How To Determine The Right Size Air Fryer For Your Kitchen

Air fryers can be used to make brownies, but they're also the secret to making crispy, flaky fish. This type of versatility comes at the cost of heftiness, so buying an air fryer often raises the question of whether or not you're getting the right size for your home. Chowhound spoke with Rachel Buck, the senior demo chef at Ninja, upon the launch of the new Ninja Crispi Pro. One of the most important considerations is knowing how many people you regularly cook for, and she advises getting an air fryer that can cook more food than what your usual crowd eats.

"For one to two people, I would recommend a 2- to 4-quart side capacity — for three to four people, a 4- to 6-quart capacity. For five-plus people, I would recommend a 6-quart or even a dual basket!" Buck told us exclusively. She recommends going with larger air fryer models because they're helpful for entertaining guests or cooking a whole chicken and some vegetables in one go. To make an easy weeknight meal in the air fryer, Buck shares, "I like to marinate the chicken overnight, add veggies, tons of garlic, and a bit of white wine at the bottom of the glass container to help keep the chicken moist as it's cooking. Then once my chicken is done, it has built this delicious sauce on the bottom that I can serve as a one-dish meal."

While capacity is a major consideration when it comes to picking an air fryer, Rachel Buck also recommends taking physical kitchen space into account, as well. "When choosing an air fryer, think about your counter space, cabinet storage, and how often you may be using it," she says. 

It would make the most sense to keep a heavily used air fryer on the counter for easy access, for instance, so you'll need one that fits easily into the available counter space in your kitchen. There are many ways to maximize your kitchen counter space in case you're working with a smaller kitchen, so you'll likely have some leeway if you plan on bringing a family-sized air fryer home.

If you're going to use it only occasionally, you may want to go for a model that fits into one of your cabinets. Not only will storing a rarely used air fryer away help reduce the clutter in your kitchen, but it also makes it a safer space — storing appliances on your kitchen island is a bad idea because it can lead to accidents. For homes with messy kitchen cabinets, odds are you'll find enough room for an air fryer after decluttering your cabinets with a simple organizing solution.

You'll also want to ensure that the accessories you use with your air fryer slot nicely into the available spaces in your kitchen. If space is limited, you can probably get away with sticking to a minimal list. Rachel Buck says, "You really don't need many accessories. The only things I like to have on hand are some silicone muffin cups and parchment paper. The silicone cups are great for making muffins, cupcakes, or even egg cups, and the parchment paper is helpful for baking cookies."

It might also help to get creative when it comes to storing your air fryer accessories. An office tool that does remarkably well at storing grilling equipment would work just as well for your muffin cups and rolls of parchment paper. Just keep in mind that the size of these accessories will vary based on the size of the air fryer you end up buying, so not every storage hack will be a perfect match for what you need. Whatever solutions you go with, make sure that they're in a spot that's accessible from where you plan on using your air fryer. After all, being organized in the kitchen also means creating a smoother workflow.