If you're searching for an air fryer that can handle family-style meals or replace your full-sized oven on a hot day, 8-quart models are a good starting point. With this amount of capacity, you can serve approximately six people, depending on the dish, and many models in this range have two baskets, making it easy to cook a main course and a side dish simultaneously. The best options have a high maximum power draw, a wide range of temperature settings, adjustable fan speeds, preset cooking modes, and feature baskets with sufficient surface area to spread food out in a single layer. This combination of features enables top models to produce crispy, well-cooked fries, wings, and vegetables quickly, while also providing additional versatility for tasks such as dehydrating, roasting, or broiling.
We've tested more than 40 air fryers, and below, you'll find our picks for the best 8-quart air fryers we've tested. To provide you with more options, we've included models that are slightly larger and smaller than 8 quarts. If you're unsure about the right size capacity for you, consider our recommendations for the best 4-quart air fryers and the best 6-quart air fryers as well. Alternatively, if you're more interested in performance, check out our picks for the best air fryers overall or the best air fryers for fries.
Quick Look
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Best 8-Quart Air Fryer
Air Frying8.0Large Batch Cooking8.0Frying Performance7.7Cooking Speed8.6See all our test resultsCooking Versatility8.6The best 8-quart air fryer we've tested is the Ninja Foodi DZ201. Models from this lineup occupy every spot on our list of the best large-capacity air fryers, so it's no surprise that this impressive dual-basket unit secured the top spot here as well. It makes good-quality fried food, leaving nearly three-quarters of each batch well-cooked and crispy, while a fairly small portion is left undercooked or burnt. It also offers an excellent cooking speed, preheating and cooking food fast, so snacks and meals are ready in short order.
Beyond great air frying performance, this model has a lot to offer. It features a wide range of temperature settings and fan speeds, allowing you to use it for a variety of purposes, from dehydrating at the low end to broiling at the high end. Plus, its impressive temperature stability makes it a great choice for temperamental baked goods or delicate foods like fish. If you plan to make whole meals or prefer to keep vegetarian meals separate from meat dishes, you can set each basket to use different settings and have them finish at the same time. On the other hand, if you prefer to make one big batch of fries or wings, you can quickly program both baskets to use the same setting.
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Best Single-Basket 8-Quart Air Fryer
Air Frying8.0Large Batch Cooking8.2Frying Performance7.8Cooking Speed8.2See all our test resultsCooking Versatility9.2If you prefer having the option to cook in one large basket instead of two smaller ones, the Ninja Foodi DZ071 might be right for you. Being from the same lineup as the Ninja Foodi DZ201, it shares many of the same features. However, instead of two individual baskets, it features one large basket that can be divided into two when needed. Just like our top pick, you can program different settings on each side and have a main and side finish simultaneously, or you can remove the divider to utilize the entire surface area. It cooks a little bit more slowly, so you'll have to wait an extra minute or two for crispy meals and snacks, but it produces very good-quality results, leaving a bit more of each batch well-cooked compared to the DZ201.
This air fryer also offers exceptional versatility. Beyond the convenience of its convertible basket, this air fryer offers a wide range of temperature settings and fan speeds, allowing you to use it for a variety of cooking tasks. While it shares the DZ201's maximum temperature and fan speed, it can reach lower settings, making it an even better option for dehydrating, proofing dough, and baking. It maintains a very stable temperature, so it's easy to follow recipes accurately. Just keep in mind that the divider won't insulate your recipes as well as two completely separate baskets, so you may notice some heat transfer between the sides.
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Best Budget Single-Basket 8-Quart Air Fryer
Air Frying7.2Large Batch Cooking7.9Frying Performance7.1Cooking Speed6.8See all our test resultsCooking Versatility8.8Looking for the best 8-quart single-basket air fryer at a lower price? Consider the Beautiful 9QT TriZone, an eye-catching model that stands out for its sleek design and wide range of color options while providing decent performance at a budget-friendly price. Like the Ninja Foodi DZ071, its basket has a divider that allows you to use it as a single or double basket fryer. While it has a larger capacity than the DZ071, its basket has about the same amount of surface area, meaning that unless you're cooking something particularly tall, they have the same effective capacity. When it comes to frying performance, this air fryer cooks most of each batch to a crispy, golden brown. However, compared to the Ninja models above, it also leaves a larger portion of each batch undercooked and burns a few pieces as well. It can't cook nearly as fast, either, but it preheats quickly.
While it doesn't cook as evenly as our top picks, this air fryer excels in terms of versatility. It has an outstanding temperature range and reaches a lower fan speed than either Ninja model, making it a particularly good option for dehydrating, proofing dough, and baking. Unfortunately, its maximum fan speed is fairly slow, which helps explain its somewhat slow cooking speed and makes it a less impressive option for tasks like broiling or roasting, which require good airflow for proper browning. Still, if you're looking for a decent air fryer at an affordable price, this one is hard to beat, especially if you're seeking an option that complements your kitchen decor.
All Reviews
Based on our standardized test bench, we think the options above are the best 8-quart air fryers for most people. We also take into account feedback from our visitors, availability, and price.
If you'd like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our air fryer reviews in this size range. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. No air fryer is perfect, but many are good enough to please almost everyone, and smaller differences are often not noticeable unless you look for them.