It's easy to eat unhealthy during the winter. The cold months and snow are perfect for heavy, calorie-dense meals, but it's possible to give your meals a healthy twist with a high-quality air fryer. With one in your kitchen, crisping up food will need only a tiny amount of oil, so you'll be keeping the calories down and the flavor high. It makes it especially easy to stay on track and not give up on your goals.
Our Picks
What I liked:
Pros
- Glass cooking chamber is easy to clean
- Can view your food's progress without stopping
- Cooking chamber turns into a sealed food container
- Simple controls
Cons
- Glass gets hot during and after cooking
- Pricier than others on the list
- No precise control of temperature
What I liked:
Pros
- Modest size is good for crowded kitchens
- Air fryer function was great
- Able to do gentle toasting in addition to powerful air-frying
- Fun retro look and available in a range of colors
- Steam function helps keep food moist
Cons
- There are definitely cheaper options available
- Air fryer toaster ovens aren't as easy to clean
What I liked:
Pros
- Has major power and cooked food faster than any other air fryer we tested
- The build is sturdy
- Controls are simple
- At $69, it's an excellent value
Cons
- Its shiny plastic body shows fingerprints easily
What I like:
Pros
- Air fryer and pressure cooker both work great
- Great value considering how much it does
Cons
- Difficult to clean after air frying
- Heavier than solo air fryers
What I like:
Pros
- Sleek design and consistent function
- Close to a replacement for your wall oven
- Preheats fast
- Great for holidays or when extra cooking capacity is needed
Cons
- Expensive
- A large cooking chamber makes it harder to get that true air fryer crust
- The air fryer function isn't as powerful as some others we tried
What I like:
Pros
- Light and easy to move around the kitchen
- Good power despite a compact 2-quart size
- Comes in 5 colors
- Has a fun retro look
Cons
- Small 2-quart capacity is not ideal for large groups or families
What I like:
Pros
- Dual basket design allows you to cook multiple foods at once
- Huge capacity for making big batches of food for crowds
Cons
- Takes up a lot of space in the kitchen
- Expensive for an air fryer
CNET's experts have tested out the absolute best models from Ninja, DeLonghi, Breville, Philips and others; these are our top picks that deliver the best results. If you want to enjoy holiday classics with a healthy twist, these air fryers are the ones to bring into your kitchen.
What's the best air fryer overall?
Crisping up food has never been easier or healthier.
When Ninja released its Ninja glass-bowl Crispi, we got a new favorite air fryer on our list after two years. The Crispi has loads of power and is easy to clean, plus the cooking chamber doubles as a portable food container. This is hands down the best air fryer to buy in 2026. And guess what? It's available for just $180 -- a bargain.
The dynamic glass Crispi is the air fryer we now recommend most, but there are several other picks to choose from that cost less, hold more food or feature additional cooking modes and methods not available on that model.
With the Ninja Crispi, food is ready to be packed away or brought to a party as soon as it's done without dirtying another dish.
Read more: The Air Fryer Is the Best and Fastest Way to Make a Roast Chicken
Best air fryers of 2026
Pros
- Glass cooking chamber is easy to clean
- Can view your food's progress without stopping
- Cooking chamber turns into a sealed food container
- Simple controls
Cons
- Glass gets hot during and after cooking
- Pricier than others on the list
- No precise control of temperature
What I liked:
Our new favorite air fryer comes from the makers of our old favorite. The glass bowl Ninja offers several advantages over metal and nonstick cooking baskets. First, you can see your food while it's being cooked. After cooking, the glass bottom chamber converts to a sealable food carrier when you pop on a rubber lid. As a bonus, the Ninja Crispi's glass cooking chamber was the easiest to get squeaky clean of all the air fryers we've tested.
Unlike most air fryers that use a basket that slides in and out of the machine, this air fryer has a cooking mechanism that clamps down on one of the included 4-quart or 6-cup containers. The powerful coils cooked everything we put inside to a perfect, even crisp. Four simple cooking modes -- warm, reheat, bake and air fry -- and the adjustable timer made using the machine a breeze.
Who is it for:
It's the best air fryer for those who are particular about getting their kitchen tools squeaky clean. It's also the best air fryer for anyone concerned about nonstick coatings and the potential hazards they present.
Who should avoid it:
The one downside, aside from the high price, is that the glass chamber gets and stays pretty hot during and after cooking, which could present a danger to careless cooks or those with small children. The glass bowls are equipped with stay-cool handles for handling and transporting the air fryer.
Pros
- Modest size is good for crowded kitchens
- Air fryer function was great
- Able to do gentle toasting in addition to powerful air-frying
- Fun retro look and available in a range of colors
- Steam function helps keep food moist
Cons
- There are definitely cheaper options available
- Air fryer toaster ovens aren't as easy to clean
What I liked:
A conveniently sized, PFAS-free, countertop-worthy appliance that can air fry, bake, roast, toast, reheat and broil -- all with steam infusion technology for crispy exteriors and soft, moist interiors. It does everything, from ultra-crispy air frying to serious roasting, to rejuvenating steam infusion. It’s fairly spacious, although certainly not the largest oven we tried. You could roast a roughly 4-pound chicken or go multilevel to cook double the capacity of a stand-alone air fryer.
Who is it for:
If you have trouble keeping your air-fryer food from drying out, the Wonder Oven is the only model on our list with a steam function that helps keep food moist while it's being blasted with super convection heat.
Who should avoid it:
The modest capacity means you may have to cook food in batches. If you regularly feed a large crowd, consider upgrading to a larger air fryer or air-frying toaster oven.
Pros
- Has major power and cooked food faster than any other air fryer we tested
- The build is sturdy
- Controls are simple
- At $69, it's an excellent value
Cons
- Its shiny plastic body shows fingerprints easily
What I liked:
Ninja's sleek and efficient pod air fryer impressed us in several rounds of testing. At $69, it's a clear pick for the best budget air fryer in 2026. The Ninja is powerful, easy to operate, looks great and is reasonably priced. We tested the 4-quart model and the otherwise identical 5.5-quart model (perfect for roasting a whole chicken). There were no discernible differences in performance between the two.
The Ninja turned out the best chicken wings of any air fryer we cooked them in. It seems to run a little hotter than other models of its size, but I consider that a good thing. Air frying is about getting the outside crispy without drying out the middle, and you need a blast of hot convection to do it.
Who is it for:
Those seeking a budget-friendly basket-style air fryer with lots of power. The Ninja's control panel is simple and intuitive. Beyond flicking on the air fryer, there are a handful of presets and cooking modes, including bake and reheat, that are perfect for warming bread or reviving leftover pizza without burning it.
Who should avoid it:
This air fryer sports a nonstick basket, so if you're worried about chemical leaching or the coating wearing out over time, choose Ninja's glass-bowl air fryer instead. One other thing to note is that the Ninja lacks a special cooking mode for vegetables. Much as in earlier rounds of testing, the fresh Brussels sprouts emerged a tad overdone -- even burnt in spots. This simply requires a little more checking when you're air-frying certain foods for the first time.
Pros
- Air fryer and pressure cooker both work great
- Great value considering how much it does
Cons
- Difficult to clean after air frying
- Heavier than solo air fryers
What I like:
This Instant Pot model is a pressure cooker, slow cooker and air fryer with sear and steam functions, to boot. I found the air fryer function worked as well or better than most of the solo air fryers I tested.
Instant Pot's Duo model made incredible crispy "fried" chicken, wings, veggies and other classics but know that you'll likely have to cook in batches if you're making food for a group. It's also a solid deal considering all this machine does. The Duo Crisp often can be found for $150 or cheaper if you nab it on sale.
Who is it for:
If you're eyeing an air fryer but also an Instant Pot or another multicooker, let me save you some money and kitchen space. The Instant Pot Duo does all the work of the popular multicooker -- pressure cooker, slow cooker, steam and sauté -- but comes with a separate air fryer lid and cooking function as well.
Who should avoid it:
It's worth noting that the air fryer cooking capacity is relatively small, even if the full chamber for pressure and slow cooking is large. Another thing I didn't love about this model is the steel air fryer basket, which is trickier to clean than the pod-shaped models, most of which feature nonstick cooking baskets.
Pros
- Sleek design and consistent function
- Close to a replacement for your wall oven
- Preheats fast
- Great for holidays or when extra cooking capacity is needed
Cons
- Expensive
- A large cooking chamber makes it harder to get that true air fryer crust
- The air fryer function isn't as powerful as some others we tried
What I like:
Breville's stylish Smart Oven Air is our favorite air fryer and toaster combo. This isn't just a proficient air fryer but a mini version of a smart oven that can handle a small chicken, as many as four filets of salmon or a tray of homemade cookies. Most likely because of its size, the Smart Oven Air took a little bit longer to get crispy chicken wings and Brussels sprouts, but only by a few minutes.
Who is it for:
If you want a countertop appliance that can do far more than wings and wedges, this is a whole lot of oven capability. The Breville heats very consistently and has a wealth of cooking modes -- toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, warm, reheat, air fry -- making it about as good a replacement for your big oven as any. This makes a great supplement to your large oven during holidays and other occasions where extra cooking capacity is welcomed.
Who should avoid it:
If you like a toaster oven and are just looking for an air fryer, this probably isn't the pick.
Pros
- Light and easy to move around the kitchen
- Good power despite a compact 2-quart size
- Comes in 5 colors
- Has a fun retro look
Cons
- Small 2-quart capacity is not ideal for large groups or families
What I like:
As the award suggests, this air fryer is small. About as small as any brand makes them. If you're only cooking for one or two people, it may be enough capacity and will save you precious space on the counter. The Dash has enough power to make eight or nine crispy chicken wings in about 20 minutes and a few servings of fries in about half that time.
The single analog dial is easy to manipulate, and there is just one mode -- air fry -- to keep things uncomplicated. For an air fryer under $50, this model is fairly solid and the basket fits snugly into the hull without any wobble. It's also easy to clean and quiet when running.
Who is it for:
If you're after pure value, the Dash performs well and is less than $50. It's also perfect for smaller kitchens or those wanting to test out an air fryer without committing much money or kitchen space.
Who should avoid it:
If you're cooking for more than two or three people, this air fryer won't be big enough.
Pros
- Dual basket design allows you to cook multiple foods at once
- Huge capacity for making big batches of food for crowds
Cons
- Takes up a lot of space in the kitchen
- Expensive for an air fryer
What I like:
A dual-basket air fryer allows you to cook most of an entire meal in one go without fear of burning one thing or undercooking the other. Smaller baskets net better results when air frying, so I suggest a dual basket as opposed to an oven with one single, large cooking chamber. This model has all the same settings and cooking modes as Ninja's single-basket model but allows you to toggle between both baskets to set the time and temp accordingly. There's also a handy match-cook setting if you're doing one huge heap of wings in both baskets.
While Instant also makes a formidable version, Ninja's 8-quart (two 4-quart baskets) is our top pick. It sports tons of power at a great price. As with the single-basket Ninja, this machine feels rock solid and the baskets slide in firmly with no wiggle.
Who is it for:
This is the perfect air fryer for those who regularly cook for big groups. You can make double batches of wings or cook two recipes at once for a full meal without having to do it in batches or worry about overcooking one of the recipes.
Who should avoid it:
This is a massive air fryer and will dominate whatever part of the countertop you keep it on. If you don't regularly cook for large groups, choose one of the smaller, less expensive models on our list. This dual-basket model also has a smaller 6-quart model (two 3-quart baskets) and a massive 10-quart version (two 5-quart baskets) available.
Want more info? Check out our full review of the Ninja Foodi Dual-Basket air fryer.
Recent updates
July 2025
The Ninja Crispi glass air fryer was tested and added as best air fryer overall
The Ninja 4-quart air fryer was tested and added as the best air fryer under $75
The Our Place Wonder Oven was tested and added as the best air fryer and toaster oven
Compare air fryers
| Air fryer | Size | Wattage | Controls | Cooking modes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Crispi glass air fryer | 4 quarts | 1,500 | Digital | Air fry, recrisp, reheat, mac crisp | $160 |
| Ninja 4- or 6-quart air fryer | 4 quarts | 1,550 | Digital | Air fry, roast, reheat, dehydrate | $69 |
| Dash 2-quart air fryer | 2 quarts | 1,500 | Analog | Air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate | $50 |
| Ninja Foodi DualZone air fryer | 8 quarts (total) | 1,690 | Digital | Air fry, broil, bake, dehydrate, roast, reheat | $200 |
| Instant Pot Duo Crisp | 6 quarts | 1,000 | Digital | Pressure cook, slow cook, air fry, roast, steam, bake, broil, warm, sauté | $150 |
| Breville Smart Oven Air | 0.8 cubic feet | 1,800 | Digital | Toast, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, slow cook | $350 |
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer and multicooker turned out some excellent air-fried chicken.
Other air fryers we tested
Dreo Chefmaker: This souped-up air fryer has a built-in thermometer and tons of smart features. It works great but I found myself just using the basic air fryer function, which makes it hard to justify the $359 price.
Dash Tasti-Crisp: I don't have major complaints with this model's function but it feels a little flimsy for $60.
Crux Marshmello: This compact 3-quart air fryer did well in testing and the cooking basket was easy to clean. I wasn't a fan of the control panels, which sport cutesy LED images in place of words and it wasn't abundantly clear what each one was for.
Phillips air fryer: I had no issues with this air fryer and liked the sleek design and intuitive controls. It performed similarly to the Ninja 4-quart but that model, our top budget pick, costs $100 less.
The Crux air fryer performed well but the control panel was a little too cute for its own good.
PowerXL Air Fryer (Update: Currently unavailable): This is another small air fryer that did well in testing but I prefer the controls and sleek design of the more budget-friendly Gourmia 2-quart.
Instant Vortex: One popular option is the Instant Vortex. It's priced in line with the other air fryers in this group. The Vortex is made by the same company that created the groundbreaking Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. Despite that, I wasn't blown away by its results. Chicken wings and fried chicken were acceptable but not incredible and less juicy than what other fryers produced. My Brussels sprouts ended up overdone too, and frozen fries cooked unevenly.
Dash Compact Air Fryer: We found the Dash Compact Air Fryer to be underpowered. While the larger Dash Deluxe is a powerhouse, the Dash Compact struggled to air-fry almost everything we put inside it. Both french fries and Brussels sprouts were under-done and unevenly cooked. The only bright spot was chicken wings. They took 30 minutes, but I was treated to skin with some crunch.
GoWise USA 8-in-1 Digital Air Fryer (Update: Currently unavailable): You may not have heard of this brand but this offering from GoWise is a solid choice. It didn't cook the skin of my chicken wings evenly. That said, french fries came out crispy and crunchy, with fluffy interiors. The fryer also roasted Brussels sprouts well, no mean feat for this group of appliances.
Chefman 3.5 qt. Analog Air Fryer: Another relatively affordable choice is the Chefman Analog Air Fryer. It's tiny, too, offering just 3.5 quarts of food-frying capacity. The appliance delivered decent chicken wings, but it undercooked the Brussels sprouts and frozen french fries. We also found the Chefman's timer control confusing. This dial is labeled in numerical increments of 10. The numbers are separated by groups of four dots, not nine, as you would expect.
PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer: You might consider purchasing the PowerXL Vortex, but we recommend against it because of its steep price and mediocre frying performance. We had satisfactory results cooking chicken wings in it, but this machine overcooked Brussels sprouts, and the french fries were just OK.
DeLonghi Rapid Crisp: The DeLonghi Rapid Crisp was one of the most expensive models we tested, and it just didn't live up to the price tag. While I liked the design and sturdy build and appreciated the small viewing window for watching the cooking progress, I found the buttons and interface clunky. There was no way to set an actual cooking temp, only presets, and even those weren't very intuitive.
Beautiful Air Fryer by Drew Barrymore (Update: Currently unavailable): This air fryer offering from the actor's new kitchen line performed well in the four rounds of testing. It showed good power and cooked chicken wings to a nice crispy outside and kept them juicy inside after about 25 minutes. The air fryer's interface is slick, although I liked the Ninja's simpler control panel more, which is one of a few reasons it edged out this unit for best air fryer overall. This is a great option and is about $30 cheaper than the Ninja. It also has a pleasing design with smooth matte plastic (which does smudge a bit).
How we test air fryers
The Cosori Lite made some mighty tasty wings in 30 minutes.
To date, we've tested well over a dozen air fryers to curate this list. Each air fryer is evaluated for its power, consistency, ease of use, design, features and overall performance. In total, we've logged results for more than 20 air fryers and more than 75 hours of air fryer testing.
There are hundreds of recipes that can be made with an air fryer but we stuck to the basics and focused on the most popular foods people associate with air fryers. Chicken wings are at the top of that list, but french fries, frozen snacks and dense vegetables -- in this case, Brussels sprouts -- are air fryer food staples. Before we began, we consulted each model's manual for relevant cooking directions. If the manual didn't provide specific instructions, we applied uniform procedures to each air fryer depending on the type of food we were preparing.
You can make a whole roasted chicken in your air fryer.
For chicken wings, we followed a basic air fryer recipe. First, we preheated the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cooked them for 25 minutes in the basket with the included tray, then checked on them and turned them every 8 minutes. Most of the air fryers we tested had a solid showing in the wing test, although some, including the powerful Ninja and Cosori Lite models, got the wings a bit crispier in that amount of time.
For Brussels sprouts, we preheated the ovens to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cooked them for 15 minutes. Before cooking, we rinsed and cut the sprouts in half and tossed them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In this test, some ovens struggled to brown the outside of the sprouts, but most got there eventually.
Dense Brussels sprouts are a popular air fryer food. Soft and watery veggies such as zucchini and mushrooms may turn to mush under this type of intense heat.
For the french fry test, we chose Alexia's frozen crinkle-cut fries and cooked 1 cup, according to the air fryer directions on the bag. Quick note: Be careful when cooking fries in an air fryer as some types, especially thinner-cut fries, can dry out easily when hit with super-convection. We recommend heftier waffle fries, tater tots, crinkle cut or potato wedges over the shoestring variety.
The Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid turned out equally browned sweet potato fries as a solo air fryer in the same amount of time.
At the end of each test, we looked for how evenly the items were cooked, if they were cooked through and whether they had a sufficient level of crispy, crunchy, fried goodness comparable to deep frying or pan frying.
Ease of use
I liked the top placement of the control panel on the Cosori Lite air fryer.
Beyond cooking performance, how easy an air fryer is to operate and how intuitive the buttons and controls were something we observed closely during testing. Overly complicated settings, controls and presets didn't generally result in high marks, but certain features were appreciated. All air fryers have base-level control over the temperature and cook time, although some are controlled digitally while others require the crank of simple manual dials. From there, you'll find preset programs for foods such as wings, fries, fish, veggies and baked goods.
You can see your food while it's being cooked in the Ninja Crispi air fryer.
How well they cook
To get a sense of how each air fryer in this test group handles, we ran a battery of three tests on each model. Each test focused on one food: chicken wings, Brussels sprouts and frozen french fries.
Most air fryers we tested passed the French fries test, although it's critical to check on them frequently so you don't overcook and dry them out.
What health experts say about air fryers
How healthy cooking is with an air fryer depends on what you put in it.
The Cleveland Clinic: "They [air fryers] won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins....Think of the air fryer as a way to enhance healthier foods, so they're even more tempting."
Medical News Today: "Research on the effects of air-fried food is promising. Air fryers appear to be a healthy alternative, offering flavors similar to fried food with fewer adverse effects."
British Heart Foundation: "If you often eat deep-fried foods, switching to an air fryer could be helpful."
Buying guide: What to consider when choosing an air fryer
An air fryer can bring efficiency and simplicity to your nightly meal routine. It's easy to make a quick and delicious meal with the best air fryers in your kitchen. They are not only healthier but also use less energy than an oven. Check out the complete guide to air fryers to learn more about these great kitchen appliances.
Pod-shaped air fryers vs. air-frying toasters
Air frying toaster ovens have advantages but they typically take longer to cook and the inner cavity can be tricky to clean if food splatters.
While the idea of a toaster oven that doubles as an air fryer is a good one, and the air frying function on many of the hybrid machines is proficient, certain foods we love cooking in an air fryer are too messy to cook in a toaster.
All pod air fryers have removable cooking baskets and most of them are nonstick. When you're cooking chicken thighs with a sauce or even veggies drizzled with oil -- a few favorites -- there is going to be some inevitable splatter. Air frying mode is intense, with high convection heat circulated at a fast pace. Do this in a toaster oven, which is markedly more difficult to clean, and you'll be dealing with some serious caked-on gunk after the first few dozen uses.
You won't need more than 15 minutes to make this magic happen in an air fryer.
Pod air fryers, on the other hand, take very little effort to get clean. Most air fryer baskets are now thicker and also nonstick. Beware of thin wire baskets, which can be tougher to clean. Both types can be removed to soak in the sink and some can be run through the dishwasher. The same can't be said for the inside walls of a countertop oven.
If you're buying a toaster oven, there's no reason not to get one with an air fryer function. It can still be used for less splatter-prone foods such as potatoes, frozen empanadas and filets of salmon without too much risk of making a mess.
For more, read CNET's complete guide to air fryers.
Air fryer size
Here's the tiny 2-quart Gourmia air fryer next to the more standard 4.25-quart Phillips model.
While there are several features to consider, the size of your air fryer is likely the most important decision you'll make. If you're typically cooking for one or two people, a 2- or 3-quart air fryer should be large enough. Consider adding another quart of capacity to your air fryer for every person that you're regularly cooking for.
A family of four or five, for instance, should be fine with a 5-quart model. If you plan on regularly cooking full meals for a family, including meat and veggies or sides, you might consider a larger, dual-basket air fryer like the Ninja DualZone.
All that said, the smaller the air fryer you can get away with the better. I've found that smaller air fryers such as the Magic Bullet 2- to 5-quart model and Instant Pot's Duo Crisp net better results as food will get blasted faster and more often than inside a larger model. Smaller air fryers mean less overall capacity, so you may have to cook in batches.
Power
We made sure every air fryer on our list has the power to blast cauliflower, chicken wings and potatoes to a crispy finish.
Most air fryers are somewhere between 1,200 and 1,800 watts. Larger air fryers typically have more watts and smaller models have less. Your midrange 4-quart air fryer should have about 1,500 watts. The small Magic Bullet and Gourmia air fryers have 1,300, but that's plenty of power to cook food in the petite basket. Larger air fryers should have about 100 more watts per quart to make sure they hit those hot temps of 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Air fryer accessories
Some fancy models may come with extra accessories, but all you need is an air fryer basket with wire or nonstick grates. They come standard with most air fryer models and help the super-convection to hit all sides of your food evenly. I prefer the nonstick variety as wire baskets can be particularly tricky to clean.
All the air fryers we tested came with a grated fryer basket or tray. The Philips Essential Digital model has it attached to the handle making it easier to remove for cleaning.
Should you just get a normal air fryer or a multifunction model?
The Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid turned out equally browned sweet potato fries as a single-function solo air fryer in the same amount of time.
That depends on the type of cooking you'll do and what other appliances you already have. I like having a solo air fryer, but I'm also a fan of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp that functions as an air fryer and a multicooker (also a pressure cooker and slow cooker).
Consider how the air fryer looks, too
Fritaire's glass bowl air fryer certainly is an eye catcher.
Air fryers don't have to be kept on the counter but anything larger than 3 quarts might be tricky to store when not in use. Considering that, you should get an air fryer that compliments your kitchen. The Ninja and Cosori models are available in a range of colors (Cosori has more). There are also glass bowl air fryers and more modern-looking machines.
Roasting Brussels sprouts well is tricky for an air fryer.
Buying advice for air fryers
The air fryer world has moved on from the old-school basket designs and glass bowl models like the Ninja Crispi are the new go-to. These newer designs let you watch your food as it cooks and during the testing, we found the Ninja Crispi to be a meaningful upgrade over standard air fryers. The glass bowl makes it fully non toxic, easy to clean and far more user-friendly. We expect it to get even more popular alongside innovations like steam-assisted cooking in the Our Place Wonder Oven. Brands are focusing on better tasting results, cleaner materials, and higher efficiency.
Air fryer FAQs
How do air fryers work?
The air fryer is a simple cooking machine that employs hot, fast-circulating convection heat and a small fan to flash-roast food inside a contained frying basket. While there's generally no or very little oil used, the results can be similar to those of traditional frying in that food comes out crispy on the outside and (ideally) moist on the inside.
Are air fryers energy efficient compared to ovens?
We did an analysis and found that a standard 4-quart air fryer will cost about 27 cents per hour to run. That's 50% more energy-efficient than the average full-size electric oven and about 35% more efficient than the average gas oven.
What can you make in an air fryer?
The options for foods you can cook in an air fryer are vast, but some air fryer favorites include chicken wings, chicken tenders, french fries and mozzarella sticks. You can also make fish in an air fryer, including salmon, for a moist inside and roasted outer crust. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are great when made in an air fryer, as are certain vegetables like Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, onions, peppers and carrots.
Is using an air fryer healthier?
Generally speaking, air frying is a healthy way to cook. Cooking with an air fryer means you'll get foods that taste like they've been fried but with little or no oil. You can make healthier chicken wings, French fries and cheese sticks without deep-frying or pan-frying in oil. Some foods do best in an air fryer with a light coating of oil, but most don't require any. Air fryers have become popular in part because they allow people to eat snack-type foods but with far less fat, cholesterol and fewer calories.
Can you cook raw meat in an air fryer?
As long as the raw meat is fully defrosted, you can place and even cook it in an air fryer with very little trouble. However, we do recommend using baking paper under the meat (either by covering the tray or cutting a fine piece of the paper to put under your food) so that the juice collected doesn't collect at the bottom of your air fryer.
Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?
Yes, you can use aluminum foil in an air fryer but you need to be careful with it. It's ideal to line the bottom of the basket with foil to catch any drips but you should never cover the entire basket or block airflow, as that can potentially lead to a hazard. You should also make sure that the food is weighing down the foil so it doesn't move around and touch the heating element. Parchment paper designed for air fryers can be a better alternative.
