Best air fryers in 2021: The best options for crispy fries and wings

Air fryers have taken the cooking world by storm. These appliances essentially allow you to get that crunch that you know and love from fried food, without having to deep fry it. That can make cooking fried food both easier, and healthier. Of course, there are tons of options out there these days -- and as a result, it can be hard to find the best air fryers for your needs.

That's why we've put together this guide.

There are a few things to consider before buying. For starters, you'll want to think about size. If you're feeding a family of five, you might need a larger option -- while if you're just cooking for yourself, a smaller one is probably fine.

You'll also want to think about the features on offer. Some options are basically just convection ovens, meaning they circulate the heat around your food, cooking it evenly. It's not a bad thing that some options are basic, but some offer extra features like automatic shut-off features, extra accessories for different types of cooking, and so on.

No matter what you're looking for, check out our list of the best air fryers below.

Best air fryer overall: Ninja Air Fryer

Pros: Easy to use, not overly expensive, even cooking

Cons: Not big enough for large families

If you're looking for a solid, reliable option that gets the job done quickly and easily, then the Ninja Air Fryer is the way to go. This option looks good, is easy to use, and will evenly cook your food.

The Ninja Air Fryer is particularly good at cooking foods like chicken wings and fries, but that doesn't mean you can't use it for other things. For example, it's excellent at cooking frozen foods evenly and quickly. It also comes with a 4-quart basket, which is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

There are other advantages to this air fryer too. It has a wide temperature range, which goes from 105 degrees to 400 degrees -- making it perfect for cooking all different types of foods. And, it has a decent design, so it won't look out of place in your kitchen.

The Ninja Air Fryer is an excellent choice, but it's not perfect. If you're cooking for larger groups, this appliance probably isn't the right choice for you. It's also not cheap, though it's not overly expensive either.

Ninja AF101 4 Q Air Fryer

Price: $89.99 ($18.37/Pound)
You Save: $30.00 (25%)
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Best air fryer toaster oven: Cuisinart Airfryer Convection Toaster Oven

Pros: Stunning design, powerful, simple controls

Cons: Expensive, large

If you're looking for a premium, great-looking air fryer/toaster oven combo, then the Cuisinart Airfryer Convection Toaster Oven is the way to go. This option not only looks great, but it also functions extremely well, and is very easy to use -- plus it will look right at home in any kitchen.

The Cuisinart Airfryer Convection Toaster Oven comes with a number of functions, making it extremely versatile. For example, it has warm, broil, toast, air fry, and convection bake functions. And, it has a larger capacity, meaning that you can toast up to six pieces of bread, a chicken, up to 3lbs of wings, and so on.

The Toaster Oven is pretty powerful too. The device has a 500-watt power, which allows it to heat up to an impressive 500 degrees. And, there's a nonstick coating on the inside of the device to make cleanup easy.

So what are the downsides? Well, the device is pretty expensive, and it's pretty big. Safe to say, you'll need to make sure that it fits in your home before you buy. But if you can look past that issue, you'll absolutely love the Cuisinart Airfryer Convection Toaster Oven.

Cuisinart TOB-60N1 Toaster Oven with Convection

Price: $129.95
You Save: $55.05 (30%)
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Best small air fryer: Chefman TurboFry

Pros: Compact, easy to use, inexpensive

Cons: Cheap design

If you're looking for a smaller air fryer that can easily fit in a smaller kitchen, studio apartment, RV, or other small space, then the Chefman TurboFry is the way to go. The device is easy to use, and while it may not cook for a family, if you only need to cook for one or two people that won't matter.

One of the best things about the Chefman TurboFry is how easy it is to use. The device has a timer dial on the front and a temperature dial on the top. Temperatures range from 200 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that it should be relatively easy to cook most foods.

The TurboFry is pretty easy to clean too. The basket and tray are removable and top-rack dishwasher safe, so you don't have to worry about scrubbing it after you use it. And, because the basket is non-stick, there's no cooking spray required for cooking.

This is a great compact option, but it's not perfect. The build is a little cheap, and the functionality of the device is a little basic. That said, the TurboFry is very inexpensive, so you wouldn't really expect a premium build or tons of features anyway.

Chefman TurboFry 2-Quart Personal Air Fryer

Price: $34.99
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Best large air fryer: GoWise 7-Quart Electric

Pros: Large capacity, lots of functions, relatively inexpensive

Cons: Not the easiest to clean

Looking for a large-capacity air fryer that you can use to feed a family? The GoWise 7-Quart Electric Air Fryer is the way to go. This device is larger than most others on this list, comes with a recipe book, and even comes with three stackable racks for different kinds of food.

The GoWise 7-Quart Air Fryer also comes with lots of different functions. The device not only air fries, but it can also roast, dehydrate, grill, bake, reheat, or simply warm. In other words, there's not a lot you can't cook here.

This air fryer is pretty well-designed too. There's an LED display on the front to that should make it easy to see what you're doing when you're using the air fryer. And, it can range in temperature from 180 degrees to 400 degrees, making it easy to cook a range of different foods.

It's not perfect though. One of the biggest issues is the fact that it's not the easiest to clean, thanks to the fact that the basket isn't removable. Still, once you get used to it, that shouldn't be a huge issue.

GoWise USA 7-Quart Electric Air Fryer

Price: $79.99
You Save: $40.00 (33%)
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Best cheap air fryer: GoWise 3.7-Quart Air Fryer

Pros: Inexpensive, lots of functions, a few different colors

Cons: Not the largest capacity

GoWise doesn't just make a great large-capacity option, it also makes some awesome budget models. The GoWise 3.7-Quart is inexpensive, offers lots of features, and more.

When it comes to functions, the GoWise 3.7-Quart Air Fryer offers eight -- warm, fries, chicken, steak, shrimp, pork, cake, and fish. That covers tons of different types of foods, and allows you to simply tap a button to cook your meal. The device is able to cook at temperatures between 170 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has a dehydration range of between 90 degrees and 170 degrees.

While inexpensive, this air fryer doesn't skimp on features. The device has a touchscreen display on the front that lets you quickly and easily access the different functions, and the basket is dishwasher safe, though GoWise says cleaning it in the dishwasher may impact longevity.

It's not perfect though. One of the trade-offs of spending less is that you'll get a smaller capacity, which is something to keep in mind if you're cooking for a family.