You might want an inexpensive air fryer if you're shopping on a budget, if you only use yours occasionally, or if you just want to try one out before committing to a pricier model. While the cheapest air fryers have some downsides compared to the best air fryers, like offering fewer settings and cooking less evenly, you can still find good budget models.
Air fryers tend to become more expensive as they increase in size, so you have more options among smaller air fryers if you're looking to save some cash. These aren't as well-suited to preparing meals for the whole family, but they work well for side dishes, quick snacks, and reheating leftovers back to their crispy glory. If you don't mind spending a bit more, we've also included a budget-friendly large-capacity model.
We've tested more than 35 air fryers, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best budget and cheap models. If you're looking for a smaller-capacity option, see our picks for the best small air fryers or the best 4-quart air fryers. For your other kitchen appliance needs, check out our budget picks for microwaves, blenders, and toasters. Or, for more affordable blender options, try our list of the best glass jar blenders.
Quick Look
Our air fryer recommendations are based on our independent testing of more than 35 models. We purchase each model through major retailers, just like the average consumer; no manufacturer provided samples or data points here. We use a data-oriented approach to testing air fryer performance. Each model goes through the same suite of tests, so you can easily compare the results.
Check out our How We Test Air Fryers article to learn more about our purchasing, testing, and writing procedures.
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Best Budget Air Fryer
Air Frying8.0Measured Capacity6.3 qt (6.0 L)Large Batch Cooking7.8Frying Performance7.8Cooking Speed8.0Size7.5Dual Cooking ChambersNoSee all our test resultsNonstick Coating TypePTFEThe COSORI TurboBlaze is the best budget air fryer we've tested. We recommend this model as the best medium-sized air fryer in our best air fryers article, and it's a great option if you want an air fryer for around $100. Its 6.3-quart capacity is large enough to cook for about four people, with a good amount of cooking surface area for arranging ingredients in a single layer, which is important for achieving the crispiest results. It produces good-quality air-fried food, so your food gets mostly evenly browned without being under- or overcooked.
It's very versatile, with five fan speed settings for different cooking methods. When baking, a medium fan speed is used to prevent cakes and cookies from drying out. Conversely, when dehydrating, a very low fan speed is employed to prevent lighter items from blowing around the basket. The downside of this model is that it preheats slowly and doesn't maintain the most stable temperature during cooking, making it more difficult to follow recipes accurately.
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Best Cheap Air Fryer
Air Frying7.7Measured Capacity5.9 qt (5.6 L)Large Batch Cooking7.6Frying Performance7.6Cooking Speed8.1Size7.1Dual Cooking ChambersNoSee all our test resultsNonstick Coating TypePTFEThe best cheap air fryer we've tested is the Beautiful 6qt Digital. 'Beautiful by Drew' products are only sold by the brand at Walmart, and this model is available there for well under $100. Like the previous pick, this is a medium-sized option. It has a 5.9-quart capacity and enough cooking surface area to arrange your food in a single layer. It's bulkier than the COSORI TurboBlaze and takes up more space on your counter for a slightly smaller cooking capacity, but it comes in a wide array of colors, which is rare for air fryers.
It also makes good-quality air-fried food, so your veggies and chicken wings come out mostly evenly browned and crispy. It's fast and maintains a decently stable temperature, which helps with accurately following recipes. However, most air fryers offer additional functions for various purposes. There are no 'Bake' or 'Broil' settings; however, you can use it with a lower fan speed and lower temperature to achieve a dehydrating effect.
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Best Budget Large-Capacity Air Fryer
Air Frying8.0Measured Capacity8.0 qt (7.6 L)Large Batch Cooking8.0Frying Performance7.7Cooking Speed8.6Size6.8Dual Cooking ChambersYesSee all our test resultsNonstick Coating TypeCeramicIf you need more capacity on a budget, the best option that we've tested is the Ninja Foodi DZ201. This dual-basket model is pricier than our other picks, but it often goes on sale for around $150, and occasionally even lower, offering a lot of versatility for the extra cost. Its dual baskets let you cook two different foods at once, each with separate settings, allowing you to prepare an entire meal without having to wait or compromise on cooking methods. Combined with its larger 8-quart capacity, it's better suited to serving several people compared to our top budget single basket pick, the COSORI TurboBlaze.
It has a very good overall performance, producing evenly air-fried food quickly. You can use the 'Smart Finish' feature to have each basket finish cooking simultaneously, and it offers a range of fan speeds and temperatures tailored to different recipes and cooking methods. It preheats and cooks quickly and maintains a stable temperature during cooking, which helps you follow recipes accurately. However, it's quite bulky for an air fryer of its capacity.
Notable Mentions
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BELLA 6qt Pro 90165:
The BELLA 6qt Pro 90165 is a bit more expensive than the Beautiful 6qt Digital. It's not as versatile and doesn't perform as well as the Beautiful, but it's smaller, so you might prefer it as a compact and inexpensive option.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 12, 2025:
We removed the BELLA 8qt Pro 90088 as it's unavailable. We also made small edits for clarity.
Apr 23, 2025:
We've made a few small updates to the text for clarity, but our recommendations haven't changed.
Mar 25, 2025:
We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are available, but haven't made any changes to our recommendations.
Feb 27, 2025:
We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock. There hasn't been a change to our recommendations.
Jan 30, 2025:
We've checked the text for accuracy and made sure the products are in stock. However, there hasn't been a change to our recommendations.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best budget and cheap air fryers for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's a list of all our air fryer reviews, sorted by price. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no air fryer is perfect, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you look for them.