The Best Air Fryers of 2021
When it's about food, you want the tastiest and the healthiest. So, Phillips launched air fryers to provide an alternative method of preparing crispy fries, chicken wings, vegetables, and other air fryer recipes with less or no oil for a healthier treat. There is a variety of air fryers in the market today. They come in different models, shapes, and sizes in order to make them a suitable choice for everyone. For example, the basket model allows you to simultaneously prepare large batches of food like fries. The toaster oven style will not only air-fry for you but also allow you to broil, toast, and even bake. Similarly, the oven-style air fryer has several shelves where you can cook different foods simultaneously. The size ensures that you get one that will serve you sufficiently, especially if your family is big.
Any decent air fryer can do the basics – crisp up your fries and give you a healthy meal. However, our top picks in this review do more than that, giving you more value for your money. Whether you have been looking to start using an air fryer or you are upgrading your current one, reputable brands like Phillips, Cosori, Dreo, etc., have the best for you, and we discuss them in this review.
Here's a list of the best air fryers of 2021
- The Best Overall – Philips Premium Airfryer XXL
- Best Digital Air Fryer – COSORI Air Fryer
- The Best for Customizable Cooking – Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max
- Best Compact Air Fryer – Phillips Compact Air Fryer
- Best Value – CHEFMAN Small Air Fryer
Best Overall Air Fryer – The Phillips Premium Air Fryer
Phillips tops our list as the best overall air fryer for many reasons. But most importantly, Phillips was the first to launch an air dryer, and they keep building on the original design. So, quality assurance is at its highest. The Phillips premium air fryer XXL is large and can prepare food for up to 6 people. Dinner times are sorted within a few minutes. Further, the best part is that it can accommodate a whole chicken and make it so crispy, you may think it was deep-fried.
The highlight of this air fryer is the innovative fat removal technology that sucks out excess fat from your food. In addition, you can use the air fryer for multiple purposes like roasting, grilling, baking, dehydrating, or reheating your food. Unlike the oven that requires preheating, the Phillips premium air fryer XXL heats up instantly, and you are ready to start cooking.
On the downside, this air fryer is big and occupies a lot of space. This is expected because of its huge capacity. It also makes noise while in operation but cooks fast, so the noise doesn't last too long to irritate you.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Saves time
- Fat removal technology
- Huge capacity
Cons
- Premium price
- Big and heavy
- Quite noisy during operation
Best Digital Air Fryer – COSORI Air Fryer
The COSORI 3.7 Quarter air fryer is an easy-to-use square basket that comes with programmed settings for better cooking. The control panel allows you to adjust the preset temperatures and to cook time to your preferred settings. You may need to preheat the COSORI air fryer before you start cooking, so the preheat option is included on the control panel. The manual version of the settings acts as a backup to the digital settings, and you can switch any time.
Its simple design makes it easy to use. You'll only need to select what you are cooking from the control panel, and the preset temperature and cook time will update for you. Yours is to sit back and wait for your delicious meal to cook.
On the downside, the preset cooking conditions may need adjustments to produce the perfect meal. It also releases some steam which might condense around it, but this has no effect on the food.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Preset cooking temperature and time
- Easy to use
- Average price
Cons
- Some preset cooking conditions may need adjustments
- Steam escapes during cooking
Best for Customizable Cooking – Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max
The 6.8 Quarter Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max is systematically designed to give every ingredient the perfect taste with a tender inside and a crisp outside. It's an all-around cooking machine with cooking temperatures running from 100⁰F to 450⁰F, allowing the hot air to circulate for better cooking. The air fryer allows you to cook in 5 different cooking modes using six preset cooking conditions. This means that you can dry your fruits, make your yogurt, and roast your chicken in the Dreo air dryer's customizable cooking settings.
It's a great choice for a family with up to 5 people and can do well for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since the air fryer comes with a customized cookbook with over 100 recipes, you can enjoy delicious treats, including desserts, side dishes, snacks, and appetizers. The best part about the Dreo air fryer is the transparent glass that allows you to view your cooking food and monitor its progress without drawing out the basket. Therefore, when it's ready, you can see from the glass.
On the downside, the air fryer might be quite expensive considering the excellent features that come with it.
Pros
- Non-stick layer for easy cleaning
- Customizable cooking
- Built-in shake reminder
- Digital control system with auto-pause and resume settings
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Only six preset cooking settings
Best Compact Air Fryer – Philips Premium TurboStar
The 2.5 Quarters Phillips Premium Turbostar air fryer is the smaller air fryer in Phillip's collection and is an excellent choice if you are not preparing much food. It has a compact design with a lid, unlike other bigger air fryers. The lid allows the hot air to circulate through the ingredients, making them soft and tender inside but golden brown and crisp on the outside. Since you can use it to prepare pretty much everything, try it with some fish and enjoy some crispy fish.
Like all other Phillips air fryers, the Turbostar has an innovative fat removal technology that ensures excess oil is drained from your food. You'll be sure to enjoy food with no oil or Trans-fats, which are not too friendly to the body. You can easily use it for baking, roasting, grilling, or reheating your food in a short time. This smaller size Phillips air fryer is suitable for greasy foods like sausages which may not be acceptable in larger air fryers because of the smoke they produce while cooking. With the Turbostar, you can take off the lid and allow the sausages to cook.
On the flip side, the premium product will require that you pay quite a lot to get it. But that's fair because it comes with excellent features to give you the best cooking experience for healthy food. Also, you may need to buy the accessories like the grill separately as they are not included in the initial purchase, and this could cost you more. However, you don't have to buy the accessories if you don't need them.
Pros
- Fat removal technology
- Easy to use
- Lightweight and portable
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Accessories like the grill are brought separately
- Premium price
Best Value – CHEFMAN Small Air Fryer
The 3.6 Quarters CHEFMAN small air fryer has a round and compact shape, making it small enough to save storage space. However small, it can hold more food in its basket compared to how much a traditional basket would hold. With temperatures ranging from 200⁰F to 400⁰F, you can use the air fryers extensively to cook various delicacies, including vegetables, chicken, fries, and pizza. Yesterday's dessert doesn't have to go to waste; you can easily reheat it with this small air fryer.
The air fryer comes with digital temperature control and an integrated timer that ensures that the air fryer goes off when the set time expires. This prevents overcooking and allows you to enjoy your food when it is at its best. It has a non-stick finish on the basket to make cleaning easy. You'll only need to use a soft sponge for cleaning, and you'll be good to go.
On the flip side, the CHEFMAN air dryer cooks little food at a go, so it may not be a good option if you have a big family.
Pros
- Affordable
- Round and compact design to save space
- Built-in temperature control
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Not suitable for big families
- Not fit for the dishwasher
Learn More about the Best Air Fryers of 2021
Many factors may influence your decision to buy an air fryer. However, it's important to consider what other people are saying about the product before you buy it. This is because real people purchase these products every day and then come back to tell others about their experiences.
These suggestions should help you get started in your search for the perfect air dryer to meet your daily cooking needs.
