The Best Air Fryers of 2025: Crispier, Quicker, and Smarter Than Ever
Finding the perfect air fryer can feel like searching for a miracle gadget. These appliances promise crispy wings and golden fries without the oil and mess of deep-frying—and for good reason, now more than a third of American households proudly own one. Air fryers use rapid convection technology to surround food with hot air, creating a delicious crunchy exterior on everything from wings to veggies.
How Air Fryers Revolutionized Home Cooking
Air fryers first appeared in a Dutch garage, but they quickly redefined American kitchens. Today’s air fryers do far more than just “fry”: they roast, bake, slow-cook, dehydrate, and sometimes even sous-vide. Competition among brands has led to high-tech hybrids—like the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro with smart controls and the Dreo Chefmaker, which uses steam for steakhouse-quality meats.
WIRED tested more than two dozen models in 2025 and found air fryers are evolving quickly. Whether you want a classic basket, a high-end toaster-oven hybrid, or even a portable glass fryer, there is an air fryer for every kitchen.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Typhur Dome 2
The Typhur Dome 2 stands out for its UFO-like design and unmatched speed. It can crisp two dozen wings in just 14 minutes, cook golden fries, and even sear meats to perfection. Its dual burners allow precise heat control, while the companion app offers curated recipes and a self-clean function that incinerates grease at 500°F. It’s at the premium end, but its performance makes it worth the investment for those seeking speed, consistency, and flavor.
Best Deep Basket: Instant Pot Vortex Plus
For those who need a deep basket, the Instant Pot Vortex Plus excels. Its 6-quart size is perfect for bigger meals (like a whole chicken!), and it keeps an even temperature for reliably crispy and juicy food. Features like a viewing window and built-in odor filter also enhance the cooking experience.
Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro
This model blends air frying with the convenience (and precision) of app controls and a broad range of functions. The app provides tailored recipes, and you get performance that rivals any countertop oven. For a more affordable choice, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro offers similar results without some smart features.
Best Teflon-Free and Portable: Ninja Crispi
Avoiding Teflon? The Ninja Crispi swaps in a durable borosilicate glass basket that can go directly from fryer to table. Ideal for reheating leftovers, it’s compact and perfect for travel, camping, or office meals. The adaptable glass basket and easy cleaning are its main advantages.
Best for Meat: Dreo Chefmaker Combi Fryer
Designed for juicy, restaurant-style meats, the Dreo Chefmaker uses steam plus high-heat searing. With a temperature probe, steaks are perfectly reverse-seared—caramelized outside, tender inside. It’s a must for steak lovers and home chefs aiming for pro-level results.
Best Value: Philips 2000 Series
Philips, the air fryer pioneer, has a 4.4-quart model that consistently delivers crispy, well-cooked results. The control panel can be noisy and cluttered, but performance is steady and reliable across a broad range of foods.
Crispiest Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Cuisinart TOA-70
The Cuisinart TOA-70 offers fast, even crisping in an oven configuration. It toasts and broils well, too—just expect to spend a little extra time on cleaning.
Best Dual-Basket: Instant Vortex VersaZone
The Instant Vortex VersaZone 9-quart provides dual-chamber flexibility with enough power for both baskets. While there are some minor differences in temperature and a bit of noise, you get minimal flavor transfer and plenty of capacity for family-sized meals.
Choosing the Right Air Fryer
Consider how you cook, your available space, and the size of your household:
- Basket fryers handle quick, oil-light favorites like fries and nuggets.
- Oven-style models take a few extra minutes but handle more types of food.
- “Combi” fryers with steam cost more but make the juiciest meats.
- For singles or couples, 4 quarts is great; 6 quarts or dual baskets serve families.
How WIRED Tests Air Fryers
Each air fryer is challenged with wings, fries, chicken nuggets, Brussels sprouts, and leftover pizza. WIRED looks for cooking speed, crispness, evenness, moisture, app usability, and noise. Wireless probes track temperature accuracy, and cleaning is carefully evaluated.
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Air Fryer FAQs
- How much oil? Use a sprayer and go light—no need for much oil.
- What size? Four quarts for up to two people; six quarts or more for a family.
- Cooking time conversion? Lower oven recipes by 50°F and cut cook times by 20%. Always check early.
- Cleaning tips? Clean baskets with warm soap after every use; wipe the heating element if splattered. Top models offer self-clean cycles.
Looking to transform your weeknight meals? The right air fryer will make quick, healthy, and delicious food a daily staple.