gadget right now, and for good reason. They can be used for a lot more than you might think, and most people use them every day. We’ve found some great options if you want to buy an air fryer. We’ve tested some of the best air fryers, from simple ones with dials to ones with multiple functions to ones that are smart.
You should buy an air fryer for a few good reasons. They cook faster than an oven, make food crispy without adding extra oil, and, perhaps most importantly now, when electricity bills are going through the roof, they use a lot less electricity than an oven.
A fryer isn’t really what an air fryer is. It’s basically a small convection oven, so you can cook anything in it that you would cook in a regular oven. But if you buy one, it will take up a lot of space on your kitchen counter, so you should think about what you cook the most and see if you can find one with extra features that will help you.
Check out our article on whether or not you should buy an air fryer if you want to know if you should invest. And if you need more help deciding which size and features to choose, you can find buying tips below the chart. If not, keep reading to see our top choices.
1. Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 air fryer 
Pros
- ClearCook windows
- OdourErase technology
- Excellent for chips and roasts
Cons
- No pre-sets for cooking
- Hard to serve food from a drawer
- Rubber tray feet need to be taken off to clean.
This is a traditional air fryer with a deep cooking drawer that you can pull out. At 5.7 litres/6 QT, it has a lot of space. It’s not very heavy, but it’s made to stay on your counter. A digital touchscreen on the top of the appliance is used to control it.
You can choose from six programmes: air fry, bake, grill, dehydrate, reheat, and roast. But there are no pre-sets, so there is no way to know how long and how hot to cook something. This won’t be a problem for people who are used to cooking with an air fryer, but people who have never used one before might need to do some online research and be ready to try different things at first.
It has a window so you can see how your food is cooking without opening the door, and the OdourErase technology really works. But if you want these features, make sure you buy the right model. Instant makes a number of similar models that have none, one, or both of these features.
2. Ninja Speedi
Pros
- Full meals in 15 minutes
- At the same time, you can steam and air fry.
- Hard to imagine what you couldn’t cook in it.
Cons
- Large machine that takes up a lot of space on the counter
- Heavy lid won’t stay open because it doesn’t lock.
- not as cheap to use as smaller air fryers for cooking
The Ninja Speedi is a big appliance, but if you buy one, you won’t need any other countertop cookers anymore. It has ten cooking functions, so it can do almost anything. It can steam cook and air fry, for example, at the same time. Its best feature is the “Speedi Meals” setting, which lets you cook rice, pasta, and veggies on the bottom while air frying on the top. It’s true that you can cook a whole meal in just 15 minutes, and with a 6QT/5.7-liter capacity, that’s enough food for a whole family. People say “game-changer” too often, but in this case, it really is.
Still, since it’s 1760W, it won’t be as cheap to cook foods that take a little longer, like baked potatoes, in it as it would be in a smaller air fryer. It’s much cheaper to use for cooking quickly. Also, you’ll want to keep kids away from it because the heavy lid doesn’t lock in place when it’s open.
3. Dreo Air Fryer
Pros
- Touchscreen
- Laid-back style
- Easy to use and comes with a cookbook
Cons
- No keep warm setting
- Medium size: not good for big families
This small air fryer has a capacity of 4 quarts/3.8 litres, which is perfect for couples, singles, and smaller families. It’s simple and shiny, and on top, there are LED touchscreen controls. It has eight pre-sets for cooking (fries, steak, chicken, fish, bread, vegetables, plus it can dehydrate and reheat). Or, you can change the time and temperature of cooking yourself. There is also a function for pre-heating.
There’s no way to overcook with an air fryer because it turns off when it’s done, and there’s no way to keep food warm.
It uses 1500 watts, so it doesn’t use a lot of power. It would be a good choice for people who have never used an air fryer before because it is well-made and easy to use. It also comes with a 50-recipe book that will give you plenty of ideas for food that isn’t just beige frozen food.
4. Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid
Pros
- Compared to a multi-lid cooker, it takes up less room.
- Wet and dry cooking modes
- Easy to cook
Cons
- Too tall to fit under kitchen cabinets and open
- Pricey if you don’t use all of its features.
- During our tests, a part broke off.
The Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is a serious multi cooker with 13 functions: pressure cooking, air frying, slow cooking, steaming, sautéing, warming, roasting, mini oven, grilling, dehydrating, making yoghurt, sous vide, and bread proofing. There are handy pre-sets and a “keep warm” function for these. One thing that’s good about this appliance is that you only need one lid for everything, so it takes up less space. For some uses, you will have to take off the pressure plate.
It’s also big, with an air fryer basket that can hold four medium-sized chicken breasts and a couple of thighs and a stainless steel cooking pot that holds 6.2 litres (6.5 quarts). It’s also a 1500W appliance, which doesn’t use too much power, so you can cook a lot with it.
There’s only one thing to keep in mind. During our testing, a piece broke off, and a search online showed that we weren’t the only ones who had this happen. Instant was able to replace the part, but if you buy, be careful with the pressure plate.
5. Ninja Foodi Smart XL/ Max Health Grill & Air Fryer
Pros
- Six ways to cook in one
- Large grill plate
- Air-frying can be done at a range of temperatures
- Smart Cooking System & Digital Probe
Cons
- It’s very big and takes up a lot of space.
- 3.8L is less than what some air fryers can hold.
- Costs a lot and is hard to find
Buying guide
We can tell you what to look for in an air fryer if you don’t know what to look for.
Size
The size of an air fryer is about the same as a small bread machine. To get the most out of one, you should really find a place for it on your kitchen counter that is just for it. So, the first thing to look at is how big it is on the outside.
But the most important thing is what’s inside. Air fryers have about 2 to 6 quarts or 1.5 to 6+ litres of cooking space. At the low end, you’ll be able to make fries for one to two people, two burgers, or two servings of chicken. At the most, you could fit a main dish for four people. There are also big air fryers that can hold 10 quarts or litres. Most of the time, these have two separate drawers you can use for different things.
If you live alone and only cook for yourself, you can get a smaller appliance, but in general, if you have the space for it, we’d recommend getting a bigger one. It will give you more ways to cook, and since it cooks by circulating hot air inside, it will be faster and make better food.
But keep in mind that bigger air fryers will probably have a higher voltage and cost more to run. If you want to save money on your electricity bill, you should get a smaller, less complicated appliance.
Controls
If you’re new to air fryers, choose one with pre-sets so you can cook common foods perfectly from the start. Most air fryers with pre-sets only need you to press one button (for fish, burgers, or fries, for example), and the appliance will do the rest.
If not, you can set the time and temperature on your own. This is simple to do, but you might need to try a few things before you get it right.
Most air fryers have digital controls, but some have dials or sliders to set the time and temperature.
Smart Features
Cooking appliances can only have so many smart features because of safety. Some appliance makers may say that you can put food in your air fryer before you leave and set it to cook at a certain time, or that you can use an app to start it cooking from afar so you can come home to hot food. We wouldn’t tell you to do this. First of all, you should never let food sit out at room temperature for a long time before cooking it or use cooking tools when you’re not home.
Still, there are some smart features that are really helpful that you may use. Using the app, you can pause or stop the programme if you get stuck doing something else while your food is cooking.
There may also be a list of recipes that you can look at to get ideas. You can look at recipes on the app, get the ingredients on your way home, and then start the programme when you get home. The app will walk you through the steps of cooking and set the time and temperature for you.
You can even check on the cooking from your phone while you’re sitting on the couch. When the food is done, you’ll get a message.
