In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, my team and I have tested more than 50 air fryers for performance and ease of use over the years. 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 understand what makes an air fryer “the best.” Our findings prove that the best air fryers are quick, powerful, and easy to use.
What to look for when buying a new air fryer
Basket shape
Air fryers have round baskets, which makes them a bit neater but ultimately offers less cooking space than squared-off baskets. My top pick, the Ninja, has a shallow but wide base of the basket, meaning you can fit much more food than the capacity might suggest.
Depth matters if you plan on cooking thick cuts of meat, such as a whole chicken. If you want to cook narrow and long cuts of meat, you’ll struggle with a round or small square basket.
Wattage
Wattage = power, and the bigger, the better. If you want a hefty air fryer like a dual-zone, you’ll want ample wattage to match. If you skip this, you’ll have a slower and less crispy finish because the air fryer struggles to maintain those tops.
Ninja air fryers typically deliver super-powerful performance, but anything on the cheaper end (sub-$ $ 50) struggles in the power department.
Type
The type of air fryer matters. Halogen ovens are always a no in my book, and toaster ovens are also always a no. Have you ever tried to clean a toaster oven? Have you tried inserting and removing those tiny, fiddly drawers? I can’t get on board with them.
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Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1
The Ninja 4-in-1 Pro Air Fryer is a competent option that wowed me when I put it to the test at home. It’s got a five-quart basket, but thanks to the improved shape and design of this air fryer compared to Ninja’s earlier models, it was capable of meal-prepping for four without any trouble. And if you want a larger alternative, it also comes in an XL capacity 6.5-quart model, which could be a better choice for families.
When testing, this air fryer crisped up French fries in under 10 minutes, although it could use a ‘remind to turn’ alarm, as I did note it cooks faster at the sides of the basket. When roasting vegetables, I could cook slowly and low on the Roast setting and achieve some good charring on zucchini and peppers. And it did a great job of cooking tender chicken fillets, with the nonstick and dishwasher-safe cleaning of those dried-on juices like a dream.
Another plus is the basket insert, which lifts out, allowing you to cook directly on the base of the air fryer. I like doing this with saucier food that I can’t be bothered to cook in the oven. It also opens up some extra space at the base of the basket, which could overcome the limitations of this air fryer’s shorter stature.
I did note the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1’s shallower basket and overall lower profile. It looks great without feeling limited in functionality. It will also slot easily under any cabinet and could be stowed in a cupboard easily if you’re short on counter space.
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Philips 3000 Dual Zone Air Fryer
When I tested the Philips 3000, I described it as an air fryer designed for foodies. Sure, any air fryer could probably crisp up some frozen fries, but this is an air fryer I’d trust with expensive cuts of meat. To start with, it has extra-sensitive temperature controls. It means your food won’t cook quite as fast as if you blasted it in the Ninja 4-in-1, but it does an excellent job of rendering fat from bacon and chicken wings, making your salmon tender and flaky, and evenly browning potato wedges.
All Philips air fryers have a vortex design on the base of the baskets to increase air circulation. This works well, but it does mean you can’t cook flat on the basket base, which I occasionally like to do in the Ninja 4-in-1 Pro.
Then there’s the dual zone design, which is clever. It’s split into a smaller drawer (I use this for single servings of things like bacon or fish) and a larger drawer that’s similar in size to the likes of Ninja and Dreo air fryers, meaning you can cook for a family without having to compromise. Some air fryers, like the Ninja FlexDrawer, have a removable insert, which is a handy feature, but the uneven split is a good workaround.
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Philips 2000 Series Air Fryer
Reviews writer Erin tried and loved the Philips 2000 in her kitchen. It has a transparent viewing window that allows you to watch your food as it cooks and offers enough capacity to roast a whole chicken.
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Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer
I rate the Instant Vortex Slim air fryer. It’s narrow but deep, with a surprisingly generous cooking capacity. It’s great for small kitchens and also very well-priced. As with many of these touchscreen models, the control panel gets a little fingerprint-y after use, so be sure to wipe it down regularly if you buy it.
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Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer
Cosori is another brand that you’ll typically see discounted at Amazon. It’s good and looks spookily similar to some of Ninja’s air fryers. In recent years, I’ve seen the brand’s prices creep up, so while it used to be my best budget pick in this guide, I’m now less sure that it offers fantastic value for money.
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Gourmia Fry’ N Fold Digital Air Fryer
The Gourmia is another interesting choice. If you’re into the glass air fryer trend and want something nonstick-free, it’s a smart option that won a 4-star review. It’s also pretty portable thanks to its lid, which folds down into the fryer itself, but it has some quirks that are worth knowing before you buy.
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T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer
Freelancer Camryn reviewed the T-Fal and found it lives up to its claim of being incredibly powerful and fast. It’s got a small capacity, though, and despite the quality design, it doesn’t necessarily look the best. It’s a great choice if time is of the essence.
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Midea 11-Quart Two-Zone Air Fryer
Camryn also reviewed the innovative Midea air fryer, which has a drawer level and a conventional basket-style insert. It’s certainly an interesting idea, but she didn’t think it aced the execution.
