An air fryer is one of the best kitchen appliances a good cook can have at their disposal!

An air fryer can cook fried foods to crispy perfection with just a fraction of the oil that deep frying or even oven baking requires. From french fries and asparagus to nice juicy burgers and tender steaks, air frying makes a big difference in taste, health, and convenience!

What is an Air Fryer?

Air fryers are basically a compact convection ovens that allows air to circulate. This means quicker cooking and much less fuss.

While this appliance is trendy, it seems it is here to stay, and for good reason. In fact, the NPD estimates that a whopping 37% of homes now have air fryers!

Air Fryers can come in many forms now, from those that are compact counter top versions, to toaster oven style air fryers, and even new full sized ranges with an air fryer feature.

How to Cook in an Air Fryer

This is the easy part!! It’s no muss, no fuss, and cooks fast!

What Is the Best Air Fryer to Buy

The “best” will vary based on your needs, how much space you have, and your family size.

I personally love the Cosori XL 5.8QT.

The price is great, and it works like a charm. It’s large enough to fit two good-sized steaks, 4 homemade burgers, or 4 smaller chicken breasts to feed a small family. I even cook a whole chicken in it.

Consumer reports have also given very high ratings to:

  • NuWave 6QTGoWise 5.8QT

Find more info on choosing an air fryer and what to consider before you buy it below.

  • Prepare the food with seasoning and a touch of oil if needed per the recipe.Place the food in the air fryer basket ensuring there is space for air to circulate around each piece.Set the time and temperature on the air fryer and let it work its magic!

What Can I Make with the Air Fryer?

You can make almost anything in the air fryer! Chicken breasts, cakes, muffins, boiled eggs, donuts, veggies… the possibilities are endless.

Food isn’t actually “fried”, per se, but is actually cooked and crisped up by convection. The basket you put the food in has holes that allow the air to circulate all around the food.Once turned on, the air fryer heats up quickly, and a convection fan blows the air all around the food.The advantage is that food cooks more evenly and needs less oil to taste great!

Since it requires less oil it’s definitely healthier to cook with an air fryer than to deep fry those favorite recipes! Less oil means fewer calories and less fat.

Not exactly, but pretty darn close! In fact, we prefer air-fried food because it still has the crisp and crunch of deep-frying without being oily or greasy.There is going to be a difference since so much less fat is used, but well-seasoned food is amazing cooked in the air fryer.

Yes and no. The concept is the same. The air fryer is smaller so pre-heating is less than 5 mintues (vs. the oven about 15 minutes). I find food to get so much crisper in an air fryer than a convection oven.

In my personal opinion, yes 100 times over! I use mine at least once or twice every single day. It heats quickly and can cook anything and everything. That being said, it depends on your own personal needs.An air fryer costs anywhere from $80 to $250, but I find the $100 range to work just fine!

Tips for Air Frying

  • Add a touch of oil You don’t need much, but you do need a little bit of oil to get a nice crust on most items.Ensure foods are dry If washing veggies, dry the foods well (or put them in a salad spinner). Water will make the food steam instead of crisp.Give it Space Don’t overcrowd the food as the air needs to circulate around the air fryer. It’s better to cook in batches and reheat it all together at the end.Shake/Flip Approximately halfway through cooking, most food items will benefit from either shaking the basket or flipping it over.Check it Early An air fryer cooks quicker than most other methods of cooking, so check your food early.

  • Appetizers: Stuffed mushrooms, most frozen appetizers, jalapeno poppers, shrimp.Side Dishes: Almost anything from A to Z (asparagus to zucchini). Roasted vegetables or potatoes are amazing and easy.Main Dishes: Pork Chops, any cut of chicken with or without bones, meatballs, fish & chips, salmon, and almost any kind of meat including whole chickens and turkey breast.Other: Biscuits, egg muffins, grilled cheese sandwiches, and even “boiled” eggs!!

Choosing an Air Fryer

Take into consideration what size will be needed, as well as what kinds of programmable functions may be desired.

Considerations

I have owned and tested the following, this was a few years ago and I find the newer styles to have a better price point and to cook quicker, more evenly, and crispier!

My Top Choice

MY TOP PICK FOR AIR FRYERS is the Cosori XL 5.8QT.

Pros

  • large capacityfairly reasonable priceeasy to clean (dishwasher safe)cooks beautifully

Cons

  • the screws on the basket come loose and need tightening frequently (3 family members have this one and the same issue)a little bit noisya bit bulky on the counter (but I feel all brands are)basket gets a little bit difficult to clean between the slats (but it is replaceable, I keep it about a year)

  • T-Fal Actifry 2-in-1 works for things like wings and fries but is not ideal for more delicate items. This air fryer tosses the items to help ensure even cooking and it also has a tray to set on top for cooking things like burgers or chicken breasts.Breville Smart Oven Air This air fryer is very pricey but cooks a lot at once and can be used as a toaster oven, oven (even holds a 9×13 pan), slow cooker, and an air fryer. I don’t find it works as well as an air fryer as the Cosori above but it’s a good choice if you want an appliance that does many things at once and can feed a larger family.Instant Vortex Air Fryer Oven This is a different type of appliance with way more abilities. It’s good if you’d like to use the rotisserie or cook casseroles it. This version takes up more space than the other options but can be used in lots of ways.Instant Vortex 4 in 1 Very similar to the Cosori above. The basket is a different style as the bottom comes out (not the whole basket). It seems to cook just a little bit hotter than the other options I’ve tried.Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry I actually really like this one. It has a thermometer that will let you know when meat is cooked, and it’s been very accurate. I like the grill option as well, although it’s a bit of a process to clean (it’s not the same as grilling on an outdoor grill though). This one takes up a little bit more counter space compared to the Cosori. This would be my second choice next to the Cosori.

More Great Options