Everything You Should Consider When Buying an Air Fryer
You should have the right tools in your kitchen. Welcome to The Guide to Outfitting Your Kitchen series , in which I help you outfit your space with all the small appliances you need (and ditch the ones you don’t need).
Not only are we living in the shining age of air fryers, but we’ve reached the point where a dizzying variety of this countertop convection oven is available. As tempting as it may be to buy the first thing you see on sale, resist. There is probably a more suitable option for you. Air fryers will last you many hours, so keep these tips in mind when making your purchase. You will be cooking together for a while.
All air fryers work the same way: a fan near the heating element circulates heated air quickly. These gusts of wind cook food faster than a conventional oven. ( Read more about how air fryers work here .) However, this simple appliance comes in different shapes, basket orientations, and features that may have you switching from one model to another.
Consider your cooking habits
To start narrowing down the field, think about what kind of food you cook often, or maybe what you hope to cook in the air fryer ( super crispy chickpeas, for example ). Do you need an air fryer because you’ve heard that it allows you to deep fry with much less oil? You may be trying to learn dehydration recipes. Will you use it for Viennese pastries or mainly for indoor grilling? Do you just need a temporary all-in-one cooking appliance because your regular oven can’t be replaced for months?
Think about the size
As you browse through the selection, you’ll quickly notice that air fryers vary not only in shape, but also in size. This is important if you have limited kitchen space—no one wants to unpack their new air fryer and find it hanging off the countertop—but also for cooking. A person who primarily cooks for themselves probably won’t need a 21-inch air fryer, a model oven that will fit a Thanksgiving turkey. Then again, maybe you’re gaining weight and have a freezer full of turkeys waiting for you. So grab a measuring tape and make sure you know your measurements, minimum and maximum.
Types of air fryers
Here are the three main types of air fryer models and what they do best. When making your final selection, consider the settings, features, and most importantly, the air fryer door and basket configuration.
Basket model
This type of fryer is a bit like an alien space capsule falling into your kitchen. Most look like silver or black blocks with rounded corners, with a single handle and a round knob in the center. The top of this model contains the controls, heating element and fan. Pull the handle and the bottom part will pop out. This is a basket into which food is loaded.
pros
Multipurpose
This deep basket makes this model of air fryer a great all-around cooking machine. It will turn almost any type of frozen food into crispy, golden pieces in minutes. It’s good for preparing bulky or tall dishes that might struggle to fit on the shelves of the other two models. Common settings for the medium basket model are air fry, bake, or broil. Other models may include features such as dehydrate, reheat, keep warm, or various meal presets. The difference between these settings is the temperature and fan speed.
Small trace
Basket models are the best fryers for small spaces. Placing the fan mechanism on top of the basket means these models are tall but take up less countertop space. (The Dash Air Fryer, shown below, is barely taller and wider than a piece of notepad.) I find this type to be fairly easy to carry and move around the kitchen if you need to. Even though I use mine several times a week, it sits above the refrigerator and I take it down when I need it. If you have a small kitchen or have a hard time finding counter space, you can probably find a basket-style air fryer that will work for you.
Minuses
The shape of the basket is limited.
The basket model has some disadvantages. In models without multiple baskets, you can only do one thing at a time. Additionally, the shape of the basket requires you to drop items into it. This can be tricky when baking, especially if you want to dip cakes, cheesecakes, or pies without burning your knuckles.
Air fryers with basket that you should pay attention to:
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Ideal for compact dorm living: DASH Tasti-Crisp 2.6-Quart Air Fryer
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For kitchens with ample counter space: Ninja Foodi DualZone FlexBasket 6-in-1
Oven model
Although it uses the same efficient convection fan heating system, the oven model looks like a completely different appliance, namely a toaster oven. When I first saw them years ago, I thought they were just big toaster ovens with weird mesh shelves inside.
If the basket-shaped fryer is tall, then the oven model is wide. It often has a hinged door that opens downward—again, like a toaster—but lately I’ve also seen models with double doors or French doors. The fan and heating element are located on the side or top of the machine, usually behind the control panel.
pros
Multitasking while cooking
If you like to cook multiple dishes at once, this air fryer is for you. It’s “oven style” for a reason. Just like your large conventional oven, this type is often designed to accommodate multiple racks at once. This means you can heat up an entire pizza while a pot full of fries sizzles over it.
Some get extra fancy with a removable wall that essentially creates two independently heated sections. The Emeril Lagasse air fryer has this capability; you insert a metal divider and the two spaces have separate heating elements with separate controls. Obviously, you can bake the pie on one side and fry the chicken wings on the other (be careful, the smells can be confusing). Since air fryers cook more gently or aggressively depending on the fan speed, presumably there are also two fans. It’s hard to tell from the description and photos, but the comments show he has a lot of fans.
Grill
I didn’t mention specific features as pros or cons because most models have all the features except one. This oven model is the only one I’ve seen so far that includes and accommodates an actual grill. If you find yourself frequently having to squash a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (you’re not alone), you might want to consider making your own.
Easier entry point
I love my air fryer with the basket, but whenever I look at the oven model, I look longingly at the hinged door. This door simply has no flaws. It’s easier to put food in the fryer on a tray—from ribs to pumpkin pie—than to throw it in the basket or take it out without getting burned.
View
The air fryer door is almost always a window. And I’m very much like the contestants on The Great British Bake Off – I’m always looking into the oven. Nothing beats a big, wide, unobstructed view of whatever you’re making, especially if it’s a cake or cookie. An extra minute can make a big difference. It’s easier to walk past the food, take a quick glance and decide, “Almost ready!” or “I need to add more time.” It’s true that some basket models now have windows, but there’s always a big handle in the way.
Minuses
Big square
If you’re thinking, “Oh my God, Ellie, if you love the oven model so much, why do you have a basket setting?” Space. I don’t have one. My small kitchen is already bursting at the seams and I need a portable air fryer that I can squeeze in between without getting in the way . Oven-style air fryers simply take up too much space and are a bit clunky to lift and store in a cabinet or over the refrigerator every time. If you have similar problems, be careful about the dimensions when shopping and keep in mind that vents also require space behind them.
Air fryers with oven that you should pay attention to:
Grill style model
If the convection mechanism is the same for these different fryers, what’s the big difference? This is the form. The distance between the food and the heating element may create a different effect. The indoor grill is the new kid on the air fryer party, so not many brands are exploring it. However, there is still plenty to choose from.
This version is wider and flatter than the other two styles. The door is hinged but opens from the top like a suitcase. This time the fan and heating element are located in the door, which gives an additional bonus – the grill grate under the food also heats up. This is the only type of fryer that, in addition to convection heating, transfers heat directly to the food. Some models come with multiple pan stands or baskets that can be swapped out.
pros
Direct heating
Having a heated grill plate underneath your food while a nearby fan heats the top is a boon for even cooking and speed. Plus, with this type of fryer, you can really achieve solid browns and grill marks.
Great for frying
In other air fryers, the heating element and fan may be eight to 12 inches apart, meaning it’s difficult to toast bread without drying out or to brown certain foods.
Easy accessibility
You know I love doors on hinges. With this model, your hands don’t have to dive into the basket to get anything, almost everything is easily accessible right under the door.
Minuses
This is not a grill
To be clear, a grill-style air fryer is not a real grill. There is no charcoal or propane here; This is an electric convection oven, which makes it safe for indoor use, but doesn’t produce the flavors you’d expect from an outdoor charcoal grill.
Cooking in one zone
Like the basket model, the grill model provides cooking in one zone with one temperature setting. You will have to finish cooking the steak on the grill and remove it before setting up the air fryer for the corn ribs. If you’re looking for one machine that can handle multiple temperatures at once, upgrade to a dual-zone oven model.
Closer heating element
This feature is both a plus and a minus. It’s great for frying or cooking steak over close, scorching heat, but a little risky for a frozen hot pocket. High temperatures can easily burn items, so be careful what you put inside.
Air fryers with grill that are worth considering:
An air fryer will simplify and speed up the preparation of regular dishes. Moreover, depending on the model you choose, it may well expand your diet to include those things that you have always considered too difficult, time-consuming or impossible. Once you’ve finally found the perfect air fryer for you, try one of these recipes to get started .