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The best air fryers for 2026, tested and reviewed
We tested over 20, including picks from Ninja, Cuisinart and Our Place, to see which ones could achieve the crispiest results.
In this story
Once a novelty, air fryers are now a kitchen must-have, with market research firm YouGov estimating that one in three Americans uses an air fryer at least once per week. It's easy to see why these gadgets caught on: Air fryers are typically healthier than deep-frying and quicker to preheat than conventional ovens, allowing you to crisp up everything from French fries and nuggets to fancy hors d'oeuvres and even whole chickens. The best air fryers for 2026 are also incredibly easy to use, with convenient presets and toss reminders that let you set it and forget it, plus more cooking modes than ever. That's not to mention the slick baskets and pans that wipe down effortlessly or can be thrown in the dishwasher!
All the sizzlers on this list have been reviewed and recommended by Yahoo staffers who write about and test appliances for a living. Combined, we've evaluated more than 20 air fryers over the past two years, and we recently updated this story to include some new models, like the buzzy Our Place Wonder Oven Pro. Whether you're buying your first air fryer or are due for an upgrade, our top picks are hot commodities.
Best air fryers for 2026
Kristin Granero/Yahoo Life
Size: 12"D x 16.5"W x 12.25"H | Capacity: 6 qts. | Power: 1,800 watts | Max temp: 450°F | Style: Single-basket | Functions: Air fry, roast, bake, broil or warm | Care: Dishwasher-safe basket and tray
Topping our list is this partially stainless-steel air fryer from Cuisinart. This versatile model boasts substantial cooking room, minimal maintenance and an easy-to-master learning curve, all while looking ... dare we say, sleek?
How it works: The air fryer comes pre-assembled, so there's no setup required — simply ensure the inner tray is secure, plug in the device, and you're ready to go. We found the accompanying instructions intuitive, and a variety of recipes is included for added convenience.
A bright LED interface displays five functions — air fry, roast, bake, broil, and warm — for a variety of cooking methods. Five presets take the guesswork out of foods that don't come with air-frying instructions. (The "toss reminder" proved handy when we tested larger batches.)
Why we love it: We assessed the air fry function by making French fries, breaded chicken tenders, chicken wings and crab rangoons, using package instructions and the "frozen" preset where there were none. Everything came out right on time in juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside fashion.
We were particularly impressed that the crab rangoons stayed intact, retaining all (or at least most) of their filling. While air-frying was the main focus of our test, we also tried our hands at several other functions: Our roasted chicken breasts, baked salmon and broiled steaks cooked to perfection.
The air fryer handle remained cool to the touch, and the basket is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. We also appreciated the clear panel and interior light for monitoring foods, especially helpful when we were cooking meals in low light (and, er, late-night snacking).
Best for: Medium-sized groups. Also, foods that need to be tossed.
- LED touchscreen
- Window and interior lighting for more visibility
- Five cooking functions, plus presets
- No "pause" button, though you can remove the basket without resetting the time
Kristin Granero/Yahoo Life
Size: 18.19"D x 11.81"W x 11.26"H | Capacity: 7 qts. | Power: 1,690 watts | Max temp: 450°F | Style: Dual/flex-basket | Functions: Air fry, air broil, roast, bake, reheat or dehydrate | Care: Dishwasher-safe basket and trays
With six cooking functions, nearly 1,700 watts of power and a max temp of 450°, the sizable Ninja Foodi FlexBasket is one hot commodity.
How it works: Like some other dual-basket air fryers, the Foodi has two — in this case, 3.5-quart or up to 4-pound — baskets for separately air-frying two foods simultaneously. Unlike other dual-basket air fryers, the Foodi’s divider is flexible and can be removed to create an extra-large, 7-quart surface area (referred to as the "MegaZone") for cooking larger batches and proteins whenever you want.
Why we love it: We tested its air-frying chops using the same frozen mix as with our other test models — breaded chicken tenders, french fries, crab rangoons and chicken wings — in different bins with different specifications. And the Foodi didn’t skip a beat: Everything came out as or even better than expected, with crispy skins and temp precision.
Because the Foodi allows you to select two functions, we were able to bake our salmon and broil a steak side-by-side, cooking simultaneously and concluding at the same time. With the center insert removed, we successfully roasted an entire chicken, complete with sides, in about an hour, with only a few minutes of preheating and without heating the entire kitchen in the process.
The Foodi FlexBasket's display was user-friendly (and fun!) to navigate and came with removable adhesives listing suggested times and temps for common foods. The handles stayed cool, and the shell was warm, but not too hot (even after cooking a chicken for so long, we were able to pick up and carry the appliance to another spot). Each of the basket, divider and crisper plates are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanups.
Best for: Larger foods, families and gatherings. Also, cooking multiple batches of food, in different ways, at once.
- LED display
- Six cooking functions, plus presets
- Can cook two foods separately, using different functions, or condense to create a mega basket
- Basket doesn't have a clear panel so you can’t see progress of food but you can easily pause to check
Mark Marino/Yahoo
Size: 13.25"D x 16.75"W x 13"H (13"D x 13.75"W x 7.75"H interior) I Capacity: 32 qt. l Power: 1,700 watts | Max temp: 450°F | Style: Multi-tier/toaster | Functions: Air fry, broil, toast, roast, bake, reheat, proof or dehydrate, plus steam option | Care: Basket and trays are hand-wash only
Like the air fryers above, this air fryer-toaster hybrid from Our Place is an expert multitasker. A new, upgraded version of the popular Wonder Oven, it gets a glowing review for its high visibility, large capacity and wide range of functionality.
How it works: Power it on, then tap the touchscreen to choose from eight cooking modes: air fry, toast, bake, broil, roast, reheat, dehydrate or proof. Each mode has a preset time and temperature, which you can adjust by pressing the respective buttons (as tester Mark Marino points out in his in-depth Wonder Oven Pro review, you can also turn the dial to fine-tune the temperature).
Why we love it: Marino put the Wonder Oven Pro's air-fryer function to the test against the usual frozen suspects — including battered chicken, chicken wings and chicken breasts — and everything came out juicy and crispy.
Brussels sprouts, lightly coated with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, come out tasting "incredibly flavorful, with nicely charred leaves and a tender center." Sweet potato fries, cut shoestring-thin, were browned and crisp — just as one would expect from a high-quality air fryer.
To date, Marino has tried every mode except proof and broil. He has roasted chicken strips and mini bell peppers, baked chocolate chip cookies and flaky pastries, toasted English muffins and bagels, reheated leftover pasta and even dehydrated apple slices, with delicious results every time. You can also add water at the top of the appliance to turn it into a steamer for foods like pot stickers and pork buns.
Given the shallowness of the Wonder Oven Pro's air fryer basket and varying pans, it's also great for more delicate foods that aren't easy to toss. I used the original Wonder Oven, which previously held this top spot, to whip up hors d'oeuvres like stuffed jalapeño peppers. Because the appliance comes with a crumb/drip tray, you don't have to worry about cheesy foods oozing onto the bottom of the oven.
We prioritize performance in our evaluations, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that this oven comes in not only stainless steel, cream and black, but also mint green and blue for a fun pop of color.
Best for: Gooey and delicate foods, especially if you're feeding a crowd. Also, design lovers who are looking to streamline the number of appliances on their countertop.
- Digital touchscreen display
- Large, 32-quart capacity
- Window and interior lighting for more visibility
- Eight cooking modes, plus steaming function
- Comes with stainless steel basket, pan, wire rack and crumb tray
- Available in stainless steel, plus four colors
- Some accessories are tricky to clean
- Toast function can take a bit long
- On the pricier end
Jessica Dodell-Feder/Yahoo
Size: 13.38"D x 11.96"W x 13.58"H | Capacity: 4 qt. | Power: 1,500 watts | Max temp: 450°F | Style: Glass | Functions: Air fry, recrisp, bake, max crisp | Care: Dishwasher-safe glass containers, lids and pod adapter
When we say the Ninja Crispi is the best small air fryer, it's not because of the capacity. This gadget packs a lot of cooking power into a compact frame, about 13 inches wide and just as tall. It also nests inside its glass fryer basket when not in use, so it takes up about as much space in a cabinet as a personal blender. Compared to most of these behemoth appliances, it's a pipsqueak — and a very welcome invention if you have a small kitchen.
How it works: Unlike most other air fryers that use a nonstick metal basket, the Ninja Crispi comes with 4-quart and 6-cup glass containers. You place a metal grate on the bottom, add your food and then place the corded "pod" on top; basically it's a lid that houses the heating element and controls. The machine has four functions — recrisp, bake, air fry and max crisp — that correspond to different temperature ranges.
Why we love it: It does its job, and it does it well, crisping dumplings, fries and more to perfection. You can cook multiple foods in it at the same time, and even use the space under the metal grate to warm foods that don't need the fryer treatment.
Ninja recommends you shake or turn most foods midway through cooking, and that's not always easy to do, as both the pod and glass containers get hot. Food can also stick to the metal grate, but overall, the Crispi is a winner, and a portable one at that! This is the kind of gadget you could bring tailgating or to a friend's house — all you need is an outlet. (Psst, for more details on this hot pick, read our senior home editor's full review of the Ninja Crispi.)
Best for: Smaller kitchens and anyone tight on storage. Solo cooks or couples.
- Nests inside itself for easy storage
- Controls are very easy to use
- Portable
- Comes with different-size frying baskets
- Most parts are dishwasher-safe
- Food can stick to the crisper plate
- Works best if food is in a single layer
Factors to consider when choosing an air fryer
Size: Compact air fryers require less counter space, therefore ideal for cozy or crowded kitchens. Bigger air fryers require more breathing room but typically house larger pieces and quantities of food for feeding families. The sizes mentioned in each write-up in this story represent the exterior dimensions of the air fryer once it is assembled, with capacities reflecting the interior baskets and tray allocations. We didn’t count air fryer baskets as accessories because they are core to an air fryer’s function.
Capacity: Lower capacities, obviously, mean smaller portions. We’d recommend at least 2 to 3 quarts of cooking room for individual servings, 4 quarts for two servings and 6 quarts or more for households of four or more (higher capacities are also helpful for entertaining).
Power: More power typically yields quicker results. Similarly, higher temperatures will allow you to zap certain foods, such as frozen pizzas and slices, at a faster rate for more of a "brick oven" taste. Follow food package and air fryer instructions closely, especially when getting familiar with your air fryer, as a way to learn (and not burn).
Style:
Single-basket air fryers are typically the most straightforward and offer the most depth for containing bulkier, higher batches (think plump chicken tenders, thick french fries and towering nacho piles). That said, they may require you to pause and rotate foods to ensure evenness from time to time.
Dual-basket air fryers aren't usually as deep as single-basket air fryers, but they allow you to cook two (still substantial) heaps of food with different specifications in separate spaces, in one go. Removable center inserts offer the flexibility to create an extra-large basket for heartier servings and roasts.
Air fryer toasters can typically be stacked with trays for cooking thinner, more delicate foods in shallow rows, such as bread, bagels or hors d'oeuvres (you can use different tray types, but the temp will be the same for all). Generally speaking, toaster hybrids take longer to preheat and get hotter than traditional air fryers.
Functions: Most air fryers made today offer additional functions, such as roasting, baking, warming, reheating or dehydrating, for more versatility and convenience. The benefit of using a basket-style air fryer to roast or bake versus the oven is that it will usually do so with less preheating and in less time. In our experience, air fryer exteriors remain warm (but not nearly as hot as conventional ovens) and they don't heat the whole kitchen in warmer months.
Care: Nonstick and dishwasher-safe baskets, bins and trays make for easy cleaning when your meal is done. Be sure to follow instructions carefully, and never put electric appliances in the sink or dishwasher as a general rule of thumb.
How we tested
Our testing group for this guide was made up of Yahoo editors and writers with home, tech and culinary backgrounds. We procured top-rated air fryers and used them to crisp frozen favorites like chicken tenders and french fries, also experimenting with other foods and functions to gauge how well — and how fast! — each model could deliver the (chewy-in-the-middle, crispy-on-the-outside) goods. We also considered and evaluated things like practicality (ease of setup, use and cleaning), durability (materials and design) and safety features to determine which air fryers were worthy of your precious counter space.
Other air fryers we've tested
They may not have earned a top spot, but there was a lot to appreciate about these honorable mentions:
Dash Compact 2-Quart Air Fryer: While not as roomy or dynamic as other air fryers we tested, this compact pod was easy to use and yielded delicious air-crisped foods. Streamlined controls make it a good choice for beginners, and the colorful, cool-to-the-touch shell, plus automatic shutoff, make it ideal for those who like to cook with their children (as long as there's adult supervision). The small shape and lightweight frame are also ideal for traveling and storing.
Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer: Ninja's 4-Quart comes with four functions: air fry, roast, reheat and dehydrate, each of which performed well in our tests. The basket is deep — enough to fit chunkier chicken — and easy to clean. Ideal for three people, it holds less food than the Cuisinart 6-Quart and there isn't a clear panel so you can’t see your food (there also isn't a "toss reminder" function, though there is a "pause" button for checking in).
Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart Air Fryer: The TurboBlaze offers four functions — air fry, roast, broil and bake — along with five settings for added convenience (at a lower cost than many air fryers with the same or less range). Executive Editor Nicole Sforza tested the model and says it couldn’t be easier to use, tapping it “nonstop for quick kid meals” (such as frozen chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and fish sticks) and countless family dinners since. One snag: The display is on top, which can be challenging if programming at or below eye level (as with many of the air fryers we evaluated, there’s also no window display).
Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer: Like our top Cuisinart pick, this air fryer from Instant Pot has a 6-quart capacity and features a clear window (with light!) for added visibility. Both appliances can air-fry, roast, bake and broil, with an additional keep-warm or reheat option. The Instant Pot, however, also comes with a dehydrating function. Our tester gave it high scores for cooking food well and being easy to clean, but we ultimately kept Cuisinart in the top spot because we liked that it also has five food presets, plus a toss reminder, and costs slightly less.
Our Place Wonder Oven: This eye-catching appliance from Our Place is like an air fryer and toaster in one, with added roasting, baking, reheating, broiling and steaming capabilities. We loved how well it crisped up chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and more delicate (and therefore not tossable) foods like bacon-wrapped jalapenos. It comes with a wire rack, air fry basket and bake pan for different cooking needs. We bumped this from a top spot in favor of the newer, bigger Wonder Oven Pro, given its fancier digital display, additional cooking settings and higher capacity. But the original Wonder Oven is still a solid bet for those with limited counter space — and it's also about half the price of the Pro.
Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer: Philips launched the first air fryer in 2010, setting the standard and introducing many iterations since. The 3000 Series served up perfectly textured snacks in our tests and it grills, roasts and bakes, among other functions. Its seven cooking presets were useful for heating foods that didn’t come with air fryer instructions. Though, we ultimately prioritized the Cuisinart 6-Quart as our top pick for a similar capacity because you can see your food easier and it has a more intuitive display.
Breville Joule Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro: Breville’s Joule has 13 smart functions and can be connected to an app for guided recipes and food monitoring. Our tester tried the device’s air-frying prowess with foods of the frozen (chicken tenders and nuggets) and fresh (chicken, fish and vegetables) vairety. "I've also used it to bake, broil, air fry and toast both breads and bagels," he says. "It's idiot-proof and each function works as you'd want it to." He cautions the Joule's exterior gets hot and that "it can take 10-plus minutes to reach the desired temp, so you’ll have to allow time to preheat.”
Instant Vortex Plus XL 8-Quart Air Fryer: At 8 quarts, the capacity of this dual-basket air fryer from Instant is slightly higher than the Ninja Foodi FlexBasket, and all of its functions — from air frying to roasting — worked and worked well. We also appreciated the clear basket panels for watching our food come along. Aside from not having the removable insert the Foodi offered, Yahoo Senior Tech Writer Rick Broida struggled with the Vortex's "terse instructional manual, which might leave you guessing at how best to cook various items.”
Ninja Digital Air Fry Pro Countertop Oven: This multitasking device from Ninja boasts eight cooking modes — among them the ability to air fry, air roast, bake, broil and toast, and has enough space to fit six pieces of bread or a 2-pound roast, plus a 13-inch pizza! Among minor criticisms: The toaster exterior gets pretty hot and the width requires ample counter space. Says Broida, “While pizza, chopped veggies and other flat-ish foods fit just fine, the height can't accommodate taller foods like whole chickens, bread loaves and high-piled sandwiches,” which can also pose a problem now and then.
Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker and Air Fryer: The Ninja Speedi combines the functions of an air fryer and rapid cooker, plus ten other devices. It does an adequate job as an air fryer, but Broida notes it more closely resembles a pressure cooker (even though that's the one thing it isn't). It’s a little clunky and pricey for a 6-quart air fryer if you don’t plan to use the other functions and, unlike other air fryer hybrids on this list, doesn’t have a handle. “You can't easily give this a shake during cooking — you have to open and stir instead — and you'll definitely need a pair of oven mitts to lift it out when the food is ready,” explains Broida in his review.
Typhur Dome Air Fryer Oven: Typhur's Dome Air Fryer is one of the coolest-looking we've seen (Broida likened it to something you might see in outer space). It has a large, shallow basket stretching wide enough to fit a 12-inch pizza, 10 strips of bacon or 32 chicken wings — and spread out so you don't need to pause and rotate anything. There are five cooking options: air fry, roast, broil, toast and dehydrate, plus presets, and you can connect the fryer to the Typhur app to control and monitor it from your phone. There's even a self-cleaning mode. The catch? In his review, Broida notes the app can be "naggy" with the basket removed and that, for a device with such a high price tag, the presets are limited.
Air fryer FAQs
How does an air fryer work?
An air fryer works like a convection oven, circulating hot air around food. This means you don't have to worry about flipping, say, chicken nuggets, as long as they're not overlapping. The main difference between an air fryer and a convection oven is that air fryers blow air more rapidly and in a smaller space, therefore speeding up the cooking process.
How do I cook in an air fryer?
To cook in an air fryer, simply choose the temperature, time and function, and then press "start" (with little to no preheating). Place your food in the fryer, allowing space for the hot air to reach it from all angles. For larger portions, you may need to pause and rotate food here and there. While an air fryer doesn’t require a lot of oil like traditional frying, drizzling or spraying a light amount of cooking oil on interior baskets, trays and foods can keep items from sticking and help achieve that golden veil.
What cannot be cooked in an air fryer?
Foods that don't cook well in an air fryer include fried foods with wet batters, like beer-battered fish and corn dogs, as well as foods that require a lot of liquid, such as soups and stews. Foods with gooey fillings, such as mozzarella sticks, should be watched more closely and paired with a tray as available, to avoid overcooking (aka having them spontaneously combust) and making a mess. It's always a good idea to refer to the specific instructions for your air fryer model, as results may vary.
Stick to cooking small, slim and scattered foods for faster and crispier results. Avoid using aluminum foil or parchment paper, as they can block airflow. Some air fryers can also roast or bake, allowing the use of foil or parchment paper.
How do you clean an air fryer?
When cleaning an air fryer, as with any appliance, avoid touching hot surfaces and keep electrical components away from water. Once your device has cooled, simply hand-wash or dish-wash pans and bins. When wiping down the air fryer shell and counter surface, a dry or slightly damp towel should do the trick.
Why are people getting rid of air fryers?
You may have seen articles about the potential safety risks of air fryers, including recalls by certain brands related to these appliances overheating and becoming fire hazards. While this has affected a small segment of the market, you should use all air fryers with caution. Ensure that you clean them thoroughly to prevent grease and oil from accumulating in the interior. Another reason people may get rid of their countertop air fryer is that many newer ovens and toaster ovens also have air-frying functions.
Update, March 6, 2026: We checked all product prices and availability and added testing notes for the Our Place Wonder Oven Pro and Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer. Our No. 1 pick for the best air fryer remains unchanged, but we replaced the original Our Place Wonder Oven with the Pro version as the best air fryer toaster oven combo.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.
