After Testing Over 50 Air Fryers, These Are Our Top Picks

• Instant Vortex Plus Air Fry Oven: This large toaster oven-style air fryer from Instant is ideal for those who prefer to cook proteins and other foods that benefit from cooking in a single layer, such as chicken and dehydrated goodies, as it allows for better spreading of food across the multiple trays. In our tests, wings came out crispy, tender and evenly browned when cooked on the top shelf. The fries came out nicely as well, but they cooked better in the rotisserie basket, where they stayed moist. The rotisserie spit is another great feature: It allows you to cook foods, like a 4-pound chicken, to juicy perfection. The chicken was easy to insert onto the spit and into the oven, and it came out evenly browned. One downside is that the door needs to be pushed firmly to close, which can be a bit tricky.
• Ninja Foodi DualZone Air Fryer: This model's dual baskets come in handy for cooking large portions all at once, preparing different foods for picky eaters or simply making something small for one person. Each basket is perfect for air frying one to two portions and is compatible with all six settings. You can program the baskets to cook separately or simultaneously. This was one of the few dual-basket air fryers that produced crispy wings when we cooked them in either basket or simultaneously in both. Fries also cooked well and crispy in our tests. One con? The dual-basket design makes it a little tricky to set up the air fryer, but once you ensure the correct side is selected, you're good to go.
• Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro: This large toaster oven from Breville is ideal for tech-friendly cooks: It connects to an app packed with recipes and videos. During our tests, the Joule was a top performer when it came to cake baking; we were left with a beautifully browned cake. When performing the chicken wing test, we noticed that it took longer to get crisp wings compared to the other air fryers we tested. The controls were easy to use, even without the app. It comes with several accessories, including a broiling rack, an air-frying rack and a pizza pan.
• Bella Slim Air Fryer: This sleek and compact Bella air fryer takes up little room on your countertop but still has a basket long enough to fit foods like salmon and asparagus. The controls are simple and easy to use, making them great for those who are unfamiliar with air fryers or new to cooking. The slim fryer comes in several colors, including a creamy oat and a pretty pastel pink. Besides its appearance, the Bella produced crispy wings and golden, yet tender, French fries. While it performs well, we did notice that the Bella Slim Air Fryer requires more cooking time, depending on the dish being prepared.
• Philips Air Fryer 3000 Series: This is one of the latest air fryers from Philips, and it looks slightly different from the brand's other models. This version features a unique design and shape that aids in air circulation, according to the brand. It also features a small window, allowing you to keep an eye on your food while cooking. When performing our wing and fry tests, we noticed even cooking and browning, which resulted in a crisp exterior and a moist interior. The basket itself is large and great for cooking for two or more; however, if you don't have much counter space, it might be a bit bulky for you.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we've tested more than 50 air fryers. When we test them, we cook an assortment of foods that people would most likely cook at home.

✔️ Type of air fryer:

Basket-style air fryers, like the Ninja Max XL, are our favorite at the GH Institute. They're standalone appliances that feature a cooking basket where you place your food to cook. They pull out like a drawer and allow you to shake foods to toss them easily.

There are two common types of basket designs to look out for. Most of the basket-style air fryers we've tested, especially the newer models, consist of a single basket with a removable, perforated tray. (These trays have gotten better at staying put when you turn the baskets over to serve the food.) Some basket-style air fryers instead have a perforated basket that sits inside a drawer. We prefer the removable tray version because they're less bulky — imagine having to put two large pieces in the dishwasher. Some people, however, like the basket-in-drawer design because you can remove the basket and leave behind the grease-filled drawer.

Dual-basket air fryers are also more popular now. The baskets can be positioned side by side or one on top and one on the bottom to offer more cooking versatility.

Oven-style air fryers, like the Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-1 Air Fryer, feature multiple trays that allow you to spread your food out. They're ideal for foods with larger surface areas, such as chicken cutlets, fish and other proteins that benefit from flipping rather than shaking. These models are also better suited for dehydrating since they offer a larger surface area. They often come with rotisserie features as well. Their downside: The trays need to be rotated during cooking because the top trays get more browned than the bottom ones.

Air fryer toaster ovens, like the Cuisinart TOA-70, are among the most popular styles of air fryers. These have an air fryer function built into a toaster oven, allowing them to air fry and also toast, bake, roast and more. (Many air fryers say they can perform all of these functions, but they're not built to do so.) Air fryer toaster ovens sound like dreamy, multifunctional appliances, but few can air fry as quickly or as well as standalone air fryers. We've also found their cleanup to be a little cumbersome, as the baskets are often made of stainless steel, which is difficult to clean.

Glass air fryers have become increasingly popular over the years. They have glass bowls, as opposed to the nonstick baskets that most basket-style air fryers have. We've tested a few glass air fryers so far and noticed that they don't produce the same crisp and color as quickly as the nonstick models but still create delicious and golden foods; they just need more time to cook.

✔️ Size: How many people are you cooking for at one time? A compact size (around 2 quarts) is suitable for one to two people, while the average size is around 6 quarts for a family of four. Opt for more than 10 quarts if you want to cook for a larger group.

✔️ Price: You can get a good air fryer for around $80 to $200. Small air fryers cost less if you're looking to save. Other details to keep in mind when it comes to price? Digital air fryers tend to cost more than mechanical air fryers, as do stainless steel options versus plastic. And models that provide more functions, like steam cooking or slow cooking, will also cost more than those that are focused solely on air frying.

Air fryers work by heating food at a high temperature and using a large fan to circulate the air, much like a convection oven, to cook foods quickly and make them crispy. The size, speed and placement of the fan are what make air fryers different from convection ovens. Air fryer fans are typically large, operate very quickly and are located on the top of the air fryer where the powerful heating elements are.

Traditional convection ovens have smaller, slower fans that are usually positioned at the back or side of the oven. The air fryer's design, paired with a small cavity, creates a sizzling cooking environment. Plus, air fryers require little to no oil, and grease falls through the perforated tray, away from your food, which helps make it crispier.

"Air frying uses significantly less oil than deep frying and pan frying, so it can provide a lower-calorie and lower-fat alternative that still delivers a crisp texture," says Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N. "But air fryers are only as healthy as the foods you choose to cook in them. They won’t magically remove saturated and trans fats from your meals.”

To get the most health benefits out of your air fryer, Sassos recommends using it as a way to add more veggies and lean proteins to your diet. One of her favorite uses is air frying frozen veggies. "I couldn't believe how easy it was the first time I tried it," she says.

Air fryers work best when you put food directly on the air fryer tray. If you use aluminum foil or parchment paper, the air may not circulate as well, resulting in less crispy food. If you want to use aluminum foil or parchment paper because you're worried about food sticking to the bottom, oil your food well before cooking and remember that most air fryer baskets and trays are made with a nonstick coating. If you're concerned about ease of cleaning, try parchment paper liners. They're less reactive than aluminum foil and, since they're pre-cut, there's less of a chance of them accidentally touching the heating element and catching fire.

If you think of your air fryer basket like a nonstick pot, it might help you better understand when to replace it. Nonstick cookware wears over time and should be tossed if it's nicked or scratched. It also won't work well if it has build-up on it or an overwhelming amount of residue. Cleaning your air fryer basket gently and often will help prolong its longevity. Many brands offer basket replacements, too, so you don't have to replace your entire air fryer.

You might want to consider replacing your air fryer if you've had it for more than five years or find that it doesn't truly crisp up food. Newer models have proven to be more powerful in our tests.

Lastly, if you ever experience an electrical or mechanical malfunction, you should stop using your air fryer immediately and contact customer service for guidance.

It's important to clean your air fryer after every use to prevent build-up that can negatively affect the taste of your food and potential burning.

After serving your food and once all parts are cool, carefully empty the grease into the trash and place the basket and/or tray in the dishwasher. You can also wash the pieces by hand with warm, soapy water. I like using a bottle brush for the best and easiest results — they're great for getting into all the nooks and crannies. Allow all pieces to dry completely before placing them back into the air fryer.

Use a damp cloth to wipe the bottom of the air fryer and the control panel as needed. You can also follow our tips for a deeper clean.

Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab. She has worked at kitchen appliance companies, where she helped develop some popular air fryers as well as many recipes for them. Since joining Good Housekeeping, she has had her hands on all of the new air fryers that come through the Lab (whether testing herself or overseeing testing) and has tasted food that was made in almost all of them. She's an avid air fryer user at home, too, where she has at least three to choose from on any given day.

Raena Loper is a contributing analyst for Good Housekeeping and worked alongside Nicole to test air fryers for the Kitchen Appliances Lab. Raena has tested air fryers, toaster ovens, food processors and more.

Sarah Gregory is a deputy editor with the Good Housekeeping Institute. She, too, has tested many air fryers for Good Housekeeping and contributed to versions of this story.