Everyone I knew bought an air fryer during the big sales and swore it changed their lives. I was skeptical. Air fryers are just tiny convection ovens, I told myself. Then my toaster oven died and I needed something for small meals.

I ordered five budget air fryers under $60, tested them side by side for two weeks, and kept exactly one.

How I Tested

I ran each one through the same three tests: frozen fries, chicken thighs, and reheating pizza. I checked crispness, even cooking, noise, and how easy the basket was to clean. All five were under $60.

The fries test separated them fast. Some models cooked the edges crisp and left the middle pale. The winners produced even golden fries across the basket.

The Steal: The Small Basic Basket

The winner was the simplest model, a 4 quart basket air fryer with dials and a timer, priced at about $35. No touchscreen, no presets, no app. Just a temperature dial and a timer dial.

It cooked the fries evenly, crisped the chicken skin beautifully, and cleaned up in under a minute. The basket and tray come out and go in the dishwasher. That is all I wanted.

The Disappointments

Two of the five had serious problems. One had a basket that stuck halfway and a loud rattle. Another had a nonstick coating that started flaking after three uses. Both went back.

The touchscreen models looked great on the counter but were slower to heat and their presets ignored real cooking. A dial you can turn with wet hands beats a touchscreen every time.

What Actually Matters

Basket size, wattage, and how easy the basket is to clean matter. Everything else is marketing. For one or two people, 3 to 4 quarts is plenty. Look for 1400 watts or more for faster cooking.

I also learned to avoid air fryers with lots of crevices and nooks in the basket. Grease finds every one of them.

Final Verdict

The $35 basic basket air fryer replaced my toaster oven and my oven for most small jobs. It cooks faster, heats the kitchen less, and was cheaper than half the gadgets I have bought.

You do not need a $150 smart air fryer. You need a basket, a dial, and enough watts. The cheap one was the best one.