Crispy fries without so much oil? That’s the golden promise of air fryers, and it might explain why 2 million more air fryers were sold in the United States during the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period of . In addition, market research firm NPD Group predicts that the category will continue its wave of growth in 2020.
These irregularly shaped tabletop appliances do not fry food at all. They are actually small convection ovens. A fan circulates hot air to quickly cook food in the basket from the outside to the inside. Snacks or food that is usually fried can be cooked with the air fryer. We’re obviously talking about French fries, but you can add chicken wings, chicken nuggets, stuffed jalapenos, cheese sticks, and even pizza bites to the list. You get the idea. Most have small capacities, from 2 to 5.8 quarts (sometimes smaller than claimed, based on our measurements).
In the lab, we found that the samples in our Air fryer ratings turned into well cooked food, although employees who tested the results weren’t convinced that they had been fried. “You can tell the difference,” says Larry Ciufo, Consumer Reports test engineer who oversees testing of air fryers.
Instructions for cooking times and temperatures vary by manufacturer , and although we found minor differences in the browning, the staff didn’t notice any real difference in the food. “Even when we kept the cooking times and temperatures constant, the results were very similar, with no differences in taste,” says Ciufo. “The real difference between air fryers comes down to comfort, so we designed our tests around that.”
We evaluated the capacity, readability and usability of the controls , the noise levels and the effort involved in cleaning a certain model.
Below, you will find a summary of the 7 best deep fryers air of the latest CR tests, listed alphabetically.
Tip: do not overload the air fryer basket. It can delay cooking and prevent air from reaching all foods, resulting in an uneven result. For more tips on how to use this tabletop appliance, check out our in-depth review on how to get the most out of your fryer .
For more information while shopping, check out our Air Fryer Buying Guide . You’ll also find even more options in our air fryer ratings .
CR’s Opinion: Air Fryer Shape Elite Platinum EAF – 1506 D makes it appear larger than What is it; its measured capacity is 3.4 quarts. But the handle folds up, making it easy to store. The controls and pre-programmed settings are fairly easy to read, and the inside and outside of the fryer are easy to clean. Cleaning the basket requires a bit of work, reducing its cleaning rating from excellent to very good. It is relatively quiet and is guaranteed for one year.
CR Opinion: Relatively good price and performance make the air fryer CR. It’s one of the quietest models we’ve tested, and it scored excellently in our noise tests. (In fact, you can hear the mechanical timer ticking over the fan noise.) The dials are fairly easy to read and use, but the recesses of the food basket make cleaning difficult. The measured capacity of the basket is 3.2 quarts. The two-year warranty is longer than most of the models we tested.
CR’s opinion: Gourmia GAF Digital is a newcomer to CR’s testing and proves to be worthy of the top spot in the category. ”. While its measured capacity is 4.3 quarts, its overall size is roughly equivalent to the smaller-capacity Farberware model (top) and NuWave Brio (bottom). In addition to receiving an excellent rating for the controls, the model scores very well for noise and ease of cleaning. The Gourmia also stands out as the lightest air fryer in our roundup, making it easy to move from cupboard to table and vice versa. The warranty on this model is valid for one year.
CR’s opinion: other. One of CR’s best buys is the GoWise GW Air Fryer 22731 with a measured capacity of 4.9 quarts. Its touch buttons and programmed settings are among the easiest to see and use, and it scores excellently in our review. Plus, this is one of the quietest air fryers we’ve tested. However, the indentations on the outside and the recesses of the basket require some effort to clean. The warranty is one year.
CR’s Opinion: The evaluators found that the 3-Quart Fryer Electronic Controls Ninja AF 100 with pre-programmed settings were also among the easiest to view and use and scored excellently on our evaluation. Cleaning the inside and outside of this fryer is easy enough, but it’s a bit noisy. The fan is as loud as a tabletop microwave, so you will hear it working. The warranty covers for one year.
CR’s opinion: the fryer NuWave Brio 36011 is a smaller version of the NuWave 37001 and has a measured capacity of only 2.6 quarts, among the smallest we tested. Like the larger NuWave, the Brio fryer has electronic controls with pre-programmed settings that are among the easiest to see and use of the air fryers tested and earned an excellent rating. This model is not as loud as its sister, but cleaning the basket is a bit more difficult. The warranty is one year.
CR opinion: the air fryer NuWave 37001 has a measured capacity of 5.8 quarts. Our experts found its electronic controls with pre-programmed settings to be among the easiest to see and use. The inside and outside of the appliance are easy to clean, but removing food from the holes in the basket requires a little extra effort. This air fryer is loud, and it only scored good in our noise tests. The fan is as loud as a tabletop microwave, so you will hear it working. Warranty is valid for one year.
For more details and more options, see our Air Fryer Ratings .
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Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a just, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2021, Consumer Reports, Inc.