What Size Air Fryer Do I Need

air-fyrer-4x4 — We explore the trendy appliance in all its forms to help you find a perfect air fryer fit.
CNET

Air fryers accept made a whole lot of noise in the kitchen appliance infinite over these past few years. If y'all've become a little air fry-curious, there are some questions you might want to accept answered earlier yous invest in nevertheless another small kitchen apparatus. If starting from scratch, yous'll want to know exactly what an air fryer does and how it'south used. Does an air fryer actually fry? And are air fryers healthier than normal ovens? As well, what tin yous make in an air fryer, and which type of air fryer oven is all-time for your cooking habits? Most importantly, is an air fryer worth buying with so many other kitchen appliances available, or are these trendy countertop cookers just a bunch of hot air?

Whether or not an air fryer is right for you is ultimately a decision yous'll accept to make. But as someone with the chance to try much of the latest kitchen gadgetry, I can say that the air fryer is ane of my personal favorite small apparatus additions. It's 1 I fire upward at least a few times each calendar week and recommend to folks who are because buying one. Air fryers cook in a way that cipher else in my kitchen does. They're also incredibly simple to operate and like shooting fish in a barrel to clean. What's more than, air fryers don't cost very much, especially if y'all know what you want and what to look for.

In this air fryer explainer and buying guide, I'll explore the best uses for the trendy air fryer, and interruption downward the various types of air fry ovens along with average costs to help y'all brand a more informed purchase.

First, a little background.

What is an air fryer?

Opposite to the name, an air fryer doesn't actually fry at all. Instead, the air fryer works more similar a convection oven, circulating hot air with a fan. The main divergence between a regular convection oven and an air fryer is that the air fryer fan blows faster and the compartment in which food is cooked is ofttimes (but not always) smaller. Considering of these two things, all that hot air hits nutrient more rapidly and and so information technology doesn't lose as much heat in transit. Most air fryers come with a grated rack or perforated basket then the air tin can travel through and hit the nutrient on all sides.

air-fryer-basket — The perforated basket helps the hot air hit food on all sides and crisp evenly.
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This fast, hot roasting or "super convection" will quickly brownish chicken, potatoes, frozen snacks, veggies and fish without overcooking the inside. That's very like to how deep-frying works, which is where both the comparison and name come from.

While it isn't the instance for everything, I've air-fried many foods that taste nearly identical to if they'd been deep-fried. In fact, some things sense of taste amend (in my opinion) since they are not saturated with heavy oil which can overpower the flavor of the food.

Are air fryers healthy?

It all depends on what you're making in your air fryer but cooking something in an air fryer is nigh universally healthier than deep-frying or pan-frying it in oil. Less oil means less fat and fewer calories too.

What can y'all melt in an air fryer?

If yous think about the best fried foods -- chicken wings, fried chicken, french fries, mozzarella sticks -- those are all great candidates for an air fryer. You'll go similarly crispy and browned outsides with insides that don't overcook.

An air fryer can actually do quite a bit more than a solo air fryer since information technology's really an oven. Yous tin cook fish (salmon is a popular air fryer choice), vegetables, pizza and bread. You can also warm food or reheat leftovers and much more.

Some of my all-fourth dimension favorites to cook in an air fryer include "fried" chicken with the skin on; just a quick dredging of egg and seasoned flour then 25 minutes on high. I as well love potato wedges in the air fryer every bit well as Brussels sprouts, dumplings (with a light coating of oil), and seasoned mushrooms with chopped garlic.

Read more than:Air frying vs. oven baking: Which cooking method is best?

Practice you need to apply oil in an air fryer?

Brusk respond: No, you don't demand oil. Just some foods do well with a calorie-free spray or coating of cooking oil. Vegetables including green beans, broccoli, asparagus, and even potatoes volition dry out if you blast them in an air fryer and then a light spritz of avocado or olive oil can become a long mode.

Think, you're still using far less oil than deep-frying or even pan-frying in which nutrient sits in oil or is submerged the unabridged time it's cooking. Annihilation with some inherent oil content, like chicken or salmon, volition have plenty of natural oil to baste itself while cooking.

air-fryer-cauli — When air frying vegetables, a light coating of oil goes a long way.
Getty

How much practise air fryers cost?

Like anything else, you can pay a whole lot for an air fryer but in our experience, the well-nigh expensive air fryers aren't necessarily the best. A basic air fryer is really not a terribly complex machine so you lot really needn't break the banking company. Small no-frills air fryer models starting time at $25 or $30 and I've found they volition do a serviceable chore. That said, if you bump up some other $30 or $40 yous're going to go a better build, sharper expect and more often than not a bit more power too.

At the high finish are the hybrid countertop ovens with air fry functions. These can go as high as $300 but you can become less advanced models from bargain brands or ones that are on sale for around $150.

How large should an air fryer exist? About a quart per person, just bigger isn't ever ameliorate.

If yous're cooking for 1 or two people a 2- or 3-quart air fryer should be large enough. From in that location, I would suggest calculation a quart of capacity for every person that you're regularly cooking for. So, if you lot plan to air fry for five people on a regular basis, spring for a 5-quart model.

Size matters when information technology comes to air fryer prowess just perchance not in the mode you expected. A smaller air fryer means food is going to get blasted faster and more often than inside a larger model where the air has further to travel and more than time to lose heat. I've institute that small and powerful air fryers including the Magic Bullet 2-5-quart model and Instant Pot's Duo Crisp (which really has a small air frying capacity once you load the air fry handbasket in) work exceptionally well and very quickly.

The smaller air fryers mean less overall chapters so yous may have to melt in batches.

magic-bullet — I find that smaller air fryers like Magic Bullet's ii-five-quart model ($60) practise an splendid job only the trade-off is less cooking space.
Magic Bullet

Using medium chicken thighs as a unit measurement, a ii.v-quart air fryer can fit iii thighs. A 5-quart model volition comfortably fit six thighs and so on. If yous bound for a hybrid oven with multiple racks, you lot can melt as many as ten or 12 chicken thighs at once, but it will take longer than with a smaller air fryer

What are the different types of air fryers?

Solo air fryer: Best for most people (and most upkeep-friendly)

The nigh basic of air fryers looks similar a pocket-size robot. They are more often than not simply a cylindrical base with a handbasket to hold the food that pulls in and out. These come every bit minor equally 2 quarts and can be every bit big as six or seven. These models come with digital controls or transmission dials. There are also air fryers with dual compartments and so you tin can make two types of food at different temps simultaneously.Ninja makes a peculiarly adept one with two 4-quart cooking baskets (8 quarts overall).

Solo air fryers are the least expensive too, and they can be had for as little every bit $30. I'd say if y'all just desire to try air frying but don't desire to commit a lot of coin or kitchen space, opt for one of these.

air-fryer-2-green — Ninja'due south basic air fryer oven is one of the best nosotros've tested.
CNET/Ninja

Read more: The best air fryers in 2022

Air frying toaster oven: Bake, broil, roast and toast

These models look and office much like a standard countertop toaster oven but they have an air fry office as well. An avant-garde version is almost similar calculation a second principal oven to your kitchen since they can broil, roast, bake, toast and much more. Some even come with a rotisserie function. For someone who hosts Thanksgiving or big family gatherings, the extra oven infinite these provide may experience like a godsend. Plus, they air fry; although due to their larger size, these models usually don't cook equally rapidly or quite as intensely equally smaller solo air fryer ovens.

Breville makes an excellent (and big) model equally do KitchenAid and Cuisinart. My favorite in a exam of these types air frying toaster ovens was Ninja'south Foodi, which blasted chicken wings and french fries to crispy golden perfection -- I doubtable that was large in part due to the smaller cooking cavity which helps the air fry role piece of work properly. It likewise fabricated wonderful broiled salmon and perfect toast.

These air fryers showtime at around $150 and go upwards from there.

air-fyer-1-red — If you're shopping for a countertop toaster, why not go ane that air chips too?
CNET/KitchenAid

Read more:Best countertop oven and air fryer in 2022

Air fryer and multicooker: An air fryer that does it all

These are the almost advanced and versatile air fryers and they do a whole lot more than than air fry. Think Instant Pot but with an air fryer part equally well.Ninja's Foodi multicooker and theInstant Pot Duo Crisp are two pop models, and if you want an air fryer and multicooker or force per unit area cooker simply don't have a lot of kitchen space to relinquish, one of these is a great selection. I've used the 6-quart Duo Crisp a bunch and find information technology works really well, turning out some of the most succulent fried craven ever (with no frying at all.) These models generally retail for about $175 to $250

Air fryer zipper for your Instant Pot is a neat option

If y'all already have an Instant Pot, y'all tin can buy anInstant Pot air fryer lid ($90) to attach or aMealthy ($lx) which volition clamp on top and air fry food down below. I found the air fryer lids work exceptionally well, although they don't have a large capacity for cooking.

air-fryer-3-purple — The Duo Crisp is a powerful air fryer simply information technology's also a pressure level cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and more.
CNET/Instant Pot

Read more:Best Instant Pots of 2022

Should you get a digital air fryer over analog? Meh, not really.

This depends on your personal preference simply the controls don't have much to practise with the performance or end event. Digital air fryers have presets for things like chicken wings, french fries, fish and such, but I observe that even if the presets exist, it takes me just a few runs to learn how long things demand and the correct temperatures, and I end upward bypassing them anyways. Digital air fryers tend to cost a flake more and you run the gamble of the console shorting out, but having a digital readout of the temp and cook fourth dimension tin be nice.

So which is the best air fryer?

Another question that depends on your needs and budget. Fortunately, we've tested the best air fryers in 2022 and the best air frying toaster ovens with picks in diverse sizes, styles and prices to help you lot decide.

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