The four air fryers worth the counter space
An air fryer is a small convection oven with good marketing, and I mean that as a compliment. It heats fast, it browns things a regular oven steams, and it does not heat the kitchen. The category has settled: a handful of models do the job, and the differences are capacity and how annoying the basket is to clean.
The reason to read a price site before buying one is that air fryers are the most aggressively cross-shopped small appliance there is. The same Ninja moves by twenty or thirty dollars between stores in the same week, and the store that is cheapest changes constantly.
For one or two people
Ninja Air Fryer
5 stores · read Sep 12The Ninja AF101 is the one I'd buy for a small kitchen. Four quarts is a chicken breast and a pile of fries, the basket is dishwasher-safe, and it is quiet for the class. It is on sale somewhere most weeks; the rows above will tell you where.
For a family
Cosori Pro II 5.8-Quart Smart Air Fryer
5 stores · read Sep 12Cosori's Pro II at nearly six quarts is the family workhorse. The square basket fits more than the round ones at the same rated capacity, the controls are simple, and it browns evenly. I prefer it to the equivalent Instant.
Instant Vortex 6 Quart Air Fryer
9 stores · read Sep 12The Instant Vortex Plus is the alternative, and the reason to choose it is the window and light so you can check food without opening the drawer. If you like to watch, buy this one.
The dual basket
Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 8 qt. 2-Basket Air Fryer with DualZone Technology
4 stores · read Sep 12The DualZone is the air fryer for people who cook a main and a side at the same time and want both done together. It is big. It takes real counter space and you will not put it away. If you have the room it is the most useful appliance on this page.
What to skip
Anything under three quarts, anything with a glass bowl (they take forever to heat), and the multi-cookers that do air frying as an afterthought. Buy the tool for the job.
When to buy
Air fryers are a Black Friday item, and the November prices are the floor for the year. Outside of that, the between-store spread on any given week is usually bigger than the discount you would get by waiting a month. Check the rows and buy from whoever is lowest today.