The 7 best air fryers for 2026, tested and reviewed

Source: Engadget

Air fryers have gone from novelty appliances to everyday kitchen staples surprisingly fast. They’re quick to heat up, easy to use, and well‑suited to everything from frozen snacks to roasted vegetables and simple desserts. For many people, they’ve replaced the oven for smaller meals, cutting down on cook time without adding extra cleanup.

The category has also expanded well beyond basic basket‑style models. Some air fryers are designed for small kitchens or single servings, while others offer larger capacities and preset cooking modes for roasting, reheating, or dehydrating. After testing a wide range of machines, the Instant Vortex Plus continues to stand out for its reliable performance, straightforward controls, and consistently good results.

Below, we’ve gathered the best air fryers you can buy right now across different sizes and price points. Whether you’re replacing an older unit or trying one for the first time, these picks focus on appliances that are easy to live with and deliver crisp food without the need for deep frying.

What Does an Air Fryer Do?

Let’s clear one thing up first: it’s not frying. Not really. Air fryers are more like smaller convection‑bake ovens, often pod‑shaped. Most work by combining a heating element and a fan, which means the hot air can usually crisp the outside of food better than other methods. They often reach higher top temperatures than toaster ovens – which is part of the appeal.

For most recipes, a thin layer of oil (usually sprayed) helps to replicate that fried look and feel. However, it will rarely taste precisely like the deep‑fried or pan‑fried version when it comes out of the air‑fryer basket. Don’t let that put you off, though, because the air fryer, in its many forms, combines some of the best parts of other cooking processes and brings them together into an energy‑efficient way of cooking dinner, breakfast, or lunch.

Buying Guide for Air Fryers

Convection Ovens

You can separate most of these machines into two types of air fryers, each with different pros and cons.

• How they work: Convection ovens are usually ovens with air‑fryer functions and features. They might have higher temperature settings to ensure that food crisps and cooks more like actually fried food.
• Size & versatility: Most convection ovens are larger than dedicated air fryers, which can defeat the purpose for those looking to shrink their cooking‑appliance footprint. However, they are often more versatile with multiple cooking functions, and most have finer controls for temperature, timing, and even fan speed.
• Pros:
  • Can handle roasts, whole chickens, or tray‑bakes.
  • Use traditional oven accessories (baking trays, cake tins, etc.).
• Cons:
  • Require more counter space.
  • Larger footprint may not suit tiny kitchens.

Pod‑Shaped Air Fryers

Pod‑shaped air fryers are what you imagine when you think “air fryer.” They look like a cool, space‑age kitchen gadget—bigger than a kettle but smaller than a toaster oven.

• Design: Many use a drawer to hold ingredients while cooking, usually a mesh sheet or a solid, non‑stick tray with holes to allow hot air to circulate.
• Operation: With a few exceptions, most require you to open the drawer during cooking to flip or shake items for even heat distribution.
• Pros:
  • Generally use less energy—there’s less space to heat.
  • Many parts are dishwasher‑safe.
• Cons:
  • No viewing window (except a few models) → you must open the unit to monitor food.
  • Larger pod models may have two compartments, which is great for cooking multiple items at once but adds bulk and weight.
  • May require extra accessories (e.g., additional racks, cooking pans) that are sold separately by manufacturers like Philips and Ninja.

Air Fryer Pros and Cons

Pros

• Healthier cooking: Ability to cook fries, wings, frozen foods, and other delights with less fat than deep‑frying. The hot‑air circulation and perforated trays let oil and fat drain away, resulting in crisper, lower‑fat meals.
• Quick & convenient: Faster pre‑heat times than conventional ovens.
• Energy‑efficient: Smaller heating volume means lower electricity usage compared with larger appliances.
• Easy cleanup: Most components are dishwasher‑safe, and there’s less greasy residue than with deep fryers.
• Versatility: Many models include preset programs for roasting, reheating, dehydrating, and even baking.

Cons

• Limited capacity: Smaller units can only handle modest portions, which may require cooking in batches for larger families.
• Learning curve: Some models need you to pause and shake/flip food for even results.
• Potential for uneven cooking: Without a window, you must rely on timers or manual checks, which can lead to over‑ or under‑cooking if you’re not attentive.
• Accessory costs: Extra racks, pans, or specialized accessories may be sold separately.

Cleaning Guidance (Brief)

1. Unplug and cool down the unit before cleaning.
2. Remove the basket/drawer and wash it in warm, soapy water or place it in the dishwasher (if dishwasher‑safe).
3. Wipe the interior with a damp cloth; avoid abrasive cleaners that could damage the non‑stick coating.
4. Clean the exterior with a soft, damp cloth; dry thoroughly before storing.

Drawbacks of Air Fryers

More affordable – especially the pod options.

There are, however, some drawbacks. While air fryers are easy enough to use, they take time to master. You will need to adjust cooking times for even the simplest foods – like chicken nuggets, frozen French fries, or Brussels sprouts. If you’re the kind of person who loves to find inspiration from the internet, in our experience you can pretty much throw the manufacturer’s timings out the window.

There are a lot of air‑fryer models, and factors such as how fast they heat and how evenly that heat is distributed can – and will – affect cooking results.

There’s also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS – there’s simply less interior volume than most traditional ovens and many deep‑fat fryers. If you have a larger family, you’ll probably want a high‑capacity air fryer – possibly one that has multiple cooking zones. You might also consider a different kitchen appliance, such as a multicooker, sous‑vide, or slow cooker, to meet your specific cooking needs.

You may also struggle to cook thick items because the heat settings will brown the surface long before the interior is cooked through. If you’re planning to cook a whole chicken or a roast, please use a meat thermometer!

Best Air Fryer Accessories

Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, consider these handy tools:

• Silicone‑tipped tools – Tongs are ideal, and a silicone spatula can gently loosen food that might stick to the sides of the basket.
• Silicone mats – Prevent food from sticking to wire racks while still allowing hot air to circulate.
• Silicone trivets – Useful for resting cooked food while you finish the rest of the meal.
• Oil mister – If you need an oil spray but don’t want to keep buying tiny bottles, decant your favorite vegetable oil into a reusable mister.

How to Clean an Air Fryer

We’re keeping cleanup simple:

1. Unplug and cool – Always unplug the device and let it cool completely before cleaning.
2. Remove parts – Take out trays, baskets, and any other removable components.
3. Dishwasher (if safe) – If the manufacturer says the parts are dishwasher‑safe and you have a dishwasher, the job is essentially done.
4. Hand‑wash – Otherwise, wash each part in warm water with a splash of Dawn (or another strong dish soap). Use a soft‑bristled brush to remove crumbs, grease, and food bits. Rinse thoroughly to avoid a lingering soap taste on your next batch of wings.
5. Wipe the exterior – Use a microfiber cloth to clean the outer surfaces and handles. For oven‑style air fryers, also wipe the inner sides.
6. Tackle stubborn grease – If Dawn isn’t enough, make a paste of a small amount of baking soda and water. Apply it (avoiding electrical parts and the heating element), let it sit a few seconds, then wipe away with a damp cloth. Rinse the cloth and wipe again.

How to Find Air Fryer Recipes

Beyond fries, nuggets, and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are several ways to discover air‑fryer recipes:

• Manufacturer manuals – Many include cooking guides and recipe suggestions tailored to your specific model. They’re reliable, though sometimes a bit unimaginative.
• Recipe websites – Search top food sites and add “air fryer” to your query. Reliable sources include:
  • Delish – Offers an air‑fryer time converter for adapting oven or traditional fryer recipes.
  • BBC Good Food – A good source for simple ideas.
  • NYT Cooking – Allows direct searching for air‑fryer suggestions.
• Cookbooks – Local bookshops often carry dedicated air‑fryer cookbooks with plenty of tested recipes.

If you have a killer recipe or a unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. What’s the air‑fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? We’re ready to try it.

How We Test Air Fryers

We put each air fryer through its paces by cooking a variety of foods, including:

• Raw proteins (fish, chicken)
• Raw vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower)
• Frozen snacks (mozzarella sticks)

We use every pre‑programmed cooking method, and when possible we follow a couple of recipes from any booklet that comes with the unit. We also clean the cooking basket and all removable components repeatedly, running them through a dishwasher if they’re labeled dishwasher‑safe.

During testing we note:

• Noise level on different settings
• How warm the surrounding area becomes