The best air fryers could completely change your food preparation. Air fryers need a lot less oil than you'd use for regular frying, which means you'll get healthier food that's just as delicious, and because they're much smaller than standard ovens they heat up quicker and cook faster and more efficiently. So not only will you get your dinner much sooner, you'll save on energy bills too.
Air fryers don't actually fry food in the conventional sense. They're compact ovens that sit on your countertop and mimic the effects of frying with hot air and powerful fans that are large relative to the cooking space. Combined with designs that maximize airflow, they quickly deliver crisp and great-tasting results with not very much oil.
Our expert reviewers have tested dozens of of air fryers, from budget models with minimal options through to high-end smart models and dual-basket air fryers that enable you to cook an entire meal in one go. They put them through standardized tests to gauge their performance on basic cooking, and also assess how easy they are to use and clean, and whether they offer good value for money.
According to price comparison site GoCompare, an air fryer costs significantly less to run than a conventional oven, but more than a microwave, so it's worth considering what you'll be cooking and whether the investment will be worthwhile.
For us the best air overall is the Ninja Double Stack, thanks to its ability to cook two portions of food to perfection while taking up minimal counter space, but it's not the only option and there are lots more excellent choices depending on your priorities.
The latest addition to this guide is the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer, which is big enough to feed a family, and cooked the best green beans our reviewer had ever had from an air fryer.
The quick list
Below is our quick guide to the best air fryers around. Use it to narrow down your options, then either hop down to the more in-depth entry, or head straight to a retailer to buy.
For small kitchens
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 .
Best budget air fryer
This 9L capacity air fryer proves that you don't have to spend a fortune to cook for a family. Its no-nonsense design makes it easy to use, and provided you read the manual well beforehand, you should enjoy consistently good results. We appreciated its small but well-curated selection of cooking presets as well, and in our tests it out-performed more expensive air fryers with ease.
Best air fryer/microwave combo
If you don't have space in your kitchen for both an air fryer and a microwave, this is the ideal solution. During our tests we were impressed by its intuitive controls, which made it easy to use despite its wealth of features, and although it wasn't as fast as a standard air fryer, it performed well across the board.
Best portable air fryer
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.
Easiest air fryer to use
Using an air fryer for the first time can be a challenge (they're quite different to a conventional oven) but the Kalorik Vivid Touch helps take the guesswork out of figuring our how to cook your favorite foods. Its large, clear touchscreen makes it a piece of cake to use, letting you choose settings optimized for different dishes. It worked a treat during our tests, and we'd highly recommend it to beginners.
Best large air fryer
If you're cooking for a family, this twin-drawer model is a great choice – and it cooks most dishes to perfection. Our reviewer said it cooked the best green beans she'd had from an air fryer, chicken was juicy and succulent, and even muffins turned out perfectly. It's affordably priced, too.
Best air fryer and grill combo
This all-in-one air fryer can bake, grill, dehydrate, and roast – and does it all brilliantly. It's a particularly good choice for meat-eaters thanks to its built-in temperature probe, which helped us cook perfectly moist chicken and succulent beef during our tests. It took some experimentation to master the air frying function, but once we got the knack it was superb.
Best premium air fryer
The Dreo ChefMaker is much more than just an air fryer - it takes the effort and guesswork out of cooking virtually any meal, and is particularly great for preparing meat. During testing we found it produced restaurant-quality steak every time. If your budget can handle it, it's highly recommended
Best air fryer with steam
Smeg's countertop appliance does a whole lot more than just make golden fries - it can also make like a regular convection oven, and generate steam for moist meat and fish. During testing we really appreciated its versatility, wealth of presets, and its stunning 1960s-inspired design.
Meet the expert
Helen has been reviewing small appliances, including blenders, air fryers, and vacuums for more than 15 years, and has written for many of the biggest home-related titles around. She puts air fryers through a thorough battery of tests, and you can trust her to give you the full lowdown on their performance.
The best air fryer 2025
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
The best air fryer overall
✅ Space is at a premium: Its two-tier design means the Ninja Double Stack can cook far more food than other air fryers with the same footprint.
✅ You want to cook several different foods at once: With two baskets and four trays, this air fryer is a great multi-tasker.
❌ You want to cook pizzas: The Double Stack's vertical arrangement means it's not best suited to large items of food.
❌ You want to cook wet foods: The fairly large holes at the back of the baskets make this a bad idea.
With most air fryers, the more generous the cooking capacity, the more counter space you'll need to sacrifice. This Ninja model cleverly avoids that issue by stacking its baskets one on top of the other, rather than side-by-side. It's such a smart design, we gave it the prize for Best Air Fryer in the 2024 TechRadar Choice Awards. Each drawer holds 5qts / 4.75L, and you can create even more cooking space by slotting in one of the provided trays. Although do note that the tall-rather-than-wide approach means you won't get able to fit in, say, an uncut pizza. (If you just need something compact and don't need a large capacity, head to our guide to the best small air fryers.)
In our review, our tester noted no compromise in performance with this new design approach – the Double Stack delivers the same excellent performance as other Ninja air fryers we've tested. A wide range of different cooking modes make this model ultra-versatile, while the Sync and Match functions take all the pain out of cooking foods with different timing requirements – select your cooking mode, set your finish time and, if you're synchronizing the two baskets, select the cooking times for each, and it'll do the math for you. There's also virtually no heat leakage between the two trays, which is good news if you’re dealing with precise foods or don't want to waste energy when only using one basket.
The main down-side here is that the Double Stack is pricier than other dual-basket air fryers, so if you don't need to save on counter space you could get something as good for a lower price. But if you have a small kitchen, it could be well worth the extra investment.
Read our full Ninja Double Stack review
Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Value | Pricier than most dual-drawer air fryers, but delivers a unique design and great performance for your money. | 4.5/5 |
Design | An ingenious design with a small footprint and generous capacity, plus dishwasher-friendly baskets. | 5/5 |
Performance | The great performance you'd expect from a Ninja air fryer with very little heat transfer between the two tiers for even cooking. | 5/5 |
The best budget air fryer
✅ You want to cook two meal components at once: Whether you want to use Match or Sync, this air fryer can help you make mealtimes easier by setting each basket to its own temperature and time, or preset.
✅ You want a high quality air fryer without too many extras: The Satisfry does its job with little fuss, and for a very reasonable price.
❌ You have a big family: Our reviewer has a household of two, and this air fryer felt like the right size to make larger meals.
❌ You don't live in the UK: This particular fryer isn't available in other locations at the time of writing.
This versatile twin-drawer air fryer has a list price of £199 (about $250 / AU$400), but you can find it online for half that price, making it incredible value. It's a great-looking appliance too, with a matt black finish and champagne-toned accents, though it's also relatively large so you'll need to measure your kitchen counter to make sure it'll fit comfortably.
It has several features you'd expect to find in much pricier models, such as synced timing so you can cook two different foods and have them finish at the same time. It doesn't have as many presets as some others, but those it does offer will cover all the essentials (including steal, fries, chicken, and pizza), and in our tests they performed very well. We also achieved good results for other dishes by paying close attention to the instructions in the manual, which helps take the guesswork out of preparing your favorite meals.
There are a few quirks, and we found that it wasn't ideal for baking, but the Russell Hobbs Satisfry punches well above its weight and you won't find a better air fryer for the price.
Read our full Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer review
Attribute | Notes | Score |
Value | While the price is premium, this air fryer is a solid investment and offers better quality than some higher-priced competition. | 4.5/5 |
Design | A stylish matte black appliance with champagne accents, but make sure you have room for it. | 4/5 |
Performance | A range of functions and features, with solid results. May require some experimentation and air fryer experience for optimal results. | 4.5/5 |
The best air fryer/microwave combo
✅ You don't have much room: If you enjoy cooking but don't have space for multiple appliances, this is a good option.
✅ You use other Samsung Smart Home devices: You can manage them all through Samsung's SmartThings app.
❌ You don't really need a microwave: The Samsung Combi doesn't get quite as hot as a standalone air fryer, and takes a bit longer to get your fries crisp.
❌ You don't want to use an app at all: Some of the Samsung Combi's settings and options are only accessible through the mobile app.
If you don't have room for both an air fryer and a microwave on your kitchen counter, this multifunctional cooker from Samsung combines them into a single appliance - and it works as a convection oven and a grill as well.
During our tests we found that the Samsung Combi took a bit longer than a standard air dryer to crisp our fries, but it was extremely versatile. There's a huge array of presets, but the intuitive controls make them easy to find and select, and the mobile app allows you to control it from afar. We were particularly impressed by its capabilities as a convection oven, and could see it replacing a freestanding oven in a small kitchen if you're particularly short of space, or need to make room for a dishwasher.
It's certainly not small, and it's pricier than most of the single-purpose air fryers in this guide, but it has a smart design that won't look out of place in a modern kitchen, and it can replace so many other appliances that it does represent good value.
Read our full Samsung Combi Smart Microwave Oven review
Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Pricey compared to standalone microwaves and air fryers, but high quality and offers a wide range of functions. | 4/5 |
Design | Large and bulky but looks smart and feels high-quality. Intuitive controls. | 4.5/5 |
Performance | Great at convection cooking, grilling and microwaving, but less so at air frying. It's helpful to use the app, if only to avoid so much beeping. | 3.5/5 |
The best portable air fryer
✅ You want to crisp food on the move: The Crispi is specifically designed for this, letting you store food in sealable containers and then heat it when and where it suits you.
✅ You want to minimize cleanup: You can store, cook, and serve food from the glass containers, which are dishwasher safe.
❌ You want something to keep on your counter: The Ninja Crispi is functional rather than beautiful. Other Ninja air fryers are more appealing if you want something to keep on view.
❌ You plan to do a lot of baking: Making muffins in the Crispi proved less successful than other air fryers (though it's not really designed for baking).
Technically you could carry any air fryer around with you, and use it wherever there's an electrical outlet, but doing so would be extremely cumbersome and awkward. That's where the Ninja Crispi comes in. Rather than a drawer, your food is held in resealable glass containers that you can carry around and store in the fridge like regular Tupperware. When you want to cook, just remove the regular lid and attach the Crispi PowerPod, which contains the heating element and fan, and switch it on.
It's an interesting design, and during our tests we were impressed by how well it handled everyday dishes like fries, which turned out perfectly golden on the outside and fluffy inside whether they were fresh or frozen.
Baking in the Crispi proved less successful, but since this is mostly an air fryer designed for heating and crisping, that shouldn't be too much of an issue in everyday use.
Cleanup is refreshingly simple because you don't need to clean the PowerPod – only the glass containers and lids, which are dishwasher-safe or can be washed by hand. We also tried using paper air fryer liners, which made things even easier.
Read our full Ninja Crispi review
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Value | The Ninja Crispi isn’t your typical air fryer at all; the unique design makes it worth its price tag. | 3/5 |
Design | While it’s not particularly pretty, it’s cleverly designed with the PowerPod and glass dishes that go from cooking to serving to storing your food. | 4.5/5 |
Performance | Air Fry, Max Crisp, and Recrisp modes are great; Bake mode is less so. | 4.5/5 |
The best air fryer for first-time users
✅ You prefer a touchscreen over buttons: There's no need to spend ages poring over a manual - this air fryer explains everything on its large touchscreen.
✅ You want to keep an eye on your food: Some air fryers keep you in the dark, but not the Kalorik Touch - just tap the lightbulb icon to see inside without interrupting the cooking cycle.
❌ You lack counter space: This air fryer isn't ugly, but it does take up a lot of room - particularly if you opt for the 7Qt model.
❌ You plan to do a lot of baking: We've had better results from other air fryers when it comes to cakes and bread.
Using an air fryer for the first time can be a bit of a daunting experience - it's very different to cooking in a conventional oven or microwave, and it often takes plenty of trial and error before you're confident preparing your favorite dishes. The Kalorik Vivid Touch makes things a whole lot easier thanks to its large, bright touchscreen, which lets you browse through a huge collection of presets quickly and effortlessly.
The Kalorik Vivid Touch produced impressive results during our tests, and we were particularly impressed by how well it handled fries. Whether fresh or frozen, they turned out deliciously crisp on the outside and fluffy within.
We also appreciated the ability to check on our dishes without interrupting the cooking cycle by opening the drawer. Just tap the lightbulb button on the fryer to see what's happening inside without letting the heat out.
We wouldn't recommend this air fryer if you're hoping to do a lot of baking as our results were somewhat uneven, but for everyday meals it's excellent, and comes highly recommended for first-time users.
Read our full Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer review
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Value | Though the price is in line with typical air fryers, the easy touchscreen operation adds value. | 4.5/5 |
Design | Lookswise, the design is nothing special. But the high-resolution touch screen and interior light level up the design score. | 4.5/5 |
Performance | It performs as expected from an air fryer, keeping in mind that the heat comes only from the top so flipping is essential. | 4/5 |
The best extra large capacity air fryer
✅ You want a spacious air fryer that won't dominate your kitchen: This air fryer offers good capacity but isn't huge and bulky.
✅ You want an air fryer for under £150: This air fryer might not be perfect, but it's great value at £133.99 and is much higher quality than others we've seen in this price range.
❌ You want a heap of extra features: This air fryer doesn't come with a bunch of extra features, functions, or smart control – it sticks to the basics.
❌ You have a small sink or dishwasher: The non-stick coating helps, but the XXL basket is chunky and a struggle to clean, even in a fairly large sink.
This extra-large air fryer has enough cooking capacity to feed a family, delivers consistently good results for a wide range of foods, and is very reasonably priced too. If you're looking for a fryer that can cater for a crowd, it comes highly recommended. It's not available in the US, though. If you're outside the UK, the closest model is the Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer.
According to our reviewer Vic Hood, "when the 1000 Series works well, it's excellent: chicken is succulent with just enough crispiness on the skin, muffins are soft inside without being dry, and chips (homemade and frozen) are golden and fluffy inside."
The biggest downside for us is the instructions. You'll have to go online to get the full manual, and even then, the food and cooking time tables provided aren't as detailed as we'd like. However, the app is packed with great recipe ideas, and the fryer's presets work well.
Read our full Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer review
Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Value | Great value for a solid air fryer, but don't expect the consistency and high quality of more premium appliances. | 4.5/5 |
Design | A sleek and fairly compact air fryer given its spacious capacity, but Philips has dropped the ball with its user manual, so you'll need to use the Home ID app for thorough instructions. | 4/5 |
Performance | It produced some of the best air-fried food I've had in all my testing. However, the user manual food tables could have more detail on optimal preparation and the settings to use for more common foods. | 4/5 |
The best air fryer and grill combo
✅ You want BBQ flavor in your kitchen: If you don't have space for an outdoor grill, this is an excellent option.
✅ You cook meat and fish regularly: The heat probe makes it easy to ensure meat is cooked through, but still tender and juicy.
❌ You won't keep up with cleaning: The air fryer grill is relatively tough to clean, but proper maintenance is essential.
❌ You want to keep things as simple as possible: The air fryer function took some getting used to, and produced uneven results until we became familiar with its idiosyncrasies.
This is the best multi-functional air fryer we've tested this year, and its roast, grill, bake, and dehydrate modes blew us away during testing.
It's a particularly great choice if you enjoy meat thanks to its built-in heat probe, which helps ensure your dishes are properly heated all the way through, but still moist and juicy. Our chicken and beef were cooked to perfection, as were our burgers.
We rarely achieve great results when baking with an air fryer, but the Ninja 5-in-1 is the exception. We made perfect herb flatbreads and blueberry muffins, which were evenly cooked and (in the case of the muffins) perfectly risen, just as if we'd made them using a conventional oven.
Only the air frying mode let us down slightly, producing somewhat inconsistent results until we got used to its idiosyncrasies. If you're looking for an air fryer to replace your oven though, this would be a solid choice. It's big enough to feed a family of four, and super versatile (though the grill takes a little more scrubbing than most air fryer accessories).
Want to save on a Ninja air fryer? Check out our Ninja discounts for the latest deals on high-performance cooking essentials.
Read our full Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer review
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Value | Although it's quite pricey for an air fryer, this 5-in-1 air fryer isn't one of Ninja's most expensive models, and it gives you a lot for your money. | 4.5/ 5 |
Design | Large enough for a family of four, with a good selection of accessories. We just wish they were easier to clean. | 4 / 5 |
Performance | Consistently good results for most modes, but air frying was a little hit and miss until we got used to it. | 4 / 5 |
The best premium air fryer
✅ You want the best of the best: The Dreo ChefMaker delivers consistently excellent results, if your budget can handle it.
✅ You're willing to spend serious cash: This performance doesn't come cheap, and the ChefMaker is one of the most expensive air fryers we've tested.
❌ You rarely cook meat: The ChefMaker's temperature probe and water atomizer system work particularly well for steaks, chicken and other meats, but if you're a veggie then they may be less useful.
❌ You need an extra large capacity: Check out the Ninja Double Oven instead if you want to cook particularly big portions.
The Dreo ChefMaker is so impressive with its cooking prowess and its ability to deliver moist-on-the-inside and crispy-on-the-outside results. That’s due to the fact that this air fryer is able to cook more precisely than many others.
Rather than the usual presets (bake, dehydrate, reheat etc), the ChefMaker offers Chef Mode, Classic Cook, and Probe Cook, so that you can either fine-tune the cooking experience, set it and forget it, or have the machine cook your food until its internal temperature is right where you want it, thanks to a nifty probe aka food thermometer that’s included in the box.
During testing, every meal we prepared turned out perfectly. We were particularly impressed by the way the ChefMaker cooked steak, with results that wouldn't look out of place in a restaurant.
The transparent glass basket is also a nice addition as you can keep visual tabs on your food without pulling the basket out. We also appreciate the fact that the components are dishwasher safe. And, though water atomization and super convection seem like buzzwords that Dreo applies here, make no mistake. This is a powerful, if pricey, air fryer.
Read our full Dreo ChefMaker review
Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Value | This is a pretty pricey appliance, but it’s well-worth the money. | 4.5 / 5 |
Design | It’s elegantly-beautiful in design, has very responsive touch controls, a large display, and easy to clean components. | 5 / 5 |
Performance | It produces incredible results, whether you’re air fryer chicken wings or cooking a proper steak. | 5 / 5 |
The best air fryer with steam
✅ You want to cook more than just fries: The Combi lets you air fry, bake, steam, and more with a flick of the dials.
✅ You have a small living space: It won't replace an oven for family cooking, but for one or two people in a compact apartment, this could free up valuable space.
❌ Money is a consideration: At over $1,000, this definitely isn't a budget option and costs more than some full-size ovens.
❌ You live outside the US: It may launch in other territories soon, but for now this little oven is only available in the United States.
The super chic Smeg Combi Steam Oven is a lot more than just an air fryer. It also functions as a small convection oven, just the right size for preparing a cake, loaf or a pan of muffins, and as the name suggests, it has a steam mode that's ideal for keeping meat and fish succulent.
It also has an excellent range of preset modes for different dishes, and during our tests these worked extremely well, taking any guesswork out of cooking. Our reviewer Karen Freeman prepared frozen and freshly made fries according to the instructions, and reported that "In both cases, the fries came out crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and totally delicious."
Roasted vegetables and veggie burgers also turned out perfectly (even sprouts), and both frozen and homemade pizzas "came out perfect: lightly browned, fully cooked in the middle, not burnt anywhere."
There are a few potential drawbacks. For example, in addition to its high price tag, this multi-function appliance probably won't be able to replace your oven if you're cooking for more than two people - it's just not large enough inside. It also proved somewhat tricky to de-grease. It could be an excellent choice for individuals or couples in small living spaces though, freeing up valuable space under your kitchen counters.
Read our full Smeg Combi Steam Oven review
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Value | It’s just very pricey, and hard to justify given that it doesn’t fully replace either an oven or a toaster oven. | 3/5 |
Design | It’s gorgeous and designed for maximum flexibility with tons of cooking options (except, oddly enough, a dedicated toast function). | 4.5/5 |
Performance | Everything I made across a variety of cooking functions was delicious. However, a thorough cleanup is tough. | 4.5/5 |
We also tested
We've tested 45 different air fryers here at TechRadar. Here are some of the ones we've tried that didn't quite make our shortlist:
How to choose the best air fryer for you
What will you be cooking?
Different air fryers work best for different foods. Basket air fryers tend to be healthier because they funnel the juices, as well as the fat, away from the food but you can’t check on the food without opening them and letting cold air in, which can stall the cooking process. Bowl air fryers often have glass lids so you can keep an eye on your meal, but the cooking juices remain in the air fryer and in contact with the food, making it tastier but not as healthy.
How much will you be cooking?
If you’re feeding four or more mouths, look for larger air fryers, which can hold around 6.5 quarts / 6 liters, while couples will find designs that have a capacity of around 2.5 quarts / 2.5 liters will be sufficient. Some of the best air fryers also have more than one compartment, which means you can cook multiple foods at the same time. For more tips and tricks on getting the most out of your appliance, take a look at our guide to how air fryers work.
How much space do you have?
If you’re tight on space look for air fryers that offer a multitude of different cooking methods, to cut down on the number of appliances that clutter up your kitchen countertop. Sometimes an air fryer isn't the right appliance. For example, you could consider an Instant Pot or alternative multi-cookers, which includes some models that mimic the effect of a standalone air fryer.
Do you want to control it remotely?
Consider whether you want an air fryer with smart features that means you can switch it on or off from your smartphone.
What is your budget?
The price of air fryers varies enormously, with budget models starting below $100, and large-capacity premium fryers costing well over $300.
What types of air fryers are there?
Basket air fryers
Basket air fryers are the most popular type of air fryer. They have a slide-out basket or tray which slots in to the main unit, and tend to be available as a single or dual-drawer. Food like fries may be browned unevenly if it isn't rearranged or tossed around during cooking.
Oven-style air fryers
These are much larger than basket air fryers, and are often about the same size as a microwave. They have a door rather than a drawer, and use shelves rather than baskets. The air frying function is able to circulate air around the food more efficiently to achieve a more even crisp. Some may also include a rotisserie, and other accessories.
Halogen ovens
Although sometimes described as air fryers, halogen ovens work in a different way. Instead of circulating hot air a halogen oven uses infrared to constantly heat the food. This means that they can be more versatile than the more traditional air fryer, with a larger capacity and more forgiving shape of cooking area.
Frequently asked questions about air fryers
Is air-fried food healthier?
Air fryers use substantially less oil than deep frying: some foods, most of which are frozen or have naturally occurring fat, like chicken wings, are suitable for air frying without any oil at all. Fries, roast potatoes, and other traditional crisp foods will need some oil, but how much varies between air fryers.
In our tests, manufacturers' instructions have recommended anywhere from 1tsp to 1tbsp of oil per 1.1lb / 500g of fries, so if you want to use as little oil as possible - we'd suggest you check how oil is required before you purchase a specific model. It's also crucial to remember the healthiness of what you make in your air fryer all depends on what you actually put in it, to begin with. To find out more, read how healthy are air fryers?
What can you cook in an air fryer?
Fries, roast potatoes, chicken wings and other deep-fried favorites are obvious dishes to cook in an air fryer, but that's not all you can whip up in one of these handy kitchen gadgets. You can prepare anything you can cook in a traditional fan oven, space permitting, because they work in the same way.
So whether that's frozen foods, mini pizzas, or even gnocchi and ravioli - it can all be cooked in an air fryer. You can even make fudgy brownies in an air fryer, in less time than it takes in an oven.
We've tried to cook pretty much everything apart from soup in an air fryer. We found that an air fryer can rival KFC when it comes to fried chicken, and was also the answer when it came to creating crisp, crunchy crackling on pork belly.
It also proved to be the best way to cook cinnamon rolls and Krispy-Kreme-style donuts.
As well as being used in place of an oven, air fryers can be an easier way to prepare dishes usually cooked on a stove, without having to watch them like a hawk and turn them before they burn. In particular, we discovered French Toast and grilled cheese work extremely well in the kitchen gadget.
If you're a fan of fries but unsure how to go about making them in an air fryer, then check out our advice, which even details an air fryer trick that's a game-changer when it comes to cooking fries.
We're also big fans of reheating takeout in air fryers: they're particularly good for pizza and fried chicken.
If you're still unsure we've got plenty of inspiration when it comes to what you can cook in an air fryer?.
How much does it cost to run an air fryer?
The exact price will depend on your energy tariff and how powerful your air fryer is, but according to UK price comparison site CoGompare, "The cost of running an air fryer can vary between roughly 9.8p and 24.6.p for 30 minutes."
That works out at £35.77 based on 9.8p for 30 minutes a day, and £89.79 based on 24.6p for 30 minutes a day.
That's not as cheap as a microwave, but microwaves and air fryers serve different purposes. An air fryer is more of a substitute for a conventional oven, which would use much more energy.
What can't be cooked in an air fryer?
Air fryers are very versatile but there are some things you should avoid. For example, we found 5 foods to avoid putting in an air fryer. These include foods dipped in batter, as the liquid will simply slide off the item and leave a mess in the frying basket. Anything lightweight, such as an individual slice of bread or leafy greens, is likely to get blown around the cooking cavity. That means it may cook unevenly or even burn.
With many air fryers large joints of meat can be tricky too: if they're too big for the drawer the hot air can't circulate properly. That means the joint won't be evenly crisped and browned. And we wouldn't recommend trying to cook red meat medium rare or medium: the outside cooks too quickly and can leave the center raw.
How does an air fryer work?
Despite its name, an air fryer doesn't actually fry. Utilizing a very cleverly designed fan oven, it efficiently uses airflow to cook in a way and at a speed that conventional ovens, even fan ones, cannot.
Some of the best air fryers are also multi-cookers, meaning that the air circulated doesn't just air fry. A single countertop device can make tasty fries but also work as a toaster oven, a dehydrator, a slow cooker and a pizza oven, as well as heat up last night's takeout leftovers and bake brilliant bagels too.
How we tested these air fryers
To compare each air fryer, we cooked up batches and batches of fries and chicken wings, and evaluated the results for crispness and evenness of browning. In the case of chicken wings, we also checked how moist and juicy the meat was.
Plenty of cooking modes are a bonus, as are features like odor-reduction to limit the spread of cooking smells, but we also appreciate an air fryer that didn't require us to read a thick instruction book before we could get started. We rated each machine on ease of use, how loud its fans become (some are much noisier than others), and how hot the exterior casing got during use.
The type of controls is an important consideration (physical buttons or a touchscreen), as is the inclusion of a window and/or light that lets you check on the food while it's cooking without opening the air fryer and allowing heat to escape.
Afterwards, we rated each machine on its ease of cleaning, and durability of its body and parts. Some air fryers have components that are dishwasher-safe, while others must be cleaned entirely by hand.
Extra features like accessories and recipe books for ideas are a welcome addition, as are cooking charts that help you understand how long it'll take to cook your food compared to using a conventional oven.
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