We Actually Tried Four Air Fryers
We Actually Tried Four Air Fryers
The air fryer on your counter might be the least clean thing in your kitchen
I get asked about air fryers constantly. They are sold as the healthy shortcut: less oil, faster dinners, crispy vegetables kids will eat. What I rarely see mentioned is what the food is sitting on while it cooks.
Many air fryer baskets are lined with a nonstick coating, and a lot of those coatings are PTFE, which belongs to the PFAS family of forever chemicals. That coating sits inches from a heating element and gets scrubbed, scratched, and reheated day after day.
I did not want to guess, so we actually tried four air fryers in a real kitchen with real family dinners. Here is what I found, and which ones I would buy again.
Why I care about the coating
PFAS are called forever chemicals because they break down very slowly, in the environment and in the body. The EPA links PFAS exposure to higher cholesterol, reduced immune response, developmental effects, and certain cancers (Homes & Gardens summary of EPA research).
I want to be honest about the science here. Regulators consider the amount that moves from an intact nonstick coating into food to be very small (background). My concern is the coating that is scratched, peeling, or overheated, which is exactly what happens to a basket that gets used every day.
So here is how I think about it. When a glass or stainless steel option exists and works just as well, I choose it. No coating means nothing to scratch, flake, or wonder about.
One label tip before the results. "PFOA free" only rules out one chemical. I look for "PFAS free" or "PTFE free", or I skip coatings entirely.
1. The Fritaire glass air fryer: the top pick
This one is great. We found from our friends at Gimme the Good Stuff. The Fritaire cooks food in a clear glass bowl with stainless steel accessories, so there is no nonstick coating touching dinner at all.
What I liked
Glass bowl and stainless steel rotisserie, tumbler basket, and air stand
The brand states its food contact surfaces are free of PTFE, PFAS, and BPA
You can watch the food cook from every side, which kids love
The self clean setting: add water and dish soap, press a button
5 quart bowl, 1,300 watts, heats up to 400°F
Worth knowing
5 quarts is on the smaller side for a big family, so plan on batches
The accessories go in the dishwasher. The glass bowl does not.
Price at the time of writing: $199.99 at Gimme the Good Stuff.
2. A popular glass air fryer: close, but not my top pick
The second one we tried also cooks in glass containers, and the brand states that every food contact surface is made without PFAS and PTFE. That is real progress, and I was glad to see it.
Here is why it did not take the top spot for me. The brand’s statement covers the surfaces that touch food. It does not cover the heating unit that sits on top, directly above dinner, and gets very hot. I could not find a full materials list for that part, and I like to know what is heating up over the food.
The food also does not sit directly on the glass. It sits on an aluminum crisper plate with a nano ceramic nonstick coating. The exact formula is proprietary, and like any coating, it can wear down with use.
None of that makes it a bad choice. If this is the one on your counter, it is a big step up from a traditional nonstick basket. A few habits help the plate last:
Skip metal utensils and abrasive scrubbers
Replace the crisper plate if the coating is scratched or peeling
Do not run it empty at high heat
3. Our favorite toaster oven, with one swap
The Emeril is our favorite toaster oven. It toasts, bakes, and air fries in one appliance, so it earns its counter space.
The catch is the parts that come in the box.I replace the included pan with the 360 Cookware stainless steel jelly roll pan. It is T 304 surgical grade stainless steel, oven safe to 500°F, handcrafted in the USA, and has no coating of any kind.
Full size pan: about 14 by 10 inches
Mini pan: about 12 by 7 inches, for smaller ovens
Measure the inside of the oven before ordering
It costs more up front ($129.95 for the full size at the time of writing), and it should never need replacing.
4. The Our Place Wonder Oven
The fourth one we tried is the Our Place Wonder Oven. It is a toaster oven style air fryer that toasts, bakes, roasts, and air fries.
The oven itself is stainless steel, and Our Place states that its cooking surfaces and accessories are made without PFAS. The bake pan that comes in the box is aluminum with a ceramic nonstick coating.
My quick checklist for any air fryer
Check what the food actually touches. Glass and stainless steel are the safest bets.
Look for "PFAS free" or "PTFE free". "PFOA free" alone is not enough.
Check the accessories too. A stainless oven can still ship with a coated pan.
Replace anything scratched or peeling.