Timers with an audible alert or a fryer that can turn off automatically will add to the appliance’s ease of use. These days, there are so many air fryers on the market that the list of additional features can be overwhelming. Sometimes more features mean the device will be more complicated to use, so be sure to look at the interface and controls before making a decision, especially instant vortex if you are a beginner. In all, this Ninja and the Cosori Pro SE we named our top pick would both be a welcome addition to your kitchen. The Cosori won for its slightly larger capacity and lower price, but the Ninja has extra cooking modes that the Cosori doesn’t. If you plan to use the machine for more than just air frying, the Ninja might well be worth the extra few bucks.
Check the owner’s manual of your air fryer for which parts, if any, are ok to run through the dishwasher. As a standard air fryer, the instant vortex was able to cook very evenly despite its large capacity, doing a fantastic job with everything we threw at it. The controls are quite user-friendly, but we noted a minor flaw in that the machine uses a tray rather than a basket to hold food. This makes it tougher to shake items while cooking and requires a hot pad to remove afterward. During cooking, no spot on the exterior of this air fryer gets hot enough to cause a burn. The highest temperature that we recorded was 126.6°F on the lower-front side of the machine.
We’re big fans of the Instant Pot company for its popular line of electric pressure cookers, so our expectations for its air fryer were admittedly high. This multipurpose appliance nonetheless managed to exceed them. It combines the features of a standard air fryer with the functionality of a countertop oven, plus a rotating rotisserie. Even better, this air fryer is dishwasher-safe, so you can wash the basket and tray without having to scrub them down by hand. Plus, it’s versatile enough to roast, broil, and reheat with the touch of a button, making dinnertime a breeze.
The Vortex Plus has the above functions, with the added benefit of being able to dehydrate and broil food. With the slightly angled display, we can at last use the controls without the awkward bend of the knees. Making the Vortex plus the obvious choice for “older” users or those who will be using the unit regularly. We like this because there is less wasted space compared to a circle. Then it tells you when to add the food, and then it starts counting. Preheating is also pretty quick – it typically takes between 2-5 minutes to get up to temperature.
With a large cooking basket and easy-to-understand controls, this is the perfect air fryer for busy families looking to streamline weeknight meals. The basket can fit up to two pounds of fries or even a 4-pound whole chicken. It’s always important not to overcrowd a fryer, so the added space helps keep foods separate, ensuring consistent air flow throughout. Another smaller, drawer-style air fryer that could fit easily under cabinets, this analog model had simple controls that were intuitive to set.
Once pressed, you can adjust the latter two buttons using a silver roller dial. This model sported a powerful “Max Crisp” function that allowed it to reach 450 degrees and cook food quickly, if unevenly. But while its cooking basket was deep, holding a full 2 pounds of frozen fries, it was too narrow to fit four chicken cutlets in a single layer, limiting its usefulness for larger recipes. The unit was tall and heavy with a cooking tray with silicone bumpers that clung tightly to the walls of its cooking basket and was hard to extract.
Consumer Reports has full test results for the moosoo air fryer and dozens of other air fryers. The Instant Vortex sounds like three microwaves running all at once, as opposed to the more subtle fridgelike hum of other air fryers we’ve tried. All in all, I have very few complaints about the performance of the Instant Vortex Slim. It’s quiet, averaging just 50dB on my decibel reader (which is comparable to a refrigerator hum, and far quieter than my particularly raucous extractor fan). Plus, it cooks food perfectly every time, offering the right balance of features to make your cooking experience as low-maintenance as possible.
The dial in the center of the screen easily allows you to adjust the temperature in 5-degree intervals and the text is large and easy to read. Even if you’re someone who hates reading manuals, we have a feeling you’ll be able to figure this one out. We saw a lot of steam leaving the back of the air fryer which was a good sign that it removed a lot of the moisture from the zucchini, which can be a hard vegetable to roast. Overall we were happy with our finished plate of food, but found that the lower maximum temperature meant it cooked more slowly on average than the Ninja air fryers we tested.
There are some awfully expensive air fryers out there, but the Cosori Pro LE proves that higher price doesn’t always mean higher quality. It has a really nice, compact, sleek, and—most importantly—safe design. Air fryers have gained popularity for producing crispy, evenly browned “fried” foods without the use of a deep fryer. They work by circulating hot air around food, similarly to a convection oven, and eliminate the need for much (if any) cooking oil. Many air fryers are programmed with multiple cooking functions and can double as a toaster oven, convection oven, warmer, rotisserie, indoor grill, and more.