Checklist · 12 picks · 3 categories
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An air fryer is the closest thing to a second oven that fits on a tiny counter. The big choice is size: a 2-quart basket is perfect for one person and almost no counter, while a 6-quart fits dinner for two or a week of meal prep.
After that, the extras are cheap and make a real difference. Liners save you from scrubbing the basket, a sprayer gives food a light coat of oil so it actually crisps, an instant-read thermometer tells you the chicken is done, and tongs let you flip without burning your fingers. Every pick is a named pick from Engadget, America's Test Kitchen or Food Network, with budget, mid and splurge options, and each card shows the drawback the tester called out.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you're stocking a whole kitchen from scratch; our apartment list covers the pans, knives and basics first.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
0 of 4 on your list · tap one to see your options
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instant Vortex Mini 2-Quart Air Fryer | budget | $50-100 | solo cooks with almost no counter space | 1 outlet |
| Cosori 6-Quart 9-in-1 Air Fryer | mid | $100-150 | cooking for two or batch-cooking for the week | 1 outlet |
| Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer with ClearCook | splurge | $100-150 | watching your fries crisp without opening the basket | 1 outlet |
Best air fryerbudget pick · Compact
Best for solo cooks with almost no counter space
Engadget's best budget air fryer and the smallest one on its list. Sized for one person and a tiny counter.
Heads up. Quite small, so you cook in small batches
1 outlet. Engadget best budget air fryer.
$50-100
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mid pick · Large
Best for cooking for two or batch-cooking for the week
Engadget's runner-up for best air fryer overall: a spacious 6-quart basket, nine preset cooking modes and a handy basket-release button.
Heads up. A little on the wide side, so measure your counter first
1 outlet. Engadget best air fryer overall runner-up.
$100-150
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splurge pick · Large
Best for watching your fries crisp without opening the basket
Engadget's best air fryer overall: a roomy 6-quart basket, a window so you can watch food crisp, and controls that make sense.
Heads up. Can't cook very large foods
1 outlet. Engadget best air fryer overall.
$100-150
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infraovens Air Fryer Silicone Mat & Reusable Liners | mid | $15-25 | skipping basket scrubbing after every cook | 1 outlet |
| Loveuing 9.1-inch Air Fryer Disposable Paper Liners | budget | under $15 | sticky glazes and messy marinades | 1 outlet |
| TrendPlain Glass Olive Oil Sprayer & Pourer | budget | $15-25 | spritzing fries and pouring a drizzle from one bottle | 1 outlet |
| Flairosol Olivia Advanced Kitchen Oil Sprayer | mid | $25-50 | a light, even coat of oil before air frying | 1 outlet |
Best air fryer linersmid pick · Set
Best for skipping basket scrubbing after every cook
America's Test Kitchen's best silicone liner: it held grease and sticky glaze so well that testers usually didn't have to clean the basket at all.
Heads up. The set has three liner designs and ATK reviewed only the one meant for most foods; check the size fits your basket snugly
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best silicone liner.
$15-25
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budget pick · 9.1 in
Best for sticky glazes and messy marinades
America's Test Kitchen's best paper liner: its favorite for sticky glazed fish and other messy dishes.
Heads up. Disposable, so you'll keep rebuying them; check the size fits your basket
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best paper liner.
under $15
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Best oil misterbudget pick · Compact
Best for spritzing fries and pouring a drizzle from one bottle
Food Network's most versatile pick: a combination sprayer and pourer that excels at both its tasks.
Heads up. Clear glass doesn't protect oil from light
1 outlet. Food Network most versatile olive oil dispenser.
$15-25
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mid pick · Compact
Best for a light, even coat of oil before air frying
Food Network's best sprayer: even with repeated use, squeezing the trigger stayed comfortable and didn't tire testers' hands.
Heads up. Small capacity, and the spray volume might be too heavy for some uses
1 outlet. Food Network best sprayer.
$25-50
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 | budget | $25-50 | knowing the chicken is done, not guessing | 1 outlet |
| Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo | mid | $25-50 | reading temps from any angle | 1 outlet |
| ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE | splurge | $100-150 | a thermometer to keep for years | 2 outlets agree |
| OXO Good Grips 9" Tongs | budget | under $15 | flipping wings in a small basket | 1 outlet |
| OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs | mid | $15-25 | one pair of tongs for everything | 1 outlet |
Best instant-read thermometerbudget pick · Compact
Best for knowing the chicken is done, not guessing
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: a no-frills model that's quick, accurate and dead simple to use, a bargain for the price.
Heads up. Not a leave-in probe
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best inexpensive thermometer.
$25-50
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mid pick · Compact
Best for reading temps from any angle
America's Test Kitchen's best midprice instant-read thermometer: the big, clear display rotates two ways, and the long probe worked great at various angles.
Heads up. A tad slower and less accurate than the Thermapen, and the single button is a bit confusing.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Midprice instant-read thermometer.
$25-50
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splurge pick · Compact
Best for a thermometer to keep for years
America's Test Kitchen's winning instant-read thermometer: fast, accurate and easy to use.
Heads up. Expensive for a thermometer.
2 outlets agree. America's Test Kitchen winning instant-read thermometer. Serious Eats pick.
$100-150
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Best tongsbudget pick · 9 in
Best for flipping wings in a small basket
America's Test Kitchen's best smaller tongs: the shorter version of its favorite 12-inch tongs, and it easily picked up foods of all shapes and sizes.
Heads up. America's Test Kitchen gives no drawback detail for this one
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best smaller tongs.
under $15
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mid pick · 12 in
Best for one pair of tongs for everything
America's Test Kitchen's winning tongs and its longtime favorite: the scalloped, uncoated pincers felt very precise.
Heads up. The uncoated pincers didn't securely grip ceramic ramekins
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning kitchen tongs.
$15-25
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
If you mostly cook for yourself and counter space is tight, a 2-quart model like the Instant Vortex Mini is enough. If you cook for two or meal prep, a 6-quart basket holds more, but measure your counter first: Engadget notes its Cosori runner-up is a little on the wide side.
They make cleanup much easier. America's Test Kitchen found most liners it reviewed performed poorly, but its best silicone liner held grease and glaze so well that testers usually didn't have to clean the basket. Paper liners are disposable; silicone ones are reusable. Either way, check the size fits your basket.
Not strictly, but a light, even coat of oil helps food brown and crisp. A refillable sprayer lets you use your own oil instead of buying cans.