Air Fryers for Every Kitchen: Basket Size, Dual Baskets, and Oven-Style Models

An air fryer is a small countertop convection oven. A fan blows hot air around food in a basket or on a rack, which browns and crisps the outside much like frying, but with little or no oil. It heats up fast, cooks small batches quickly, and keeps the kitchen cooler than a full-size oven on a summer day.

Air fryers come in a wide range of sizes and styles. Some have a single pull-out basket, some have two baskets that cook separately, and some look like a toaster oven with racks and a door. This guide covers how to pick the right size and style, which features are worth paying for, and how to cook food safely, with models from several stores.

Top Air Fryers

Pick the right size

Air fryer capacity is listed in quarts. The number sounds large, but food cooks best in a single layer with space for air to move, so the usable space is smaller than it seems. As a rough guide, a 2- to 3-quart air fryer suits one person or side dishes, a 4- to 6-quart model suits two to four people, and 8 quarts or more suits larger families or batch cooking.

Think about what you cook most. A basket that fits a batch of fries may not fit four chicken thighs side by side. Wide, flat baskets and trays give more cooking surface than tall, narrow ones. Also measure the counter space, including the room needed behind the air fryer for the hot air vent.

Basket, dual basket, or oven style?

• Single basket: The most common style. A pull-out drawer holds a basket with a crisper plate. It is compact, easy to shake, and easy to clean.
• Dual basket: Two separate drawers with their own settings. You can cook a main and a side at different temperatures and set them to finish at the same time.
• Oven style: A box with a door, racks, and often a rotisserie or toast setting. It fits flat foods like pizza and toast and can replace a toaster oven, but it takes more counter space.
• Window models: Some baskets have a small window so you can check browning without pulling the drawer out.

Features worth paying for

Most air fryers go up to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and some reach higher for extra browning. A wide temperature range with fine steps is more useful than a long list of presets. Presets are a starting point, but most cooks end up setting time and temperature by hand.

Other helpful features include a shake reminder, a clear timer, a basket that is dishwasher safe, and a nonstick or ceramic coating that releases food easily. A quiet fan is worth checking in reviews, since some air fryers are louder than others. Extra functions like roast, bake, reheat, and dehydrate are common and are mostly the same fan and heater at different settings.

Basket-style air fryers

The Cosori TurboBlaze is a 6-quart air fryer with nine functions and a PFAS-free ceramic coating, a strong all-around choice for most households.

The Ninja Air Fryer Pro AF142 is a 5-quart, 5-in-1 model, a good size for two to four people.

At Target, the Gourmia 6-quart air fryer has a viewing window and 12 presets, handy for checking food without opening the drawer.

At Walmart, the Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL AF140 is a 5-quart model with three functions and a nonstick crisper plate, a simple option for everyday cooking.

The Chefman 6-quart compact air fryer uses touchscreen controls with four presets and a dishwasher-safe basket, a value pick for a family-size basket.

The Chefman 2-quart mini air fryer is a space-saving choice for one person, dorm rooms, or small kitchens.

Large and oven-style air fryers

The Ninja Foodi 10-quart DualZone has two baskets that can cook different foods at different settings, a good fit for families.

Also at Target, the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is an 1800-watt, 7-in-1 oven-style model that can toast, bake, and air fry.

Cooking tips

• Do not overcrowd: Cook in a single layer, and work in batches if needed.
• Shake or flip: Toss fries and small pieces halfway through for even browning.
• Use a little oil: A light coat of oil helps fresh potatoes and vegetables brown.
• Preheat when it helps: A few minutes of preheating gives a better sear on meat.
• Lower the temperature for baking: Many oven recipes work at about 25 degrees lower in an air fryer, checked early.

Cook meat to a safe temperature

Air fryers brown the outside of food quickly, so the outside can look done before the inside is. A food thermometer is the only reliable check. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's safe minimum internal temperature chart lists 165 degrees Fahrenheit for all poultry, 160 degrees for ground meats, and 145 degrees for beef, pork, veal, and lamb steaks, chops, and roasts, with a rest of at least 3 minutes. Check the thickest part of the food, away from bone.

Frozen breaded foods like chicken nuggets and fish sticks can also look browned before they are heated through. Follow the package directions, and use a thermometer when the package gives a temperature.

Air fryer or regular oven?

A full-size oven holds much more food and is still the better choice for a whole turkey, several sheet pans of cookies, or a big holiday meal. An air fryer wins for small batches. It heats in a few minutes, cooks many foods faster because the heat is close and the fan is strong, and does not warm up the whole kitchen. Many households use both, with the air fryer covering weeknight dinners, snacks, and leftovers.

Cleaning and care

Let the air fryer cool, then wash the basket and crisper plate after each use so grease does not build up. Use a soft sponge rather than steel wool, which can scratch nonstick and ceramic coatings. Wipe the inside of the drawer and the heating area with a damp cloth when the unit is unplugged and cool. Never put the main unit in water.

Keep the air fryer on a heat-safe surface with space around it, and do not block the vent at the back. Avoid covering the basket with foil or paper liners that could blow up into the heater, and follow the manual on which accessories are safe to use.

Common air fryer mistakes

The biggest mistake is filling the basket too full, which leads to soggy, uneven food. Another is ignoring the manual on cooking sprays; some makers advise against aerosol sprays on their coatings, and a small oil mister or brush works instead. People also forget to shake the basket, skip the thermometer, or set the air fryer too close to cabinets. Finally, wet batters tend to drip through the basket, so breaded coatings work better.

What cooks well in an air fryer

Air fryers do well with frozen fries and snacks, chicken wings and thighs, salmon, roasted vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and reheated pizza. Oven-style models add toast, small pizzas, and baked goods. Leftovers often come back crisper in an air fryer than in a microwave, since hot air dries the surface instead of steaming it.

Questions to ask before you buy

• How many people do you cook for? Match the quart size to your household.
• Do you cook mains and sides together? A dual-basket model helps.
• Do you want to replace a toaster oven? An oven-style air fryer covers both jobs.
• How much counter space do you have? Measure before you buy, including room for the vent.

The short answer

For most households, a 5- to 6-quart basket air fryer with a clear temperature control, a shake reminder, and an easy-clean basket is the best place to start. Larger families may prefer a dual-basket model, and anyone short on counter space may want an oven-style unit that also toasts. Whatever you choose, cook in a single layer and use a thermometer for meat and poultry.

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