Best Air Fryers of 2025
These models from Chefman, Cosori, Instant, and others claim top spots in Consumer Reports' ratings
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Despite the 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 a basket or tray from the outside in. While some high-end toaster ovens come with convection fans and even an air fryer setting, true air fryers are tough to beat.
Most of the 85 air fryers in Consumer Reports’ ratings allow you to automatically set a temperature and cooking time for foods like french fries, wings, vegetables, and more. Some can even dehydrate food, drying out herbs and fruit at a low temperature. An air fryer is also great if you simply want to cook or reheat food quickly.
One consideration when you’re shopping for an air fryer is size, which depends on how much space you have and how much food you want to cook at once. The air fryers in our ratings range from about 2 to 11 quarts. But our testers have found that their actual capacity is often smaller than claimed. We’ve also observed that their temperature settings aren’t necessarily on the nose. Some registered temperatures that ranged from 67° F lower to 25° F higher than a set temperature of 350° F, with only 20 models of the 85 we tested landing within 5° F of that target. (You can find results for each model in our air fryer ratings.)
“The real difference among air fryers comes down to convenience, so we designed our tests around that,” says Ginny Lui, the engineer who oversees our air fryer tests. She and her team evaluate capacity, how easy the controls are to read and use, noise levels, and how much elbow grease it takes to clean them.
See our air fryer buying guide for information on how to shop for one. To learn more about what these appliances are capable of, check out our deep dive on how to get the most from your air fryer, complete with cooking tips. We also have suggestions on accessories and air fryer safety.
CR members have the added benefit of exploring our comprehensive air fryer ratings, which can be filtered according to price, size, and other criteria.
The Chefman Accufry RJ38-SQPF-5T2P-W has a host of features, including a viewing window that lets you check on food without disrupting the cooking cycle. It also has a built-in temperature probe, a shake indicator to ensure that food cooks evenly, and plenty of programmed cycles, including one for adding an extra-crispy finish. This model, with a measured capacity of 4.5 quarts, is among the quietest of any listed here, plus it’s easy to clean and has simple controls. Like most air fryers, it comes with a one-year warranty.
The Chefman RJ38-2T is a smaller air fryer, measuring about 1.8 quarts. It’s a basic model that performs excellently in our noise and cleaning tests, and scores near the top for its straightforward controls. It has a digital display and a dishwasher-safe basket, but it doesn’t have any programmed settings, and it doesn’t come with any accessories. The RJ38-2T comes with a one-year warranty.
The Cosori Dual Blaze CAF-P583S-KUS Smart has WiFi integration that allows you to control and monitor your cooking progress remotely, and it shows strong performance in all the areas we test. The squarish exterior might not be to everyone’s taste, but the machine is easy to clean. And “blaze” sounds about right. When we set this model to 350° F, we registered the temperature at 363° F, something to keep in mind when cooking. This model comes with a two-year warranty, a year longer than many other air fryer warranties.
The Cosori Lite CAF-LI211 is great for college students, solo dwellers, or anybody who’s a tad tight on counter space. This 1.7-quart air fryer is packed with appealing features, including a dishwasher-safe basket, programmed settings, and a digital display. And it comes in a small package, with a footprint that’s just 9 inches wide and 10 inches deep. What’s more, this model is a standout in our tests, receiving high marks for being easy to use and clean as well as being exceptionally quiet. The Cosori Lite comes with a two-year warranty.
The Dash Tasti-Crisp DCAF260 has a measured capacity of 2.4 quarts and an overall footprint of less than a square foot, making it one of the most compact air fryers in our ratings. This is a no-frills model that doesn’t come with any accessories, but it’s the highest-rated air fryer we’ve tested. It earns high marks for its controls and ease of cleaning, and it excels in our noise test. It weighs just 6 pounds.
The Instant Vortex Plus 140-3079-01 is a solid pick all-around, with intuitive controls and an easy-to-clean interior and exterior. Plus, it operates quietly. Its measured 3-quart basket is smaller than the 4 quarts the manufacturer claims, but its square design makes it easy to fit a small dish or baking pan inside. It comes with programmed settings, reminders for adding and turning food, auto-shutoff, and a one-year warranty.
This Instant Vortex Plus 140-3089-01 has a clear cooking window, making it easy to monitor your food without having to pull out the basket. Its capacity is 5.2 quarts, according to our measurements. 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 fryer also delivered a strong performance in our noise and cleaning tests. Plus, its parts are dishwasher-safe.
When CR measured the Tabitha Brown for Target 8 Qt. Digital’s capacity, we found there’s actually just 7 quarts of usable space—not quite as advertised, but still a generous size. This model offered excellent performance in our tests for ease of cleaning and noise. The controls are easy to use, and there’s a viewing window. This model has settings to dehydrate, reheat, and keep food warm.
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