Best Air Fryers (2026): Six Picks Compared, From Compact Baskets to Countertop Ovens

An air fryer is a small, very hot convection oven: a heating element and a powerful fan blast air around the food so the outside browns and crisps with a spoonful of oil instead of a pot of it. Frozen fries, chicken wings, roasted vegetables, reheated pizza, and salmon all come out faster than in a full-size oven, and the kitchen stays cool.

We compared six air fryers that are selling well on Amazon right now, from a $58 compact basket for two to a $400 Breville countertop oven that can roast a 14-pound turkey. Specs come from manufacturers and current Amazon listings; prices move almost daily, so treat them as mid-October 2026 snapshots. On Amazon’s Air Fryers Best Sellers list when we checked, the Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart was No. 1, the Chefman 4-quart No. 2, the Instant Pot Vortex Plus No. 4, the Cuisinart TOA-70 No. 7, and the Ninja Foodi DualZone DZ201 No. 10. The Breville was No. 2 in Amazon’s Convection Ovens category.

Basket, dual-basket, or oven: which air fryer type?

Single-basket air fryers (the Cosori, Instant Pot, and Chefman here) are the classic pull-out-drawer design. The small cavity and strong fan make them the fastest and crispiest option, and they are the easiest to store. A 4-quart basket suits one or two people; 6 quarts feeds about three to five.

Dual-basket air fryers (the Ninja) split the drawer into two independently heated zones, so you can cook chicken at one temperature and fries at another and have both finish at the same moment. That is the feature busy families pay for.

Air fryer toaster ovens (the Cuisinart and Breville) trade some crisping speed for room: a flat tray holds a whole sheet of wings, a 12-inch pizza, or a roast chicken, and they also toast, bake, and broil. If counter space is tight, one of these can replace both a toaster and an air fryer.

How we chose

Sales and reviews came first. Every pick has thousands of Amazon ratings at 4.4 stars or better and sits high on Amazon’s best-sellers lists, which tells you people keep buying them and keep them.

Then capacity and controls. We wanted a range of sizes, from a 4-quart basket for small kitchens to a 1-cubic-foot oven, with a temperature range that reaches at least 400°F, easy-clean nonstick or stainless parts, and controls that are simple to learn.

And gift appeal. Air fryers are one of the most popular holiday kitchen gifts: everyone eats, the results are obvious on night one, and there is a good option at almost every budget from about $60 to $400.

Quick pick guide

Best overall: Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart: a fast DC-motor fan, 90–450°F range, a PFAS-free ceramic basket, and quiet running for about $100. It is Amazon’s No. 1 air fryer, with more than 30,000 bought in the past month.

Best value: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart: a stainless 6-quart basket with six cooking programs and more than 43,000 ratings for about $90.

Best compact pick: Chefman 4-Quart TurboFry Touch: a slim 4-quart basket with a 450°F Hi-Fry finish for about $58, ideal for one or two people.

Best for families: Ninja Foodi DualZone DZ201: two independent 4-quart baskets that finish two foods at the same time, for about $180.

Best air fryer toaster oven: Cuisinart TOA-70 Air Fryer Toaster Oven: air fry, toast six slices, bake a 12-inch pizza, and grill, for about $220.

Best premium pick: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro: a 1-cubic-foot smart oven with 13 cooking functions, super convection, and room for a 14-pound turkey, for about $400.

Comparison at a glance

Model	Type	Size	Max temp	Price
Cosori TurboBlaze	Basket	6 qt	450°F	~$100
Instant Vortex Plus	Basket	6 qt	400°F	~$90
Chefman 4-qt	Basket	4 qt	450°F*	~$58
Ninja DZ201	2 baskets	2 × 4 qt	450°F	~$180
Cuisinart TOA-70	Toaster oven	0.6 cu ft	450°F	~$220
Breville BOV900	Oven	1.0 cu ft	480°F	~$400

*The Chefman’s normal range tops out at 400°F; its Hi-Fry button adds a 450°F burst for the last two minutes. Specs are from manufacturer pages and Amazon listings. Prices are approximate Amazon prices in mid-October 2026.

Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart: best air fryer overall

The Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart is the air fryer we would buy for most kitchens, and Amazon’s sales data agrees: it was the No. 1 air fryer when we checked, with more than 30,000 bought in the past month. Cosori’s TurboBlaze page explains why it is fast: it is the brand’s first air fryer with a DC motor, which spins the fan up to 3,600 rpm and offers five fan speeds. Cosori says that cooks up to 46% faster than its previous Pro Gen 2 model.

The 6-quart square basket (5.7 liters) serves about three to five people, and the basket and crisper plate have a PFAS-free ceramic nonstick coating and go in the dishwasher. The range runs from 90°F (low enough to proof bread or dehydrate fruit) to 450°F, and it handles air fry, roast, broil, bake, frozen, dehydrate, proof, reheat, and keep warm. It draws 1,725 watts, weighs 13.2 pounds, and Cosori rates it below 53 dB even at top fan speed. Amazon lists it at $99.99 (list $119.99) with 4.8 stars across more than 22,000 ratings, plus a two-year warranty.

Trade-offs: one basket means one temperature at a time, so a main and a side cook back to back. Its app-connected sibling is a separate model. For everyday crispy food with a quiet fan, it is the one to buy.

Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart: best value

The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart is the safe, inexpensive family-size pick. It has the biggest review pool here, more than 43,000 Amazon ratings at 4.6 stars, and at about $90 (list $149.99) it costs a little less than the Cosori. Per Instant’s Vortex Plus page, it air fries, bakes, roasts, broils, dehydrates, and reheats with little to no preheating, using what Instant calls EvenCrisp airflow. The touchscreen shows each cooking stage, and the stainless finish looks better on a counter than most black plastic baskets.

The 6-quart basket handles up to six portions. Temperature runs from 95°F to 400°F, power is 1,700 watts, and the footprint is about 14.9 by 12.4 inches. It was No. 4 in Air Fryers when we checked, with more than 5,000 bought in the past month.

Trade-offs: the 400°F ceiling is 50 degrees lower than the Cosori’s, so the last bit of browning takes a little longer, and the warranty is one year instead of two. If you want a proven 6-quart basket for less, it is a strong buy.

Chefman 4-Quart TurboFry Touch: best compact air fryer

The Chefman 4-Quart TurboFry Touch is the pick for one or two people, dorm rooms, and small apartments. It was Amazon’s No. 2 air fryer when we checked, with more than 20,000 bought in the past month, and at about $58 (list $99.99) it is the cheapest pick here. Per Chefman’s product page, the 4-quart (3.78-liter) basket sits in a body about 13.8 inches deep, 10 inches wide, and 10.2 inches tall, slim enough to live in a cabinet between uses.

A touchscreen sets time and temperature from 200°F to 400°F, and four presets cover the basics. The Hi-Fry button pushes the heat to 450°F for the final two minutes for extra-crisp fries and tenders, and an alarm reminds you to shake the basket halfway through. The nonstick basket and rack are dishwasher safe, it shuts off when the basket comes out, and Amazon shows 4.6 stars across nearly 4,000 ratings.

Trade-offs: 4 quarts is about two servings of fries, so it is not a family machine, and there are only four presets. As a first air fryer or a gift for a small kitchen, it is hard to beat at this price.

Ninja Foodi DualZone DZ201: best air fryer for families

The Ninja Foodi DualZone DZ201 solves the biggest annoyance with basket air fryers: cooking dinner in shifts. Per the Amazon listing, it has two independent 4-quart zones, each with its own basket, fan, and heater. Smart Finish staggers the start times so wings in one basket and fries in the other finish together; Match Cook copies one zone’s settings to the other when you want the full 8 quarts for one food, such as up to 4 pounds of fries or wings.

It covers six functions (air fry, air broil, roast, bake, reheat, and dehydrate) from 105°F to 450°F and draws 1,690 watts. The crisper plates are dishwasher safe. Amazon lists it at $179.95 (list $199.99) with 4.8 stars across more than 25,000 ratings and over 2,000 bought in the past month; it was No. 10 in Air Fryers when we checked.

Trade-offs: it is wide (about 15.6 inches) and heavy (about 17.9 pounds), and each basket is only 4 quarts, so a whole chicken or a large roast will not fit. For a household of four that wants a main and a side on the table at the same time, it is the one.

Cuisinart TOA-70 Air Fryer Toaster Oven: best air fryer toaster oven

The Cuisinart TOA-70 Air Fryer Toaster Oven is for anyone who would rather have one appliance on the counter than two. Cuisinart and the Amazon listing describe an 1,800-watt oven with eight functions: air fry, toast, convection bake, bake, convection broil, broil, grill, and warm. A top-mounted fan and heater (Cuisinart calls it AirAdvantage) do the air frying, and the 0.6-cubic-foot interior fits six slices of toast, 3 pounds of chicken wings, a 12-inch pizza, or a 4-pound chicken.

Control is old-school: dials for temperature (warm to 450°F), function, toast shade, and a 60-minute timer with auto shutoff. It ships with an oven rack, a baking pan, an air fry basket, and a ceramic nonstick reversible grill/griddle, and Cuisinart backs it with a three-year limited warranty. Amazon lists it at $219.95 with 4.4 stars across more than 7,700 ratings and over 4,000 bought in the past month.

Trade-offs: like most oven-style air fryers, it crisps a bit more slowly than a basket because the cavity is bigger, and the parts are hand-wash. Choose it if you want an air fryer and a real toaster oven in one footprint.

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro: best premium air fryer oven

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro (model BOV900BSS) is a countertop oven that can stand in for a full-size oven for most weeknight cooking. Breville’s product page describes its Element IQ system, which steers power among independent quartz elements above and below the food, plus PID temperature control to avoid cold spots. A two-speed super convection fan does the air frying and, Breville says, cuts cooking time by up to 30%.

There are 13 functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, proof, air fry, reheat, cookies, slow cook, and dehydrate (up to four trays). The interior is about 16 by 13.5 by 7 inches, big enough for nine slices of toast, a 14-pound turkey, most 9-by-13-inch pans, or a 5-quart Dutch oven for slow cooking. It comes with a pizza pan, two racks, a broil rack and roasting pan, and a mesh air fry basket. Amazon lists it at $399.95 with 4.5 stars across more than 13,000 ratings and over 10,000 bought in the past month.

Trade-offs: it is the most expensive pick and the biggest, about 21.5 inches wide and 30 pounds, so measure under your cabinets first. If you cook for a crowd or want one appliance that air fries, bakes, and roasts well, it is the premium buy.

Tips for getting the most out of an air fryer

Do not crowd the basket. Air needs to move around the food. Cook in a single layer, or in batches, and shake or flip halfway through; that matters more than any preset.

Use a little oil. A teaspoon or a light spray on fresh potatoes and vegetables helps them brown. Skip aerosol cooking sprays with propellants on nonstick baskets, since they can leave a sticky film over time.

Preheat for crisp, skip it for reheating. Three to five minutes of preheating helps breaded foods; leftovers and frozen snacks rarely need it.

Clean the basket while it is warm. Soak the basket and crisper plate in hot soapy water for a few minutes, and wipe the heating element area once in a while so old grease does not smoke.

Bottom line

For most kitchens, the Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart is the best air fryer: fast, quiet, easy to clean, and about $100. Want a proven 6-quart basket for a little less? The Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-Quart has the biggest fan base here. Cooking for one or two, or short on space? The Chefman 4-Quart TurboFry Touch does the job for about $58. Families who want a main and a side done together should get the Ninja Foodi DualZone DZ201. If you would rather replace your toaster too, the Cuisinart TOA-70 Air Fryer Toaster Oven is the all-rounder, and if you cook for a crowd and want the best countertop oven, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is worth the splurge.

Any of the six makes an easy holiday gift: the first batch of crunchy fries settles the question.

Featured photo: Fujiphilm / Unsplash.

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