My sister showed up to Thanksgiving with an air fryer she paid $29 for on a Black Friday deal. She made Brussels sprouts in it — crispy on the outside, tender inside, done in 12 minutes while the oven was full of turkey and pies. I had spent an hour roasting mine. They came out soggy. I ordered an air fryer the next day.

You do not need to spend $150+ on an air fryer. The mechanism is simple — a heating element and a fan in a small chamber. It is basically a countertop convection oven. The price differences between a $40 model and a $150 model come down to capacity, interface quality, and brand markup, not cooking performance.

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What to Look For Under $50

Capacity: 3 to 4 quarts minimum. Anything smaller is a single-serving unit. A 3.5-quart basket fits about two chicken breasts or a pound of fries. For two people, 4 quarts or more. For a family of four, look at 5-6 quart models even if it pushes you slightly over the $50 mark — cooking in batches defeats the time savings.

Basket style over oven style. The pull-out basket design cooks faster and more evenly than the toaster-oven style with racks. The fan circulates air more efficiently in a cylindrical basket than in a rectangular oven cavity. For budget air fryers, stick with basket models.

Dishwasher-safe basket. The basket and crisper plate get coated with oil and food bits. If they are not dishwasher safe, you will spend more time scrubbing than cooking. Most budget models have nonstick baskets that are marked dishwasher safe — verify before buying.

Three Picks Under $50

• Dash Compact Air Fryer ($40). 2-quart capacity — small, but perfect for one person or a couple reheating snacks. Available in a dozen colors if you care about matching your kitchen. The small size means it preheats in under two minutes.
• Chefman TurboFry 3.6-Quart ($45). This is the sweet spot. Enough room for two portions, simple dial controls (no confusing digital panel), dishwasher-safe basket. It is the one I bought and have used 3-4 times a week for two years.
• GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart ($49). Digital controls with presets for fries, chicken, steak, fish, and cake. The presets are mostly marketing — you will learn your own times — but the slightly larger basket and temp range up to 400°F make it versatile.

For $45, my air fryer replaced my toaster and my microwave for reheating leftovers. Pizza that was floppy in the microwave comes out crispy in the air fryer in three minutes. That alone justified the purchase.