Enjoy the Crispy and Healthy Meals Without Any Guilt: Unveiling the 5 Best Air Fryers in 2023

Saleha Mahnoor Faheem
6 min readJun 2, 2023

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Photo by Shardar Tarikul Islam on Unsplash

Are you tired of feeling guilty every time you break your promise to stay a thousand miles away from traditionally fried foods? Worry not — you’re no longer part of this struggle! You don’t have to sacrifice taste over health anymore when the air fryer is here!

Air frying is not only the best alternative to traditional frying methods but is also non-toxic and can prevent the carcinogenic concerns of traditional frying. Owing to these perks, the size of the air fryer market is anticipated to keep rising to three billion yuan in 2026.

If you’re on the hunt for finding the best affordable air fryer, congratulations you’ve reached the right destination. Keeping your hard-earned money in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the best air fryers in 2023 that are economical and top-rated. Let’s just explore together which air fryer is the best fit for your needs. Read on to know our budget-friendly top picks.

Preference list

Best Overall: Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer

Best value: Cosori Air Fryer

Best for versatility: Ninja Air Fryer

Best for customized crisp: CHEFMAN Accufry Digital Air Fryer

Best compact oven: Cuisinart Compact Airfryer Oven

1. Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer

When it comes to mode of operation, low-cost intensiveness, and multi-functionality aspect of air frying, we’d recommend you invest in Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer. Its 6 quarts capacity exudes, it is sufficient for feeding healthy meals to 4–6 people. Its built-in 6 features allow you to enjoy meals in a versatile manner.

Unlike other air-fryers, it can additionally broil, roast, and bake food items. Advanced EvenCrisp technology makes sure heat flows uniformly and food is perfectly tendered with desired golden finish. In-built filtering options enable it to remove cooking odours. The two additional features that make it unique are internal lighting and a transparent window to watch the cooking process!

Pros

  • Easy cleanup process
  • Sophisticated touchable features
  • Requires no-preheating
  • Versatile temperature range (95°- 400° F)
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Implanted with odour erase technology

Cons

  • Metallic handles fitted with trays make their removal tough.
  • Not perfect for large servings

2. Cosori Air Fryer

If you’re new to the air frying game, the Cosori air fryer is perfect for you! This basic entry-level model has some really nice preset settings. A compact glass-tempered body holds less space on your countertop. You can add personalised shake reminders using single-touch display options.

Prepares quick meals using industry-leading temperature range, i.e. up to 450°F. You can make 30 delicious recipes like a pro that come along it in a recipe notebook by renowned Cosori R&D chefs. We highly recommended it to those who have busy routines. Though you’ll need to cook some tasty dishes in batches, it is a good option under 100$ for large families.

Pros

  • Digital screen
  • Comes with a 2-year warranty
  • Cooks healthy meals 20 times faster than conventional ovens
  • PBA-free, non-stick, easy to draw out, and easy to fit in a basket
  • Clean-up is easy
  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • The body is not made up of Teflon-free materials.
  • Beeps of touch screen buttons are very loud

3. Ninja Air Fryer

With Ninja Air Fryer on your countertop, you can simply enjoy the perks of healthy eating in no time. Even though it tops our list as the best small air fryer, it recognizes the worth of your precious time and knows how to work quickly and effectively to satisfy your insatiable cravings. Its 4-quart model is super friendly in terms of air frying, reheating, and air-drying your favourite healthy meals making it indeed, a way to go for small families.

Unlike other air convections, its compact body entails high-quality material, which, contrary to flimsy plastic bodies, doesn’t get hot during operation. Its compact body with glossy black finish operates on 1550 watts of power. The ceramic and non-stick coating on multi-layer rack plates ensures you’re not dissatisfied with its cleanup. Additionally, the cord length of 2.6 feet makes its storage on the countertop super easy.

Pros

  • Not so expensive
  • Plates are dishwasher friendly
  • Perfect for a family of 2–4 people
  • Energy efficient
  • Light-weight
  • Teflon-free material

Cons

  • Small Air fryer
  • Lacks broiling option

4. CHEFMAN Accufry Digital Air Fryer

This genius model differs from the others on the list due to the integration of a probe thermometer. Powered with 1000 watts of energy, its dishwasher safe and the super large non-stick basket has a capacity of 5 quarts — ideal for feeding 5 people per serving. It comes with a 1-year warranty, CHEFMAN Accufry Digital Air Fryer fulfils what it promises. You can attain the desired level of crispness and toastiness in your favourite healthy meals without any addition of oil, faster than traditional ovens.

It primarily brings even crispiness through its integrated LED shake reminder that beeps when it’s time to vigorously stir your food. A damp cloth is sufficient to clean its black exterior, while the interiors- frying basket and cooking tray are easy to cleanse with any good dishwasher. With its High-Fry option, you can enjoy extra crispiness and crunchiness without any calorie intake.

Pros

  • Easily detachable drip tray
  • Alluring due to its window view
  • Parts are dishwasher friendly
  • On Budget
  • Comes with advanced 8 presets
  • Built-in automatic shutoff ensures safety while cooking
  • Fits in small spaces

Cons

  • Cleaning grates require a wire brush and extra effort
  • Comes with a short warranty of 1 year

5. Cuisinart Compact Airfryer Oven

If you’re looking for a second but portable hot-air oven, this air fryer can fulfil your needs. The best option for saving space on your kitchen countertop. The stainless steel exterior has a spacious interior capable of air frying up to 2.5 pounds of food to perfection. It is equipped with adjustable functional dials to control temperature and shading options for toasting.

Strong fan powered with heavy motor, operating on 1800 watts of power, circulates heat uniformly up to 450°F until even doneness and elevated crispiness are attained. Indeed it is an ideal financial investment due to its portability and multifunctional attachments that can prepare 6 different varieties of delicacies.

Pros

  • Super powerful
  • Highly convenient to use
  • Sufficient enough to hold up to 2.5-pounds of food
  • Good for multipurpose uses
  • Comes with an oven rack, baking pan, air frying basket

Cons

  • Makes fuss with temperature and time regulation
  • Does not contain automated digital presets

Buying Guide

An air fryer is more than a convection oven. It can offer you versatility with your healthy meals through its different functional accessories and various automated presets. Before buying this must-have countertop kitchen appliance, there are certain factors you must need to know about. Let’s just know what are those important considerations.

Internal Space

Before making a final purchase, monitor your air fryer’s internal space more carefully than its capacity. Because it is where you place your raw food item. So carefully consider its cooking dimension; you’ll get less horizontal space in air fryers that seem narrow and tall. So, it might not be helpful in preparing a whole chicken roast, large servings of air fryer french fries, or fillets.

Power Consumption

Although the price can become hefty when you consider buying an air fryer with higher wattage but later you’ll realize it was worth buying because higher power means less time investment, and tends to cook food evenly and swiftly.

Size

If you’re worried about the smooth and tedious looking of your kitchen counter, consider buying one whose structure is sleek and compact. Compact ones are the best air fryers as they are easy to use and store for longer runs. Choose one that fits your kitchen counter space.

Features

Air fryers come with different features: digital controls/manual knobs, different functional accessories, and varied pre-set options. Do thorough research about the purpose for which you are buying this smart appliance. Go for one that ensures even heat distribution and intuitive temperature controls and must be easy to clean.

Safety Aspects

Never ever overlook this important consideration. Rather it should be your foremost consideration because you’re going to use an air fryer for an extended period of time. To avoid accidental mishaps, make sure the air fryer has automatic shut-off and cool-touch handles.

Conclusion

With so many super-economical and great options to choose from, we’re pretty hopeful this article was helpful in letting you decide which air fryer meets your needs and fits your budget. So, what are you waiting for? Start prepping restaurant-grade flavourful healthy meals from the comfort of your home.

Rush towards the nearest appliance store or visit any trustworthy online retailer to grab one of your favourite air fryers from our top picks. Trust us — your taste buds will thank you later. Don’t forget to share your reviews in the comments below. Till then, happy healthy cooking!

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Saleha Mahnoor Faheem

Freelance Writer | Science enthusiast | Microbiologist by profession