Best Overall
Black + Decker Purify Air Fryer
Air Fryer Accessories Anti-Stick 17 PCS with with Pizza Pan Cake Barrel Waffle Mold Hot Dog Mold Fryer Liners(100PCS) and Cookbook (20 Recipes) for GoWISE Ninja COSORI Philips Airfryer 5.3QT – 6.8QT Dishwasher Safe BPA Free, Matte Gold. 4.1 out of 5 stars 36.
It's compact, reliable, and comes with time and temperature recs for most fried foods.
- Best at cooking frozen foods
- Top model under $100
- Easy to clean
Best Value
Farberware Multi-Functional Air Fryer
$59.88
Great value when purchased at Walmart, and boasts easy-to-use controls.
- Least expensive model
- Cooks up to 2 lbs. at a time
- Recipe book included
- Not always consistent in achieving perfectly crisp results
Family Size
Philips Avance XXL Twin Turbostar Air Fryer
$279.85
No other air fryer can cook this much food at once, but you'll pay more for the convenience.
- Pre-set cooking timers
- 30-min. keep warm setting
- Compatible app
- It's more than double the cost of other air fryers
Safety Controls
NuWave 36001 Brio Air Fryer
$96.54
This touch-pad model won't start cooking until the basket is securely in place.
- Cooks A+ French fries
- LED digital display
- One-year warranty
Hybrid
Ninja Foodi 1400-Watt Multi Cooker
$215.68
The Ninja Foodi combines two of this year's biggest appliance trends: air frying and pressure cooking.
- Doubles as a pressure cooker
- Extra-large cooking basket
- Passed rigorous safety testing
Everything You Need to Know About Air Fryers
How Air Fryers Work | GH Institute's Top 5 Air Fryers | Air Fryer Cooking Tips | How To Clean Your Air Fryer | How We Tested
How Air Fryers Work | GH Institute's Top 5 Air Fryers | Air Fryer Cooking Tips | How To Clean Your Air Fryer | How We Tested
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Last year, we predicted that the air fryer would become as popular as the Instant Pot — by now, you've probably heard all kinds of buzz about the kitchen appliance, but which ones are the best? To find out which air fryers are worth your money, the Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute evaluated models from major manufacturers, looking at their ability to cook homemade and frozen French fries and chicken nuggets (fried food staples) plus breaded eggplant as a vegetarian option. They also measured taste, texture, and evenness of browning. Last but not least, the Lab evaluated the hardware on each air fryer — controls, settings, and how easy it was to clean. (You can find out more about our testing methods at the bottom of this article.)
Our Lab's top pick is Black & Decker’s Purifry 2L Capacity Air Fryer. Testers gave it high marks for its ability to cook 8 cups of food (a hearty amount for a countertop appliance!) and quickly pre-heat up to 400°F, plus we found that it was exceptional at cooking frozen French fries. (Note that because wet batters are tougher on air fryers, all models but one were lackluster in making homemade French fries ... womp, womp.) On the bright side: Every model in our test features a dishwasher-safe basket and audible alerts when cooking is complete. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the Purifry, plus info on more models we loved, as well as cooking and cleaning tips.
But first, how does an air fryer work and does it really make food healthy?
What does an air fryer do, exactly? Well, it's a healthier alternative to a traditional deep fryer, which plops meat and veggies in a vat of oil. But an air fryer, using only a small amount of oil heated and circulated by internal convection fans, makes crisp French fries, spring rolls, mozzarella sticks, mini empanadas, and more with a fraction of the calories and fat.
Good Housekeeping's Nutrition Director Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN says that while it won't make all fried foods automatically healthy, using an air fryer is generally a better option than deep-frying. 'It's definitely a healthier alternative if you commit to using just 1-2 tablespoons of a plant-based oil with seasoning, and you stick to air-frying veggies more than anything else,' she says. 'Any appliance that helps you and your family up your veggie game is key to weight management, reduced risk of chronic disease, and improved long-term health as we age.'
Using an air fryer is also safer than using a deep fryer, in that you’re not cooking at the risk of third-degree burns. And it's a whole lot faster: You can have fries on the table in as little as 12 minutes, and chicken nuggets to go with them in 8 minutes. And because you're basically buying a compact convection oven for your countertop, you can also use an air fryer to make desserts — we’re talking cookies, brownies, and even cakes.
Black + Decker Purify Air Fryer
amazon.com $149.99
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The basket on this model cooks 2-4 servings at a time, and we love that it's budget-friendly. In our test, a batch of Ore-Ida frozen fries came out well-browned and very crispy. There are just two knobs to deal with — one for heating between 175-400°F and one for cooking up to 60 minutes, in 5-minute increments. A light at the top of the air fryer indicates when it's on, and a second light lets you know when it's pre-heated. Both the basket and separator are dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze. It's available in black and white.
Dimensions:12.6 x 12.6 x 14.5.
Dimensions:12.6 x 12.6 x 14.5.
Farberware Multi-Functional Fryer
walmart.com
The Farberware air fryer can cook up to two pounds of food and comes with a recipe booklet if you want to experiment with new snacks and dinner ideas. Like the Purifry, it heats up to 400°F but only cooks 30 minutes at a time. There's also a nice little auto shut-off feature. The non-stick air fryer basket is dishwasher safe but you better like the color black — that's your only option for exterior. You can buy into Walmart's Protection Plan with Allstate for either 2 years ($5) or 3 years ($7).
Dimensions:14 x 14 x 16.
Dimensions:14 x 14 x 16.
Philips Avance XXL Twin Turbostar Air Fryer
amazon.com
If you regularly cook for crowds, you'll want to invest in Philips' Turbostar air fryer. It cooks up to 3 lbs. at a time and comes with automatic settings for frozen fries, meat, fish, and drumsticks. Our frozen fries and chicken nuggets came out browned and crispy, and we love the LED display and splatter proof lid. You'll find a recipe booklet in the box, but you'll also want to download the free Philips Airfryer app, which comes with 200+ recipes. You can also add on accessory kits for baking, grilling, and parties (which doubles the amount of food you can cook to 6 lbs. at a time).
Dimensions:12.7 x 17 x 12.4.
Dimensions:12.7 x 17 x 12.4.
NuWave 36001 Brio Air Fryer
amazon.com
If you have little kids who like to help out in the kitchen, consider this Amazon bestseller with 4.1 out of 5 stars. The compact model can still cook up to 3 quarts of food at once but won't start heating up unless the basket is secured in place. Frozen French fries came out very golden, crisp, and tender but alas, homemade French fries were greasy and raw inside. The interior has a non-stick coating and looks a little more high-tech on the outside, with LED controls that heat up to between 100°F and 390°F. It also comes with a 1-year warranty.
Dimensions:11 x 8 x 13.
Dimensions:11 x 8 x 13.
Ninja Foodi 1400-Watt Multi Cooker
amazon.com
Combine two trendy appliances into one for healthier, faster food. This appliance claims to cook up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods, and with up to 75% less fat than common frying methods. The 'large' version fits 6 quarts, but even the 4-quart basket can hold up to a 5-lbs. of chicken or 3 lbs. of French fries. And the non-stick coating makes for easy cleanup. We also like that it passed rigorous safety tests.
Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 10.
Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 10.
Follow These Air Fryer Tips to Get the Best Results
When it comes to user-friendly appliances, it doesn’t get much easier than an air fryer. But to maximize your experience, read these tips before you start cooking:
amazon.com $16.95
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer basket. In fact, the results are best when you arrange foods in a single layer if possible — this ensures a light and crispy, non-soggy exterior.
- Begin to air fry your food within a few minutes of tossing in the oil.
- Gently shake smaller ingredients in the fryer basket halfway through cooking (or every five to 10 minutes) to help prevent them from frying unevenly and to enhance their crispy texture.
- When converting a recipe for something roasted or baked into an air fryer-friendly recipe, lower the temperature by 25°F but keep the cooking time the same.
- Pre-packaged frozen foods don’t need additional oil before being air fried.
- Because most air fryer models have a basket with nonstick coating, avoid scraping the surface with metal utensils to preserve the finish.
- Maintain caution when preparing highly greasy foods (like sausages) in the air fryer, as excessive fat dripping into the pan can cause smoking.
- It’s okay to pull the basket out at any time throughout the cooking cycle to check on the progress — most models will automatically shut off and resume when the basket is placed back in. If food isn’t sufficiently fried when the timer goes off, just set the timer for a few extra minutes and continue cooking.
- Always set the basket, pan, and any accessories on a heat-resistant surface when frying is complete and maintain caution, as these tools get very hot during the cooking process.
- When air frying larger or delicate foods, use tongs to lift them out of the fryer basket. Otherwise, you can dump the food out directly into a serving bowl or plate.
- Once food is removed, the air fryer is ready for another batch. But if you’ve been prepping fatty ingredients and excess oil has collected in the bottom of the basket, carefully pour it out after each batch.
- You can also use your air fryer to reheat foods. Place in the basket and set the temperature to 300°F for up to 10 minutes.
How to Clean Your Air Fryer
Follow these easy instructions to keep your air fryer looking and smelling like new. But first, be sure that the appliance is off, unplugged, and cool.
Cleaning the Fryer Basket and Pan: Fill with hot water and add a few drops of dish soap and allow the pan with basket inside to soak for ten minutes. Wipe the basket walls and bottom with a moist cloth or non-abrasive sponge; allow to air dry before putting back into the device.
Washing the Exterior: Clean the outside of the air fryer with a moist cloth, as well as the walls of the interior cavity that hold the fryer basket. If necessary, food residues stuck to the heating element inside may be removed with a non-abrasive sponge or soft bristle brush and wipe dry with paper towel. Avoid steel wool or hard bristles, as these tools can damage the coating on the heating element.
How We Tested
Air fryers were evaluated for performance and ease of use. The performance evaluations checked each model’s ability to cook frozen French fries, homemade French fries, and homemade chicken nuggets. In our frozen fry test, we used ½ pound of Ore-Ida Golden Fries and cooked them according to the manufacturer’s instructions specified in the owner’s manual. In our homemade fry test, we used ½ pound of peeled Idaho potatoes and ½ tablespoon of Wesson vegetable oil and followed the manual’s instructions for cook time and temperature. In our chicken nugget test, we used ½ pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast nuggets dredged in flour, eggs, and bread crumbs and followed each manufacturer’s instructions for cook time and temperature. Finally, we performed all three identical tests in an oven to compare the results of air frying with baking. We rated the frozen fries, homemade fries, and chicken nuggets for taste and texture, noting crispness, tenderness, moisture, and browning.
Additionally, we performed usability evaluations to assess the helpfulness of the manual and the ease of using and reading each fryer’s controls, the presence or absence of variable temperature settings and an audible alert for when cooking is complete, how easy the fryer basket was to insert and remove, and cleanability.
Click here to learn more about the Good Housekeeping Institute and our testing methods.