Air fryers have become a kitchen essential – and it's easy to see why. These marvellous machines work like mini convection ovens, circulating hot air to crisp up food quickly, with little to no oil. At the end of the busy day, I throw salmon, veggies and diced potatoes straight into my Ninja air fryer – and I have a healthy meal on the table in 15 minutes.
But, how do you choose the best air fryer for you? The market is crowded with options. Smaller, more basic models are great for cooking fries and simple side dishes. The latest, greatest machines can handle complex tasks, from roasting large joints of meat to baking homemade pizza. And the worst will leave you with overcooked chicken and unnecessary clutter.
As a trained cook and H&G’s Kitchen Appliance Expert, I've tested the top models in my own kitchen to find the best options for real home cooks. I've also collated years of testing notes from our trusted H&G product testers, interviewed air fryer chefs, and sifted through over 2,000 customer reviews. You can read about our testing criteria below, but for now, I'll get straight to the point: I've selected the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer as the best air fryer overall for 2024.
I've rounded our top picks into a 'Hot List' with my favorites for families, small kitchens, and amazing multifunctional models. You're sure to find the best air fryer for your needs here.
The Hot List
If you're looking for the headlines, here's a quick list of the best air fryers on the market. You'll find more details on the pros and cons further down the page.
Best air fryer overall
Capacity: 6 quarts
Our Editor's Choice, this model makes excellent French fries. We highly rate the window and odor neutralizer – it's affordable and user-friendly.
Easiest to use
Capacity: 6.5 quarts
This air fryer has perfect presets. You barely need to lift a finger, aside from pressing the 'start' button. It's sleek, simple and ever-so-slightly overpriced for the lack of versatility.
Best air fryer for families
Capacity: Two 5-quart baskets
You can stack up to four different ingredients in this slender machine. It's super fast and the baskets are dishwasher-safe for the speediest clean-up.
Best air fryer for foodies
Capacity: 6 quarts
The Dreo offers special 'Chef Modes', so you can cook the juiciest steaks and seafood at the touch of a button. If you're only looking to fry chips and nuggets, it might be too pricey.
Best multifunctional air fryer
Capacity: 6.5 quarts
Another Instant success, we rated this multi-cooker 5-stars for its exceptional air fryer function. It can sauté, slow cook, sous vide and steam, too.
Best value air fryer
Capacity: 5 quarts
Right now, Cosori air fryers are among the best-sellers on Amazon. This compact model has tons of functionality, but it's never more than $100. We found it quick and effective, just slightly too powerful.
Best small air fryer
Capacity: 4 quarts
This is the most basic model on our list, but it made the best roast asparagus we've ever tested. It's cheap and petite. A solid choice for students, individuals or couples.
Best two-basket air fryer
Capacity: 6.3 quart and 3.2 quart baskets
Last year, we selected the Instant Vortex Dual Zone as our best dual basket mode. This year, we fell in love with the sleeker, more premium Philips model.
Best design
Capacity: 30.7 quarts
I love air fryers, but most models are quite unattractive. Smeg has changed the game, delivering 1950's Italian charm. The air fry function is just a bit slow; it can't quite rival specialists like Instant or Ninja.
Best air fryers 2024
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Best air fryer overall
This is the best air fryer in the world. I've tested this model in my home kitchen and one of our expert testers, Millie Fender, took it to the test center to compare with its competitors. She said the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer made the best homemade fries of any air fryer she's ever tested: 'They had a fluffy interior and crispy exterior, with evenly browned edges and consistent cooking throughout.'
We both liked the removable air fry insert, which means you can easily use the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer to reheat foods like rice and pasta, which would usually fall through the slots in the air fryer tray.
The 'ClearCook display' is a slightly gimmicky term for a window, but it's a genius idea that makes cooking a lot easier and saves you from pulling out the basket to check on your food.
The six-quart capacity is ideal for families, and it will easily cook for 5 or 6 people. My bacon was rendered perfectly, and the innovative OdorErase technology isn't just marketing – it hugely reduced unwanted smells in my kitchen. On top of all of that, this is also one of the quietest air fryers Millie tested in the professional kitchen. It's a great choice for open plan kitchens or small living spaces.
The only real issue is that you have to clean it by hand, as it's not dishwasher-safe. But we recently found out that a gentle hand wash is the best way to make your air fryer last longer, anyway.
I was torn over whether to give the top prize to the more premium Dreo ChefMaker, which also smashes many of these criteria – but considering the affordable price, the Instant wins hands-down.
Read Millie's Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer with ClearCook & OdorErase review for more details.
Easiest air fryer to use
The Philips Essential Air Fryer XL delivers outstanding air frying results. This is a quality machine, well-designed for families, and great for those who want to cook simple side dishes and classic meals without the option of more unusual uses such as dehydrating.
Millie also tested the Philips XL for over a month. In fact, she still has it in her home and has recently used it to make an entire roast chicken. She says it's a sleek and classic design, with a small footprint compared to its capacity.
Customer reviews say it's a great choice for beginners. They particularly love the quiet volume, which is perfect for open-plan kitchens or shared living spaces.
The Philips XL also connects to an app, which can send recipes from your phone straight to the air fryer. The process is seamless and saves you from rifling through instructions booklets or guessing times or temperatures.
The dishwasher-safe basket makes life a lot easier too, but it does take up a lot of dishwasher space. Millie noticed that the basket can get a little stuck sometimes and doesn't feel super premium. However, she says the 'starfish' shape at the bottom of the fryer really does improve air circulation and leads to evenly-cooked results every time – even on tricky ingredients.
Read Millie's full Essential Philips XL review for more details.
Best air fryer for families
Ninja’s Double Stack air fryer is remarkably sleek and slender, but it can feed a crowd.
That's because each basket contains two cooking levels, allowing you to cook up to four different ingredients simultaneously. On my first test, I cooked French fries, chicken thighs, courgettes, and green beans all at once. With minimal involvement and no preheating required, dinner was ready in 20 minutes. Truly a game-changer for busy families, tired individuals, and anyone with a limited kitchen.
You can sync the two drawers, so every element of your meal will finish together. Afterwards, you can place both drawers and the crisper plates into the dishwasher, for effortless clean up.
The only downside was some instances of uneven cooking on the top rack. My courgettes at the front of the drawer got a lot crispier than the ones at the back. However, this can be prevented by shuffling your ingredients around the rack and flipping two or three times, until everything is evenly golden.
I also knocked some points off for the high price tag. However, the quick, delicious results and easy cleanup still make this my top choice for families. I can forgive its small flaws - it's the air fryer I use on a daily basis.
My Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer review covers all the detail.
Best air fryer for foodies
If you love cooking meat or seafood, the Dreo Chef Maker is like a personal chef in your kitchen. It’s the smartest air fryer I’ve ever tested. The user-friendly design and clever algorithm are perfect for anyone looking to elevate their home cooking – without any effort at all.
Using the Chef Mode, you can select your chosen ingredient, add it to the basket, then sit back and relax. Dreo automatically divides the cooking process into four perfectly timed stages. It begins by setting the optimum temperature for your ingredient, then introducing a fine mist for the juiciest textures. After a quick pre-sear, it releases a final burst of rapid heat for that golden brown finish.
My fries were crispy, the asparagus was golden and tender, and the steak was seared to perfection. I also loved the viewing window on the basket and the interior light (which can be switched on and off to save energy). This cleverly allowed me to peek at the cooking progress and watch things sizzle.
If you love eating delicious, perfectly-cooked meat and seafood, but you're not super confident in the kitchen, the Dreo Chef Maker's smart tech is worth every penny. I quite often see it discounted in seasonal air fryer sales. I keep track of the prices here, in our guide to the best air fryer deals and you can view the best deals of the day below.
However, if you're specifically looking for a basic air fryer or a toaster/air fryer combination, I'd skip this one. The toast isn't as delicious as the lobster tail. Also, the glossy exterior needs wiping daily to get rid of greasy fingerprints and dust.
Read our full Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer review for more details.