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The best air fryers for most kitchens
The Ninja Air Fryer XL wins for its roomy basket and crisp, fast results; the Cosori TurboBlaze is a strong lower-cost alternative.
| Best overall | Best value | Cheapest that's still good | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Ninja Air Fryer XL, AF181 | COSORI TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Smart Air Fryer | Beautiful 6qt Digital Air Fryer |
| Price | about $120 | about $130 | about $50 |
| Why | Good Housekeeping names the Ninja Air Fryer XL its overall pick: it cooked crisp wings in 20 minutes and browned a pound of fries quickly. Its wide, square basket offers useful room without adding a second drawer. | RTINGS rates it its best budget pick, while Bon Appétit names it best overall after finding it produced particularly crisp food quickly. At about $130, it offers strong performance and useful cooking flexibility for less than the Ninja XL’s listed price. | RTINGS identifies this as its best cheap air fryer and says frozen fries and nuggets still come out quickly and mostly evenly browned. It is a lower-cost option if you can accept fewer features and somewhat less cooking space than the advertised capacity suggests. |
| Good to know | The countdown keeps running when you pull the basket out to check the food. | RTINGS found it preheats slowly and does not hold temperature as steadily as some alternatives. | It can undershoot its set temperature, making high-heat cooking less reliable. |
| See on Amazon → | See on Amazon → | See on Amazon → |
Good Housekeeping names the Ninja Air Fryer XL its overall pick: it cooked crisp wings in 20 minutes and browned a pound of fries quickly. Its wide, square basket offers useful room without adding a second drawer.
Good to know: The countdown keeps running when you pull the basket out to check the food.
See on AmazonRTINGS rates it its best budget pick, while Bon Appétit names it best overall after finding it produced particularly crisp food quickly. At about $130, it offers strong performance and useful cooking flexibility for less than the Ninja XL’s listed price.
Good to know: RTINGS found it preheats slowly and does not hold temperature as steadily as some alternatives.
See on AmazonRTINGS identifies this as its best cheap air fryer and says frozen fries and nuggets still come out quickly and mostly evenly browned. It is a lower-cost option if you can accept fewer features and somewhat less cooking space than the advertised capacity suggests.
Good to know: It can undershoot its set temperature, making high-heat cooking less reliable.
See on AmazonDanilli may earn a small commission from Amazon when you buy through these buttons. The price is the same for you.
What matters
Basket size and shape matter more than a long list of presets: food crisps best when it can sit in a single layer. Also consider counter space and how many people you usually cook for.
Who this is for
These picks suit shoppers who want a straightforward basket-style air fryer for everyday meals. If you regularly cook a whole meal at once or need a toaster oven, look at larger dual-basket or oven-style models instead.
The picks, one by one
Best overall: Ninja Air Fryer XL, AF181
Good Housekeeping names the Ninja Air Fryer XL its overall pick: it cooked crisp wings in 20 minutes and browned a pound of fries quickly. Its wide, square basket offers useful room without adding a second drawer. It has a 6.5-quart capacity and settings for Max Crisp, air fry, bake, reheat, and dehydrate. Good Housekeeping found the wings needed no flipping, though tossing fries midway can help them brown more evenly. The controls are simple and adjustable, making it an easy everyday choice. Skip it if you want a compact appliance or prioritize sleek styling.
Good to know: The countdown keeps running when you pull the basket out to check the food.
See on AmazonBest value: COSORI TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Smart Air Fryer
RTINGS rates it its best budget pick, while Bon Appétit names it best overall after finding it produced particularly crisp food quickly. At about $130, it offers strong performance and useful cooking flexibility for less than the Ninja XL’s listed price. RTINGS measured a 6.3-quart capacity and rated its air frying, fries, wings, speed, and versatility. Bon Appétit tested fries, chicken breasts, and Brussels sprouts, and praised the even browning and straightforward controls. It has a broad temperature range and multiple cooking modes, so it is useful beyond frozen snacks. Skip it if precise temperature stability is essential for your recipes.
Good to know: RTINGS found it preheats slowly and does not hold temperature as steadily as some alternatives.
See on AmazonCheapest that's still good: Beautiful 6qt Digital Air Fryer
RTINGS identifies this as its best cheap air fryer and says frozen fries and nuggets still come out quickly and mostly evenly browned. It is a lower-cost option if you can accept fewer features and somewhat less cooking space than the advertised capacity suggests. RTINGS measured a 5.9-quart capacity and assessed cooking, speed, size, and versatility. It found the basket has less room to arrange food in one layer than the COSORI TurboBlaze. Its cooking modes and temperature options are more limited, so it is best for simple meals and snacks. Skip it if you often cook wings or steak that need sustained high heat.
Good to know: It can undershoot its set temperature, making high-heat cooking less reliable.
See on AmazonHow we chose
Good Housekeeping says its lab cooks wings, frozen fries, and other common air-fryer foods, and has tested more than 70 models since 2017. RTINGS reports testing more than 50 air fryers and scoring cooking, speed, capacity, and versatility. Danilli read the reviews and tests listed below and compared current prices; it does not take money from brands to pick a product.
Sources
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Written with Danilli's AI from the sources above and refreshed about once a month; prices change, check Amazon for today's price. Danilli may earn a small commission from Amazon when you buy through these buttons. The price is the same for you.