This Air Fryer Myth Is Wreaking Havoc On Your Wallet

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When air fryers burst onto the scene in the late 2010s, it was curtains for microwaves. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the soaring popularity of this small countertop appliance hasn't yet abated. And why should it have? It reheats donuts to warm, crispy perfection, and it is even the superior method for cooking up frozen chicken pot pies from Costco. If you haven't gotten on the air fryer train yet, and the sheer number on the market currently is too overwhelming, let us narrow your search a little bit. You might be tempted to buy into the myth that pricier is better, but trust us — you don't have to wreak havoc on your wallet to get a good, quality air fryer.

In fact, you don't have to spend more than $100 to get an air fryer that does exactly what you want it to, from reheating leftover pizza to crisping up frozen french fries. The reason less expensive air fryers work just as well as spendier models is that the heating technology is the same. A fan on the interior of the machine blows hot air, generated by a heating element (typically coils embedded in the appliance), all around the food, which generally sits in a perforated basket. That's it; that's the basic science behind air fryer tech. Because it's so simple, you don't need to spend $150-plus when an air fryer that costs $70 does the exact same thing.

There are a few things to consider if you're interested in saving with a "base model," basic air fryer. First up is the size of the household you'll typically be cooking for. If you have a smaller household — maybe you're single, it's just you and a partner, or you have a little family of three — and you won't be air frying for a crowd, you can absolutely get by with a one-basket pod-style air fryer. These tend to be the least expensive, and you can find them for less than $60 in some cases, like the Amazon Basic. But if you're going to be cooking for four or more people, it's likely you'll need a larger-capacity air fryer to feed everyone, whether it's a double-basket situation or an oven-style version, which can be pricier, in the $100 to nearly $300 range.

Also, if, like many people, you don't have a lot of counter space, smaller air fryers with more limited capacity (which take up less counter real estate) tend to be cheaper, so that's a boon. At the same time, if you don't have room on your countertops for one more separate appliance, it might actually make sense for you to bite the bullet and spend more to combine a few machines into one. A good example is this 8-in-1 by Ninja, which air fries, bakes, toasts, and dehydrates (among other functions), flips up to save counter space, and costs $230.