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Your kitchen needs the right gadgets. Welcome to A Guide to Gearing Up Your Kitchen, a series dedicated to equipping your space with essential small appliances (and eliminating the ones you don't need).
We’re in the golden age of the air fryer, with a vast selection of these countertop convection ovens now available. While it may be tempting to grab the first one you find on sale, take a moment to consider your options. There’s likely a better model suited to your needs. Air fryers can serve you well for many years, so make an informed choice before bringing one into your kitchen. You’ll be using it for countless delicious meals.
All air fryers function the same way: A fan near the heating element circulates hot air quickly, cooking food faster than a conventional oven. (Click here to learn more about the science behind air fryers.) However, despite this common feature, these appliances come in various designs, basket placements, and additional features that may influence your decision when picking a model.
Think About Your Cooking Preferences
To begin narrowing your choices, consider the types of meals you regularly prepare, or what you’d like to make with your air fryer (such as perfectly crispy chickpeas). Are you looking for an air fryer because you’ve heard it can create deep-fried-like dishes with significantly less oil? Or maybe you're interested in experimenting with dehydration? Will you use it mainly for baking pastries, or are you more inclined to use it for indoor grilling? Alternatively, do you just need a temporary multi-purpose cooking appliance while your conventional oven is out of commission?
Consider the Dimensions
As you explore the options, you’ll quickly see that not only do air fryers vary in shape, but also in size. This matters if you have limited space in your kitchen—nobody wants to open their new air fryer only to find it doesn’t fit on their countertop. Size is also crucial for cooking capacity. If you're mostly cooking for yourself, you probably don’t need a 21-inch model that can handle a full Thanksgiving turkey. But perhaps you're meal prepping or have a stash of turkeys in your freezer. In that case, a larger model may be more appropriate. Be sure to measure your available space and know both your minimum and maximum size requirements.
Different Air Fryer Models
Here are the three main types of air fryer models and their best features. Take into account the settings, specifications, and, most importantly, the configuration of the door and basket before making your final decision.
The Basket Style Model
This air fryer model has a unique design, resembling a small alien spacecraft in your kitchen. Typically, they are sleek blocks with rounded corners, either silver or black, featuring a handle and a central round knob. The upper portion houses the controls, the heating element, and the fan. Pulling the handle allows the lower section to slide out, revealing the basket where you load the food.
The Benefits
All-in-One Capability
Thanks to its deep basket design, this air fryer is an exceptional all-purpose kitchen tool. It can quickly turn nearly any frozen food into crispy, golden bites in minutes. It's especially great for cooking large or tall items that might not easily fit on the racks of other models. Typical settings for the standard basket model include air fry, bake, or roast, while other variants may feature additional functions like dehydrate, reheat, keep warm, or various preset options. These settings mainly differ in terms of temperature and fan speed.
Compact Design
Basket-style air fryers are ideal for kitchens with limited space. By placing the fan mechanism above the basket, these models are taller but have a smaller countertop footprint. (For instance, the Dash air fryer is only slightly larger than a notebook page in both height and width.) I find this style easy to move around, especially if you need to store it elsewhere. Even though I use mine several times a week, it sits above my fridge and I only take it down when necessary. If you have a small kitchen or limited counter space, you’ll likely find a basket-style air fryer that suits your needs.
The Drawbacks
The Basket Shape Can Be Restrictive
While the basket model has its advantages, it also comes with some limitations. In single-basket models, you can only cook one item at a time. Additionally, the basket design means you have to lower the food into it, which can be tricky when baking. It’s especially challenging when trying to lower delicate items like cakes, cheesecakes, or pies without burning your hands.
Air Fryer Basket Options Worth Considering:
Ideal for compact living spaces: DASH Tasti-crisp 2.6 Quart Air Fryer
Perfect for kitchens with plenty of counter space: Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 DualZone FlexBasket
The Oven Model
Although it shares the same effective convection fan heating system, the oven-style air fryer has a distinct appearance—similar to a toaster oven. When I first encountered these years ago, I mistook them for oversized toaster ovens with unusual mesh racks inside.
While the basket-style air fryer is tall, the oven model is wider. It typically features a hinge door that opens downward, just like a toaster oven, though recently I’ve come across models with double doors, also known as French doors. The fan and heating element are usually located on the side or along the top of the machine, often hidden behind the control panel.
The Pros
Multitask your cooking
If you're someone who likes to prepare different dishes simultaneously, this might be the ideal air fryer for you. It’s called ‘oven style’ for a reason. Much like your traditional oven, this type is typically designed to accommodate multiple racks, meaning you could heat up a personal pizza while a full pan of fries sizzles above it.
Some models go the extra mile with a removable wall that divides the space into two separate, independently heated sections. The Emeril Lagasse air fryer offers this feature: by inserting the metal divider, you create two spaces with distinct heating elements and controls. This allows you to bake a cake on one side while air frying chicken wings on the other (though be warned, the smells might mix). Since air fryers adjust heat intensity based on fan speed, there’s likely more than one fan inside, though the description and images don’t make it entirely clear.
Rotisserie
I haven't been mentioning specific features as pros or cons because most of the models are capable of all features, except one. The oven model is the only type I’ve come across so far that comes with an actual rotisserie bar built-in. If you’re the type who often grabs a whole rotisserie chicken from the store (you're certainly not alone), you may want to try making your own.
An easier entry point
I adore my basket air fryer, but every time I see an oven model, I can’t help but envy the hinge door. There’s no downside to this feature. It’s simply easier to slide items onto a tray inside an air fryer—whether it’s ribs or pumpkin pie—than to drop them into a basket or try to lift them out without burning your hands.
The view
Most oven air fryers come with a clear window on the door, and I’m just like the contestants on The Great British Bake Off—I can’t stop staring at whatever’s cooking. There’s nothing quite like having a large, unobstructed view of your dish, especially if it’s a cake or cookies. A minute’s extra time can make a huge difference, and it’s so much easier to walk by, take a quick look, and think, 'That’s almost done!' or 'It needs more time.' Sure, some basket models now come with windows, but there's usually a big handle blocking your view.
The cons
Large footprint
If you’re wondering, 'Geez, Allie, if you love the oven model so much, why do you still have the basket model?' it’s because of space. My tiny kitchen is already packed to the brim, and I need an air fryer that’s portable and can be tucked away between this and that without getting in the way. Oven-style air fryers take up a much wider space, and they’re a bit awkward to lift and store in a cabinet or above the fridge each time. If you have similar space concerns, make sure to check the dimensions when you’re shopping, and remember that the air vents also need clearance behind them.
Oven style air fryers to consider:
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
Emeril Lagasse Dual Zone 360 Air Fryer Oven Combo
Grill-style model
If all air fryers use the same convection mechanism, what’s the real difference between them? It’s the shape. The distance between the food and the heating element results in different effects. The indoor grill is a newer addition to the air fryer family, and while not as many brands offer it, there are still plenty of options available.
This model is wider and flatter compared to the other styles. The door is hinged and opens from the top, like a suitcase. The fan and heating element are housed in the door, with a bonus feature—the grill grate under the food heats up as well. This is the only type of air fryer that applies heat directly to the food in addition to convection heating. Some versions come with multiple griddle bases or baskets that can be swapped out.
Advantages of direct heating
Efficient direct heating
With a heated grill plate positioned below the food, and the fan circulating heat from above, this air fryer ensures even cooking and quicker results. Additionally, it allows for perfect sears and grill marks, making it a top choice for grilling.
Ideal for broiling
Unlike other air fryers where the heating element and fan are placed several inches apart, this model ensures you can broil foods effectively without causing them to dry out, making tasks like toasting bread easier and more efficient.
Convenient accessibility
I’m a fan of a hinge door – it’s a total game changer. No need to dig through the basket for anything; everything you need is right there, easy to grab beneath the door.
Drawbacks
Not a grill
Just to clarify, a grill-style air fryer is not a genuine grill. It doesn’t use charcoal or propane; it’s an electric convection oven, safe for indoor use but lacking the signature flavors of a traditional outdoor grill.
Single-zone cooking
Just like the basket model, the grill model operates with one-zone cooking and a single temperature setting. You'll need to finish grilling your steak and take it out before setting up the air fryer for your corn ribs. If you're after a machine that can handle multiple temperatures simultaneously, check out the dual-zone oven model above.
Proximity of heating element
This feature has both advantages and drawbacks. It’s great for broiling or cooking steak with intense, direct heat, but can be a bit too harsh for something like a frozen Hot Pocket. The high heat can quickly burn your food, so be sure to monitor what you’re cooking closely.
Grill-style air fryers worth considering:
Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Non-stick Indoor Grill
Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill with Thermometer
An air fryer can simplify and speed up your meal preparation. Depending on the model you choose, it could open up new possibilities for dishes you once thought were too difficult, time-consuming, or unachievable. Once you pick the ideal air fryer for your needs, try one of these recipes to get started.
