Best Air Fryers of 2023
Models from Dash, Gourmia, Instant, and other brands jockey for top spots in Consumer Reports' ratings
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Crispy fries without all the oil? That’s the golden promise of air fryers, and it might explain why, in the U.S., the demand for these appliances continues to grow year over year. In fact, the air fryer market is predicted to be worth $1.9 billion by 2033, according to Future Market Insights, a testament to just how popular these appliances have become.
Despite their name, air fryers don’t fry food at all. They’re actually small convection ovens. A fan circulates hot air to quickly cook food in a basket or tray from the outside in. At first glance, these countertop cookers may seem to be limited to finger foods like fries, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, and pizza bites. Yet you can use an air fryer to cook so many of the foods you’d typically throw into the toaster oven or on the stove.
But are air fryers worth the counter space? In the Consumer Reports lab, our testers assessed dozens of models to reach what you currently see in our air fryer ratings. Our latest test batch includes four popular models from brands including Chefman, Paris Rhône, Ovente, and Sur La Table. In general, our lab engineers find these small kitchen appliances quite capable of turning out nicely cooked food. “Even when we held cooking times and temperatures constant, the results were very similar, with no discernible differences in taste,” says Larry Ciufo, the engineer who oversees air fryer testing.
But no one was fooled into thinking that the food was deep-fried. “You can tell the difference,” Ciufo says. Air-fried foods, of course, lack that rich, deep-fried-fat taste.
If you don’t mind that—and simply hope to cook (or reheat) food fast—then an air fryer may indeed be worth considering. As you decide which one is best for you, consider how much space you have for it and how much food you want to cook at once. Air fryers on the market today come in a multitude of sizes. The ones currently in our ratings range from 1.3 to 9 quarts. But as our testers discovered, the actual capacity is often smaller than claimed. (If size is your main consideration, take a look at our recommendations for the best small air fryers and the best large air fryers.)
Size aside, “the real difference among air fryers comes down to convenience, so we designed our tests around that,” Ciufo says. To recommend the best air fryers, he and his team evaluate capacity, how easy the controls are to read and use, noise levels, and how much elbow grease it takes to clean a model.
For strategies on how to shop for an air fryer, see our air fryer buying guide. To learn more about what these cookers are capable of whipping up, check out our deep dive on how to get the most out of an air fryer, complete with cooking tips.
We also have suggestions on using an air fryer to revive leftovers and choosing air fryer accessories. CR members have the added benefit of exploring our comprehensive air fryer ratings, where you can filter according to price, size, and other criteria. Below is a roundup of the seven best air fryers from CR’s tests, listed alphabetically.
CR’s take: The Chefman Accufry RJ38-SQPF-5T2P-W is a standout for its key features. For starters, a viewing window in the basket lets you check on food without disrupting the cooking cycle. It also has a built-in temperature probe, a shake indicator to ensure food cooks evenly, and plenty of preprogrammed cycles, including hi-fry, for adding an extra-crispy finish. In our tests we found this model to be among the quietest of any here, plus it’s easy to clean with simple controls. Like most air fryers, it comes with a one-year warranty.
CR’s take: The Cosori Dual Blaze is a bit expensive, but we think it’s still worth highlighting, given its large measured capacity (4.7 quarts), smartphone integration, and all-around strong performance in all the areas we test. The monolithic exterior might not be to everyone’s taste, but with few nooks and crannies in its design, this machine is easy to clean. It also comes with a two-year warranty, a year longer than many air fryer warranties.
CR’s take: College students, solo dwellers, or anybody who’s a tad tight on counter space—the Cosori Lite CAF-LI211 is for you. This measured 1.7-quart air fryer is packed with appealing features such as a dishwasher-safe basket, preprogrammed settings, and a digital display, but with a footprint of just 9x11 inches, it comes in a small package (and with a fairly small price tag, too). What’s more, this model was a standout in our tests, receiving high marks for being easy to use and to clean and remaining at low volume while cooking. The Cosori Lite comes with a two-year warranty.
CR’s take: The Dash Digital Tasti Crisp is small but mighty. With a measured capacity of 1.9 quarts and an overall size of less than a square foot, this 6-pound model is one of the most compact air fryers in our ratings. Still, it ranks among the best. It earns high marks for its controls and ease of cleaning, and it excels in our noise test. It has a one-year warranty, which is typical for air fryers.
CR’s take: One of the lightest large-capacity air fryers we recommend, the Gourmia GAF686 Digital is a top performer in CR’s air fryer tests, and has sat at the top of our ratings for quite some time. Though its measured capacity is 4.3 quarts, its overall size is equivalent to some smaller-capacity models. In addition to being a standout for its user-friendly controls, it’s a stellar pick because of its relatively low noise levels and its ease of cleaning. It comes with a one-year warranty.
CR’s take: The Instant Vortex Plus 4-Quart Air Fryer (model number 140-3079-01) is a solid pick all around. Easy-to-use controls—it has those. Easy-to-clean interior and exterior—it has those, too. Plus, it produces very little noise while cooking. Its measured 3-quart basket is smaller than the claimed 4 quarts, but its square design makes it easy to fit in a small dish or baking pan and turn out sweet treats. It comes with preprogrammed settings, add- or turn-food reminders, and a one-year warranty.
CR’s take: This Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer (model number 140-3089-01) has a clear cooking window, making it easy to monitor your food without having to pull out the basket. Despite its name, the model’s measured capacity is 5.2 quarts. It earns a top-notch rating for its controls and comes with customizable cooking programs and a digital display. In addition to being easy to use, this dishwasher-safe fryer also shows strong performances in our noise and cleaning tests.
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