The best air fryers of 2026, after testing 24

If there's one appliance that has completely changed the way people cook over the last decade, it's the air fryer. According to a September 2026 study by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association, air fryers are now in 71% of American homes . That should come as no surprise. The best air fryers are faster than convection ovens, require less oil than traditional frying, and can prepare everything from crisp French fries to decadent chocolate cakes and even a whole chicken. In other words, air fryers are your go-to for hassle-free cooking.

Whether you're ready to add an air fryer to your kitchen arsenal or upgrade to a new model, you've come to the right place. In our latest round of testing, we re-evaluated some of our top picks alongside three newcomers, bringing the total to 24 air fryers tested over the past few years. We judged them on several factors, including whether the display is user-friendly, how evenly and efficiently the machine cooks and the level of effort required to clean it. Most importantly, we did a lot of air frying, prepping batch after batch of Brussels sprouts, fresh chicken tenders, frozen battered tenders and frozen French fries. Our top picks include old faithfuls such as the Cuisinart 6-Quart Air Fryer, plus new breakouts like the Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel Smart 6-5.-Quart Air Fryer and Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer.

Factors to consider when choosing an air fryer

✓ Size:Air fryers come in a range of sizes, from compact to XL. Compact air fryers take up less counter space, making them ideal for small kitchens or for storing in a cabinet. Larger air fryers require more square footage, prepare larger quantities of food, and may have dual cooking zones. The sizes mentioned in each of our write-ups represent the exterior dimensions of the assembled air fryer, with capacities reflecting the interior baskets and tray allocations. We didn't count air fryer baskets as accessories because they are core to an air fryer's function.

✓ Capacity:Besides the size of your kitchen, think about the size of your household and your cooking needs. Small air fryers between 2 to 3 quarts are great for whipping up single portions, while a 4-quart model can make enough food for two. Air fryers with a capacity of 6 quarts or more are great for feeding families or a crowd.

✓ Power:The higher the wattage, the more efficient your air fryer will be, meaning it will heat up and cook faster. For a medium-size air fryer, aim for at least 1,500 watts. Models with higher temperature ranges can cook frozen foods at a faster rate, but it's best to follow food package and air fryer instructions carefully while familiarizing yourself with your machine.

✓ Style:The single-basket air fryer is the OG, but dual-baskets and air fryer toasters are also popular. Here's how they compare.

• Single-basket air fryerstypically consist of a single basket with a handle. Most are deep enough to hold bulky, high batches like glazed chicken wings and heaping nacho piles, which may require you to pause the air fryer and rotate or shake food to ensure it cooks evenly.

• Dual-basket air fryersmay come with two individual baskets or one large basket with a removable divider. Either way, it can prepare two different foods at two different settings all at once. Dual-basket air fryers aren't usually as deep as single-baskets, but the capacity is substantial. Models with a removable divider offer the flexibility to create an extra-large basket for heartier servings and roasts.

• Air fryer toastersare larger and more versatile than basket-style models and have glass-paneled doors that let you keep an eye on cooking. They usually come with trays that can be stacked to cook thinner foods like bacon, fish sticks or sweet potato fries in shallow rows at the same temperature. Air fryer toasters generally take longer to preheat and get hotter than traditional air fryers.

✓ Functions:Air fryers come with countless features, but convenience is the priority. Look for models with preset cooking functions, temperature control, timers and shake reminders. Then consider the extra functions that are important to you, like dehydrating, roasting or baking. The benefit of using a basket-style air fryer to roast or bake versus the oven is that it will usually do so with less preheating and in less time. It also won't heat up the whole kitchen, which is a lifesaver in warmer months.

✓ Nontoxic materials:Manufacturers have become more mindful of the materials used in making air fryers and their accessories. They're ditching plastics for glass and stainless steel, and eliminating forever chemicals by using PFAS- and PTFE-free nonstick coatings on baskets, crisper trays and baking pans. If you're trying to eliminate potentially harmful chemicals from your kitchen, you've got options.

✓ Care:Nonstick and dishwasher-safe baskets, bins and trays make for easy cleanup when you're done cooking. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully, and never put electric appliances in the sink or dishwasher.

How we test air fryers

To determine the best air fryers for this guide, we turned to the experts: Our own Yahoo editors and writers with home, tech and culinary backgrounds. Over the past few years, we've tested 24 top-rated air fryers on the market, using them to crisp favorites like chicken tenders, Brussels sprouts and French fries to gauge how well and fast they worked. We also evaluated them against the following criteria.

• Ease of setup:Air fryers are meant to save time, and that begins with unboxing. We gave high marks to models that unpacked, washed and set up quickly. We also preferred models with clear, concise instruction manuals so we could start cooking without confusion.

• Design:Here, we looked at three factors.

  • Visibility:A clear view of the air fryer's controls and interior are an asset when cooking, which is why we gave extra points to those with touchscreen displays, time and temperature reads, and windows and inner lights.

  • Usability:We preferred air fryers with features that streamline the cooking process, like toss/shake reminders, a pause function, food-specific presets and guidelines.  

  • Versatility:We considered how many functions each model had and whether they added value.

• Performance:We made batches of frozen fries and frozen chicken tenders according to package directions. We also tested fresh Brussels sprouts and unbattered fresh chicken tenders. Then we rated air fryers for efficiency and whether the finished food was crisp, golden brown and evenly cooked. 

• Cleanup:Air fryers have nonstick cooking surfaces for a reason. Browned bits of food and fat frequently become encrusted in the crisper plates and inside the basket. We favored models with removable parts that required little scrubbing and were dishwasher safe. 

• Safety:The air fryers we tested are capable of reaching high temperatures in their interiors, and their exteriors sometimes became hot too. We prioritized models that remained cool to the touch.

Other air fryers we've tested 

They may not have earned a top spot, but there was a lot to appreciate about these honorable mentions:

T-Fal Infrared 6.3-Quart Air Fryer Surface XXL :T-Fal's air fryer has a wide, flat basket for holding bigger portions, which makes sense, since it has 10 functions: air fry, broil, roast, bake, reheat, toast, dehydrate, fresh pizza, frozen pizza and crispy finish. For this guide, we only air-fried. Unbattered chicken and Brussels sprouts yielded the crispest results, and there was little sticking on the basket's nonstick grates (the XXL doesn't come with a crisper plate, just a stainless steel rack). We appreciated that we could easily keep an eye on the food thanks to the unit's generous window and interior lighting that stays on throughout cooking. We also liked that, since the XXL doesn't use a crisper plate, only the dishwasher-safe basket needed cleaning.

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact :Breville's air fryer toaster has a lot to offer. Namely, 10 functions. You can use it to air-fry and choose food-specific settings like fries, wings, bacon and crispy reheat. Its other cooking settings are bake/roast, toast, bagel, broil and pizza. The oven has an LCD screen plus dials and buttons instead of a touchpad. Its built-in toss reminder automatically pauses cooking when the oven door opens; there is no interior light. We loved how juicy our frozen and fresh chicken tenders came out using the air fryer function and included mesh basket. The stuck-on bits required some scrubbing when we hand-washed the basket, but it can go in the dishwasher for more effortless cleaning.   

Dash Compact 2-Quart Air Fryer :While not as roomy or dynamic as other air fryers we tested, this compact pod was easy to use and yielded delicious air-crisped foods. Streamlined controls make it a good choice for beginners, and the colorful, cool-to-the-touch shell, plus automatic shutoff, make it ideal for those who like to cook with their children (as long as there's adult supervision). The small shape and lightweight frame are also ideal for traveling and storing.

Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer :Ninja's 4-Quart comes with four functions: air fry, roast, reheat and dehydrate, each of which performed well in our tests. The basket is deep and easy to clean. It's ideal for two or three people, but the lack of a window means you can't see your food (there also isn't a "toss reminder" function, though there is a "pause" button for checking in).

Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart Air Fryer :The TurboBlaze offers four functions — air fry, roast, broil and bake — along with five settings for added convenience (at a lower cost than many air fryers with the same or less range). Our tester says it couldn't be easier to use, tapping it "nonstop for quick kid meals" (such as frozen chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and fish sticks) and countless family dinners since. One snag: The display is on top, which can be challenging if programming at or below eye level (as with many of the air fryers we evaluated, there's also no window display).

Our Place Wonder Oven: This eye-catching appliance from Our Place is like an air fryer and toaster in one, with added roasting, baking, reheating, broiling and steaming capabilities. We loved how well it crisped up chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and more delicate (and therefore not tossable) foods like bacon-wrapped jalapeños. It comes with a wire rack, air-fry basket, and bake pan for different cooking needs. We bumped this from a top spot in favor of the newer, bigger Wonder Oven Pro, given its fancier digital display, additional cooking settings and higher capacity. But the original Wonder Oven is still a solid bet for those with limited counter space — and it's about half the price of the Pro.

Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer :Philips launched the first air fryer in 2010, setting the standard and introducing many iterations since. The 3000 Series served up perfectly textured snacks in our tests, and it grills, roasts and bakes, among other functions. Its seven cooking presets were useful for heating foods that didn't come with air fryer instructions. We ultimately prioritized the Cuisinart 6-Quart as our top pick for a similar capacity because you can see your food more easily, and it has a more intuitive display. 

Breville Joule Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro :Breville's Joule has 13 smart functions and can be connected to an app for guided recipes and food monitoring. Our tester tried the device's air-frying prowess with foods of the frozen (chicken tenders and nuggets) and fresh (chicken, fish and vegetables) variety. "I've also used it to bake, broil, air fry and toast both breads and bagels," he says. "It's idiot-proof, and each function works as you'd want it to." He cautions the Joule's exterior gets hot and that "it can take 10-plus minutes to reach the desired temp, so you'll have to allow time to preheat." 

Instant Pot Vortex Plus XL 8-Quart Air Fryer :At 8 quarts, the capacity of this dual-basket air fryer from Instant is slightly higher than the Ninja Foodi FlexBasket, and all of its functions — from air frying to roasting — worked well . We also appreciated the clear basket panels for watching our food as it came along. Our tester struggled with the Vortex's "terse instructional manual, which might leave you guessing at how best to cook various items."

Ninja Digital Air Fry Pro Countertop Oven :This multitasking device from Ninja boasts eight cooking modes — among them the ability to air fry, air roast, bake, broil and toast, and has enough space to fit six pieces of bread or a 2-pound roast, plus a 13-inch pizza! Among minor criticisms: The toaster exterior gets pretty hot and the width requires ample counter space. Says our tester, "While pizza, chopped veggies and other flat-ish foods fit just fine, the height can't accommodate taller foods like whole chickens, bread loaves and high-piled sandwiches," which can also pose a problem now and then.

Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker and Air Fryer :The Ninja Speedi combines the functions of an air fryer and rapid cooker, plus ten other devices. It does an adequate job as an air fryer, but our tester notes it more closely resembles a pressure cooker (even though that's the one thing it isn't). It's a little clunky and pricey for a 6-quart air fryer if you don't plan to use the other functions and, unlike other air fryer hybrids on this list, doesn't have a handle. "You can't easily give this a shake during cooking — you have to open and stir instead — and you'll definitely need a pair of oven mitts to lift it out when the food is ready," explains our tester in his review.

Typhur Dome Air Fryer Oven :Typhur's Dome Air Fryer is one of the coolest-looking we've seen (our tester likened it to something you might see in outer space). It has a large, shallow basket stretching wide enough to fit a 12-inch pizza, 10 strips of bacon or 32 chicken wings — and spread out so you don't need to pause and rotate anything. There are five cooking options: air fry, roast, broil, toast and dehydrate, plus presets, and you can connect the fryer to the Typhur app to control and monitor it from your phone. There's even a self-cleaning mode. The catch? In his review , our tester notes the app can be "naggy" with the basket removed and that, for a device with such a high price tag, the presets are limited.

Best air fryers comparison chart

Air fryer FAQs

How does an air fryer work?

An air fryer circulates hot air around food so that it cooks quickly and evenly. It features a built-in convection fan and either a perforated basket or crisper plate that promotes air flow. The concentration of high heat in a small cooking chamber produces the crisp, golden exterior we love on foods like chicken nuggets and french fries.

Air fryer vs. convection oven: What's the difference?

Air fryers are similar to convection ovens in that both circulate hot air around food. The main difference between an air fryer and a convection oven is that air fryers blow air more rapidly and in a smaller space, therefore speeding up the cooking process.

What size air fryer do you need?

Air fryers range from compact to extra-large, so choose one that fits your kitchen and cooking needs. Small models (2-4 quarts) are great for individuals or couples, while larger models (6-8 quarts) can feed a crowd. If you want to cook multiple foods at different temperatures simultaneously, look for a dual-basket air fryer.

How do I cook in an air fryer?

To cook in an air fryer, select the temperature, time and function, and then press "start." Add food to the basket and allow enough space for the hot air to reach it from all angles. If you're making larger portions, you may need to pause and rotate the food so that it cooks evenly (this is where a shake reminder comes in handy). While an air fryer doesn't require a lot of oil like traditional frying, a drizzle or spritz of cooking oil on interior baskets, trays and foods will prevent sticking and give food a golden finish.

How do you clean an air fryer?

When cleaning an air fryer, as with any appliance, always avoid touching hot surfaces and keep electrical components away from water. After the unit has cooled, hand-wash or dish-wash pans and baskets to remove any grease and stuck-on bits. To clean the air fryer's shell, just give it a wipe with a dry or slightly damp towel.

Why are people getting rid of air fryers?

You may have seen articles about the potential safety risks of air fryers, including recalls by certain brands related to these appliances overheating and becoming fire hazards. While this has affected a small segment of the market, you should use all air fryers with caution. Ensure that you clean them thoroughly to prevent grease and oil from accumulating in the interior. Another reason people may get rid of their countertop air fryer is that many newer ovens and toaster ovens also have air-frying functions.

Update, Oct. 11, 2026: We checked all product prices and availability and added testing notes for the T-Fal Infrared 6.3-Quart Air Fryer Surface XXL and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact. Our No. 1 pick for the best air fryer remains unchanged, but we added the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer as the best budget air fryer and the Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel 6.5-Quart Air Fryer as the best air fryer for beginners. We also included some new FAQs.

We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.