20 Types Of Air Fryers in 2023: Best Reviews with Different Functions

Air fryers are becoming more popular in recent years, they can help make low-fat but delicious foods, and they can handle a wide array of food types and recipes. Since air fryers provide incredible cooking versatility, different types of air fryers have their own advantages, some types are connected online so that you can control them even if you are not at home, and some types are big enough and can fit in a whole chicken, some types have multifunctions and you can treat it as microwave, oven, pressure cooker, etc

So which one is the best suited for you? It depends on your demand! But no matter what you want, you will find the answer according to our full list of air fryer types. Why? Because this article is written on my 5 years experience with air fryers and over 100 air fryer lovers’ opinions!

However, some air fryers are not the same as the merchants said, you shouldn’t waste your money on some useless air fryer types. That is why this article will show you the actual cooking experience which you can’t find on the merchants’ official sites.

Without wasting time, let’s dive into it.

How Does an Air Fryer Work

I typically refer to my air fryers as portable convection ovens. An air fryer works by cooking your food faster as it moves superheated hot air around it. Most people use a bit of oil for cooking in these appliances, which brings about the frying aspect. The oil also gives your food a crispy layer, bringing a similar mouthfeel to a deep fryer without an insane amount of grease.

Since we know how air fryers work, let’s discuss the different types of air fryers and their unique features.

Different Types of Air Fryers

In this list, we have compiled these air fryers so you can choose the best air fryer oven that suits your cooking habit to cook healthier meals with less fuss and less mess.

1. Dual-Basket Air Fryers

While I found the dual-basket air fryer a bit bulky for a tiny kitchen, it has been a worthy investment for speeding up my evening meals. I can quickly figure out the controls, and this type of air fryer is the fastest to make homemade fries. Cooking two elements of a meal at once is the ultimate perk of the dual-basket air fryers. Most of them have SyncFinish Mode you can use two drawers to cook different meals. The SyncCook Mode also allows me to cook two fish in each drawer evenly for a family of four. Also, cooking fries in dual-basket air fryers is hassle-free.

2. Recipe-Presented Air Fryers

With this type of air fryer, I don’t need to look for super easy air fryer recipes because these recipes come with the appliance. A typical food and kitchen enthusiast like me can make virtually all meals in this magic pot, including vegetables, pork recipes, beef recipes, and even desserts.

Most of these air fryers work similarly, with the only differences in how much food to fit into them and the basket sizes. I have used them to cook breakfast, lunch, dessert, and everything. Since these air fryers come with cookbooks, they provide easy guidelines on preheating or cooking for the best results. They also have times and temperature settings for making the best-frozen foods.

I know that these recipe-presented air fryers are game-changers because you have a pretty little guide for everything you want to cook in them.

3. No Shaking & No Preheating Type of Air Fryers

You will not need to pull out the rack and flip your meals with these models. They prepare more even cooking than many other air fryers on the market. I love the No Preheat Cooking Mode because I have always got a crispier exterior from the items I use them for. The appliance optimizes heating from the Convection, Broil, and Bake Fan elements to get the crisp fried food results I love without using hot oil.

I love using it for cooking pizza bites, cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, appetizers, vegetables, potato products, chicken wings or nuggets, etc. Also, the No Preheat Mode is suitable for putting your food items in a cold oven and starting cooking. You might need to cook your food at a slightly higher temperature or a bit longer if you use a recipe meant for a countertop air fryer.

4. Ceramic Air Fryers

The ceramic air fryer types make this list because they won’t have a plastic smell while some of the plastic air fryers may release it when cooking at a high temperature. I was able to figure out that with the flip-up design for the ovens to save kitchen space. Many of them blend pressure cookers and air fryer functions to cook quickly and healthily.

The ceramic-coating baskets make cooking a breeze, and you no longer need to fight the element or grill outside. It is not also possible to go wrong with many of these air fryers because they are pretty simple, and you can use the rotary knobs to control the various functions.

This appliance makes cooking dinner easy, and you would surely want to use it daily. Spray oil on a few leftover vegetables, sprinkle some seasoning, and roast with fish seasoned with breadcrumbs. These models roast then fry and are perfect for heavy vegetable eaters.

5. BPA-Free Air Fryers

BPA-free air fryers ensure that your food comes out without toxic chemicals, making them one of the types of air fryers to consider. Since Bisphenol A (BPA) can tamper with your health, these products are not made with any toxic chemicals. Many of the air fryers in this list stand out because of their convenient digital control panel. I love the one-touch presets that save me time on busy days.

These kitchen appliances allow you to quickly cook French fries, chicken wings, or anything and any recipe you’d find online. They mostly come on ceramic-coated non-stick baskets that make cleaning easier for you.

Also, I love that they are quiet and heat up quickly. You don’t need to spend much money to get these air fryers since they are also affordable. I always consider safety when choosing my air fryer, and I feel safe when I see that the trays and baskets are made from stainless steel.

6. Small Air Fryers

These air fryers have a small capacity and are less expensive than the larger ones. However, you can expect to get crispy food from them. They are suitable for limited counter space in a small kitchen. If you have a family of three, you can expect these models to heat hot air and circulate it at high speed while utilizing the latest rapid-air technology. They can cook your favorite dish while producing a crispy fried texture with a bit of oil.

You will love the trendy and sleek designs of these lightweight and compact models with their easy-to-use presets and digital touchscreen controls. They can reheat or roast quickly while baking, broiling, and frying. You can also select from different colors.

7. Large Air Fryers

Large air fryers mean large capacity, which equals convenient cooking healthy and crispy family-sized meals without any mess or excess oil added calories. Also, I love that I can benefit from many features that satisfy various preferences. Even though they are large, it is easy to clean these models. Bring out the used lids, trays, or frying baskets and wash them with warm water and soap.

You will also find these air fryers safer than others because you won’t splash or spill oil or touch hot oil to cause injury. Many of these models also boast additional handy features for a busy family kitchen. You will like the accessories for cooking pizza. They also have preheating options, pause buttons, and even a ‘keep warm’ option to store your items at a suitable temperature.

Many large air fryers have presets for temperature and cooking settings programmed to safely and adequately cook specific foods.

8. Automatic Temperature Control Type Air Fryers

Different brands provide various options for automatic temperature control air fryers, making them suitable for quickly cooking healthy foods. I have used them to make baked chicken, chicken drumsticks, cakes, hamburgers, pork chops, steaks, baked potatoes, and more. You will love the crisp, golden appearance it gives your food and a juicy, moist, and tender interior without using oil.

Most of these air fryers have timers with an auto-off function, and you can get the perfect fry every time from the ready signal. I can easily clean the fry pans and baskets. They also come with a built-in cold-touch handle and housing. You will love the accessories because they are nonstick and dishwasher-safe.

If you want revolutionary superheated fast air technology air fryers that can cook food fast while remaining healthy, these automatic temperature control air fryers can get the job done!

9. Remote Control Air Fryers

Most models in this list have Wi-Fi- and Alexa-enabled through the VeSync app available from the App Store or Google Play. They have little icons that indicate their preprogrammed settings through small buttons for the various functions. I am pretty comfortable with technology and love the extra convenience the air fryer gives me once I connect to an app.

The less cluttered look these appliances have when the display goes to sleep when it’s not operating is also great. You can also customize the preset to prepare food routinely as you desire. These air fryers also beep and flash SHAKE when it reaches half the cooking time. You can press a button to switch off the notification if the alert sounds annoying to you.

The best part is you can program your kitchen appliance from your phone, and you can choose your favorite recipes from the app.

10. Glass Air Fryers

You can see the complete cooking process of food, is that amazing? These air fryers light your meals as it cooks. Therefore, their systems are the same as those of air fryers, apart from the heating element. The heating element has a big bowl used by their ovens. I find the metal extension rings in most of these models to help cook larger items, including larger chickens. They also have essential accessories like tongs for lifting food items in and out of the appliance, cooking trays, and food racks.

They also have a good design aesthetic with digital displays, and a few cooking presets in some of them. These factors make them well-regarded and high-quality glass air fryers. You can use it to make steak or pork chops. They also have powerful convection and halogen heating systems that circulate heated air evenly around the oven.

The best part, I found them to be 75 percent more energy-efficient and 50 percent faster than a conventional oven.

11. Microwave Air Fryer Combo

These air fryers are game-changers for kitchen enthusiasts like me. I love the best of both worlds they offer as I can use the microwave setting to heat my food quickly and turn to the air fryer setting for crisp and brown dishes. I can use the air fryer for cooking and browning my food after defrosting it using the microwave setting.

They can detect the time the air fryer and microwave need to cook and their power setting through their sensor technology. You will love the built-in convection oven, which allows you to roast, bake and even broil when you set it to a convection setting.

Microwave air fryers have various sizes, which makes them versatile kitchen appliances for air frying more food than other standalone air fryers. Their circulating technologies also offer much healthier food, and you can save a lot of kitchen space with them.

12.  Multifunctional Air Fryers

If you need to make tasty, healthy food at home without any mess or stress, you need a multifunctional air fryer. They can cook and roast while providing a long-term solution to spending money on unhealthy fast foods. Most of these appliances have more than 12 functions with a wide temperature range.

Multifunctional air fryers are also perfect for cooking family-sized meals, and you can rely on them to make extra crispy cheesecakes and the most delicious, crispiest French fries in minutes! Many of them come in stainless steel and are test-proven to get optimal results every time.

They are also a perfect size for shrimp, chicken, fish fillets, steak, and more. With that, many brands manufactured these models with the convenience and functionality of today’s busy families. They have an easy-to-clean stainless steel interior, automatic shut-off, and digital timers.

Multifunctional air fryers are your perfect cooking buddies if you want to enjoy guilt-free food and fry with more than 75 percent less fat than conventional methods.

13. Paddle Type Air Fryers

If you want to save time and bring the ‘set and forget’ habit to your cooking, you can go for a paddle-type air fryer. These great, self-stirring appliances gently stir your food to ensure an evenly cooked meal without worrying about stirring or shaking. You can remove the paddle and cook in any way you want.

The paddle plays a significant role in providing the convenience of stirring the food automatically for you. The hot air moves around the food more evenly as the paddle moves across the basket.

You will love how the paddle helps to cook your chicken, pork chops, chips, or any other meat perfectly. It makes mine tender and browned. I love the terrific feeling of viewing what I’m cooking through the window without opening the air fryer.

Many of these types of air fryers have plenty of room to accommodate your cooking.

14.  Basket Type Air Fryers

A basket-type air fryer cooks your food inside the basket with a handle to toss the food while cooking. When I first encountered a basket air fryer, I took it as a convection oven with a basket-style air fryer and high-powered blower. However, many models I came across have airflows typical of oil flow in a deep-fryer. Most basket air fryer models utilize upper heating elements for their heat sources.

These air fryers bring dynamism into your cooking experience with their easy-touch buttons. I love the timer and temperature preset, the large pull-out baskets with handles, and the digital format. If you love to cook multiple items at once, these models will get you covered.

They are also perfect for cooking mozzarella sticks, ravioli, jalapeno poppers, pizza bites, roasted garlic cloves, toasted strudels, and corn dogs. Basket air fryers will transform how you cook dinner each night, making everything you put into it delicious.

15. Glass Type Air Fryers

These air fryers cook food more efficiently and faster than convection ovens, making them suitable for busy families looking for multifunctional air fryers. You can use them for baking, broiling, roasting, grilling, reheating leftovers, etc. Most of these halogen air fryers have a high-powered heating element of about 1200 watts, even with their compact sizes. That is why users of these air fryers continue to praise their robust design and patented efficiency process.

You will love how they excellently cook your shrimp, fish, ribs, steaks, chicken, and more. They are also perfect for fries and preparing great-tasting crispy skins. I love using them on my kitchen countertop since they are safe with the built-in safety of automatic power-off feature. The removable bowl also makes cleaning a breeze.

These air fryers cook crispy and brown food on the outside and keep them moist on the inside without excess oil.

16. Oven Type Air Fryers

Apart from air frying, oven air fryers are multifunctional kitchen appliances that offer dehydrating, toasting, broiling, baking, and rotisserie options. Most of these appliances have smart oven feature sensors to prevent uneven cooking while directing heating. They also have spaces for cooking on one rack at a time and a standard-sized baking sheet, providing generous cooking capacities.

What I love about these air fryers is that you can store them upright to preserve counter space when you’re not using them. Also, most models of these digital devices have bagel settings to help you make the perfect breakfast sandwich.

They are primarily suitable for cooking a whole roast or chicken along with sides. These units can take full meals while also offering two cooking racks.

17. Cylinder Basket Type Air Fryers

These air fryers have removable baskets that hold your food items. At the top is the heated air, and fans circulate the air evenly around your food in the basket. What I love about these appliances is that they require less counter space, and I can easily toss my food in the basket. It takes only 2 minutes to preheat food, and many color options are available.

You will like how these air fryers allow more space in your kitchen without heating your kitchen as compared to other conventional ovens.

The cylinder basket air fryers are also perfect for small families because they are small appliances. However, they work perfectly like regular air fryers, giving you better crispy food. The perforated base with holes on it provides more support for your food.

18. Pressure Cooker Type Air Fryer

Are you ready for endless cooking options, including steaming baked cakes, searing meats, slow-cooking stews, crisping fries, cooking rice and grains, and more? These air fryers have multiple stovetop settings that allow you to get precise temperature control of your stovetop in one pot. Needless to say that I love that it can cook about 70 percent faster than the standard cooking methods.

Clean their ceramic-coated, nonstick, and dishwasher-safe cooking pots is also easy and hassle-free. I can crisp and steam at the same time for crispier, juicier, and faster results without drying out the food.

Most of these air fryers can reduce 75 percent fat than typical frying methods while cooking 70 percent faster through the pressure cooker function. They also work well to turn frozen foods into crispy foods quickly. Their safety features are excellent, and the reversible rack can take about 8 chicken breasts at a time.

19.  Accessory-Equipped Type Air Fryers

These types of air fryers have all the necessary accessories to get going with crispy meals. While most brands include essential accessories in their products, accessory-equipped air fryers take the game further by including various accessories for various recipes to use your air fryer to its full potential.

You don’t need to add other accessories to your cart when you get these air fryers. The brands in this category come with air fryer liners, so you won’t have to worry about your food sticking to the bottom of your baking pan. Most of these models also have silicone baking cups to make muffins and egg bites for a whole week.

These models have muffin cups, skewers, pizza pans, cake pans, silicone molds, and more. With that, you can take full advantage of your air fryer and enjoy the necessary tools to prepare your favorite recipes.

20.  Non-Stick Type Air Fryer

These air fryers have nonstick coating broiling racks, wire racks, baskets, and pizza trays. My first air fryer was a nonstick interior appliance that cooked crispy and tasty food fast. You will love to know that they are pretty easy to use and clean. It prepares frozen sirloin steaks in 7 minutes and takes about 12 minutes to prepare burger patties from frozen.

You can easily separate the drawers/baskets, wipes them off, and put them in the dishwasher. When you start using these types of air fryers, you will continue using them daily! They are not intuitive to use as the learning curve is minimized with its simplicity.

I love the constant cooking and operation time to produce perfect results. Ease of cleaning is my most significant feature of these models, and since it is pretty easy to use, you don’t have to worry if your children use it.

Why Are Air Fryers Popular

Do you know a meme called”Clearly you don’t own an air fryer“.

Air fryers are your best option if you want an affordable, fast, healthy, and easy way to cook food. Owing an air fryer comes with many benefits since it is a valuable kitchen appliance. Even if you don’t have a lot of space in your kitchen, you can have one that can fit on your countertop and cook anything you put in it.

The continuing demand for fried foods and a growing awareness of healthfulness contribute to the recent surge in air fryer popularity. There are different health benefits you can get from using an air fryer, including:

• Reducing deep-fried foods which can cause disease
• Air fryers are easy to clean
• Air fryers cut down on the risk of toxic acrylamide formation that causes cancer
• They are faster than oven cooking
• They are safer than deep fryers
• Air fryers are versatile
• They can promote weight loss
• Air fryers produce crunchy and crisp food

How to Choose Air Fryer According to Its Features

Many people are constantly faced with the challenges of choice regarding things like this. However, I will try to break things down perfectly so you can make informed decisions when choosing an air fryer.

Here are some things to consider.

Time and Energy Efficiency

If you want to save time and energy with your cooking, you should consider having an air fryer. Since you have to put your food in it and let the appliance cook it immediately, it doesn’t require a lengthy preheating time.

You can use about 10 minutes to preheat the oven and around 25 minutes to cook your French fries when cooking frozen fries. However, the process can take approximately 18 minutes to cook frozen French fries with an air fryer without any preheating time. That is about half the time you will use with an oven.

Price

The price range of air fryers is $50 to $250, and high-end products may have more features. However, you must be sure by reading the included features. So, consider your budget for the type of air fryer you want to get, not forgetting your preferences too.

It would help if you also considered the brand, apart from the price. Brands like Philips or Hamilton Beach can cost more than those without names. However, it doesn’t apply that a no-name brand is not good. Before buying, take time to check the reviews so that you know what you are getting.

Wattage

I suggest not leaving out the wattage side with a power air fryer when getting one. An air fryer is more powerful when it has a higher wattage. A low-wattage air fryer can frustrate your cooking effort when it doesn’t appear to do its job quite well.

Generally, the range of air fryer wattage is 800 to 2100 wattage. Make sure you get an appliance that your power outlets can support.

Extra Features

Dishwasher-safe parts, preset buttons, times, trays and baskets, temperature gauges, etc., are some of the extra features of an air fryer. If your machine lacks these features, cooking your food can be a chore. However, cooking becomes a breeze with them.

A good example is how it can be much easier to clean your machine after using it with a removable basket. The features you might need are pretty important. While the price can slightly be higher, those extra features will go a long way in helping you cook more recipes quickly.

Size and Capacity

Size and capacity are critical factors to consider when getting your air fryer. As you can imagine, there are different sizes of air fryers. Small models can contain only a small amount of food and won’t take up much kitchen space. However, you can cook a whole chicken in larger sizes, and they can take up much kitchen space.

Some models can cook about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of food. A smaller air fryer of about 3.7 quarts will suit your needs if you have a small family of two. I suggest choosing a larger size if you want to cook for about 5 people.

Cleaning

How easy to clean an air fryer is another factor to consider. The removable ones can be easy to clean each time you cook. If you have to struggle with cleaning your appliance after using it, you won’t be motivated to use it again.

You can also be creative about things by adding foil to them as you would do in a broiler pan. With that, your machine will not get messy after using it. You can easily remove the foil for easy cleaning.

Temperature

It’s good to know that your air fryer might need to get to about 390 to 400 degrees. For most recipes like meats or chicken, you will need to cook for about 400 degrees. Therefore, try to get one that is close to that. Also, try to get a model with a timer so you can set it, and it goes off when it is finished cooking.

Safety Features

It’s essential to consider the safety features of an air fryer and if it has an auto-shutoff. You will have to be sure that your choice has these things. As the machine heats food, it gets extremely hot. So, you want to ensure that what you’re getting has extra safety features like a cool-touch exterior or auto-shutoff.

Most brands have these safety features. However, make sure the one you’re choosing has them too.

What Size of Air Fryer Do I Need?

Your cooking preferences and family size will determine your type of air fryer. Also, your kitchen space is another consideration. Size is one of the most crucial factors that must guide your buying decision.

Therefore, you can buy an extra-large air fryer if you want to use it for cooking different types of food like pizzas, turkeys, or chickens. Large air fryers with about 6-quarts capacity are perfect if you have a family of 5 to 7 people. If you want to use the appliance for 3 to 4 people, go for the medium air fryers and get a small air fryer if you want to cook for two people.

How to Use the Air Fryer

Using your air fryer is as easy as putting on your machine, throwing your food items into it, and letting it do its job. Take apart the removable components after opening the box for the first time. These are a perforated tray or a grate and a removable basket. Ensure to wash these parts and dry them before using the device.

This kitchen appliance can help you get delicious, healthy, and quick meals on the table. It uses little oil while making foods extra crispy.

Since this machine uses dry heat, you can use it for frying, baking, or roasting. You can use the device to reheat leftover pizza, cook low-carb bagels, and dehydrate tomato slices, and crispy shallots.

Your air fryer is similar to a convection oven, and while you cannot use it to deep fry, you can use it for baking, broiling, frying, or roasting. It is also suitable for a refresher on convection cooking. The appliance’s airflow is designed to replicate the deep-frying heat distribution in hot air.

So what are the differences between air fryers and traditional cooking appliances?

Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer

Air fryers use superheated air for cooking the food, while deep fryers work by cooking the food in hot oil. Air fryers also use little to no oil for cooking. It is much easier to clean up after cooking than a deep fryer.

Deep fryers are strictly for frying foods. However, you can use different cooking methods like grilling with an air fryer. You can even use an air fryer for baking. Food prepared with an air fryer also comes out dryer than what a deep fryer can produce. Also, air fryers are healthier than deep fryers.

Air Fryer vs Convection Oven

An air fryer is a multipurpose convection oven that focuses heat on a small cooking area. A convection oven is similar to the regular toaster oven with a convection effect that leads to faster cooking when it transfers higher temperatures to the food surface.

The heating methods and amount of oil are the main differences between an air fryer and a convection oven. The air fryer basket cooks crispier and faster than the convection oven’s air fry mode. Their size also plays a vital role in their differences in crispiness and time.

Do Air Fryers Use Oil?

You can use a little oil to make it more crispy if you want. However, you don’t need to use oil when cooking foods with an air fryer. If you are using oil for cooking with your air fryer, ensure to mix it with the other ingredients before putting them in the air fryer. Don’t attempt to use oil in the air fryer pan. The air fryers will keep your food juicy and tender by circulating super-hot air around it. Your food will also have an extra crunch to its outer coating with a gentle spritz of oil. However, it is not necessary for vegetables and baked goods.

Conclusion

There you have the types of air fryers on our list, each of them has its advantages. You can read through them again to better understand them and consider how they fit your cooking preferences. Let me know in the comment section if you want to share your air fryer experience or have any further questions.