I Made Five Different Types of Frozen Air Fryer Fries and There Was a Clear Winner.
French fries are a real delicacy. I’m not even talking about the fancy handmade French fries, which are simply delicious. No, I mean the factory-made, flash-frozen, plastic-bag-packed, unmistakably fast food kind. That’s a whole different category.
While restaurants have the option of deep-frying their French fries, most families have to rely on simpler methods. For me, that’s the air fryer. In an attempt to determine which type of French fries are best fried in an air fryer, I cooked five different types and measured the results. Let no one say I’m not willing to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of it.
Looking for the Best Air Fryer for French Fries
While sorting through the freezer section of the grocery store, I quickly realized this was going to be a tough task. After some thought (should I compare brands? Flavors?), I decided to focus on the shape of fried foods: Will some shapes cook better in the fryer than others?
I took bags of French fries: straight, steak, wavy, waffle and ribbed to determine which ones are best for air frying. My criteria were texture, flavor and cooking speed.
For all of the French fries I tested, I placed them in the Instant Vortex Air Fryer (one of my top picks for the best air fryers of 2025 ) and preheated them to 400°F (200°C). I find that the best way to cook French fries is with a high temperature and a short time. Ideally, you want the outside to be crispy and the inside to be soft and potato-flavored. Too low a temperature or too long a cooking time will likely result in dry fries.
The fries were not treated with oil or salt, but were added straight from the bag to the basket, unadulterated. I worked in small batches to ensure better air circulation. When frying in an air fryer at home, make sure the fries are in a single layer – do not overlap them, otherwise the accumulated steam will make it difficult to achieve a crispy crust.
Candidates and their results
McCain’s Waffle Fries
I was pleasantly surprised by these fries. After just four minutes at 200°C, they were ready to pop out of the air fryer. I cooled them on a wire rack (this prevents moisture from collecting under the potatoes and getting soft), and they were perfect. The flavor was delicious – not too salty, with a nice potato aroma. The texture was perfect, too: crispy on the outside, not overcooked, and soft and crumbly on the inside.
Red Robin Steak Fries
Of all the fries I tried, these took the longest to cook — about 10 minutes. Steak fries are typically a larger cut. They’re cut into wide, flat strips and may or may not be seasoned. I always assumed “steak cut” meant the thicker cut, like a steak, but the ones I tested were actually seasoned to taste like steak. At least in theory — the seasoning was pretty subtle and not particularly tasty.
By the way: I found the fries to be rather bland. And despite the extra cooking time, the crust wasn’t very crispy, and what little crunch there was was gone because the steam inside softened it once the fries cooled enough to eat. In short, the shape wasn’t a good fit for the air fryer. But the center was soft and delicious.
Nathan’s Crinkle Cut French Fries
I had high hopes. I thought these fries would be as golden and flavorful as the ones at Nathan’s in Coney Island. Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed. Like the steak, these rippled fries were cut thick, and it seemed like the extra flesh simply released too much moisture to allow them to burn and crisp up. I kept mine in the oven for about six minutes before the rippled edges began to brown significantly. The fries were cooked through, but still mushy. To make matters worse, this brand served up fries that were unpleasantly bland.
Arby’s Figure-Shaped French Fries
Back to the thin slices. The next batch I air-fried were Arby’s Spiral Fries. I think it’s safe to say that to be considered spiral fries, they have to have a distinct orange seasoning. And these did not disappoint. I popped the Arby’s fries in the Instant Vortex for about four to five minutes, and they were done. They weren’t as browned as the Nathan’s fries, but they were twice as crispy. After cooling slightly, these fries cooked evenly. The flavor was excellent—the perfect balance of salt and seasoning that would go well with anything from a bowl of ramen to a chocolate milkshake.
Ore-Ida Straight Cut French Fries
I ended the tasting with a classic: straight-cut fries. I’ve made them many times, so I knew it wouldn’t be hard to turn them into the platonic ideal of air fryer fries. The fries were crispy, well-seasoned, and incredibly delicious in the way that only straight-cut fries can be. In a way, straight-cut fries are the standard for all air fryer fries: the texture is crisp, but there’s always a strip of soft potato in the center, and they’re delicious without being seasoned as such. It’s as if straight-cut fries were originally intended for air frying.
The Best French Fries to Make in an Air Fryer
For lovers of crunch
Stick to the classics: Air fryer fries that are straight-cut will be the crispiest without creating an unpleasant crunch. Plus, you can always take them out a little earlier if you don’t want them too crispy.
For pillow-soft centers
Steak fries win this category because they are the thickest and, despite the extra cooking time, the center remains soft and fluffy.
For better taste
It might be a lie, since they’re literally covered in a delicious, savory seasoning, but the figurine fries tasted best in the air fryer. They also released a little more oil than the others, which seems to help balance flavor and texture.
The best deep fryer in the world
While the straight-cut fries were a solid contender, the waffle fries took home the gold as the best air fryer fries. These fries cooked the fastest, had a crispy crust and soft, fluffy center, and had the best flavor without seasoning. An added bonus: the waffle fries are large and unusually shaped, and their uneven shape makes choosing the next bite on the plate an adventure, and a sense of adventure is something I value in a snack.