Which Air Fryer Does Consumer Reports Recommend? | CR Picks

Which Air Fryer Does Consumer Reports Recommend? Test Results At A Glance

Many shoppers type “which air fryer does consumer reports recommend?” into a search box and hope for one simple name. In practice, the testers at Consumer Reports score
a whole lineup of models and then flag several standouts in different sizes and styles instead of crowning a single winner for every kitchen.

Recent ratings point again and again to a cluster of familiar brands. Basket-style machines from Chefman, Cosori, Dash, Instant, and even a celebrity line from
Drew Barrymore sit near the top of Consumer Reports tables for 2026, with toaster-oven style air fryers and large-capacity models grouped in separate lists.

Model	Type / Size	Why Consumer Reports Likes It
Chefman RJ38-2T	Small basket air fryer	Strong performance for fries and nuggets in a compact body, simple controls, and a price that stays friendly to first-time buyers.
Cosori Dual Blaze CAF-P583S-KUS Smart	Family basket, dual-heating design	Even browning across large batches, app control, and presets that handle common frozen favorites with little guesswork.
Cosori Lite CAF-LI211	Small, lighter basket air fryer	Good all-round scores for a one- or two-person home, with a footprint that fits tight counters and straightforward cooking programs.
Dash Tasti-Crisp DCAF260	Budget small basket	Low price, simple knob control, and decent crisping for snacks so you can test air frying without a large investment.
Instant Vortex (select models)	Mid-size basket air fryers	Reliable cooking, clear digital controls, and wide temperature ranges that handle wings, vegetables, and baked treats.
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 19089	Large basket air fryer	High marks in large-air-fryer tests, with room for family portions and style that blends into a modern kitchen.
NuWave Brio Plus 37401	Large-capacity basket	Roomy interior, detailed controls, and strong scores for evenness when cooking bigger batches in one go.

Those names change slightly as Consumer Reports adds new models and re-runs tests, but the same brands appear again and again near the top of the charts.
To see the current full ranking, you need a paid Consumer Reports account, yet the public summaries already show clear patterns.

How Consumer Reports Tests Air Fryers

Consumer Reports does not simply run one batch of fries and call it a day. Testers cook different foods, measure temperature accuracy, check
browning across the basket, and time how long each machine takes to crisp frozen items and raw ingredients. Noise levels and power use also come under the microscope.

Their engineers design repeatable tests so that every air fryer faces the same tasks. They score ease of use based on control layout, clarity of display,
and how simple it feels to program a time and temperature or pick a preset. Cleaning also matters, so baskets and trays get washed and scrubbed to see
how coatings hold up.

In video and buying guide content, Consumer Reports notes that air fryer testing puts a lot of weight on convenience, controls, and noise, along with
the food itself coming out crunchy on the outside and tender inside. That mix of lab-style checks and day-to-day cooking tasks helps shoppers compare
machines that look similar on the shelf.

If you want the test lab perspective straight from the source, the
Consumer Reports air fryer buying guide
explains their scoring system, the features that matter most, and how to match a model to your cooking habits.

Consumer Reports Recommended Air Fryer Models And Picks

Instead of one single winner, Consumer Reports breaks out its recommended air fryers by size and style. Here’s how the standouts mentioned in recent
lists fit together so you can match them to your home.

Small Basket Air Fryers For One Or Two People

For a solo cook or a couple, models such as the Chefman RJ38-2T, Cosori Lite CAF-LI211, and Dash Tasti-Crisp DCAF260 score well in Consumer Reports
charts built around compact machines. They hold a couple of chicken breasts or a tray of fries, run on modest power, and take up little space on the counter.

Small air fryers trade away room for a lower price and shorter preheat times. If your main goal is crisp snacks, frozen vegetables, and side dishes,
these compact baskets handle that job without hogging space near the stove.

Large Basket Air Fryers For Family Meals

Large-basket models such as Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 19089, NuWave Brio Plus 37401, and bigger Instant Vortex versions show up in Consumer Reports
roundups of the best large air fryers. These machines hold a pound or more of fries, a full bag of nuggets, or a whole spatchcock chicken.

Bigger baskets fit families that cook mains and sides together. They also pair well with meal prep habits: roasting a tray of vegetables and a batch of
chicken thighs in a couple of rounds rather than heating a full-size oven.

Smart And Dual-Heating Air Fryers

Models such as the Cosori Dual Blaze CAF-P583S-KUS Smart stand out in Consumer Reports coverage because they add heating elements above and below
the basket along with app control. Dual heating can cut the need to shake or flip food during cooking, and smart features let you track time and
adjust settings from a phone.

If you like the idea of recipes that send settings straight to your appliance, a smart air fryer from the recommended list can make air frying feel
closer to push-button cooking than manual timers and dials.

When To Pick An Air Fryer Toaster Oven Instead

Consumer Reports also scores air fryer toaster ovens in a separate group, with brands such as Breville and Instant often earning high marks.
These machines handle toast, sheet-pan bakes, and air frying in one box, which suits kitchens where cabinet space is tight and counter space
stays filled with only one or two gadgets.

The trade-off is that oven-style air fryers usually take a bit longer to preheat than small baskets, and cleanup can involve more racks and trays.
If you bake garlic bread, small pizzas, or sheet-pan vegetables often, though, the extra cooking modes can pay off every week.

How To Decide Which Consumer Reports Pick Fits Your Kitchen

Once you know that Consumer Reports recommends several air fryers instead of one, the real question becomes which pick fits your home.
Here the search phrase “which air fryer does consumer reports recommend?” really turns into “which recommended air fryer fits my life?”

Capacity And Basket Shape

Capacity is usually listed in quarts, but the shape of the basket matters just as much. A tall, narrow 5-quart basket can feel cramped for long
pieces of fish, while a wider basket with the same volume spreads food in a thinner layer for better browning.

If you cook mainly for one or two people, a compact 2- to 4-quart model from the recommended list keeps portions under control and cuts power use.
Families that cook full meals with proteins and sides in one pass tend to feel happier with baskets in the 5- to 7-quart range or a roomy toaster-oven style.

Controls, Presets, And Ease Of Use

Consumer Reports places a lot of weight on control layout and presets. Testers note whether buttons have clear labels, whether screens are easy to read,
and whether presets actually hit reasonable times and temperatures for fries, chicken, or frozen snacks.

Think about who will press those buttons. Simple dials and a couple of presets help kids or less tech-comfortably relatives heat leftovers without extra fuss.
App-connected models and custom programs suit cooks who like to tweak settings and save favorite combinations.

Noise, Smell, And Cleaning

Air fryers move a lot of air through a small space, so fan noise always shows up, but some recommended models keep that hum much lower than others.
If your kitchen sits close to a living room or nursery, noise ratings in Consumer Reports tables are worth a close look.

Cleaning also separates daily workhorses from gadgets that gather dust. Coated baskets and crisper plates that release stuck bits with a soft sponge
cut down on scrubbing. Many of the models that Consumer Reports recommends come with parts rated as dishwasher safe, which helps if you air fry several
times a week.

Energy Use And Counter Space

Air fryers can use less power than a full-size oven for small batches. Guidance from the
U.S. Department of Energy energy-saver guide
notes that small appliances such as air fryers, toaster ovens, and multicookers often make sense for quick meals instead of heating a large oven.

At the same time, even a compact air fryer occupies part of your counter. Measure the spot where you plan to keep it, check height under cabinets, and
compare that to the dimensions of Consumer Reports’ recommended machines, especially larger basket models and air fryer toaster ovens.

Quick Comparison Of Top Consumer Reports Air Fryer Picks

This table groups several of the Consumer Reports picks mentioned earlier so you can see capacity and best use case at a glance.

Model	Approximate Capacity	Best For
Chefman RJ38-2T	About 2 quarts	Singles or couples who mainly air fry snacks, sides, and small mains.
Cosori Lite CAF-LI211	Around 2 to 3 quarts	Everyday cooking for one or two, with a smaller footprint and modern interface.
Dash Tasti-Crisp DCAF260	Roughly 2.6 quarts	Budget buyers who want simple controls and basic air frying without extra modes.
Cosori Dual Blaze CAF-P583S-KUS Smart	About 6 quarts	Families that value even browning, app control, and large batches of wings or fries.
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 19089	Large basket size	Style-conscious kitchens that also need room for family dinners and small roasts.
NuWave Brio Plus 37401	Large basket size	Big batches for families, meal prep, and cooks who like detailed control over time and temperature.
Instant Vortex (larger models)	Mid to large capacity	Cooks who want a mix of presets, wide heat range, and a name that appears often in recommended lists.

Practical Tips For Using A Consumer Reports Recommended Air Fryer

Once you pick a model from the Consumer Reports lineup, a few habits help you get the best food from it. These tips apply to almost any recommended air fryer,
from the smallest Chefman basket to a big dual-heating Cosori.

Preheat And Load The Basket Right

Many air fryers heat up fast, yet a short preheat still improves browning for items such as fries and breaded chicken. Give the empty basket a few minutes at
the cooking temperature, then add food in a single layer with a little space between pieces.

Crowded baskets trap steam, which softens coatings and slows crisping. If your Consumer Reports pick came with a crisper plate, use it so hot air reaches the
underside of food instead of letting pieces sit in their own juices.

Shake, Flip, And Check Doneness

Even air fryers with strong scores for evenness benefit from a shake halfway through cooking fries, nuggets, or vegetables.
Larger cuts of meat or fish need a flip for both sides to brown.

Use an instant-read thermometer for chicken, pork, and burgers so you reach safe internal temperatures while keeping meat juicy.
That habit matters more than the exact brand of air fryer when it comes to safe, tasty results.

Clean Regularly To Keep Performance High

Oil and crumbs left in the basket or under the heating element can smoke and add off flavors to later batches. Let the machine cool,
then wipe the interior, wash the basket and crisper plate, and check the manual for parts that can go in the dishwasher.

Recommended models tend to use coatings that release food well, yet soft sponges and non-scratch tools still help that coating last longer.
A light clean after each session, plus a deeper scrub once a week, keeps your air fryer ready for fast weeknight use.

Final Thoughts On Consumer Reports Recommended Air Fryers

When you ask “Which Air Fryer Does Consumer Reports Recommend?” you are really asking which tested models rose to the top for performance, ease of use, and value.
The answer is a handful of air fryers, not just one, and the right pick depends on how much food you cook and how much room you have on the counter.

Small baskets from Chefman, Cosori, and Dash work well for snacks and meals for one or two people. Larger baskets and toaster-oven style machines from Instant,
NuWave, Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, and others bring air frying to family dinners and batch cooking.

Start from Consumer Reports’ recommended list, match capacity and features to your home, and you end up with an air fryer that earns its spot on the counter
meal after meal.