Best non-toxic air fryers 2024 – stainless steel and ceramic alternatives

Viral claims on TikTok have people concerned that air fryers are toxic. When I consulted experts, their responses were incredibly reassuring. Pam Hartnett, Public Health Expert, says 'air fryers that are used correctly, won't be toxic, but you can take some measures that will mitigate most of your concerns.'

Many of the best air fryers use non-stick materials such as Teflon. These are generally safe and convenient for cleaning, but they often contain forever chemicals like PTFE, PFOA, PFOS, and BPA. If you aren't using your air fryer properly, the non-stick coating can become scratched and damaged. If this happens, there's a chance that you'll ingest the non-stick coating, which can be damaging to your health. To eliminate any causes for concern, medical experts advise that you choose toxin-free cookware with stainless steel parts or ceramic coatings instead.

Luckily, lots of our favorite models from Ninja, Instant, and KitchenAid are already non-toxic. Out of fifty competitors, the stainless steel air fryer by Instant Pot took the top spot. It makes the crispest fries, comes with various functions, and is as easy to clean as other non-stick models. That's not your only option though. There's plenty more on offer, ranging from ceramic air fryers, compact models and multi-functional air fryer machines. Different models will suit different households, but they all set our minds at ease.

Are Air Fryers Toxic?

When I covered 'are air fryers toxic?' I found that air fryers can be toxic in certain limited situations. Medical experts suggest that there are two main ways in which air fryers could be potentially harmful. The first is that we might ingest some of the non-stick coating. Nonstick air fryers that use materials like Teflon have chemicals that can be associated with health risks. However, experts say that you can only be exposed to these chemicals if your air fryer is damaged. It's best to choose an air fryer made without non-stick chemicals, such as ceramic or stainless steel.

The other risk is how hot they get. This is not exclusive to air fryers, but heating starchy foods to high temperatures can cause potentially carcinogenic chemicals to form. That's why almost all air fryers have Prop 65 warnings in California. However, this doesn't mean they're toxic. These chemicals, acrylamides, are a risk whenever you fry or toast above 338°F. That's pretty much any time you fry or toast anything. Foods at risk on the Prop 65 list include everything from potato chips to roast peanuts to coffee and even toast. While the industrial use of acrylamides has been shown to be carcinogenic, the tiny amount of naturally occurring acrylamides in air fried food has not been conclusively linked to cancer.

In short, air fryers can be toxic in certain limited situations, but it's very rare, and only if they use certain non-stick materials.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best non-toxic air fryers 2024

The quick list

If you want to take a quick look at some of the best non-toxic air fryers, here are the headlines. We've got more detailed information further down the page.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best stainless steel non-toxic air fryer

Image 1 of 8

This is our number one best Instant Pot, but its excellent air fryer mode propels it into first place as our best non-toxic air fryer. With safe stainless steel materials, EvenCrisp technology and versatile settings, it helped our expert, Helen McCue, to create one of the best mac 'n' cheeses she’s ever cooked.

The pressure cooking function automatically releases steam, making it super easy to handle. With 13 different types of cooking, from broiling to baking to rehydrating, it goes far beyond just air frying. As a one-pot option, even cleaning up is easy.

We love stainless steel as a quality alternative to non-stick coatings, but it does need some unique care. The best way to clean the stainless steel is to leave the pot to soak and soften for a little. If you're used to dishwasher-safe air fryers, this might become annoying. If you make a lot of curry or Chinese food the pressure cooker will be amazing. If you just want to quickly bake some tater tots for a midnight snack, you probably need something less complicated, like the Ninja Max XL.

You can read more in our full review of the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid.

• Back to the top ⤴

Most versatile non-toxic air fryer

Image 1 of 9

Ninja's reputation precedes them in almost every sector for kitchen appliances, in particular air fryers. I could have filled the buying guide with their models, but the Combi is especially deserving of a spot as one of the best non-toxic air fryers for two reasons. The first is that the baskets are coated in ceramic, a safe option for cautious cooks. It's not just the non-stick credentials that earned this a place here though, because the Ninja is incredibly versatile and a seriously good value investment.

A $179 price tag is reasonable for an air fryer with a large capacity. When you include all twelve functions (spanning from roasting and broiling to baking and, of course, air frying), it's close to unbelievable in terms of value. I used mine on the countertop for weeks and was very reluctant when I had to take it off. If you invest in one of these, you'll wonder what you ever did without one.

The Ninja was quick to warm up and even quicker to produce perfectly crisped fries and fish sticks. I could admire my Mediterranean vegetables when they were cooking and watch bacon sizzling too.

It's useful to have Ninja's presets and auto shut-off, but they overcooked my food a little. You can adjust these easily, but it's worth noting. The only reason you might not want the Combi is if you don't need all the functions: it'll be big and overkill.

You can read more in our full review of the Ninja Combi Multicooker

• Back to the top ⤴

Best ceramic non-toxic air fryer

Image 1 of 7

Ceramic is one of the best alternatives to non-stick chemicals, so the fact that this basket is ceramic-coated was a relief to us. We already loved this air fryer for its compact, lightweight frame which makes it easy to store. The 5.5-quart storage is the perfect size for two portions and, because it’s smaller, it’s a lot quicker at air frying foods.

Even though this is a compact appliance, the Ninja can perform a range of tasks from air frying, to roasting, baking, reheating, and dehydrating. Our expert tester liked that it could be paused too.

This is a lightning-fast air fryer, but when we tried it on slower cooks and lower temperatures, it was less effective.

You can read more in our full review of the Ninja Max XL air fryer.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best non-toxic air fryer for beginners

Image 1 of 8

One of the best basic appliances we tested, the Paris Rhône surprised us with how much it could do, especially for the price and size. The basket is ceramic coated, avoiding toxic material concerns, and it's super low maintenance too. We tested it on a range of foods and were pleased with the results.

The air fryer is pre-programmed with very powerful settings, but you can manually override them and check on your food using the useful viewing window and interior light.

If you do use the presets, be warned: they consistently overcooked our food. As with the Ninja, this is something to be cautious about, because eating burnt food is one of the key concerns for air fryers’ toxicity. Make sure to check on your food a few minutes before the suggested time. The 5.3 quart. capacity might also limit your cooking if you are a big household.

You can read more in our full review of the Paris Rhône air fryer.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best non-toxic air fryer countertop oven

Image 1 of 8

This is the pick for one of the best toaster ovens on the market because it can perform so many different functions - dehydrate, proof, bagel, roast, bake, broil, warm, and, of course, air fry.

The air frying basket is generously sized and made from non-toxic, stainless steel. It doesn’t require a mid-fry flip, and didn’t pool grease when we cooked turkey bacon, fries, tater tots, or fried chicken. It looks smart on the countertop and doesn't need to be stored away (which is good, because it's quite large).

The KitchenAid oven can get hot to touch quite quickly, which isn’t ideal for family kitchens. As with the Instant Pot, stainless steel isn’t the easiest to clean and can’t go in the dishwasher. As a result, you’ll need to handle the whole process carefully and take care of the stainless steel properly.

You can read more in our full review of the KitchenAid Countertop Oven.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best looking non-toxic air fryer

Image 1 of 5

If the options above look a little utilitarian and boring, you may prefer Our Place's Wonder Oven. Best known for their iconic Always Pan, Our Place have been making forays into a wider range of cookware and appliances in recent years. The Wonder Oven is a great example of the brand's ethos – a slick, on-trend appliance that you'd actually want to have on your countertop, rather than the same old gray and black appliances.

More importantly, this combination air fryer and toaster oven is non-stick, with a ceramic coating free of forever chemicals. When it came to the taste test, this wasn't the best we've ever tried, but it did a great job on tater tots and reheating stuffed peppers. It has a pretty unique feature for baking, too. You can add a capful of water to the top of the machine that keeps baked goods light and fluffy, so our tester found that this made delicious donut holes, too. There are better options out there, but you won't be disappointed with its performance.

The big issue with this air fryer is that it uses an old-school analog timer. That means it's pretty hard to set with any great precision. It's hard to tell if you've set a dish to cook for 8 minutes or 12 minutes. That's fine if you're just blasting some tater tots, but it could pose an issue when cooking more delicate meals like fish. That analog timer also means there are no presets, so you have to rely on your own cooking skills. Finally, the racks don't support themselves when you pull them out of the oven, so it's easy to spill.

You can read more in our full review of the Our Place Wonder Oven.

• Back to the top ⤴

How we test

At Homes & Gardens, we have an exhaustive process for testing non-toxic air fryers. We make sure to cover visual, experiential, and practical factors so that you know exactly what you're investing in when you buy an air fryer.

Our testing process starts with research. We're always speaking with the experts so that we can keep a finger on the pulse for the latest, greatest, and most innovative releases in the air fryer market. As soon as we find one that we think you'll like, we double-check the materials. It's important that the non-toxic air fryers in our guide don't have any potentially risky components. We'll make sure that it has enough wattage and heat range to be useful in your kitchen, as well as appealing credentials. Once we've secured all that information, we call in for our experts to test in the kitchen. Once we have our hands on the air fryer, we begin our assessment.

First impressions

We start by making notes on the unboxing of our air fryer and our first impressions of it. This will cover whether it has eco-conscious packaging, what its size-to-capacity ratio is like, how heavy it is, and whether we like its aesthetics. Non-toxic air fryers come in all shapes and sizes, so we like to make sure that we have something for everyone there.

Test 1: fries

Whilst we're getting acquainted with the different functions of the air fryer and how easy it is to use, we like to get some food tests in. The first one we carry out is on fries. Air fryers should be able to cook fries perfectly, pre-sets or not. We look for a crispy exterior, fluffy inside, and even color across the whole basket of fries. One of our experts grew up running a fish and chip shop, so you can only imagine how high the standards are here.

Test 2: nuggets and fish sticks

The next challenge we give every air fryer is breaded, frozen fish sticks and nuggets. Whilst battered food won't work in an air fryer, it's important that you can work with substitutes. In the case of frozen food, we want it to cook quickly, evenly, and easily, because you really don't want to have any hassle when you're getting a quick meal together.

Test 3: Mediterranean vegetables

It's important to gauge how air fryers handle a range of different ingredients, so we'll chop courgette, onion, peppers, and tomatoes. Then, with a drizzle of oil, we'll test how well the air fryer can grill the vegetables. We look for light specking, a tender, but not overly soft bake, and speed. It's also a good time to check that smaller pieces of vegetables don't fall through the air fryer tray since this can result in uneven cooking and a lot of food waste.

Test 4: bacon

The all-important bacon test is one that a surprising number of air fryers fail. We lie rashers of bacon and follow the air fryer presets or guidance for how to cook bacon. We want crispy edges, but when you bite into it, the meat should still be juicy. It should be full of flavor, without any grease. We've seen it done in plenty of air fryers, which is why we don't think it's a tall order.

Test 5: roast chicken

When you're feeding the whole family, it's important to have capacity. We have a chicken test, where we check that an air fryer drawer is big enough for a roast chicken. If it fits, we'll give it 40 minutes in the air fryer, looking for a crispy skin, and tender, juicy cuts. The best non-toxic air fryers will also have room for roasted vegetables around the outside.

After we're finished with our tests, we look at how easy the air fryer is to clean. Non-toxic air fryers will often have ceramic or stainless steel non-sticks, which can take a little more work to clean. If that is the case, we'll let you know. However, if it's as good as chemical non-sticks, we'll shout about that too. Plenty of the models on this list are even dishwasher-safe.

Next, we'll compare the air fryer to other models and cross-reference our reviews, to make sure we've got the whole picture from every kind of air fryer owner. Here's where we can find people who have had their air fryer for years upon years, so it's good to see how it performs out of warranty and in the longer term.

Then, we'll come to a conclusion on whether we think the air fryer is any good. Here's where we account for value-for-money, how well-built the air fryer is, its warranty, accessories, and capacity. We draw on all our information to come to a conclusion about who it suits and who it won't suit.

If you want to find out more, there's plenty of detail on how we test air fryers on our dedicated page.

• Back to the top ⤴

FAQs

How do I stop my air fryer from being toxic?

Based on medical advice, try not to overcook or overheat starchy foods. They shouldn’t go above a golden yellow. If your non-stick is damaged, stop using the appliance. Even better, use an air fryer that doesn’t use non-stick chemicals at all.

If your air fryer is damaged or broken in any way, you should stop using it. If you are concerned about the non-stick chemicals in your air fryer, maintain them as well as possible to avoid the chemicals getting into your food. The best way to stop your air fryer from being toxic is to buy a ceramic or metal-based air fryer.

How much should my air fryer cost?

This depends on what you are looking for. On average, air fryers will cost between $80 and $200. If you’re paying more money, you should expect smarter features and a better capacity. We like large-capacity baskets that are easy to use.

Would a deep fryer be less toxic?

We have compared the deep fryer against an air fryer in our tests. Whilst deep fryers don’t use non-stick, which is one of the main concerns facing air fryers, they do engage with the other concern of overcooking food. They also require more oil to cook your food too.

Why is ceramic good for air fryers?

Ceramic-based air fryers are good because ceramic doesn't have the 'forever chemicals' associated with non-stick air fryers. Ceramic is also much harder to scratch or damage than non-stick materials like Teflon, so it's easier to maintain and will probably last longer.

• Back to the top ⤴

Final Thoughts

In spite of medical reassurance, I’m a cautious person. If there’s a chance that I could be ingesting non-stick, I would rather not risk it. That’s why I was so pleased with the range of air fryers that use ceramic or stainless steel in place of ‘forever chemicals’ and plastics. If in doubt, ceramic and stainless steel are the way to go.

• Back to the top ⤴