Air fryers have become a very popular trend lately. Even my family bought one after hearing all the hype, and we were not disappointed. It can make enough for my family of three, which got me thinking: what about big families? Surely there would have to be bigger fryers, and there are many on the market.
These machines can be used for many different types of food, so the possibilities are endless. We definitely love air fryers and love the food they make even more.
We made this list of the top ten biggest air fryers on the market, from smallest to largest capacity, so you can find the perfect fryer for you and your family.
COSORI Air Fryer
The Cosori fryer fits 5.8 quarts, being able to fit an entire six-pound chicken! Chicken isn’t the only thing this fryer can cook, though. There are 12 presets programmed into it, including steak, poultry, seafood, shrimp, bacon, frozen foods, French fries, vegetables, root vegetables, bread, and dessert. Whatever you need to fry, this fryer will do the trick. Because of the Cosori technology, it cooks the food using only hot air, which can cause the machine to occasionally emit steam. This steam may leave a small puddle of water on the surface underneath the fryer, but it is no danger to the machine itself.
A good thing about this method of cooking is how much healthier your food will be. Air fryers use 85% less fat than traditional oil fryers, which is a big plus for many people. There are a few complaints about this machine breaking down early into ownership, but most customers say that’s due to user error. If you’re like me, you think cleaning is the worst part of making a meal for you and your family. Luckily for us, the nonstick basket is completely removable and dishwasher safe, making it easier than ever to clean. It also comes with over 100 handy recipes to help you get the hang of using your new fryer.
Key traits:
- Connects to Google and Alexa Assistant with Wi-Fi
- Has a 5.8-quart capacity
- Includes 11 cooking presets
- Cooks with 85% less fat than normal fryers
Pros:
- Is dishwasher safe
- Has a quick cook time
Cons:
- Comes with the smallest basket of comparable fryers
Dash Deluxe Electric Air Fryer
The Dash, like the TaoTonic above, has a 6-quart basket capacity. You can make up to two pounds of fries, or 24 chicken wings, at one time! This fryer is suitable for a family of four since it can feed between four and six people in one sitting. Because of its size, you will need some extra counter space to store and use it.
The Dash is able to cook fries, appetizers, tofu, chicken, baked goods, sweet potatoes, veggies, steak, and seafood. These are a lot of different options, so they include both a recipe book as well as access to a recipe database. If you have kids in the house, they’re bound to be curious about what you’re doing in the kitchen. This fryer has a cool-touch housing and handle feature, which makes the handle and fryer cool enough to touch. This prevents any burns or injuries, which is especially important with your little ones.
The removable basket is dishwasher safe, but the nonstick coating on the bottom may start to come off. A unique feature this machine has is an automatic shut off. This will turn the fryer off after 30 minutes, which prevents food from overcooking but also, more importantly, fires.
Key traits:
- Has 6-quart capacity
- Comes with a removable basket
- Comfortably feeds and family of four
Pros:
- Shuts off automatically after 30 minutes
- Uses a child-safe cool-touch housing and handle
- Cooks 9 types of food
- Can fit up to 2 pounds of fries
Cons:
- Takes up a lot of counter space
- Nonstick coating might peel
GoWISE USA Electric Air Fryer
The GoWISE fryer can hold seven quarts of food. To put this in perspective, you could cook five burgers at one time. Other things it could fit are two pounds of fries, five pounds of chicken, an eight-inch round cake, or 14 chicken wings. This is a pretty standard air fryer, being easy to clean and having a very quick cook time.
What sets the GoWISE apart is that it has eight different cooking functions, so you can not only air fry, but you can roast, broil, dehydrate, grill, bake, reheat, or keep your food warm. It can be used for almost any cooking need, which makes this machine so suitable for big families. As with most fryers, the basket occasionally jams. Some people have had trouble with customer service when reporting the basket jamming, but there are no other flaws to this product. It comes with three racks that are able to be stacked on top of each other, so you can cook even more food at once than before.
Key traits:
- Has a 7-quart capacity
- Includes eight cooking functions
- Is easy to clean and use
Pros:
- Can fit a lot of food at once
- Comes with stackable racks
- Has a quick cook time
- Comes with a recipe book
Cons:
- Basket occasionally jams
- Has history of some complaints of customer service issues
Ultrean 8.5 Quart Air Fryer
The 8.5 quart Ultrean is a favorite among Amazon users. It runs smoothly and the only downside to this fryer I could find is that there is no reheat or warm option in the functions. It can fry, roast, grill, or bake whatever food you choose. You can choose options from seven touchscreen presets, making it easy and quick to operate. Though it’s easy to use, it does come with a user manual as well as a recipe book and a kitchen glove.
The manual mentions an 18-month warranty on this product, so it’s no problem if this isn’t the right fryer for you! This 8.5-quart basket can cook 15-20 wings at one time, which makes it big enough to prepare food enough for six to eight people. This is a perfect product for big families and has the added feature of an auto-shutoff, so your food doesn’t overheat or overcook.
Key traits:
- Has 8.5-quart capacity
- Includes seven presets
- Comes with an 18-month warranty
Pros:
- Can cook 20 wings at one time
- Includes auto shut-off
- Offers many cooking functions
- Feeds up to 8 people
Cons:
- Has no reheat or warm option
Instant Vortex Pro
The 10-quart Instant Vortex Pro is perfect for a family of five or more. You can fit two different trays in the cooking chamber, so you can cook two different meals at one time. For those who have little ones and picky eaters, it saves you from having to serve dinosaur nuggets every night. The only downside of this fryer is that the food on the top tray will get darker than the food on the bottom tray. This fryer is known to duplicate the taste of a traditional fryer the most; many people say their food has a deep-fried taste.
The Vortex has nine built-in smart programs, or presets, which include air fry, roast, broil, bake, toast, reheat, proof (for bread), and rotisserie. It has a unique feature where it will tell you when you need to turn or add any food to the fryer, and it will also automatically turn off when you open the door.
Key Traits:
- Has 10-quart capacity
- Includes nine presets
- Can make multiple meals at once
Pros:
- Gives deep-fried taste to the food
- Is easy to clean
- Tells you when to add or turn food
- Has even crisp technology
Cons:
- Food on the top rack may get dark more quickly
Innsky Air Fryer
Next up is the Innsky Air Fryer. It’s fairly standard when it comes to functions, but that doesn’t make it any less than the others on the list. It’s huge, fitting 10.6 quarts of food at one time. This machine is not just an air fryer. It is also a pizza grill (making it good for frozen pizza), a toaster oven, dehydrator, and a rotisserie. It also comes with everything you could need to cook in any of these functions!
It has two mesh racks, eight skewers, one rotisserie basket, one drip tray to catch fat and oil, one rotisserie shaft to jab the chicken with, and one removal tool. Since there are two racks, some customers have complained that the top rack may cook food more quickly than the bottom, or even burn it.
The see-through window will make it easier to catch this before it burns your food. There are 10 presets in the form of touch screen icons, so you can choose which way you want to cook your food. Lastly, this fryer also comes with an auto shut-off feature to prevent overcooking and overheating.
Key Traits:
- Has 10.6-quart capacity
- Includes an auto shut-off
- Is made of stainless steel
Pros:
- Is easy to clean
- Comes with a see-through window
- Offers 10 different touch screen presets
Cons:
- Cooks unevenly: the top tray is said to burn quickly
GoWise 12.7 Quart Air Fryer
The GoWise 12.7 quart fryer is pretty high on the list when it comes to capacity, holding …duh….12.7 quarts of food at one time. It has the ability to air fry, bake, sauté, grill, roast, dehydrate, reheat, and rotisserie any food you desire. To make it easy to manage all of these options, it comes with 10 different accessories for the different cooking functions.
These include rotisserie tongs, rotisserie rods, a rotisserie stand, an oven rack, a drip tray, a rotisserie skewer, a rotisserie cage, a shallow mesh basket, and two mesh trays. What can’t you do with all of those tools? As with most machines, this fryer may emit an odor when it starts up, which some people say can affect the taste of the food. It has 18 one-touch presets to cook any food you want, and it also has a detachable door to make clean-up super easy.
Key Traits:
- Has 12.7-quart capacity
- Includes 18 presets
- Offers very quick cook time
Pros:
- Comes with transparent and detachable door
- Includes 10 accessories
- Offers many different cook settings
Cons:
- Has a slight odor that could affect the taste of the food
NUWAVE BRIO Large Capacity Air Fryer Oven
This massive fryer has everything you can think of. It doesn’t take up a whole lot of space but it is the heaviest one on the list, weighing 31 pounds and being able to hold 14 quarts of food. You can do nearly anything with the food you put in this machine, as it has 100 preprogrammed presets installed. Some other very handy things it comes with are mesh racks, a nonstick grill plate, a drip tray, an integrated temperature probe, rotisserie kit, a 70-recipe book, a popcorn maker, cupcake liners, a baking pan, and even a 1-year limited warranty. Whew!
If you’re like me, you read that list and thought “What on earth is an integrated temperature probe?” This probe turns off the Brio automatically when the internal temperature you set is reached, a feature no other fryer on the market has! What else can this fryer do? Well, it can bake, roast, rotisserie, grill, and dehydrate on top of air frying. The Brio, like the CalmDo, has a detachable door that may come off easily, but it’s definitely worth the quirk!
Key Traits:
- Has 14-quart capacity
- Comes with 100 preprogrammed presets
- Distributes heat evenly
Pros:
- Comes with many different tools
- Is multi-layered
- Has a detachable door
- Offers many different cooking functions
Cons:
- Is heavy; weighs 31 pounds
- Door may come off easily
WowChef 20 Quart Family Size Air Fryer
Last but certainly not least, the biggest fryer on our list: the WowChef Air fryer. It is a whopping 20 quarts, which allows it to fit entire chickens and turkeys. Thanksgiving with the in-laws is no longer an issue! The drip pan is a little bit shallow for big cuts of meat, but a quick emptying of the pan will fix the problem instantly. It has a large glass window on the oven door so you can watch in on your dinner to make sure it doesn’t overcook.
There are 10 different built-in presets that you can use with any of the air fry, oven, rotisserie, or dehydrator cooking options. It comes with a rotating basket and paddle which was designed to keep fries from clumping together. This air fryer is super unique and super useful. Lastly, it comes with nine different sample recipes to give you some extra help if you don’t know what to cook for dinner.
Key Traits:
- Has 20-quart capacity
- Includes 10 presets
- Dishwasher safe
Pros:
- Has large glass window on the door
- Is very easy to operate and clean
- Dehydration time goes up to 24 hours
Cons:
- Drip pan is a little shallow for large cuts of meat
A Final Word About Air Fryers
Air fryers have definitely changed the way that people cook. Our food can be healthier and cooked more quickly than if we were to use traditional fryers. They’ve become a favorite among families, especially those who are trying to eat clean or who don’t have a whole lot of free time on their hands. This list has some of the best air fryers that are available, all with unique and different characteristics. There is a fryer on this list for everyone, no matter what your family needs!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Big of an Air Fryer Do I Need?
If you live alone or with just your partner or child, a small air fryer with a 2-4 quart capacity is best for your kitchen. However, the more people you have in your household, or if you routinely want to be able to cook more for guests or entertaining, the larger your frying capacity should be. For a typical household of four to five people that isn’t going to use its air fryer for much other than family dinners, a 6-8 quart air fryer is probably ideal.
For bigger families, families that eat heartily, or families that entertain or share a lot of food with friends and neighbors, you’ll probably want to get at least a 10-quart air fryer, and you may want to go even larger. A 10-quart air fryer is large enough to cook an entire chicken, a pizza, or lots and lots of finger foods, so in this case, you may want to go large or go home!
How is an Air Fryer Different From an Oven?
You may think that your oven, especially if it is a convection oven, can do just as good a job as an air fryer. Yes, it’s true that convection ovens move hot air around using a fan; however, your air fryer circulates the hot air around much more quickly to ensure more of that fried food taste. Also, air fryers generally include a basket that holds the food, allowing the hot air to move under the food and cook the bottom of it as well as its top and sides to ensure extra crispiness and deliciousness. Also, if you do not have a convection oven, you won’t get the heat circulating around food like pizzas, chicken, seafood, and french fries, all of which benefit taste-wise from that convection, so purchasing an air fryer is a better economic choice than purchasing an entire new oven.
