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Will it fit your counter, and your circuit?
Updated
Measure three things before you buy: the free counter space, the gap between the counter and the upper cabinets, and what else shares the outlet. Air fryers blow hot air out the back or top, so the size of the box is not the space it needs. And every pick on this site draws between 1500 and 1800 watts, which is a lot for one kitchen circuit.
Size of each pick
Dimensions are from the listings. Footprint is width times depth. Amps are watts divided by 120 volts.
| Air fryer | Width | Depth | Height | Footprint | Watts | Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chefman TurboFry Touch 4 Qt | 10.04 in | 13.82 in | 10.24 in | 139 sq in | 1500 | 12.5 |
| Ninja Air Fryer Pro 5 Qt | 11.29 in | 14.84 in | 10.39 in | 168 sq in | 1750 | 14.6 |
| COSORI TurboBlaze 6 Qt | 11.8 in | 14.4 in | 11.9 in | 170 sq in | 1725 | 14.4 |
| Instant Vortex XL 6 Qt | 14.92 in | 12.36 in | 12.83 in | 184 sq in | 1700 | 14.2 |
| Ninja DualZone 8 Qt | 15.63 in | 13.86 in | 12.4 in | 217 sq in | 1690 | 14.1 |
| Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro | 21.5 in | 17.5 in | 12.7 in | 376 sq in | 1800 | 15.0 |
Clearance: the space the listing does not count
Only one of the six listings states a clearance. COSORI says to leave 5 inches of space behind and above the air fryer. Add that to its 11.9 inch height and you need about 16.9 inches under a cabinet to cook in place. Many kitchens have about 18 inches between the counter and the upper cabinets, so that is close. Measure yours.
For the other five, the listing does not give a number, so get it from the manual before you pick a spot. The Ninja Air Fryer Pro's spec table says it vents at the rear, which means it should not sit tight against a wall or backsplash while running.
- The easy fix: store it under the cabinets and slide it forward to the counter edge to cook. Hot air and steam then rise in front of the cabinets, not into them.
- Leave room in front. A basket pulls straight out toward you. An oven door swings down.
- Think about weight if you plan to store it away. The basket models here run from about 10 to 18 pounds. The Breville is 30.2 pounds. That one lives on the counter.
- Keep it off the stovetop. People melt air fryers by parking them on a burner that later gets switched on.
Watts and your kitchen circuit
Most kitchen counter outlets in US homes are on 15 or 20 amp circuits, and one circuit often feeds several outlets. An air fryer pulling 12.5 to 15.0 amps uses most of a 15 amp circuit by itself. Run a toaster, kettle or microwave on the same circuit at the same time and the breaker may trip.
- If the breaker trips, that is the breaker doing its job. Move one appliance to an outlet on a different circuit, or do not run them together.
- Plug the air fryer straight into the wall. Do not use a light-duty extension cord or a power strip unless the manual allows it.
- A breaker that trips with only the air fryer running, a warm outlet, or a scorched plug is a reason to stop and call an electrician.
The lowest draw here is the Chefman TurboFry Touch at 1500 watts, about 12.5 amps. If you know your kitchen circuit is touchy, that is a point in its favor. This is general information, not electrical advice. Your home's wiring may differ, and an electrician is the right person to ask.
Noise
An air fryer is a heater with a fast fan, so none are silent. Only one listing here gives a number. COSORI claims the TurboBlaze runs at less than 53 dB even on its highest fan speed, and its review summary says owners find it quiet. For the Ninja Air Fryer Pro, owners are split: some call it very quiet, others a little loud. The other four listings and review summaries I read did not bring up noise either way.
If you have an open kitchen and noise matters, the COSORI is the only pick where both the maker and the owners speak to it. Sizes by household are on the size page, and the full comparison is on the shortlist.