Most of the accessories are dishwasher safe and the rest of the appliance is easy enough to clean. Many air fryers are programmed with multiple cooking functions and can double as a toaster oven, convection oven, warmer, rotisserie, indoor grill, and more. With so many options on instant vortex the market, it can be tough to choose the one that’s right for you, so we tested the top-rated air fryers in our Lab and compared them side by side. We also sent several models to our experienced at-home product testers to gather more insights straight from real-life kitchens.
We tested 11 of the top air fryer models in our Lab by seeing how French fries, chicken tenders, and carrots fared in each machine. If possible, we also baked cornbread and roasted a small chicken. The testers cleaned each machine repeatedly and placed any dishwasher-safe parts through a few washing cycles. All of our reviewers evaluated the air fryers on ease of use, performance, performance, versatility, cleaning, and overall value. The lack of a preheat preset and a timer is another downside. It was a bit of a guessing game to know when it’s ready to cook, and when it’s done.
With a small foot print and so much functionality, it’s easy to make room for this new appliance. These appliances aren’t just for piles of fries and chicken wings. Air fryers are far more versatile than countertop oil fryers or toaster ovens, so they’re worth a second look even if you’re not a huge fan of standard fried fare. Air fryers are an entirely different beast than the countertop oil fryers you may have bought in the past. A light spritzing from an oil spray bottle should be all you need. Just choose whatever food you’d like to fry, preheat the unit for a few minutes, and place it in the removable basket.
The racks don’t slip off and nestle in the grooves tightly. We own another popular brand of oven style air fryer and the racks suck, they always slip and the food falls off. The Vortex racks are built well and slide in-and-out securely without slipping. This is a HUGE winner and feature we looked for first.
Though this air fryer’s measured capacity isn’t as spacious as the manufacturer’s claim (6 quarts vs. a measured 4.8 quarts), there is no denying that this model is roomy. Its boxy design maximizes cooking space more so than egg-shaped air fryers. Six strips of bacon, four generously sized chicken cutlets, and a large filet of fish all lie nice and flat without overlapping. And when it comes to baking, square pans are a cinch to drop in. Please visit /support/register to register your new Instant Brands™ appliance. You will be asked to provide the store name, date of purchase, model number and serial number along with your name and email address.
Beyond temperature, take a look at the other functionalities of an air fryer. There are many all-in-one-type air fryers on the market today that can toast, bake, roast, dehydrate, and more. If those added functions can replace another small appliance in your kitchen it may be worth additional cost.
So that means the top rack will be closer to the hot circulating heating element. If you’re cooking the same food on all 3 racks, you’ll have to rotate more often to get the food to cook evenly. Just be aware of that if you’re looking to make your first purchase an oven-style model. The 4-quart air fryer has a roomy basket that fits a 20-ounce bag of fries or a 12-ounce box of chicken tenders, according to the brand. You can also get the bigger 6-quart version for just $25 more, which fits a 2-pound bag of fries or a 4-pound chicken.
I am surprised and happy thus far how well the air fryer works. Chicken wings were my first attempt using the air fryer and they came out really delicious. So I’m looking forward to trying moosoo air fryer other types of meals with it. Was on the fence for awhile on whether to buy an air fryer. I love my Instant Pot, so of course decided Instant Pot Air Fryer would be best to try.
The square-shaped design of this model gives you more room to fit food in the cooking basket compared to smaller fryers with rounded baskets. Our product tester noted the basket shape helps spread food out a bit more versus piling it on top of each other, which can lead to less crisp cooking results. In tests, this air fryer heated quickly, cooked evenly, and was extremely efficient.
Always exercise extreme caution when removing food from the hot cooking chamber. Touching hot surfaces may result in personal injury, and/or property damage. We’ve tested models that automatically preheat and ones that let you get cooking without any preheating. In our tests, we found foods cooked similarly whether we preheated or not. Some air frying guides recommend preheating for better results when air frying meat you want to get a nice sear on, like steak and chicken breasts.