These Are the Best Air Fryers, Because We Are All Air-Fry People Now

Like everyone else you know who has an air fryer, I won’t shut up about mine. I purchased what Cook’s Illustrated ranked the best air fryer—the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer—and soon realized that this is not actually the type of appliance most people envision when they think of an air fryer. Mine looks like a toaster oven (because it is, but more on that later) while other air fryers look like dinosaur eggs with pull-out “baskets” that make the whole experience feel a little more like a novelty. But I love my Breville. It’s big; it’s also a conventional oven and dehydrator and like eight other things; and I can watch stuff cooking inside. But you’re here to find out whether or not you need an air fryer, which one is right for you, and what all of this has to do with corn dogs. Well, let me tell ya.

What is an air fryer anyway?

Let’s get this out of the way: Air-frying is a rebrand of the stodgy old term “convection.” It’s essentially the same thing, but “air frying” just sounds so much lighter, doesn’t it? An air fryer is a mini countertop convection oven, which means it uses a fan to help circulate hot air around your food so that it cooks more evenly and efficiently than in a normal oven. It preheats in minutes and makes weeknight cooking convenient, mostly hands-off, and so, so crispy.

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How do I know if I need one?

Like shearling-lined Birkenstocks and children, an air fryer is something you want, not something you need. The only person who needs an air fryer is someone who has no other oven. However, if you answer yes to two or more of the following questions, you’re a prime candidate for the air-frying lifestyle:

1. Do you have counter space for extra kitchen appliances?

2. Are you kinda impatient?

3. Do you get extremely excited about new kitchen gadgets and just want permission to buy this one?

4. Do you want the crispness of fried food without using a deep fryer?

5. Do you love roasted vegetables but hate turning on your oven and heating up the whole apartment?

Story continues

Yes, I feel seen; this is me. But which is the best air fryer?

You have two options: a basket-style unit or a toaster oven–esque one. Honestly, it mostly comes down to how much space you’re working with. A basket-style air fryer takes up a lot less real estate, but a toaster oven-style can, well, double as a toaster oven. I leave mine on the counter because it’s so big, which is kind of an eyesore, whereas a basket-style model could be stashed away when you’re not using it. That said, most air fryer devotees find they use their appliance so much that it stays out. If you’re cooking for 4+ people or if you also need a toaster oven, I’d suggest getting a toaster-oven-style air fryer because you can jam more food in there. Here are our top picks for both styles:

The best combo air fryer-toaster ovens

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer

As mentioned, this is an all-in-one air fryer and regular toaster oven, so if you’d like to make crispy sesame-coconut chicken tenders and cook a whole chicken in the same appliance, this one’s for you. The control panel has a variety of presets for specific foods like frozen pizza, bagels, and cookies, or you can choose cook modes like reheat, broil, bake, or roast. The air fry mode activates the “super convection” fan setting, which hits your sweet potato wedges with rapidly circulating air. The Breville is considerably roomy and front-loading, making it easy to cook large items. And the window means you can watch food as it cooks (fun!) so you don’t have to open the oven to check that dinner isn’t burning—letting precious heat out.

The downside of this one is that it takes up a lot of space. Because it gets so hot, you CANNOT stack cutting boards and cookbooks and drying dishes on top (or boxes of cereal behind it) while you’re using it or the fire department might come calling. And because the heating element is exposed and sits below the included perforated basket (it’s all about the air flow), I often line the basket with parchment for foods that might drip, or place a pan below it to shield the heating rods on the floor of the unit from falling fat. Like other air fryers, it’s annoying to clean.

$350.00, Bed Bath and Beyond

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

If you want an even bigger version of the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, you’re in luck—the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro can fit an entire 14 lb. turkey, 5 qt. Dutch oven, or a 9″x13″ pan. It also comes with two more additional presets—proof and dehydrate.

$750.00, Sur La Table

Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro

Is all this not high-tech enough for you? The Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro is essentially the same hardware as the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro—thirteen modes, 14 lb. turkey, all that—but this oven connects via Bluetooth to an app developed by Joule, the brand behind our favorite sous vide machine. The app features preset “recipes” that enable you to take full advantage of the oven’s many functions. For example, pop a chicken into the Joule Oven, select the rotisserie option, and the oven will automatically cycle through low temp convection interspersed with periods of broiling to mimic a chicken rotating on a spit.

$500.00, Breville

The best basket air fryer

Cosori Air Fryer Max XL

If you’re looking for the biggest bang for your buck, the Cosori Air Fryer Max XL is hard to beat. This touchscreen digital air fryer is one of our favorite basket-style units and the one Rachel Gurjar used to test her air-fryer recipes (make her potato wedges—you’ll be glad you did). It‘s a spacious 5.8-quart air fryer that’s both larger and more affordable than most other basket air fryers, so you can get a double portion of French fries in the frying basket at once. The removable basket is nonstick and dishwasher safe, and it’s easy to unplug and stash this thing under the counter—ideal if you have limited counter space. Unlike with the Breville Smart Oven, you can also fry foods right in the basket without worrying about dripping and smoking fat. Bonus: It’s equipped with a “shake” reminder to ensure all of your chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, and brussels sprouts come out super crispy. When the alarm sounds, just pull the basket out and give it a shake to make sure the goods are all evenly exposed to the circulating air.

The downsides: The basket is enclosed, meaning you’ll have to keep opening it to check for doneness, which will release some heat. And as a single-purpose appliance, it’s just not as versatile as the multitasking Breville oven.

$120.00, Amazon

Ninja Max XL Air Fryer

If it’s Big Crispy that you’re after, this Ninja Max XL air fryer produces extra crunchy fried chicken drumsticks, fish filets, fresh cut veggies, and frozen Dino nuggets. It has super intuitive cooking functions which help its ease of use. The buttons on the front include options to air fry, air roast, air broil, bake, and reheat—it also includes a button most air fryers don’t: Max crisp. While most air fryers are capable of going up to 400°F, the max crisp button turns the temperature up to 450°F allowing food to get crunchier, faster in this Ninja air fryer. This appliance also has a dehydrate function, so you can make your own dehydrated fruit, beef jerky and dried herbs. The basket doesn’t have holes in it like the Cosori XL’s basket; instead it comes with a metal “crisper plate” that you place inside of the basket to allow air to circulate all around the food. We found the crisper plate a lot less annoying to clean than a basket.

The biggest drawback of the Ninja Max XL is that it doesn’t seem very XL. While it has a 5.5 quart capacity—which is similar to most other XL air fryers—the inside just feels a lot smaller. That’s probably because the basket is a circle, as opposed to the Cosori XL’s square basket, which provides some extra corner space. This might not be the best air fryer if you routinely cook for more than two people. That said, the basket in the Ninja Max XL is tall, and you can purchase a special mid-level rack to add extra layers for cooking.

$150.00, Amazon

Philips Premium Airfryer XXL

Here’s the truth: Extra-large basket-style air fryers aren’t that large. If you want a large capacity air fryer but don’t have the counter space for an air fryer–toaster oven combo, then you should consider sizing up to an XXL air fryer. Bon Appétit deputy food editor Hana Asbrink loves her Philips Premium Airfryer XXL, which has a 7 quart capacity that offers more versatility and the opportunity to cook a wider variety of foods—like a whole roast chicken. It helps her avoid the need to turn on her full-size oven. “The clear win for me is the lack of preheat time, which makes it an exceptional kitchen helper during the hot and sticky summer months,” she says. “I use it for so many different foods, like standard frozen items like fries, crispy ravioli, egg rolls, and various proteins like chicken, fish, and even pork belly.”

If you can afford the counter space, you’ll love this air fryer. But, like the rest of the air fryers on our list, it has its drawbacks. First, Asbrink 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. She adds that if you’re roasting a large quantity of vegetables, it might just be easier and more efficient to do so in a traditional oven.

$235.00, Amazon

Air frying is healthy, right?

Air-frying is ingenious marketing; it sounds so light, so fat-free, so noncaloric. But it’s not “healthy” by default. Yes, the air fryer uses a lot less oil than deep-frying, but were you really deep-frying that much before? I do love that it makes roasted veggies and salmon in a flash, which maybe means I’ll eat more of them. If you’re looking to make some changes in your eating habits, I’d suggest talking to a registered dietitian, not your toaster oven.

Now that you have one, let’s get cooking

As mentioned, oil plays a crucial role in air-frying. You do need some fat in order for your food to come out evenly cooked and perfectly browned. You’ve got two routes to take here:

Coat It

Everything you cook in an air fryer needs a coating of fat to encourage caramelization and prevent sticking. Some users swear by spray bottles of oil—we recommend La Tourangelle Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray, a high-quality olive oil—but you can also just toss your veg in oil in a bowl before cooking. If you’re playing with oil sprays, make sure to spray food before you transfer it into the basket.

Incorporate It

Breaded foods get nice ’n’ toasty in an air fryer, but without some fat mixed into the breading they’ll take longer to brown and the food inside could overcook before max crispiness is achieved. Tragedy! For our Sesame Coconut Chicken Tenders, we toss the breadcrumb mixture with a generous amount of oil before using it to coat the meat, which ensures perfectly golden brown outsides and juicy insides.

How do I convert a recipe for air-frying?

Some foods might take the same amount of time to cook as they would in the regular oven, like dense meatballs, while others will cook faster, like chopped broccoli. Set the air fryer to 25 degrees lower than the recipe calls for and start checking halfway to your recipe’s indicated cook time.

What should I cook in my air fryer?

1. Brussels sprouts

2. Potato wedges

3. Chicken tenders

4. Anything breaded, really

5. Broccoli, cauliflower

6. Frozen foods of all shapes and sizes

7. Chicken wings

8. Fish (whole or filets)

9. Cornstarch-coated tofu cubes

10. Spice-coated chickpeas

11. Leftover pizza

What should I absolutely not cook in my air fryer?

1. Watery veg, like zucchini and mushrooms (may cause the machine to billow steam or the food to never quite brown)

2. Pies, pastries, or cakes (they tend to dry out from the fan action)

3. Bacon (a mess to clean)

4. Eggs (a novelty—but go ahead, try it once)

5. Steak, burgers, or anything typically pan seared

But what about fries?

One of the most googled air-fryer recipes? Surprise surprise: homemade french fries. But here’s the truth: Real-deal, restaurant-worthy DIY fries are a labor of love, and they need to be soaked in water beforehand to remove excess starch and cooked multiple times. Annoying! But the good news is that frozen fries (and tater tots, and just about any frozen snack) are so much better in the air fryer than in the oven. And now if you’ll excuse me, my air-fried oatmeal bites are ready.

Shop Now:

Oven-Style Air Fryers

$350.00, Bed Bath and Beyond

$750.00, Sur La Table

$500.00, Breville

Basket-Style Air Fryers

$120.00, Amazon

$150.00, Amazon

$235.00, Amazon

Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit