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'Fried chicken without the mess': The best air fryer we've tested is down to $64
This speedy Cuisinart is an easy-to-use countertop hero that can make your favorite guilty pleasures a little healthier.
If you're looking to eat a little healthier in the new year — but don't want to sacrifice the deliciousness of fried food — let us introduce you to your new BFF: the Cuisinart Air Fryer Oven, on sale for $64. After testing 15 of these countertop gadgets, we named Cuisinart the best air fryer overall, thanks to its sleek, spacious design and easy-to-understand LED touchscreen. Though we tested the 6-quart version, we can confidently recommend each size — and they all happen to be about 20% off!
We don't "wing" it here at Yahoo: We put 15 models to the test and named Cuisinart's version the best of the best.
Why is it a good deal? 💰
This winning fryer is currently priced at $64, down from $80, bringing it close to the lowest price it's ever been. Plus, the fact that it came out on top after we tested it alongside brands like Ninja, Breville and Philips — many of which cost more — speaks volumes about its functionality.
Why do I need this? 🤔
Preparing fried foods at home can be messy business, with oil splatters and all that cleanup. Because it uses circulating hot air instead of quarts of oil to crisp up food, an air fryer eliminates almost all of the fuss (and fat). More importantly, you'll still get crunchy, drool-worthy results.
According to our home writer and housewares tester Kristin Granero, the Cuisinart "boasts substantial cooking room, minimal required maintenance and an easy-to-master learning curve, all while looking non-clunky." She noted that the appliance arrived preassembled (no tools needed, hooray!) and that it came with easy-to-follow instructions and a recipe guide. So far, so good.
The Cuisinart air fryer lets you cook with little no to oil, plus it helps you get dinner on the table lickety-split, which is so important if you're trying to eat healthier in the new year. Another standout feature is its LED display, which has five cooking functions to choose from — air fry, roast, bake, broil and warm — as well as five preset options for popular foods like fries, wings, frozen snacks and vegetables. Who doesn't love a kitchen gadget that takes the guesswork out of cooking?
As for results, Granero said, "We assessed the air fry function by making french fries, breaded chicken tenders, chicken wings and crab rangoons ... everything came out right on time in juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside fashion. ... While air-frying was the main focus of our test, we also tried our hands at several other functions: Our roasted chicken breasts, baked salmon and broiled steaks cooked to perfection."
Other cool components include an interior light and see-through doors, which allow you to keep an eye on your food while it cooks, as well as a "toss reminder" that'll alert you when it's time to flip your food in the basket. Oh, and speaking of the basket, this one is conveniently dishwasher-safe.
What reviewers say 💬
Yahoo staffers aren't the only ones who approve of the Cuisinart Air Fryer Oven — Amazon customers are eating it up too.
Pros 👍
"Saves me money by not having to use my oven. It won't heat up my kitchen during the hot summer months and looks really expensive, but isn't. I recommend it," raved one happy home cook.
"I was hesitant to join the air fryer club," admitted a convert. "Boy am I happy I did! ... I can get a healthy, delicious dinner on the table in minutes ... Fried chicken without the mess? Yes, please! ... And I love the window to watch the food without having to open the drawer."
"It is so much better than the one we had that died," said a third shopper. "The food has a better taste and is a lot more crisp. We absolutely love the broiler feature and have broiled hamburgers, beef steaks, pork steaks and salmon. They tasted like they had been grilled. The icing on the cake is that we can put the basket and crisper in the dishwasher!"
Cons 👎
"I have used this for about two weeks and it works perfectly," shared a customer. "The only thing is the 'flip-over' reminder doesn’t buzz very loud. But I am happy with the product."
"Such a beautiful and useful kitchen gadget," said a final reviewer. "I make everything in here now! I love the little window and light that lets you peek inside the fryer to see how your food is cooking. Only downside is that when you wash the basket (in the dishwasher or by hand), condensation builds in the window and doesn’t seem to go away until you use the air fryer again."
Both the 4.5-quart and 6-quart versions of this dynamo are discounted, so you'll save no matter whether you're feeding just yourself or a bigger crowd.
Want to make cleanup even easier? Check these out:
Air-frying is super convenient until it's time to clean the tray. Take some of the work out by sticking one of these BPA-free silicone liners in before you cook; then, toss them into the dishwasher once you're done. So much easier than trying to scrape off caked-on residue. These fit air fryers with 5-quart capacities or more (they come in a smaller size too).
"We make fries in the air fryer at least once a week," shared a user. "Plain or seasoned fries are easy, but adding other toppings makes a mess in the air fryer and looks sloppy when lifted out with tongs. No more! Cheese fries, chili fries, the silicone liner keeps the air fryer clean and your food looking good."
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
