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Best Air Fryers consumer reports of 2021

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Jody's Bakery
Best Air Fryers consumer reports of 2021

 

Crispy chips without oil? That's the air fryer's golden promise, and it might explain why, in the US, an additional 2 million air fryers were sold in Q2 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. And research firm market research NPD Group predicts that this category will continue to grow dramatically in 2021.

These irregularly shaped tabletop appliances do not fry food at all. They are tiny convection ovens. The fan circulates hot air to cook food in the basket from the outside quickly.

Instead, hand-held foods you normally fry can be put in an air fryer. Sure, French fries add to your list of chicken wings, chicken nuggets, jalapeño poppers, cheese sticks, even pizza. You get the idea. According to our measurements, most have a small capacity between 2 and 5.8 quarts (usually smaller than claimed).

In the lab, we found that models in our air fryer rankings produced uniquely cooked food, even though the workers who sampled the results were not fooled into thinking. that they were crispy. "You can tell the difference," said Larry Ciufo, Consumer Reports' test engineer who oversees the air fryer testing.

Instructions for cooking times and temperatures vary by manufacturer, and although we noticed a slight difference in the browning process, staff did not notice any real difference in food.

We evaluate the power, legibility, and ease of use of the controls, noise level, and the amount of elbow grease needed to clean a model.
Below, a summary of the seven best air fryers from CR's latest tests, listed in alphabetical order.

Tip: Don't overload the air fryer basket. It can slow down the cooking process and prevent air from reaching all of the food, giving you uneven results. For more tips on using this tabletop device, check out our in-depth section on how to get the most out of your air fryer.

For more information when you shop, check out our air fryer buying guide. And you will find even more options in our rated air fryer.

01. Elite Platinum EAF-1506D 3.5 Qt Digital Air Fryer

The shape of the Elite Platinum EAF-1506D air fryer makes it seem larger than it is; Its measured capacity is 3.4 quarts. But the handle can be folded down, making it easier to store. The pre-programmed controls and settings are fairly easy to read and cleaning the inside and outside of the air fryer is easy.

However, cleaning the basket takes a bit of work, judging its cleaning level from Excellent to very good. It's relatively quiet, and the warranty is one year.

02. Farberware 3.2 Quart Oil-less Multi-Functional Fryer Black FT 42138 BK

Its relatively good price and performance make the Farberware 3.2 Quart Oil-Free Multi-Functional Air Fryer the CR's best buy. It is one of the quietest of the models we have tested, with an excellent rating on our noise tests. (You can actually hear the mechanical timer tick through fan noise.)

The dials are fairly easy to read and easy to use, but the nooks and crannies of the food basket are difficult to clean. The measured capacity of the basket is 3.2 liters. The two-year warranty is longer than most of the models we tested.

03. Gourmia GAF686 Digital

The Gourmia GAF686 Digital watch is new in CR tests and proves itself worthy of the top spot in the category. Although its measured capacity is 4.3 quarts, its overall size is almost comparable to the smaller capacity Farberware (above) and NuWave Brio (below).

In addition to receiving an Excellent rating for the controls, this model also has an excellent rating for noise and ease of cleaning. Gourmia also stands out for being the lightest weight air fryer in our group, making it easy to move from cabinet to tabletop and vice versa. The warranty on this model is good for one year.

04. GoWise USA GW22731

Another CR Best Buy, the GoWise GW22731, has a measured capacity of 4.9 liters. Its touch buttons and programmed settings are among the easiest to see and use, rated Excellent in our review. And this is one of the quietest air fryers we've tested. However, the outer crevices and nooks of the basket take a bit of effort to clean. The warranty is one year.

05. Ninja AF100

Testers found that the 3-liter Ninja AF100's electronic controls with pre-programmed settings were also among the easiest to see and use, receiving an Excellent rating in their review. Me about them. Cleaning the inside and outside of this fryer is quite easy but a bit noisy. The fan is as powerful as a countertop microwave, so you'll hear it running. Warranty includes one year.

06. NuWave Brio Air Fryer 36011

The NuWave Brio 36011 is a smaller version of the NuWave 37001 and has a measured capacity of just 2.6 liters, one of the smallest we've tested. Like the larger NuWave, the Brio features electronic controls with pre-programmed settings, among the most tested and easily visible air fryers, rated excellent. This model isn't as noisy as its cousin, but cleaning the basket is a bit harder. The warranty is one year.

07. NuWave 6-Qt 37001 Air Fryer

The NuWave 37001 air fryer boasts a measured capacity of 5.8 liters. Our experts found that its electronic controls with pre-programmed settings are among the easiest to see and use.

The inside and outside of the appliance can be cleaned, but cleaning food out of the holes in the basket takes a bit more effort. This air fryer has a noisy side, which scored only good on our loudness tests. The fan is as powerful as a countertop microwave, so you'll hear it running. The warranty is good for one year.

 

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