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.
If you regularly cook for crowds, you'll want to invest in the Ninja Max air fryer. It cooks up to 3 lbs. at a time and comes with settings for max crisp, air fry, air roast, air broil, bake, reheat, and dehydrate. The control panel is easy to use, the air fryer is dishwasher safe, and it even comes with a broil rack to give meals a crispy and bubbly finish.
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).
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.
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.
Betty Gold is an experienced food writer and editor who worked at Good Housekeeping from 2013 to 2019. As the former Senior Editor & Product Analyst in the Kitchen Appliances Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, she tested and wrote about pretty much every type of cooking tool and food-related item on the market.
Sienna is a Deputy Editor at Hearst, where she oversees coverage of style, beauty, lifestyle, and more. She lives in California with her husband and two littles.
