Kitchens

Best non-toxic air fryers – stainless steel and ceramic alternatives for health-conscious cooks

Our guide to choosing the best air fryers for safer, healthier cooking

Our Place Wonder Oven
(Image credit: Our Place)
Recent updates

February 17th: I've updated this guide to include the lowest prices from the Presidents' Day sales.

Air fryers are a fantastic way to enjoy quick, easy food with less oil – but not all models are created equally when it comes to your health. Non-stick air fryers are especially popular, with slick surfaces that resist grease, earning them a spot among the best air fryers. But if the brand doesn’t explicitly state that they use non-toxic materials for the cooking surface, there could be PFAS (known as 'forever chemicals') lurking in that non-stick coating.

The first thing to note is that, according to the FDA, these chemicals are 'joined together in large molecules and are tightly bound to the cookware, so very little is capable of getting into food.' However, they also acknowledge that exposure to PFAS has been linked to significant health issues, such as 'increased cholesterol, high blood pressure, developmental effects, reduced immune response, and increased cancer risk.' The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified PFOA (a common PFAS chemical) as 'carcinogenic to humans', and a 2023 study by Mount Sinai's Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health found that elevated PFAS levels in the bloodstream could reduce fertility by up to 40%.

The idea of ingesting these chemicals is understandably concerning. When I consulted Dr. Bruce Jarnot, a board-certified toxicologist with over 30 years of experience managing product safety and global materials compliance, he said: 'I’d recommend selecting an air fryer marketed as “PFAS Free."'

That's why over the past year, our team has been testing air fryers with PFAS-free cooking surfaces (glass, ceramic, and stainless steel), as well as keeping track of the latest medical advice on air frying safely. So far, glass air fryers haven’t impressed us (although the new glass Ninja Crispi has just arrived to our test kitchen, so I'll keep you posted on that one). Right now, our top pick is the Ninja Pro Air Fryer, which is easy, quick, and affordable – and Ninja confirms it has a '100% PFAS-free' ceramic-coated surface.

Presidents' Day deals

I scoured the sales this morning and found some great deals on the non-toxic air fryers in this guide. I've listed the lowest prices I could find below.

Ninja Air Fryer Pro 5QT | Was $119.99, now $89.99 at Amazon
Best air fryer 2025

Ninja Air Fryer Pro 5QT | Was $119.99, now $89.99 at Amazon

Ceramic coated, easy to use, and no fuss. This is the best air fryer I've ever tested. It's simple but perfect for beginners – or anyone looking to enjoy deliciously crispy food without breaking the bank.

Our Place Wonder Oven | Was $175 now $155 at Our Place

Our Place Wonder Oven |  Was $175, now $155 at Our Place 
Big, beautiful and BPA-free. This non-toxic countertop oven can air fry, toast, roast, bake, reheat, and broil – and look good doing it.

Café Couture Toaster Oven with Air Fry | Was $449now $306.14 at Amazon
Biggest price drop

Café Couture Toaster Oven with Air Fry | Was $449, now $306.14 at Amazon

Our luxury pick is discounted by 32% for Presidents' Day. It's beautiful and PFOA-free, with smart features and voice control.

KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fry | Was $259.99now $189.99 at KitchenAid

KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven With Air Fry | Was $259.99, now $189.99 at KitchenAid The best non-toxic air fryer for large families. The rack is spacious and made from stainless steel. It's even big enough for pizza.

InstantPot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid | Was $229.95, now $179.99 at Amazon

InstantPot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid | Was $229.95, now $179.99 at Amazon
With stainless steel interiors, this multifunctional air fryer can steam, pressure cook, bake and more.

The Quick List

We've tested and reviewed these air fryers, all with PFAS-free cooking surfaces. Here are our top picks at a glance. Below, I’ll dive into each model, our rigorous testing, and our research.

The research: Are Air Fryers Toxic?

Ninja Air Fryer on a wooden table with the drawer pulled open, full of chicken wings

(Image credit: Ninja)

When we covered 'Are air fryers toxic?', we 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, as board-certified toxicologist Dr. Bruce Jarnot, explains: 'Some air fryers use non-stick food baskets or trays that have PFAS in coatings.' PFAS chemicals are associated with major health risks. When we consulted public health expert, Pam Hartnett, she explained that you can become exposed to these chemicals if the cooking surface is damaged. Pam explains that 'Damaged or overheated non-stick coatings can cause toxins to be released into the air and food.'

A chipped or damaged lining is often caused by metal utensils or harsh sponges. But, air fryer chef, Sam Milner, told us there's another lesser-known culprit. Sam says, 'Light commercial oil sprays often contain an emulsifier called lecithin, which slowly breaks down the coating on your air fryer.'

The other potential risk is overly crispy or burnt food. This risk is not exclusive to air fryers; heating starchy foods to high temperatures by any method can potentially cause toxic chemicals called Acrylamides to form. That's why almost all air fryers have Prop 65 warnings in California.

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 coffee and toast.

However, this doesn't mean the food is toxic. 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.

Our experts

Bruce Jarnot, Ph.D.
Dr. Bruce Jarnot Ph.D.

Bruce is a board-certified PhD Toxicologist. He works as a materials compliance expert at Assent, where he helps global manufacturers to meet sustainability, product and chemical regulatory requirements. He has worked in toxicology for over 30 years, gaining a broad knowledge of global product compliance (including Proposition 65), FDA and USDA standards. He is also a materials scientist and a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, Inc.

Pam Hartnett stood in front of trees
Pam Hartnett MPH, RDN,

Pam Hartnett is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a Masters in Public Health. She has years of experience teaching functional nutrition, providing nutrition counseling, and implementing large-scale public health interventions to improve disease outcomes. She has contributed to US News Health Magazine, Forbes, Eating Well, and SHEFinds.

 Sam Milner, Air Fryer Chef, with her best-selling cookbook
Sam Milner

Sam is a kitchen gadget expert and best-selling author of The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook. She has been air frying for over twelve years and has tons of expert tips, from advice on how to clean your air fryer to the air fryer accessories that can add years to the life of your baskets.

Best non-toxic air fryers 2025

You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Best non-toxic air fryer overall

The best air fryer around

Specifications

Dimensions: 14.8 L x 11.3 W x 10.4 H inches
Capacity: 5 Quarts
Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, and Dehydrate
Materials: Ceramic-coated non-stick
Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to use
+
Quick, crispy results
+
Small footprint
+
Spacious capacity
+
PFAS-free ceramic-coated cooking surface

Reasons to avoid

-
Simple functions (no baking or grilling features)
-
Loud beeping noises

What we liked: The Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 is the best air fryer I’ve ever tested. It’s one of the more basic models in Ninja’s lineup, but don’t let that fool you – it’s thoughtfully designed, incredibly easy to use, and delivers crispy, delicious results fast. Plus, it doesn't use PFAS in the cooking surface. The best part? It does all that without breaking the bank.

First, let's talk design. It’s cute and compact (not much taller than my kettle), so it won’t hog counter space. But inside, there's a surprisingly spacious 5-quart basket that can handle up to 4 lbs of food. That's perfect for couples or small families, but if you have more mouths to feed, Ninja also makes an XL 6-quart version (which comes with Bake and Max Crisp functions).

The smaller model has four everyday cooking modes (Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, and Dehydrate). I loved the large digital timer, which is clear enough to read from across the kitchen.

Now, the real test: the food. The Ninja Air Fryer Pro passed with flying colors, turning out perfectly golden, crispy fries, and juicy, well-cooked chicken in record time. And cleanup was a breeze, because the ceramic-coated plate has non-stick properties without the PFAS. The food residue rinses right off with hot, soapy water, and the plate is even dishwasher-safe (though I always recommend gentle hand-washing to keep the lining intact).

What we didn't like: Not much, to be honest. Sure, it doesn’t have any fancy features like grilling, steaming or baking modes. It's not super versatile like the other options on this list. But for everyday air frying, it’s an absolute steal.

Read more: Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 review.

Best looking non-toxic air fryer