These appliances can cook everything from whole corn to Cornish hens.
With a large air fryer, preparing a meal for a gathering is a doddle.
By Tanya A. Christian
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to prepare meals for a family of four or more, a large air fryer may be worth considering. The best large air fryers can easily cook whole chickens, pies, juicy tenderloins, and pizzas with little to no oil.
Air fryers on the market today come in various sizes, starting as small as 1 quart. But with a cooking capacity of over 5 quarts, the models below can cook much more food than smaller capacity air fryers, sometimes up to double the amount.
When buying a large air fryer, don’t just go by the manufacturer’s description. In Consumer Reports’ tests of more than 50 air fryers, we found that the advertised capacity is often less than the actual capacity measurement. For example, one of the largest air fryers on our ratings list is the Paula Deen HF-9001D Family-Size Air Fryer. Listed capacity is 9.5 quarts, but actual capacity is 8.9 quarts. The top-rated, Wolfgang Puck 9.7 QT Air Fryer, is billed as even bigger with a 9.7-quart capacity. But it’s actually smaller, with an actual capacity of 8.2 quarts.
In our latest round of testing, we evaluated four popular models, including the Pioneer Woman PW6136170192004, which performed impressively and made it into the top seven large air fryer options on our list.
Below is an alphabetical list of the highest rated models, each exceeding a 5-quart capacity. (Dimensions listed are height by width by depth). These options performed well overall and excelled in our ease-of-use test or noise level evaluation, or both.
If you’re looking for a smaller appliance, one that will cook well for one or two people, check out our pick of the best small air fryers. CR members can get all the specs from the full range of air fryers we’ve put to the test, explore our ratings in more detail, and filter the results based on price, size, and other features that best meet your needs. To learn more about the different types of air fryers, check out our air fryer buying guide.
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 19089
actual capacity: 9 quarts
Dimensions: 14 x 17 x 15 inches
Testers found the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 9QT TriZone Air Fryer with a touchscreen and programmed settings to be easy to see and use, which helped it earn high marks in our evaluation of controls. Other aspects that stand out are its interior and exterior that are very easy to clean, along with its good and attractive design. And those who have a large family will appreciate the size of this fryer. This 9-quart model is the largest size on our list, plus it’s one of the few that both its advertised and actual capacities match. Also their two-year warranty is longer than most. Its only drawback is that it is a bit noisier than normal.
Bella Pro Series – 6-qt. Digital Air Fryer
actual capacity: 5.2 quarts
Dimensions: 13 x 11 x 14 inches
With a capacity of just over 5 quarts, the Bella Pro Series 90168 is on the smallest scale of this selection of large air fryers, and it’s also the lightest. Our testers were especially impressed by the ease of use of its controls. In addition, it is very easy to clean. What’s not so great is the amount of noise it makes while it’s running. Along with the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore model, it’s one of the loudest on this list. But at $80, it’s also the cheapest. Plus, its two-year warranty is longer than most.
Dreo Pro Max DR-KAF001
actual capacity: 5.9 quarts
Dimensions: 14 x 13 x 15 inches
The Dreo Pro Max model, is a digital air fryer with kitchen oven that integrates 11 functionalities in one, it obtained an impressive performance obtaining very good marks for the ease of use of its controls, the noise level and its ease of cleaning . Its 11 pre-programmed settings are very useful (five ways to cook and six preset levels for food), as is its design in general. Also, it is one of the few large capacity air fryers on our list that has a small window through which you can see and check your food without having to interrupt the cooking process. The one-year warranty this model has matches most of the air fryers on our list.
Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase
actual capacity: 5.2 quarts
Dimensions: 13 x 12 x 16 inches
The Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer has a see-through window, allowing you to monitor the level of doneness without having to remove the basket or container from the fryer. Despite its description, the actual capacity of the model is 5.2 quarts. It got top marks for its controls, has a digital display, and has an option that lets you customize cooking programs. In addition to being easy to use, this dishwasher-safe deep fryer also scored solid performance scores in our noise and cleanliness tests.
Pioneer Woman PW6136170192004
actual capacity: 6.7 quarts
Dimensions: 14 x 13 x 16 inches
Decorated in a vintage flower design, this 1,700-watt air fryer from The Pioneer Woman brand follows the same pattern as the brand’s collection with colorful designs. It’s one of the only models in our ratings to have a larger actual capacity than stated in its description (6.7 qts, instead of the advertised 6.3 qts), and it’s also a unique model by integrating a timer and a compartment to store the cable. In our lab, this fryer excelled in our cleanliness and noise tests, also receiving fairly high marks for the ease of use of its controls. With eight pre-programmed settings, a digital display, and a dishwasher-safe basket, many families are sure to love it. In addition, it has a two-year warranty.
T-Fal Easy Fry XXL Air Fryer & Grill
actual capacity: 5.4 quarts
Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 17 inches
This T-Fal air fryer has an actual capacity slightly below the advertised 5.9 quarts, but still has enough cooking space for a family of four, an added bonus is that it has pre-programmed food cooking settings. Its automatic controls and low noise when in operation make it easy to use and clean. Other of its main attributes are that it has the option of preheating, automatic shutdown and a reminder that tells you when to revolve or flip. It comes with a one year warranty.
Wolfgang Puck 9.7QT Air Fryer Stainless Steel, Large Single Basket Design
actual capacity: 8.2 quarts
Dimensions: 14 x 16 x 13 inches
With an actual capacity of 8.2 quarts, the Wolfgang Puck 9.7QT Air Fryer is one of the largest air fryers on our ratings list to earn our recommendation. It exceeded expectations in our user-friendliness tests and also performed well in our noise and cleanliness tests. This model comes with a one-year warranty, similar to the warranty period for most of the fryers we recommend. If you’re cooking for a crowd or a large family, this deep fryer will do the job well.
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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 fair, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2023, Consumer Reports, Inc.