Air fryers have become a kitchen staple, offering a healthier way to enjoy crispy, delicious meals with minimal oil. After scouring expert reviews, testing insights, and user feedback from trusted sources, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the best air fryers of 2025. From compact models for small kitchens to large-capacity dual-basket fryers for families, these top performers deliver speed, versatility, and ease of use. Below, we dive into the standout features of each recommended model, followed by a FAQ to address common questions.
Best Overall: Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer
The Instant Vortex Plus excelled in every test we put it through, which lands it at the top of the pack as our favorite air fryer in our lineup. It fully delivers, cooking everything to near perfection, producing “delectably crunchy tater tots” and “mouth-watering” donuts, according to our food experts — all with minimal oil. Perhaps most impressively, it achieves an excellent texture and slight crispness when making sweet potato fries, which is no easy feat. This machine’s temperature accuracy is near perfect, ensuring you achieve the same results time after time. True to the Instant brand, this device is multifunctional — it can dehydrate, reheat, and do some basic baking. In addition to the top-tier cooking performance, we adore the Vortex Plus for both its easy cleanup and user-friendliness. Since it has a smooth tray rather than a fry basket, cleaning up is consistently quick and easy.
That simplicity extends to the user interface. The dedicated preset buttons and intuitive control wheel are very simple and we never needed to refer to the user manual during setup. This easy-to-use dial interface extends across Instant air fryer models, including the Plus XL and Mini. We also think families will love the Vortex Plus since it has a larger 6-quart capacity. We were impressed that everything came out crispy and delicious even with this higher capacity. It’s a great option for entertaining or family use. And our tester was pleased that “you can easily remove the basket one-handed without shifting the entire unit.”
We’re especially impressed by the Instant Vortex Plus with ClearCook and OdorErase, which features a clear viewing window so you can see the air fryer basket while your food is cooking, plus an odor-removing filter. In our testing, we found that it didn’t completely eliminate smells, so if you’re whipping up an air fryer salmon it might be obvious, but it seemed significantly less smoky when compared to our Breville Smart Oven Air. We love its ease of use, intuitive controls, the easy-to-clean nonstick drawer basket, plus the roomy interior – it’s big enough to fit four chicken thighs. Plus, this top pick heats up very quickly with virtually no preheating time.
Where to Buy: Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer
Best Large-Capacity: Ninja Foodi DZ550 DualZone Air Fryer
The best air fryer we’ve tested is the Ninja Foodi DZ550. At 10 quarts, it’s a family-sized air fryer, but its bigger cooking surface area is useful even if you usually only cook for yourself. It makes great-quality air-fried food, producing evenly crispy, golden-brown air-fried foods like chicken wings, vegetables, or French fries, partly because you have plenty of room in the basket to arrange your food in a single layer. Dual-drawer models let you cook different foods on each side of the air fryer, so you can prepare your main dish and a side at once or keep vegetarian and meat-eater meals separate. The best air fryers produce evenly well-cooked, crispy, and golden-brown food. They preheat and cook your food fast and offer a wide range of settings for different recipes and cooking methods.
The Ninja Foodi DualZone XL Air Fryer is like having two air fryers in one with two 5-quart baskets that cook independently. It performed well in all of our tests, whether we were crisping up French fries or making shrimp or wings for lunch. In fact, the wings cooked in the Ninja were the best of all of our tests, with that classic combination of crisp skin and a juicy interior. Since the basket and crisper plate are both dishwasher-safe, cleaning was easy, too. Besides air frying, the Ninja has presets for reheat, roast, and dehydrate, to make it even more versatile.
Where to Buy: Ninja Foodi DZ550 DualZone Air Fryer
Best Budget: Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart Air Fryer
Cosori is a fairly new brand and certainly not one of the best known. But if you’re looking for a medium sized air fryer, the 6QT/6L TurboBlaze is definitely one to consider. It has an easy to use and easy to read digital display and touchscreen controls and a single drawer cooking space. One of the things we liked best about it is that its cooking functions aren’t defined by food types (fries, chicken) but by cooking methods. It has nine functions in all: including proving dough, yogurt making, warming food, dehydrating, plus four Turbo modes with a fast fan for much faster air frying, cooking from frozen, roasting and grilling. This means it’s a far more useful kitchen assistant than some of its competitors and can be used for more cooking tasks. It doesn’t have a manual mode, but you can adjust any cooking setting by time and temperature.
The 5-quart Cosori fared well in our tests, and it’s relatively affordable. The controls are intuitive, the handle stays cool during cooking, and it’s very safe to use. Even users new to air frying found it simple to operate when they made crispy Brussels sprouts, fries, and wings. There’s even a customizable reminder to make sure you shake or turn the food for the most even cooking. The design is sleek and compact, so it will fit the decor of most kitchens.
Where to Buy: Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart Air Fryer
Best Small: Philips 3000 Series Airfryer L HD9200/91
After testing dozens of air fryers over the years, we like the Philips 3000 Series Airfryer L, which crisps food quickly and costs less than $200. This air fryer outperformed the competition, especially for its price, crisping food quickly and evenly. Its slightly fussy touchscreen is its main drawback. Reviews writer Ashley adored the Philips 3000 when she tested it in our lab. This one has a unique viewing window in the top of the lid which allows you to peek down into the basket while it’s in action. With decent performance, good nonstick capabilities, and great French fry results, this is a machine we’d keep in mind if there’s a great sale.
Where to Buy: Philips 3000 Series Airfryer L HD9200/91
Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
If you’re in the market for an air fryer toaster oven, you can’t do better than the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. We love air fryers at Serious Eats. They’re staples in our test and home kitchens. I’ve been an air fryer fan for years, using mine to make easy breaded chicken cutlets, crisp up Brussels sprouts or potatoes, and heat various frozen foods. Families who live in a large home or apartment, as well as singles, will appreciate the multi-functionality of this air fryer. While it excels as air frying, it’s also very good at toasting, baking and broiling like a regular toaster oven. In our tests, this model made the crispiest air-fried food in the shortest amount of time out of all the air fryer toaster ovens we tested as well as the most evenly-colored toast in our toaster oven test.
Where to Buy: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
Best Dual-Basket: Ninja DoubleStack XL Air Fryer
This air fryer stacks two baskets vertically to maximize cooking space within a small footprint – an innovative design that works so well, we awarded it the prize for best air fryer in the 2024 TechRadar Choice Awards. It cooks brilliantly too, with virtually no transfer of heat between the two baskets, meaning you can cook two completely different dishes at different temperatures. It performed well in all of our tests, whether we were crisping up French fries or making shrimp or wings for lunch. In fact, the wings cooked in the Ninja were the best of all of our tests, with that classic combination of crisp skin and a juicy interior.
Where to Buy: Ninja DoubleStack XL Air Fryer
Best Innovative Design: Ninja Crispi Air Fryer
The Ninja Crispi is an air fryer like no other. It’s got no drawer, no nonstick, just a removable air frying lid that slots onto a variety of glass containers. With the Ninja Crispi, food is ready to be packed away or brought to a party as soon as it’s done without dirtying another dish. There aren’t many mobile air fryers around, and the Ninja Crispi has set a high bar. It uses resealable glass containers that attach to a lid that contains the heating element and fan. SharkNinja suggests using it to heat leftovers at work, and during our tests it did a particularly great job of fries with results that rival conventional air fryers.
Where to Buy: Ninja Crispi Air Fryer
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an air fryer, and how does it work?
An air fryer is a compact countertop appliance that uses a powerful fan to circulate hot air around food, cooking it quickly and creating a crispy exterior with little to no oil. It’s essentially a small convection oven, mimicking the results of deep frying but in a healthier, more energy-efficient way.
What can I cook in an air fryer?
You can cook almost anything you’d bake, grill, or fry in a traditional oven or deep fryer. Popular foods include French fries, chicken wings, vegetables, fish, and even baked goods like muffins or cakes. Many models also support dehydrating, roasting, or reheating.
Are air fryers healthier than deep fryers?
Yes, air fryers require significantly less oil than deep fryers, often just a light spray or none at all. This reduces the fat and calorie content of foods while still achieving a crispy texture, making them a healthier option for fried foods.
How do I clean an air fryer?
Most air fryers have nonstick baskets or trays that can be cleaned with warm soapy water and a soft sponge. Some components are dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is often recommended to preserve the nonstick coating. Wipe down the exterior and interior with a damp cloth after cooling.
What size air fryer do I need?
The right size depends on your household and cooking needs. Small air fryers (2-4 quarts) are ideal for 1-2 people or small kitchens. Medium models (5-6 quarts) suit families of 3-4, while large or dual-basket fryers (8-10 quarts) are best for bigger households or entertaining.
Do air fryers require preheating?
Some models have a preheat function, which can take 3-5 minutes, but many air fryers, like the Instant Vortex Plus, cook so quickly that preheating isn’t always necessary. Check your model’s manual for specific guidance.
Can I use foil or parchment paper in an air fryer?
Yes, foil and parchment paper are safe to use in air fryers, but they may slightly reduce airflow, potentially affecting crispiness. Ensure they’re secured to avoid contact with the heating element, and never use them during a preheating cycle.
How much counter space do air fryers take up?
Air fryers vary in size, but most basket-style models have a footprint similar to a microwave (roughly 12-15 inches deep and wide). Toaster oven-style fryers or dual-basket models may require more space, so measure your counter before purchasing.
Are air fryers energy-efficient?
Yes, air fryers use less energy than traditional ovens because they heat up faster and cook in a smaller space. They’re especially efficient for small batches, potentially saving on energy bills compared to heating a full oven.
What should I look for when buying an air fryer?
Consider capacity, cooking functions (e.g., air fry, roast, bake), ease of cleaning, and control type (digital or analog). Additional features like viewing windows, dual baskets, or smart connectivity can enhance usability but may increase cost.