The Best Air Fryers of 2026

The COSORI TurboBlaze is the air fryer most people should buy in 2026. It is a 6-quart single-basket model that costs $119.99, and it is the only product in this roundup with a full set of independent lab numbers on both frying quality and real power draw, published by RTINGS.com. It also runs the lowest 3-year cost of ownership of any model here once you add up price and electricity. If you cook for a crowd, want a temperature probe for steak or a whole chicken, or need to finish two different foods at the same time, the 10-quart Ninja Foodi DZ550 is worth its $249.99 price instead.

Everyone else on this list fills a specific gap. The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6QT ClearCook ($159.99) is the pick if you want to watch food cook through a window rather than pulling the basket to check. The Ninja Air Fryer Pro AF141 ($129.99) is the compact choice for one or two people who care more about speed and steady temperature than raw capacity. The Hamilton Beach 35075 ($129.99) is the budget option once you accept that, as of this writing, no independent lab has published test numbers for it.

How we picked

We scored every air fryer on five weighted criteria: cooking performance (30%), capacity and basket size (20%), presets and cleaning ease (20%), build and warranty (10%), and 3-year cost of ownership covering purchase price plus electricity (20%).

For specs, we read the manufacturer page for each product: SharkNinja’s listings for the AF141 and DZ550, COSORI’s page for the TurboBlaze, Instant Brands’ page for the Vortex Plus, and Hamilton Beach’s page for the 35075. For independent performance data, we relied on RTINGS.com’s published lab results for the AF141, the DZ550, and the TurboBlaze, which measure basket capacity, frying quality on a batch of fries, preheat time, and temperature stability on a test bench. We priced every product directly on the brand site or a major US retailer on Sep 16, 2026, and we queried the CPSC recall database at saferproducts.gov for “air fryers” before including anything on this list. These picks come from published specs and independent lab data, not from testing in our own lab. See how we score for the full method.

What to look for

• Basket surface area, not just the quart number. Two 6-quart baskets can fit different amounts of food in a single layer. RTINGS measured the TurboBlaze’s basket at 75.5 square inches versus 64.9 square inches for the smaller AF141. If a listing only gives quarts, look for a “single layer” wing or fry count from an independent source before assuming bigger is better.
• Real power draw versus the number on the box. RTINGS measured the AF141 pulling a maximum of 1,520W despite its advertised 1,750W rating, and the DZ550 pulling 1,445W when only one of its two baskets is running. A lower real draw lowers your 3-year electricity cost, and it is not a sign of weaker cooking.
• At least a 1-year warranty, 2 years if you can get it. COSORI backs the TurboBlaze for 2 years plus a 30-day money-back window. Ninja, Instant, and Hamilton Beach all cap their air fryer warranties at 1 year.
• A dishwasher-safe basket and crisper plate. All five picks here qualify, but check the coating type. Ceramic coatings, used on the AF141 and current-production TurboBlaze units, are more resistant to PFAS concerns but harder to scrub clean by hand than PTFE if you skip the dishwasher.
• A temperature probe if you cook whole proteins often. Only the DZ550 in this list has one. It lets the machine judge doneness on a steak, chicken breast, or whole chicken by internal temperature instead of guessing at time and weight.
• Check the recall list before you buy. Search saferproducts.gov for “air fryers” by name. Three of the last four US air fryer recalls involved sub-$180 models with plastic handles that melted or overheated; none of the five products in this guide are on that list as of Sep 16, 2026.

FAQ

Are air fryers healthier than deep frying?

Air fryers use a fraction of the oil a deep fryer needs, since hot air rather than submerged oil does the cooking. Manufacturers advertise figures like “up to 95% less oil” (COSORI) or “up to 75% less fat” (Ninja) compared with traditional deep frying; these are brand claims about oil volume, not medical or nutrition claims, and we have not independently verified the exact percentages for every model.

How much electricity does an air fryer use?

Air fryers in this guide draw 1,690W to 1,750W at their advertised maximum, though RTINGS’ real-world measurements came in lower for the two models it tested for power draw (1,520W for the AF141, 1,445 to 1,510W for the DZ550). At 30 minutes of daily use, that works out to roughly $155 to $165 in electricity over 3 years at a $0.17/kWh rate, on top of the purchase price.

What is the difference between air frying and roasting on the same machine?

On multi-function air fryers like the TurboBlaze and DZ550, “air fry” and “roast” both run the fan at or near its highest speed; the difference is mainly in the default temperature and cook time COSORI or Ninja preset for each mode. Roast presets tend to run hotter and longer by default, suited to a whole cut of meat rather than small pieces that need maximum crisping in minutes.

Do air fryers need to be preheated?

Not always. The TurboBlaze has a dedicated preheat mode with a reminder beep, and RTINGS measured it taking about 3 minutes to reach 400°F. The AF141 and DZ550 have no preheat mode but reach 400°F in roughly 2 minutes once cooking starts, since the basket is smaller and the heating element is close to the food. Preheating mainly helps with foods that need an immediate hard sear, like steak.

Which air fryer in this guide has the largest capacity?

The Ninja Foodi DZ550, with a RTINGS-measured 10.1-quart total capacity split across two independent 5-quart baskets. That is roughly double the capacity of the smallest model here, the 5-quart Ninja AF141, which RTINGS measured at 5.1 quarts.