The best smart air fryer can make cooking a snap! It’s perfect for busy individuals or those who hate constant monitoring in the kitchen. Whether you are on the patio chilling with friends or in the garden doing yard work, you can cook different dishes remotely with just a phone in your hand.
Air fryers are known for their convenience. They are great alternatives for ovens and grills, among other demanding cooking methods. Even better, some air fryers are equipped with smart functionalities. You can receive alerts from your phone and access an array of recipes.
Are you looking for the best smart air fryer on the market? You came to the right place. Read on, and I’ll share some products worth considering, as well as the features that make them exceptional.
In a hurry? Here’s a quick rundown of the top products you might want to consider.
Our top pick: Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer: The top pick on this list, it is a compact air fryer with intelligent voice control.
Cosori CS130-AO Air Fryer: The largest air fryer in this review, it has a convection function that allows it to double as an oven.
NuWave Brio Air Fryer: It stands out because of its adjustable wattage, so you can customize the power rating as you deem fit.
NuWave Bravo Air Fryer Toaster Oven This air fryer reaches up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the highest of the four models in this review.
The Best Smart Air Fryer: Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer
Why I Love It:
- Compact and space-efficient design
- Voice control integration
- Comes with a Shake reminder
- Has temperature conversion
Limitations:
- Small cooking capacity
With more than 80,000 reviews on Amazon, mostly five stars, this air fryer is at the top of my list. It has a capacity of 5.8 quarts, making it a great option for small kitchens. This size is good enough for cooking for five people. It could fit one rotisserie chicken in its basket. However, if you’re looking for a larger basket-style alternative, you might want to look at NuWave Brio.
The four air fryers in this review all have smart functions. However, the Cosori Pro II and Cosori CS130-AO are more advanced. You can use voice controls. You can use Amazon Alexa devices for controlling the air fryer. It also works with Google Assistant. As such, it’s easy to change the settings without physically touching the buttons in the air fryer.
10 customizable presets are available, including the following:
- Steak
- Chicken
- Shrimp
- Seafood
- French fries
- Frozen foods
- Vegetables
- Bacon
- Bake
- Toast
One of the unique features you’ll find in this air fryer is the Shake reminder. It has an audible alarm, so you’ll know when it’s time to shake the basket or flip the food. You can ignore it and the alarm will go off. Alternatively, you also have the option to turn it off by pressing the shake button on the control panel.
While it might not seem like a big thing to some people, I appreciate the feature that lets you convert the temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius or the other way around.
However, looking at the reviews of its users, some did not like the minimal capacity. It has the smallest capacity of all the air fryers in this review, which makes it good only for small households.
High Capacity Smart Air Fryer: Cosori CS130-AO Air Fryer
Why I Love It:
- Large cooking capacity
- Has a Ferment function
- Comes with five heating elements
Limitations:
- Expensive
With a 32-quart capacity, this is another air fryer you might want to consider if you want a kitchen appliance with smart functions. It’s ideal for small families. The interior space is good enough to cook for five to seven people. Because of its size, it can be a good option if you’re looking for the best air fryer for making pizza.
It shares many features with the Cosori Pro II Air Fryer earlier reviewed. They both have voice control integration, which you’ll not find in the two products I’ll review below. More so, the two Cosori air fryers also come with hundreds of recipes accessible through the VeSync App, which is great for beginners who are clueless about what to cook in their air fryers.
With this smart air fryer, you can choose from 12 cooking presets, which include the following:
- Air fry
- Pizza
- Bagel
- Toast
- Roast
- Bake
- Broil
- Rotisserie
- Cookies
- Dehydrate
- Ferment
- Warm
Most of the presets are similar to what you’ll find in other air fryers. One feature that caught my attention, however, is Ferment. You won’t find it in the others on this list. This is a useful feature for rising yeast dough and even for preparing yoghurt.
In addition, this air fryer comes with five heating elements in strategic positions. Not to mention, it has a two-speed convection fan. Both features contribute to the speed of air frying.
Nonetheless, it’s the most expensive of the four air fryers in this review. It’s not for people on a budget. However, the price is justified because of its many features and functions.
Budget-Friendly Smart Air Fryer NuWave Brio Air Fryer
Why I Love It:
- Affordable
- 100 pre-programmed functions
- Has a memory function
- Adjustable wattage
Limitations:
- Need to scroll the menu to choose common presets
If there’s one reason to choose this air fryer, it would be its price. Many reviewers were raving about how affordable it is while offering decent performance. No wonder, it has over 12,000 reviews on Amazon.
Like the NuWave Bravo Air Fryer, it also comes with a digital thermometer. This is one feature that you won’t find in the smart air fryers from Cosori I’ve earlier reviewed. It allows you to set the desired internal temperature. After reaching such, the air fryer automatically stops cooking, ensuring that the food is cooked as you like it.
Looking at its features, one thing that caught my eye is the presence of 100 presets and recipe functions. You can eliminate the guesswork as the air fryer chooses the right settings depending on what you’re cooking. Even better, it has a 50-slot memory, so you can save your favorite settings.
The Linear Thermal or Linear T Technology is also notable. This is a feature you’ll also find in NuWave Bravo. It’s an exclusive feature for making precise temperature adjustments by 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
It has an adjustable wattage, which is one feature you won’t often find in an air fryer. The maximum is 1,800 watts, but you can also set it to 1,500 or 900 watts.
One thing I noticed is the absence of dedicated buttons for common cooking functions, such as Air Fry. After reading reviews, I found out you have to use the scroll function and choose the preset.
Large Smart Air Fryer with Built-in Thermometer: NuWave Bravo Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Why I Love It:
- Comes with a four-position rack
- Has a 3-speed cooking fan and five quartz heating elements
- Top and bottom heat control
Limitations:
- The user interface can be tricky
If you’re searching for the best 26-quart air fryer, this is one option worth considering. It has 12 presets and 100 pre-programmed recipes, so you can enjoy its versatility.
The main difference from the Nuwave Brio is the larger cooking capacity. Aside from such, it comes with a four-position rack, so you can enjoy versatility when arranging foods in an air fryer. Meanwhile, the two share similar features, including the presence of a built-in digital thermometer that makes air frying a breeze.
It has several features that contribute to its performance. For instance, the convection fan has three speeds, which you can adjust based on what a recipe requires. More so, it has five heating elements, which is comparable to Cosori CS130-AO. It has exclusive top and bottom heat control, so you can decide which one to use.
I can also recommend this model to people who are looking for an air fryer with the highest temperature. It can reach up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than the other three air fryers mentioned above.
Judging from the reviews of its users, it seems like it isn’t as intuitive as its simpler counterparts. It can take a while to figure out the functions, but once you get used to them, operating the air fryer can be easier.
Benefits of Smart Air Fryers
Are you looking for compelling reasons to invest in smart air fryers? Below are some of the things that might convince you:
1. Control Settings Remotely
One of the best things about smart air fryers is that you can control them without touching the physical buttons. Download a compatible app on your phone and you can change the settings remotely. For instance, you can adjust the temperature and change the timer.
2. Monitor the Process
Some smart air fryers will also let you monitor the cooking process. This way, you’ll easily know whether your food is done or if you have to wait a bit longer without physically opening the door or basket to check the progress.
3. Access Recipes
Most smart air fryers will let you access tons of recipes through a mobile app. It can be handy for those who are new to air fryers. From the ingredients to instructions, you’ll have a handy guide that makes it easy to experiment with various recipes. Some will even have videos for a visual guide on various recipes.
4. Use Your Voice
The best smart air fryers will also come with voice control. You can use Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, among others. Enjoy hands-free operation and use voice commands to change the different functions in your air fryer.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Smart Air Fryers
The options are plenty, but don’t see this as an excuse to choose any model. As you narrow down the possibilities, below are the most important considerations:
- Capacity: Do you live on your own in a tiny apartment? Are you a large household with multiple members? Such will dictate the right capacity for your needs. Small air fryers range from 3 to 5 quarts while large ones can go as big as 26 to 32 quarts.
- Cooking Presets and Functions: For your convenience, consider choosing one with multiple presets. The latter will provide one-touch functionality. The unit automatically sets the cooking time and temperature depending on the chosen function.
- Versatility: Speaking of functions, some will be versatile enough to also function as another kitchen appliance. For instance, you will find air fryer and oven combos. Some can also double as a grill or even as a microwave.
- Ease of Use: From operating the unit to cleaning, make sure it’s user-friendly. It’s good to have an intuitive interface, which makes the operation a breeze. Read reviews and find out what other people are saying.
- Accessories: It’s common for the best smart air fryers to come with accessories, but the specific inclusions can differ from one manufacturer to another. Racks are the most common. It can also come with a rotisserie rod if it’s large enough.
Final Verdict
The best smart air fryer can transform your kitchen and the overall cooking experience. They are equipped with state-of-the-art functions that can make your life easier. Among others, one that stands out is the Cosori Pro II. It’s compact with multiple cooking functions. The elegant design is also a plus, which will make it stand out on the countertop.
