Best of Kitchen: every air fryer and kettle we recommend, by situation

+Strengths

• 9 in wide — fits a 10-inch gap of counter
• 1300 W heats the small basket quickly
• Four one-touch programs, no dials to learn

−Limitations

• 2 qt is one portion; two people cook twice
• 7.3 lb, heavier than its size suggests
• Dishwasher claim comes from the listing, not Instant's page

→Good for

• a studio apartment or dorm
• one person cooking sides and snacks
• a second air fryer for a vacation home

↺Look elsewhere if

• two main portions in one round
• whole chickens or anything over about a pound

+Strengths

• 4.9 lb — lifts out of a cabinet one-handed
• 900 W is the gentlest load on a shared kitchen circuit
• Two-year warranty, the longest in this group

−Limitations

• 900 W means a slower preheat than 1300–1750 W rivals
• 2.1 qt is still a one-portion basket
• Handle adds 2 inches to the width

→Good for

• a dorm, RV or small apartment kitchen
• someone who puts the fryer away after each use
• late-night cooking in a shared flat

↺Look elsewhere if

• cooking for two in one round
• anyone who wants the fastest possible preheat

+Strengths

• Nothing to learn — a timer dial and a temperature dial
• 2.6 qt holds a little more than the 2-quart rivals
• Second year of warranty for the price of registering

−Limitations

• No digital readout, so temperature is approximate
• 1000 W preheats slower than the Instant or Ninja
• Color options matter more than features — it is a basic machine

→Good for

• a student or a second home
• anyone who distrusts touch panels
• one person cooking one thing at a time

↺Look elsewhere if

• precise, repeatable temperatures
• two main portions

+Strengths

• Under 8 in wide — fits where nothing else will
• Dishwasher-safe basket, per the manual
• 60-minute timer with auto shut-off

−Limitations

• 200°F minimum, so no low-temperature dehydrating
• Dimensions and weight come from the listing, not Chefman
• 2 qt: one portion, every time

→Good for

• a galley kitchen or an RV
• someone who wants the cheapest decent single-portion fryer
• reheating pizza and fries

↺Look elsewhere if

• cooking for two
• anyone who wants a maker's spec sheet behind every number

+Strengths

• Glass containers double as storage — cook, lid, refrigerate
• All accessories dishwasher safe, by Ninja's own page
• 450°F ceiling, higher than most compact drawers

−Limitations

• 14.55 lb for the full system — the heaviest here
• The PowerPod needs its own cabinet space when not in use
• Two containers to wash instead of one basket

→Good for

• one person who wants leftovers stored in the same dish
• a kitchen with no room for a permanent drawer-style fryer
• anyone avoiding non-stick coatings

↺Look elsewhere if

• a family cooking two things at once
• a cook who wants a set-and-forget basket machine

+Strengths

• 5 qt cooks dinner for two in one round
• 1,750 W — the fastest preheat in the group
• Lowest body here at 10.6 in; fits under a short cabinet

−Limitations

• 14.8 in deep: check the counter in front of the backsplash
• 10.7 lb — not a lift-out-of-the-cabinet machine
• 400°F ceiling, not 450°F like the Crispi

→Good for

• two people who want one round of cooking
• a 15-inch cabinet gap with depth to spare
• chicken wings by the pound

↺Look elsewhere if

• a single person with a tiny counter
• a shelf under 11 in tall once clearance is added

+Strengths

• 5.3 x 5.3 in: the smallest footprint in the group
• Double wall keeps the outside cool and the water hotter for longer
• 1,500 W on a 1 L fill is quick

−Limitations

• 3.2 lb — heavy for a liter kettle, because of the double wall
• No water window; the double wall hides the level
• 1 L is four mugs at most

→Good for

• a household with small children
• a tight counter corner
• one or two people who boil a mug or two at a time

↺Look elsewhere if

• filling a large French press
• anyone who wants to see the water level

+Strengths

• 2.2 lb, the lightest double-wall kettle here
• Cord winds into the base — tidy on a small counter
• Overheat and boil-dry protection stated by Cuisinart

−Limitations

• Cuisinart does not publish the wattage on the product page
• No temperature control
• 8.1 in deep — longer than it looks

→Good for

• a couple who boil a liter at most
• a counter where the cord is always in the way
• someone who wants cool-touch without the Zwilling weight

↺Look elsewhere if

• tea drinkers who want set temperatures
• anyone who needs a published wattage before buying

+Strengths

• 1500 W on a liter is a fast boil
• Water window — you can see the level
• The cheapest way to stop microwaving water

−Limitations

• Hamilton Beach's own page showed it out of stock when we checked
• Plastic body; no cool-touch or double wall
• No dimensions or weight on the maker's page

→Good for

• a dorm or office
• replacing a stovetop kettle on a budget
• someone who boils a mug at a time

↺Look elsewhere if

• temperature control
• anyone who wants a metal or glass body

+Strengths

• Glass body: you see the level and the scale
• No plastic touching the water, by Cosori's description
• 1.7 L fills a French press and two mugs

−Limitations

• 10 in tall and 9 in deep — the biggest footprint here
• Single boil setting, no temperature control
• Glass shows limescale quickly in hard-water areas

→Good for

• a household that boils a full pot at a time
• tea and French-press coffee at boiling point
• anyone who wants to watch the water level

↺Look elsewhere if

• green tea or pour-over at exact temperatures
• a tiny counter

+Strengths

• Six presets cover white, green, oolong, black tea and coffee
• 60-minute keep-warm instead of reboiling
• Stainless inner lid and filter, no plastic in the water path

−Limitations

• Same 10 in tall, 9 in deep footprint as the glass model
• No water window; you judge the level by weight
• Beeps at every step unless you learn the buttons

→Good for

• green and white tea drinkers
• pour-over coffee without a gooseneck
• a home office kettle kept warm through the morning

↺Look elsewhere if

• a one-mug user who only ever boils
• a counter under 11 in of clearance

+Strengths

• Gooseneck spout pours slowly enough for a V60 or Chemex
• Five presets, including 205°F for coffee
• Two-year warranty

−Limitations

• 0.8 L: three mugs, not a pot
• 1200 W is slower than the 1500 W kettles
• Cosori publishes no dimensions or weight for it

→Good for

• pour-over coffee every morning
• green and oolong tea at the right temperature
• one or two people

↺Look elsewhere if

• boiling a liter for pasta or a French press
• anyone who wants the fastest boil