Think Twice Before Splurging On An Expensive Air Fryer

Have you ever struggled to cook foods like potatoes or chicken wings while keeping them crispy and tender? Well, clearly you don't own an air fryer. These beloved kitchen gadgets started gaining popularity in the mid 2010s, and these days, professionals estimate that more than half of households now have one (per CNBC). If you don't own an air fryer, you may well feel like you're missing out. But before you go shopping, it would behoove you to do a bit of research. Expensive does not necessarily mean better, and it's worth making sure you have the right air fryer for your situation.

Air fryers range from about $50 to $300, and the price usually corresponds to a few different factors, including size, brand, capabilities, and more. Perhaps the most important factor to consider is power because that's something that doesn't necessarily correspond to price. There are more expensive models that cook with less power than cheaper ones, with the price tag being the result of features you may or may not actually use.

Another important factor to consider is size because you might not actually need a huge air fryer. Counter space is always at a premium, even if you have a large kitchen, and if you're not going to be using your air fryer to make air fryer-ready party snacks on the regular, it may not be worth the real estate. If you're only cooking for one or two people every now and then, a more modestly sized (and modestly priced) air fryer will do the job just fine.

It's always nice to have options, and when you're making an investment in a new appliance, it feels good to buy one that promises plenty of fun features. If you see an air fryer boasting that it has settings for broiling and dehydration, for instance, you'll probably be salivating imagining all the beef jerky you may hypothetically make in the future. But don't get too far ahead of yourself — you may end up paying more unnecessarily.

For one thing, it's worth asking how often you plan on dehydrating: If it's just once or twice a year, it may not be worth the hefty price tag. For another thing, assuming all those extra bells and whistles are worth the spend is an air fryer myth that might cost you big – those settings are often already part of a regular air fryer. Dehydration, for instance, is just a matter of setting your air fryer at a low enough temperature for a long enough time. A specific setting certainly makes that easier, but it's not, strictly speaking, required. 

Or what about a fancy dual basket air fryer? Theoretically, this allows you to cut your cooking time in half, but in practice it's a little difficult. Air fryers only have so much power, and when it's split between two baskets, it can result in longer cook times and less crispy food if you don't know what you're doing. Once you make the right decision for your kitchen, you can start making the crispiest air fryer fries secure in the knowledge that you made a good, economical choice.