Best Air Fryers of 2023
Models from Dash, Gourmia, Instant Vortex, and other brands jockey for top spots in Consumer Reports' ratings
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
Crispy fries without all the oil? That’s the golden promise of air fryers, and it might explain why, in the U.S., the demand for these appliances continues to grow year over year. In fact, the air fryer market is predicted to be worth $1.9 billion by 2033, according to Future Market Insights—a testament to just how popular these little fryers have become.
Despite their name, air fryers don’t fry food at all. They’re actually small convection ovens. A fan circulates hot air to quickly cook food in the basket or tray from the outside in. At first glance, these countertop cookers may seem limited to finger foods like fries, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, or pizza bites. But you can use an air fryer to cook so many of the foods you’d typically throw into the toaster oven or on the stove.
So are air fryers worth the counter space? In the Consumer Reports lab, our testers ran through more than 50 models to reach what you currently see in our air fryer ratings. Our latest batch included six popular models, including one recommended air fryer, the Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max. (The others don’t rise to the level of the best we’ve tested.) In general, our lab engineers find these small kitchen appliances are quite capable of turning out nicely cooked food. “Even when we held cooking times and temperatures constant, the results were very similar, with no discernible differences in taste,” said Larry Ciufo, the engineer who oversees air fryer testing.
But no one was fooled into thinking that the food was deep-fried. “You can tell the difference,” Ciufo says. Air-fried foods, of course, lack that rich, deep-fried-fat taste.
If you don’t mind that—and simply hope to cook (or reheat) food fast—then air fryers may indeed be worth considering. As you try to decide which one is best for you, consider how much space you have for it and how much food you want to cook at once. Air fryers on the market today come in a multitude of sizes. The ones currently in our ratings range from 1.3 to 8.9 quarts. But as our testers discovered, the actual capacity is often smaller than claimed. (If size is your main consideration, take a look at our recommendations for the best small air fryers and the best large air fryers.)
Size aside, “the real difference among air fryers comes down to convenience, so we designed our tests around that,” Ciufo says. To recommend the best air fryers, he and his team evaluate capacity, how easy the controls are to read and use, noise levels, and how much elbow grease it takes to clean a model.
For strategies on how to shop for an air fryer, see our air fryer buying guide. To learn more about what these cookers are capable of whipping up, check out our deep dive on how to get the most out of an air fryer, complete with cooking tips. We also have suggestions on using an air fryer to revive leftovers and choosing air fryer accessories. CR members have the added benefit of exploring our comprehensive air fryer ratings, where you can filter according to price, size, and other criteria. Below is a roundup of the seven best air fryers from CR’s tests, listed alphabetically.
CR’s take: The Cosori Dual Blaze is on the expensive side, but we think it’s still worth highlighting given its large measured capacity (4.7 quarts), its smartphone integration, and its all-around strong performance in all the areas we test. The monolithic exterior may not be to everyone’s taste, but with few nooks and crannies in its exterior design, this machine is easy to clean. It also comes with a 2-year warranty—a year longer than many air fryer warranties.
CR’s take: The Dash Digital Tasti Crisp is small but mighty. At a measured capacity of 1.9 quarts and an overall size of less than a square foot, this 6-pound model is one of the most compact air fryers in our ratings. Still, it ranks among the best. It earns high marks for its controls and ease of cleaning and excels in our noise test. It has a 1-year warranty, which is typical for most models.
CR’s take: One of the lightest large-capacity air fryers we recommend, the Gourmia GAF686 Digital is a top performer in CR’s air fryer tests. Though its measured capacity is 4.3 quarts, its overall size is equivalent to some smaller-capacity models. In addition to being a standout for its user-friendly controls, it’s a stellar pick because of its relatively low noise levels and its ease of cleaning. It comes with a 1-year warranty.
CR’s take: This Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer has a clear cooking window, making it easy to monitor your food without having to pull out the basket. Despite its name, the model’s measured capacity is 5.2 quarts. It earns a top-notch rating for its controls and comes with customizable cooking programs and a digital display. In addition to being easy to use, this dishwasher-safe fryer also shows strong performances in our noise and cleaning tests.
CR’s take: If you’re looking for a quiet, large-capacity air fryer, the T-Fal Easy Fry XXL Air Fryer & Grill may be for you. While the fryer has a claimed capacity of 5.9 quarts, testers found its actual capacity to be a still-sizable 5.4 quarts. Its intuitive controls and low operating noise make it easy to use, and it’s no problem to clean. And a preheat function, a shake reminder, and auto shut-off add to its favorable attributes. It comes with a 1-year warranty.
CR’s take: The Williams Sonoma Open Kitchen Digital Air Fryer, a Williams Sonoma exclusive, has a brushed stainless steel exterior. The interior basket size measures 3.6 quarts. It earns only a middling score for its controls but aces the noise test. It’s also pretty easy to clean. This model is designed with a digital display and programmed settings. Like most of the models we test, this one comes with a 1-year warranty.
CR’s take: If you’re trying to air-fry wings for a crowd, the Wolfgang Puck 9.7QT Air Fryer is one of the largest we found. Like most air fryers, its measured capacity is significantly lower than claimed. We measured it at 8.2 quarts, which is still sizable. Beyond that, the machine performed well in our cleaning and noise tests, and its dials are easy to read and maneuver. But prepare to make some adjustments when you’re setting the temperature. When we set the machine to 350° F, it measured only 284° F.
BEST TIME TO BUY: 
