Best Air Fryers

We reviewed air fryers across cooking evenness, preheat speed, basket capacity, ease of cleaning, control type, and noise level. Options from compact 2-quart solo units to large-capacity dual-basket designs.

Basket capacity is the most commonly misjudged spec. A 4-quart air fryer sounds large but fits roughly one layer of chicken thighs or a single batch of fries -- fine for 1-2 people, too small for a family. 6-quart is the minimum for households of 3-4 that want to air fry in one batch. Dual-basket designs that cook two foods simultaneously at different temperatures solve this entirely for larger households.

Cleaning complexity determines how often the air fryer gets used. A basket and tray that are dishwasher safe and have a smooth non-stick coating will go in the machine after every use. A basket with complex ridges or a coating that requires handwashing will stay on the counter looking clean from the outside while developing baked-on buildup inside. Check the cleaning process before buying.