Everyone could do with the best rated air fryer in their kitchen. Food lovers can use it to prepare scrumptious and crispy recipes. Health-conscious people can count on the air fryer’s low oil usage to keep their daily calorie consumption low.
These units don’t stop at air frying your foods.
Top rated air fryer comes with various pre-programmed settings using which you can pre-heat, roast, bake, and pressure cook your food. Some of them also provide multiple racks to let you prepare two dishes at the same time. That’s not all.
All these devices are safe to use as well. That’s because they come with an auto-shutoff function that automatically turns off the unit when its inner pressure exceeds a safe limit. They are easy to clean too – all their internal parts that come in contact with the food are dishwasher-safe.
Want to know more about them? Check out our top 10 air fryer reviews.
Top 10 Best Rated Air Fryer of 2021 – Reviews
Best Air Fryer Consumer Reports of 2021.
1. Cuisinart TOA-60
- The Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo.
This large-capacity air fryer provides multiple features most others don’t. It is equipped with a toaster oven using which you can bake lasagna, roast a whole chicken or simply break bread. Also on offer is an adjustable thermostat that lets you program the TOA-60 with a 60-minute timer.
Also there is an auto-shutoff function. It deserves your utmost attention because this feature will keep you safe. It will do that by turning off the TOA-60 the moment its inner pressure exceeds a safe limit. Experts set the limit based on this air fryer’s material of construction.
Then come the dials using which you can control this device’s operation. There are four of them but only the first three deserve your attention – mainly because the one on the extreme right would only let you turn the device on/off.
You might also find it useful to note that its capacity is second to none. This unit’s 3.39 cubic feet interior is more than enough to toast 6 slices of bread, roast a 4lb chicken, bake a 12’’ pizza or air fry 3lbs of chicken wings. You can therefore prepare a meal for the entire household in one batch.
Pros
- 6.5 cubic foot interior space.
- 7-in-1 functionality.
- Auto-shutoff and adjustable thermostat.
Cons
- Analog controls.
2. COSORI Air Fryer Max XL – Best Large Capacity Air Fryer.
Cosori has rarely shied away from making top quality air fryers. The Max XL is visible proof of this statement. It boasts an award-winning design as its easy-to-use presets and the angled display has made it a darling of its users and experts alike.
Everything from mozzarella sticks, to frozen foods like French Fries and chicken nuggets, to onion rings turns out golden brown and delicious out of this air fryer. It also performs admirably with Brussels sprouts, thanks in no small part to its root vegetable mode.
Aside from offering 11 preset recipes, this unit has also made them easy to choose. A simple tap on display is all that is required to select any of them. With similar ease you can select cooking temperature and time. You may not have to read its manual to get up to speed with this air fryer’s working.
Cosori has provided this model with a non-stick, dishwasher safe and removable basket to sweeten the deal further. One that is free of harmful substances like BPA and PFOA and has the ability to fit a 6lb chicken with minimal fuss.
Pros
- 11 one-touch presets.
- Nonstick coated and dishwasher safe basket.
- Comes with 100 recipes.
Cons
- Outside may get warm.
3. GoWISE USA 5-Quart Air Fryer – Best Air Fryer for The Money
Those of you who have been reading our best air fryer reviews with attention might have noticed one thing. Units that have a huge capacity don’t come cheap. Those that won’t blow a hole in your pocket won’t prepare meals for the entire family in one go. The GoWISE air fryer is different.
This model doesn’t use its low price as an excuse to force you to prepare food in batches – as suggested by its 5-quart capacity basket. It further ridicules its low price tag by offering an LCD display with both temperature (170*F – 400*F) and time (1min – 30min) settings.
Next on offer are 8 preset cooking functions. You also get a nonstick coated basket that can safely be chucked away in the dishwasher. And the fact that it’s FDA certified and free from PFOA compounds means that that the basket won’t introduce any harmful substances to your meal.
GoWISE also provides a 30-day moneyback guarantee and a 1-year warranty on this product. It further sweetens the deal by offering a lifetime support from its customer care. Those of you who will register their air fryer on its website will get an added two months of coverage.
Pros
- 11 one-touch presets.
- Nonstick coated and dishwasher safe basket.
- Comes with 100 recipes.
Cons
- Outside may get warm.
4. Dash DCAF150GBAQ02 Compact Air Fryer – Best Air Fryer Consumer Reports
Here is one of those air fryers that are incredibly compact. It is also available at an affordable price and won’t weigh heavy on your pocket. This unit is equipped with AirCrisp Technology that reduces added fat by as much as 80%. And that too with sacrificing your food’s texture and taste.
This air fryer’s control panel also features a powerful dial. It lets you decide how long you want your food to cook inside the bucket. The 0 to 30 minutes range of the timer means that you can rely on this product to cook frozen foods, veggies, pizza and other similar dishes.
Overcooking isn’t a problem you’d face with this model. That’s because it comes with an auto-shutoff function which automatically turns off the fryer once the timer is up. And the fact that it comes with a 1-year warranty means that you can purchase this air fryer worry-free.
Also on offer is a temperature dial. It doesn’t specify the exact range but clearly gets the job done with its ‘min’ and ‘max’ ratings. Dash has also equipped this air fryer with anti-rubber feet to protect its integrity as well as the finish of your countertops.
Pros
- Competitively priced.
- Auto shutoff function.
- Anti-rubber feet.
Cons
- Only one-year warranty.
5. Breville BOV845BSS
The Breville BOV845BSS offers many outstanding features. Foremost among them is its interior light. It helps you keep an eye on your food without having to open the lid. This way you can gauge your meal’s progress without disturbing the cooking process.
Also on offer are 10 pre-set cooking functions. You can use them to toast, bake, broil, roast, reheat, warm, and slow cook your food. The slow cook function will come in handy for those of you who have the time (and patience) to prepare tender and complex flavors.
This model also ensures even cooking. It does that via an inbuilt fan that makes sure that every inch of the food receives direct supply of hot air. The fan also supplements the convection effect induced by this model’s stainless steel basket to allow for quicker heating.
On top of everything else, the BoV845BSS offers an LCD. It displays cooking time and temperature and lets you choose from 10 cooking options. The display also gives you the option to access this unit’s built-in smart functionality. Breville backs this unit with a 1-year warranty as well.
Pros
- 10 pre-set cooking functions.
- Stainless steel tray.
- Nonstick coating on walls.
Cons
- Only one-year warranty.
6. PowerXL Air Fryer Pro
PowerXL has always been one of the best air fryer brand on the market. Models like this are the reason why. It comes with a huge 6-quart capacity to let you prepare big meals in one go. You won’t have to trouble yourself with preparing food in batches with this unit.
More important is this unit’s 6-in-1 functionality. The first of the six functions let you air fry rotisseries, savory chicken pieces and pork roasts. Then comes the dehydrator using which you can make healthy veggies, fruits, herbs, and more.
Your food will be surrounded by air throughout the time it’s inside this air fryer. That’s because of its super-heated turbo cyclone that ensures 360-degree air circulation at all times. The cyclone is the main reason why this unit is a perfect replacement for oven toasters and deep fryers.
Using this model is incredibly easy as well. It features eight digital pre-set programs whose one-touch functionality lets you roast, bake, steam, grill, sauté and air fry with a single tap. Also among those functions is an air timer and a temperature programmer.
Pros
- 360-degree air circulation.
- 7-in-1 functionality.
- Digital presets.
Cons
- Only two months’ warranty.
7. Ultrean Air Fryer, 4.2 Quart (4 Liter) Electric Hot Air Fryer
Most air fryers that you see in this review offer a viewing window. The Ultrean Air Fryer is different. This model features a take-out basket for storing and cooking your meals. That means that you cannot check out the progress of the cooking process from outside.
Assembling this model is super-easy. All you have to do is to follow the instructions in the included user manual. They are detailed, full of diagrams and are therefore easy to follow. Acting on them will enable you to get this model up and running in less than ten minutes.
It features a front-facing control panel with options for time and temperature control. The timer range varies between 0 and 30 minutes whereas you have the option to adjust the heat between 180*F (for foods that slow cook) and 400*F.
Cleaning this model won’t take much of your time. Its interior features a nonstick cooking pan that you can safely chuck away in a dishwasher. The presence of a matte finish on the exterior means that you can quickly rub away any dirt particles with a dry microfiber cloth.
Pros
- Easy to clean.
- Hassle-free operation.
- Multifunction usage.
Cons
- No preset function.
8. NUWAVE BRIO 3-Quart Digital Air Fryer
Here is another air fryer with a front-facing control panel. Its cooking range varies between 100*F and 400*F and is adjustable in 5-degree increments. All you have to do to adjust it is to use the arrows on the LED display and you’ll be able to customize its temperature based on your needs.
Yet another notable feature is its 6 preset menu functions. All of them are given on the control panel in the form of easy-to-read icons which contain information on how much time it would take to prepare your food. This way you won’t have to rely on guesses.
Equally noteworthy is the preheat function. It lets you make sure that the cooking chamber is at a perfect temperature before you start preparing your favorite meal. Then there is the ‘reheat function’ which will let you get the leftovers back to their sizzling best.
NuWave has equipped this model with a ‘Cooking Club App’. It features recipes from the manufacturer’s chefs that you can prepare in this air fryer. Their range is so diverse that everything from scrumptious appetizers to delicious desserts can be found in the recipes.
Pros
- Advanced safety features.
- Patented fry pan basket.
- Extremely easy to clean.
Cons
- No viewing window.
9. Ninja FD401 Foodi 9-in-1 Air Fryer
Best Air Fryer 2021
Most food lovers find it difficult to pass up a plate of delicious French Fries. That mostly happens when they’re prepared in Ninja 9-in-1 air fryer. This unit has the uncanny ability to transform any food you put into it into something magical. Here’s how it does that.
The Ninja Foodi relies on two technologies to prepare food that will tantalize your taste buds. The first of them, titled ‘Tender Crisp Technology’, plays its part by reducing the cooking time. Then comes its ‘Crisping Lid’ Technology’ that browns the food’s exterior to give it a glowing golden finish.
Equally noteworthy is this model’s huge capacity. Its spacious interior can hold up to 6.5-quarts of food and lets you prepare a hearty meal for the entire family. Every part that the food will contact inside this air fryer is ceramic coated and free of harmful substances.
This unit is also extremely easy to use. Its control panel features an LED display that tells you the ongoing temperature and remaining time. Also there are well-detailed icons to help you select your desired cooking mode from the nine presets on offer.
Pros
- 6.5-quart basket.
- Stainless steel reversible rack.
- Gives meals a golden finish.
Cons
- Pricey.
10. Instant Pot 6-in-1 Air Fryer – Best Air Fryer Oven
Everybody seems to be looking for two things these days: an air fryer and an Instant Pot. That’s precisely what this highly sought-after model offers. This unit is compatible with the Instant Pot most people already own. All you have to do is fit its lid into the Instant Pot’s base.
Such an arrangement allows you to turn this air fryer into a convection oven. One which you can then use to air fry, reheat, broil, bake, dehydrate, and roast. The lid has everything you need to air fry, including a basket, dehydrating and broiling tray, counter protecting pad and a cover.
Yet another way this model impresses is via its one-touch control. Its roof-facing control panel has touch buttons using which you can do everything that this model advertises. Also there is a dual-read display that will remind you of the temperature inside the air fryer and the remaining cooking time.
Instant Pot has also taken no chances with your safety. That’s why it has equipped this model with overheat protection and an automatic shutoff. Both these safety features work in tandem to prevent the air fryer’s inner temperature from ever exceeding a safe limit.
Pros
- 6.5-quart basket.
- Stainless steel reversible rack.
- Gives meals a golden finish.
Cons
- Pricey.
Related:
- Top 5 Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven Consumer Reports 2021
- 10 Best Air Fryer Under $100 of 2021
- Top 5 Best Air Fryer Brands in 2021
- Best Air Fryer with Rotisserie 2021
- Top 5 Best Small Air Fryer 2021
- 5 Best Large Capacity Air Fryers in 2021
What is an Air Fryer?
Air fryers let you fry, roast and bake food. Those that come with additional accessories may also give the option of grilling. These units rely on hot air and a small amount of oil to prepare your favorite meals. The results that they offer are more similar to oven-cooked food than deep-fried food.
Every best rated air fryer allows you to cook more material than that of a similar capacity deep fryer. It does that by allowing you to stack more material in a single layer. Some of them also come with additional racks and the majority offers multiple cooking modes.
How does an air fryer work?
Air fryers rely on convection effect to prepare your favorite meals. These devices have a heating element and a built-in fan in their roof. Hot air oozes out from the top and raises the temperature of the food placed on the basket at the bottom.
The material of construction of the basket (which conducts heat) and the holes in its design increase the crispiness of the food item by browning its exterior.
The lack of space between the basket and the air fryer’s walls also raises the unit’s temperature and makes the food crisp.
Air fryers do an excellent job of preparing French Fries. You can also count on these devices to cook frozen foods, roast chicken pieces, and prepare crunchy veggies. Some of these devices even give you the facility of slow cooking, pressure cooking and baking.
What to cook in an air fryer?
Most people think that you can’t cook much besides French fries and chicken strips with an air fryer. They’re mistaken in this belief. Sky is the limit to what meals you can prepare when you have one of these devices sitting atop your kitchen cabinet.
Here are some of the best air fryer recipes:
Appetizers
Air fryers let you prepare jalapeno poppers, potato skins, and mozzarella sticks.
They also allow you to serve a gathering of friends with deep-fried pickles. Crispy bacon is yet another dish you can prepare with ease in an air fryer.
Main Course
Calzones, fried chicken, pork chops and baked potatoes cook well in an air fryer.
If you like vegetables or salmon, an air fryer will make sure it is done to perfection. You can also prepare buttermilk fried chicken with an air fryer.
Desserts
Air fryers let you prepare sweet egg rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and donuts. You also have the option to bake or fry churro bites. Those of you who are willing to put in work can even use an air fryer to make apple chips.
What are the benefits of an air fryer?
Following are the most important benefits air fryers provide:
Prepare healthy foods
Experts are unanimous in their assertion that air fried foods are beneficial for your health. They have less fat content than their deep-fried counterparts and are therefore less likely to pose any risks.
Easy to clean
Yet another benefit of air fryers is that they come with easy-to-clean parts. Most of their components are dishwasher-safe, so they don’t force you to worry about manually cleaning them after every cooking session.
Fast cooking
Thanks to the advancements in technology, the best air fryers on the market prepare food in no time. This feature makes them a must-have for families who are time-poor or want quick dinner options.
Save money
Oil is not cheap, and other cooking methods – especially deep frying – use a lot of it daily. Air fryers will help you reduce your reliance on oil, thereby letting you save money both in the short and long term.
No safety risk
Deep-frying involves preparing food in a pan of scalding oil. This can pose a considerable safety risk. Air fryers pose no such dangers as there is no risk of oil spilling or splashing. They also have cool-to-touch exterior parts to prevent any burn injuries.
Ultra-portable
Air fryers, because of their small footprint and compact dimensions, are ultra-portable and a great companion for your trips.
How to choose an air fryer?
Why are you looking for an air fryer? Some of you will answer this question by stating that they only care about their health. That’s not the viewpoint of the majority. Most of you are looking for a model that could prepare healthy (and) delicious foods.
Which is precisely what the best air fryer for money offers. These models don’t use their low oil consumption as an excuse to churn out bone-dry dishes. The foods that they prepare rival the taste and texture of their deep-fried counterparts. Here’s how you can choose such a model.
What to consider when buying an air fryer?
Following are the questions you need to ask yourself before purchasing an air fryer:
1. What is the type of air fryer?
Two types of air fryers are available on the market these days:
Air fryers with a basket
Their name makes it clear that these units cook your food in a perforated basket. The holes in the basket allow drainage of oil while also allowing easy passage of air. That’s why basket-type air fryers are excellent at cooking vegetables and meats.
One of these models’ shortcomings is that you cannot prepare anything too saucy or soupy in them. Otherwise, the drain catch at their bottom will be full of oil in the end – forcing you to undertake a massive operation cleanup.
Pros
- Allow easy passage of air.
- Excellent at cooking vegetables.
- Provide a bigger capacity than pull-out trays.
Cons
- Messy to clean if you use them to prepare soupy dishes.
Air fryers with a pull-out tray
These units are best for dishes you’d typically shallow fry or grill. They are excellent at cooking meatballs, crumbled foods, chicken and grilled fish. You can also prepare soupy recipes in these models as they are easier to clean than bowl-type air fryers.
On the flip side, these air fryers require you to be more vigilant. They do ensure even cooking but only if you shake the tray at least once every five to seven minutes. The absence of a viewing window means you’d have to pull out the tray every time you want to check food progress.
Pros
- Easy to clean.
- Excellent at grilling.
- Ensure even cooking.
Cons
- Require you to shake the tray once every five to seven minutes.
2. What is the size of the air fryer?
Here’s how this question will influence your selection of an air fryer:
Small Air Fryer (1.2 – 3.4-quart capacity)
These air fryers are suitable for households of 3 to 4 people. Most of them offer capacity between 1.2- and 3.4-quarts that can help the cook prepare modest-size dishes in one go. That means that you’d have to prepare food in batches if you’re preparing a big meal.
Small air fryers have a diminutive footprint that helps them occupy less space on the counter. They are also incredibly compact and are extremely easy to transport. The power consumption of these devices is extremely low as well.
Large Air Fryer (>3.4-quart capacity)
Large air fryers are the lifeblood of big parties and large households. These devices prepare big-size meals with nothing more than a tablespoon of oil.
They do an excellent job of cooking up frozen foods, roasting pieces of chicken and grilling fish. That’s not where the good news end.
These models offer multiple programmable cooking modes to let you add versatility to your meals. They also provide additional racks to let you prepare various dishes in one go.
Their control panel is loaded with presets to let you do everything from pre-heating your food to shaking it.
3. Do you want analog or digital controls?
Here’s why you have to answer this question:
Analog Controls
Air fryers with analog controls are fairly basic in their operation. They come with a simple dial using which you can set the cooking time. Some also have a second dial for temperature setting.
Models with analog controls are suitable for the elderly as they are fairly easy to use. They are also less bulky and cost less than air fryers offering digital controls.
Digital Controls
Air fryers with digital controls come with all the bells-and-whistles you see in their advertisements. They have an LED display, digital touchscreen and multiple preprogrammed cooking modes.
Other features that you may find on their control panel include keep warm, preheat, and shake reminder. Some of the pricey digital air fryers also give options of dehydration, shrimp, grill, among others.
4. What is the air fryer’s loading/unloading mechanism?
Air fryers offer one of the following two mechanisms to load/unload food:
Front Drawer (Recommended)
Models with a front drawer loading/unloading mechanism are extremely easy to operate. They allow you to place the food and take it out by pulling out the tray.
Such units are easy to use because they open towards you. You won’t have to load/unload food from above. They also take up less counter space and can be used in small kitchens.
Flip-Top Lid (Not Recommended)
As their name implies, air fryers with a ‘flip-top’ lid require you to open their lid towards the roof to load/unload food items. Here’s why these units fail to get our recommendation.
Apart from forcing you to load/unload food from above – a burdensome and challenging mechanism, fryers with a flip-top lid also require that there are no shelves above them.
5. What type of safety features does it have?
Almost all the air fryers you see in this review come with the following safety features:
Auto-Shutoff
Air fryers with the auto-shutoff automatically get turned off when their pressure exceeds a safe limit. This limit is predetermined by experts and observed by an integrated sensor.
Having this feature is crucial. It helps make sure that the air pressure’s inner pressure never touches dangerous limits and puts the chef’s safety and other people in their household in jeopardy.
Cool Touch Exterior
Models with a cool-to-touch exterior do precisely what the term implies. They don’t let the inner basket temperature make its way outside the front window and burn your fingers.
Most air fryers that you see in this review offer this feature. Some, however, cut costs by only providing a cool-touch handle. It’s your preference which of the two you end up choosing.
Features and Specs
Here are some of the features that almost all top-rated air fryers possess:
Recipe guide
Nobody knows about all the recipes they can make inside their air fryer. Which is why every best air fryer on the market includes a recipe booklet in their package to let you take full advantage of the model’s capabilities.
Digital timer
All air fryers come with timers to let you decide how long you want your dish to cook for. Timers also show how much cooking time is left. A digital timer gets our nod because it makes it easy to adjust things by displaying everything on an LED display.
Various cooking modes
Are you going to prepare the same dish in your air fryer forever? We don’t think so. That’s why we recommend that you get a model with multiple cooking modes such as bake, reheat, grill, toast, or slow cook.
Dishwasher-safe parts
Nobody likes cleaning dishes manually. It’s a waste of time especially now that we have dishwashers in our homes. Their presence justifies selecting an air fryer with dishwasher-safe parts.
Small footprint
Whether you live in a studio apartment or villa, the space on top of your kitchen cabinet is precious. Preserve it by going for an air fryer that doesn’t use its inner capacity as an excuse for being big and bulky.
Drip-tray
Although they don’t require as much oil as their deep frying counterparts, air fryers still require oil (about 1 tablespoon/1kg of food). Drip trays collect excess oil not used during the cooking process and allow for hassle-free cleaning.
Keep warm mode
Do you regularly have guests at your place? Then it’s likely that you prepare food in advance. Such a scenario necessitates having an air fryer with a keep warm mode that could keep the meal at the serving temperature until the waiting is over.
How to clean an air fryer
Follow these steps to clean your air fryer:
What you’ll need?
- Soft sponge.
- Warm water.
- Dish detergent.
- Microfiber cloth.
- Toothpick or wooden skewer.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Unplug the air fryer
Make sure that the unit is turned off before you start cleaning it. Take out its plug from the power socket to be doubly careful. As cleaning any running electrical device might result in electrocution.
Step 2: Take out the basket
Remove the basket from inside the air fryer. Otherwise it might be difficult for you to remove all the stuck food crumbs, fat deposits and layers of oily substances from its surface.
Step 3: Clean the basket
Add dish detergent to hot water to prepare soapy water. Then dip a soft sponge in the mixture before using it to clean the basket. Now Use a toothpick to poke out food stuck in its holes
Step 4: Clean the air fryer’s inside
Put away the soft sponge you used in the previous step. Take a dry microfiber cloth and dip it in soapy water. Use the damp cloth to remove food debris and grease from the heating element.
Step 5: Let the cleaned parts dry
Keep the lid of the air fryer open as long as its interior is thoroughly dry. You should only reassemble the basket once there is no trace of moisture on the unit’s inside.
Final Step: Wipe the exterior
You can use a sponge or damp cloth to wipe the exterior. Or you can first clean it with a wet cloth and then use a microfiber cloth to dry the appliance.
Air Fryer Vs Convection Oven – Differences
Air fryers and convection ovens have much in common. Both have built-in heating elements – as well as a fan – that induces convection effect to turn raw food into prepared meals.
Both use little to no oil to prepare your favorite dishes. That’s where the similarities end and differences begin.
Heating Mechanism
Air fryers, as you might know by now, have a heating element built into their roof.
That isn’t the case with convection ovens. These devices emit heat from both the top as well as bottom. This allows them to cook food quickly.
Food placement
Air fryers tend to be compact and allow you to stack your food in layers.
Convection ovens, because of their wider dimensions, have all the room in the world to let you spread out your meal on their rack.
Fan placement
Air fryers’ manufacturers place the fan right above the heating element, thereby making it easy for the fan to disperse heat. However, in the case of convection ovens, the fan is built into the device’s back side.
Accessories
Multiple accessories are available in the package of top-rated air fryers. They include racks, trays, skewers for kebabs, and spits for rotisseries. Convection ovens, on the contrary, mostly come alone.
Conclusion
The best rated air fryers in 2021 are unlike any other device you may already have in your kitchen. Apart from letting you prepare your favorite meals in a quick time, these units also take care of your health and ensure savings by reducing your daily oil consumption.
What is more, while they use minimal oil in cooking your favorite dishes, the best air fryers don’t use that as an excuse to churn out dry and ill-tasting dishes. The quality of food that they churn out rivals and even outsmarts that of deep fryer’s.
What more can you ask for!