Decided to switch to air frying and to avoid all those extra calories from oil? That’s a smart decision that will have many long-term health benefits. The best air fryer under $100 (for a family of 4) will give you crispy fried food without the trap of oily calories.
An air fryer basically uses convection heating: it cooks food by circulating the hot air around it. The results are cooked and crispy fried foods without the need for oil. It’s so much healthier, and you get the same taste and texture.
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5 Best Air Fryers under $100 for Family of 4 in 2023
To make things easier for you, we have selected the best air fryers that will offer functionality, convenience, and most importantly, good value:
Best Overall: Ninja AF101 Air Fryer
The Ninja AF101 Air Fryer is an all-rounder fryer that gives you a wide range of temperatures and easy operability. You can fry at a temperature as high as 400 degrees. Also, it reduces the amount of fat for frying by a whopping 75 percent.
The fryer’s capacity is four quarts, which is ample for frying food for a few people. Therefore, a small family can easily use this fryer to make enough food in one go. For instance, it can fry two pounds of french fries.
Not only does it cook and crisp, but you can also use the air fryer for dehydrating. If you dry fruits from snacks, this will cut down the time significantly, as compared with drying it in the sun.
It comes with a multi-layer rack, a ceramic-coated crisper plate, and a small recipe book with 20 recipes. The basket where you put the actual food is also ceramic coated. It makes for better heating, and the food absorbs heat more readily.
The parts of the air fryer are dishwasher safe, so you can just put them in the dishwasher, saving you so much time. You may have to remove some bits and pieces stuck to the rack or plate, but that’s easy.
The cord’s length is adequate, as it’s 2.6 feet long. You even use it for reheating food if you don’t have a microwave. All in all, it’s the best air fryer under 100 dollars, as it gives you multiple functions at such a reasonable price.
Pros:
- Easy to use and versatile
- Cooks food evenly and promotes healthier cooking with less oil
- Simple cleanup with dishwasher-safe parts
Cons:
- Small capacity may not accommodate large quantities of food
- Can be noisy during operation
- Not suitable for all types of foods, such as wet batters or high-moisture ingredients
Runner-up: COSORI Air Fryer Pro
The highlight of the COSORI Air Fryer Pro is its LED control panel. The flat digital touchscreen with touch buttons simply elevates the look of the fryer. It looks modern and stylish, not to mention so much fun to work with.
The capacity of the air fryer is quite a lot, coming in at 5 quarts. That’s good enough to make several batches of french fries for those game nights with a few friends over. Also, you can fit a whole chicken in the basket.
Cooking with COSORI Air Fryer Pro is really simple, as it comes with 9 preset settings. From chicken to fish to bacon, you simply choose the preset settings from the angled LCD panel. COSORI claims that it cuts fat in fried foods by 85 percent, which is impressive.
Designed in California, the non-stick basket of the fryer is BPA-free and PFOA-free. Also, this basket is dishwasher-safe. You also get a recipe manual with 100+ recipes that are designed for air frying in particular.
It’s an ETL-listed and FDA-compliant appliance that offers a temperature range of 170 to 450 degrees. The company also provides lifetime customer support, although there’s no warranty as such.
It also gives you the option of preheating, which saves cooking time and gives you crispier results. This high-end air fryer exceeds all the quality and design standards for air fryers.
Pros:
- 9 presets for versatility
- LED touch control panel
- Easy-to-use features
- Ample cooking capacity
- Two-year warranty
- Included recipe book
Cons:
- Steam leaks from the basket
- It takes time to cook
Best Budget: GoWISE Digital Air Fryer
The GoWISE Digital Air Fryer is easy on the pocket and gives you the same features as you would find on a high-end air fryer. It has an oval shape, which gives it a pleasing aesthetic. It will look contemporary in your kitchen.
You have a beautiful touch LED control panel with all the settings and presets. With eight different presets you can get the ideal temperature and cooking times with the touch of a button. The temperature changes in 10-degree increments and the range is 170 to 400 degrees.
The pan and detachable basket are PFOA-free. It also features a button guard to prevent the basket from coming out during cooking. The cool-touch handle makes it easier to take out the food once it’s fried.
GoWISE offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty on this air fryer. This makes it a safe purchase and goes to show that the company has faith in it. If you’re looking for the best value for money for your fryer, this could be your choice.
The capacity is 5.8 quarts, which is good enough for three to five individuals. However, this one also comes in a 5.0 and 7.0 quarts capacities. Also, it’s one of the very few fryers that come in multiple colors, including black, white, plum, and red.
Best Top-Rated: Instant Air Fryer Oven
The Instant Air Fryer Oven has recently been upgraded, so it’s even better now. With a 6 quart capacity, it’s good for a family of four or a friend’s gathering. Even though it says it’s 6 quarts, it can actually accommodate a whole chicken as well.
With 85% less consumption than regular frying, the Instant Air Fryer Oven gives a really crispy outcome. The temperature range for this one is 95 to 400 degrees.
The removable basket has a non-stick coating and is dishwasher-friendly. It features a small square-shaped LED control panel with a knob. You can turn the knob switch to change the temperature, which is different from most air fryers as they only usually feature touch buttons for setting temperatures. As for the presets, there are eight presets that will make the frying process effortless and quick.
The fryer itself is also very easy to clean. You can just wipe it with a clean piece of cloth and use an organic cleaner if it’s too dirty. It uses 85% less oil than standard frying and also saves energy. With a lot of good ratings, this is simply a no-brainer when it comes to choosing the best air fryer under $100.
Best Stainless Steel: Innsky Air Fryer
If you’re looking for something sturdy for an air fryer, the Innsky Air Fryer has your back. This gorgeous, stainless steel air fryer has a tough construction and good performance. Moreover, it comes with a 32-recipe book, so you have plenty of things to try out in your new air fryer.
The flat LED touchscreen panel is one of the simplest, at least amongst the products on this list. You would not even need to read instructions to understand how it works. This is also why it’s a good choice if you like your appliances simple.
You have seven presents with accurate time and temperatures to fry the most common foods. As for the temperature range, it starts at 180 and ends at 400 degrees.
This one also comes with a memory function and automatic shut-off features. You don’t even have to tend to the food every time, just set the timer and go on about your chores.
The capacity of the basket is 5.8 quarts, and it has a squarish shape. You can easily fit in five to six pounds whole chicken in it. The basket can be removed even while the cooking is on, and it does not disturb the set timer.
Made of stainless steel, you don’t have to worry about the contaminants found in plastic appliances and utensils. Also, the stainless steel gives it a nice look, and so does the texture on the panel that houses the touch LED screen. This one reduces oil and fat consumption by 75 percent, which is good enough.
Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo: Cuisinart TOA-70
How to Choose The Best Air Fryer for a Family of 4
Most air fryers don’t cost more than 200 bucks, so you’ll have plenty of choices. That said, there are a few things to keep in mind.
You should first think about the capacity of the air fryer. Normally, you would need four to six quarts of frying capacity for a small family. A restaurant kitchen may need a bigger capacity.
The temperature range is another important consideration, but it’s pretty standard. You’ll get the highest temperature of 400 degrees on most air fryers, but it’s the lowest setting that varies. Keep that in mind if you’re also going to use it for defrosting.
The control panel is usually an LED touch panel. Ideally, you want something simple and quick to operate.
Watch this video for an expert buyer’s guide to choosing an air fryer.
Conclusion
A quality air fryer will last a long time and save you hundreds of thousands of calories over that period. That’s a worthy investment, given that fried food is generally not healthy because of all that excess oil. Thanks to air frying, one can continue to enjoy fried, fried chicken, fish, bacon, and so much more.
Not many air fryers under 100 for a family of 4 have some form of warranty, so you have to be extra sure that you’re buying something quality. The above five products guarantee quality and performance.
