Air fryers fry food items completely without oil which allows guilt-free indulgence in fried dishes. However, you may wish to spray a little oil on the pan to grease it. Using the convection cooking method, air fryers can produce fried dishes that are crispy outside and succulent inside.
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Since none of our team members had any prior experience with these machines, we included two applied physicists in our team to help us with the evaluation. We carefully chose 15 products for our test and after a whole week of rigorous tests and heated argument, we finally came up with the list of top 10 best air fryers in the market.
Best Air Fryer Comparison:
10 Best Air Fryer for 2019
Best air fryer over dozens of competitive models from different brands listed below:
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The FrenchMay Air Fryer is our favorite among all the products we put under test. It has the capacity of 3.7 quarts, something we were not expecting from a model priced so modestly. We started off by cooking a steak dinner for two followed by chicken wings for two. It took us exactly 15 minutes to prepare the steaks and about 11 minutes for the chicken wings. This is almost half the time of what a standard oven would have taken.
The next thing that captured our attention was the sleek yet sturdy design. The manufacturer has used a combination of plastic and stainless steel for the chassis. Apart from the sheer size of the fryer basket, what also left us impressed was its exclusive housing. We didn’t have to wear any oven mitts to pull out the basket. You can leave the machine on the counter top when the cooking is done without risking any injury.
Apart from the drastically reduced cooking time, what also makes this model a class of its own is its ease of use. You can set the 60-minute timer and temperature on the responsive touchscreen, sit back and relax while the air fryer takes care of your frying needs. As simple as that. Talking of simplicity, the body of the device is easily detachable and dishwasher safe. There was only minor glitch we noticed. If you don’t clean the fryer immediately after cooking, the grease turns solid, making it harder to clean.
What we liked
- Made from premium quality PFOAs free materials.
- 7 cooking presets and timer.
- Highly responsive touchscreen.
- 3.7 quarts capacity.
- A breeze to clean.
What we didn’t like
- Needs a thorough cleaning after each cooking session.
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Let us start with stating that for an XL-labeled model, we were expecting a little bigger model than this. However, if you need to cook a fancy 3 course meal for 4 in a short time, this is the great device to invest in. Not to mention that you don’t need to add a single drop of oil to make your steaks, egg rolls, grilled cheese sandwich and veggie fries. We even roasted a full chicken in the air fryer and it turned out perfectly fine.
We also readied a basket of frozen French fries in about 15 minutes which speaks volume of the efficiency of the model. However, we have to admit that unlike FrenchMay, this product takes a little time and experience to get used to. We had to go through a couple of trials and errors before figuring out the exact required temperature for frying, roasting or grilling a particular dish.
The unit includes a 60-minutes timer and lets you turn up the temp up to 390 degrees. Another plus is that the device remembers the particular settings you used for cooking a particular dish. We have zero qualms about the clean-up. Although the parts are dishwasher safe, you could also use plain soap water and a sponge to sanitize the basket.
What we liked
- Versatile-lets you implement multiple cooking methods.
- User-friendly digital touchscreen.
- Can easily feed a group of 4 at a time.
- Has an auto shut-off function.
- Dishwasher safe parts.
What we didn’t like
- The capacity isn’t large enough for an XL model.
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At number 3 on our list of the best air fryers, we have this ruggedly build air fryer with a decent capacity of 4 liters. We must admit that considering the price-point, it could have provided 5 liters capacity but nevermind. If you looking for a model that can easily feed a group of 5-6, this bad boy is right up your alley. We found the controls pretty straightforward, even though the lack of customization options was a real bugbear.
Nonetheless, the successful implementation of rapid air flow system somewhat mitigated this issue. All the dishes we made were evenly cooked, no soggy texture or bland taste. It also features a 60-minutes timer accompanied by a very useful auto shut-off feature. You can set the timer and temperature up to 390 degrees depending on what you are cooking and simply relax. Fortunately, we did not observe any overheating or smoke either after a week of constant use.
What we liked
- 4-liter capacity.
- Temperature control and timer.
- Convenient to store in small to medium kitchens.
- Highly versatile.
- Simple to clean up.
What we didn’t like
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This Philips Air Fryer, according to our test results, is best suited for frying frozen food such as French fries. We fried two standard bags of frozen French fries one after another. It turned out to be better than the ones you get at restaurants. As it turns out, this beast can also make lips smacking chicken wings. We stacked 12 wings in a single batch and received wings that are crispy outside and juicy inside after 25 minutes.
Provided the capacity, you can easily cook snacks for a group of 2-3 at a time. This is not massive but it sure does get the job done real quick with ease. However, instead of 60-minutes, this model includes a 30-minutes timer which affects the versatility of the fryer to some extent, especially if you like experiment with different cooking techniques.
What we liked
- Best for frying frozen food, chicken wings, steaming and grilling.
- Compact and durable design.
- Simple time and temperature controls.
- Lets you set the heat up to 390 degrees.
- Quieter and more efficient than standard convection ovens.
What we didn’t like
- Small capacity.
- 30-minutes timer.
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The air fryer by Cozyna comes with the capacity of 3.7 quarts which easily cooks servings for up to 3 adults at a time. Frying chicken wings and an assortment of frozen items took us significantly less than the convection oven we used for the cooking time comparison. However, the real thrill of using an air fry like this is the magical ability to fry without oil. Just one spoon of vegetable oil is all you need to fry, grill, roast, steam or bake veggies, meat, fish and even bread.
It also has a larger capacity model if you have to feed a large group. Moving on, two of our favorite features of this product were the compact design and silent operation. It lends a small footprint on your workspace and you can easily carry it with your while traveling.
About the smell, we did not find any bad smell in the foods and neither there was any alarming amount of smoke coming out of it. However, we were slightly put off by the lack of a steam vent in the fryer. While it never caused any heating issue, adding this feature could further improve the safety of the product.
What we liked
- 3.7 quarts capacity.
- The body is easily removable and the parts are dishwasher safe.
- The basket at the bottom slides on and off easily.
- Doesn’t release any smoke or odor.
- Highly portable.
What we didn’t like
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This budget model from Super Deal is a value for money and provides a consistent performance despite certain limitations. As the rule of thumb, we started off by frying French fries and then moved on to pork chops and a couple of chicken items. We need you to know that this machine has somewhat a steep learning curve. We took the help of internet to figure out the ideal time+temperature combination for different dishes.
It would be great if the manufacturer decides to add cooking presets to the design. Although the product description says that the fryer basket can cook up to 4 servings, we found it to be a bit of an exaggeration. It comfortably prepares a two-course meal or snacks for two people at a time. The machine lends a very small foothold on the counter space and gets cleaned in a jiffy too.
What we liked
- The materials in the design are FDA certified and PFOA free.
- Keeps the workspace clutter-free.
- Easy controls.
- The removable parts are dishwasher safe.
- Doesn’t overheat.
What we didn’t like
- Takes a while to get used to.
- No cooking presets.
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With this little magician in your kitchen, you can fry almost anything (not everything!) in 10-30 minutes. If you are completely new to air fryers and don’t want to invest in a premium model right away, this could be a great entry-level choice. First of all, it is compact and requires only soapy water and a sponge to clean up. One pro tip for you: if you want your potato fries to come out crispier in a short time, keep it soaked in cold water for about half an hour before air frying them.
Talking about short cooking time, our testers were quite amazed to discover that it cooks chicken wings in just 15 minutes. That’s faster than many of its costlier counterparts. If you are thinking about buying an air fryer for your condo or dorm kitchen, this could easily be a stellar bargain for the money.
What we liked
- Small size adds to the portability of the device.
- Incredibly short cooking time.
- Swift and easy manual controls.
- Hassle-free cleanup.
What we didn’t like
- Cannot cook more than 1-2 servings.
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At #8, we have another SUPER DEAL model that combines top-of-the-line technology with an intuitive design. The size of the air fryer is ideal to feed a small group of people. With a mere capacity of 2.7 quarts, you can only bake 4-5 wings at a time. We also baked potato chips and corn chips in the fryer which tasted like treats from heaven.
Even baking fish fillet or steaming dumplings are a breeze. However, we did detect a little bit of smoke coming out of the fryer while making fried chicken. But the amount was negligible and the issue is product-specific. We spoke to an existing customer of this product and he didn’t complain about the smoke. Last but not the least, cleaning the machine up is really easy, thanks to the easily removable parts.
What we liked
- Snugly fits on the counter space.
- Does a great job at baking and roasting too.
- Fuss-free clean-up.
- Comes with convenient power and heating indicators.
What we didn’t like
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This medium capacity air fryer from BLACK+DECKER is best suited for home cooks as well as professionals who want to experiment with different cooking methods. We especially loved the temperature range (175 degrees- 400 degrees F). With different combination of temperature and time, you can create a wide assortment of appetizers, fried, baked, grilled and roasted items using this air fryer.
We stacked 9 chicken wings and got fried-to-perfection, crispy and juicy wings in just about 20 minutes. Users also found the indicator light very useful as it keeps you aware when the machine is ON. The only major issue we found was the size of the letters on the dials. Apart from that, the overall performance is quite lag-free and cleaning up the grease from the pan also requires minimum effort.
What we liked
- Large basket size.
- Temperature ranging from 175-400 degree F.
- Easy controls.
- Indicator light.
What we didn’t like
- The font size of the letters around the dial.
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The first thing that caught our eyes while evaluating the model was the gorgeous Comfee chassis of the air fryer. But looks are not a very crucial factor while assessing the competence of an air fryer. Given that this machine has 8 cooking presets, we decided to try more number of dishes for this one than we did for the other models. From French fries, chicken tenders, pizza rolls, fish curry to casserole in tiny muffin cups- we let our freak flag fly.
Multi Function Electric Air Fryer is a part of your healthy lifestyle that the Air Fryer makes it possible to enjoy your favorite foods by frying, grilling, roasting, or baking them with a tablespoon or less of oil and draining excess fat during cooking.
Features:
- 1500 Watt electric air fryer with 3D Airflow System for the crunchy taste of fried food.
- Multi-function air fryer for healthy frying, grilling, baking, and roasting with 80% less fat.
- 60 minutes timer with auto shut off function. Adjustable thermostat from 175°F to about 392° F.
- The detachable pan and basket are dishwasher free with non-stick coating.
- Stainless steel heating element for fastest heat up time.
- Removable 2.6 Qt. basket hold up to 2.2 lbs. of food.
What we liked
- Multi function instruction panel
- Super easy to take care of.
- 3D Airflow system & stainless steel element
- Safty design
- Fast cooking time.
What we didn’t like
Final Verdict
Buying the best air fryer is not as hard as you think. And if the seemingly high price tag of these machines seems like an overkill, think about its health benefits. Eating tasty foods without getting fat is the wild fantasy of everyone. Air fryers not only eliminate the need for dipping your foods in oil but also enhance the color and texture of the dishes. We have done our bit by testing a bunch of models side by side to come up with authentic reviews. Now, it’s your turn to weigh the information provided and make a decision you won’t regret.
