Different Air Fryer Sizes: How Big of an Air Fryer Do I Need?

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You have decided to buy an air fryer at last but you are not sure of the air fryer sizes? Don’t worry, this article shows all the different air fryer sizes to suit different family sizes.

The size and capacity of the air fryer are one of the important factors considered when buying an air fryer.

There are over hundreds of air fryer brands offering thousands of air fryer sizes in the market. This makes buying decisions to be somewhat challenging.

It’s always good to consider the value an appliance offers therefore, the right size will enable you to air fry enough food within a few minutes.

Storage space can also contribute to the reason for choosing certain sizes for compact kitchens. Understanding the air fryer sizes and capacity they hold is great information for a quality purchase.

See Also:

What Are Air Fryer Sizes?

Small Air Fryers

These small sizes of air fryers are perfect for single people and range between 1.0 to 2.0 quarts. This size can cook chicken breasts, snacks enough for one or two people.

Another range of smaller air fryers which measure 2 to 3 quarts offer more room to cook a larger amount of food. The fryers can cook 4 to 6 chicken wings which are ideal for cooking large batches to eat later.

Medium Air Fryers

The medium-sized air fryers are ideal for 3 people or more depending on the type of food. This air fryer capacity ranges from 3 to 5 quarts.

You can prepare food for a family of 3 to 6 people. Unlike the smaller air fryers, the medium size provides more space to cook larger meals at once.

Large Air fryers

This size of an air fryer is the best because it is versatile to cook different sizes of foods in large batches. Large air fryers range from 5.3 to 6 quarts.

In these air fryers, you can cook a whole chicken and other foods at once. The fryers come with extra compartments to fit different trays.

The air fryers can prepare food for 5 to 6 people.

Extra Large Air fryers

If you have a large family or looking to cook food for a large number of people, these extra large-sized air fryers are the answer.

These range from 6 quarts to 16 quarts. There are few limitations on the capacity to cook large meals at once.

You get to enjoy large space and compartments to accommodate large chickens, turkeys, and other air fryer cooked foods. The spacious chamber creates a space for baking, dehydrating, roasting, grilling, etc.

The large-capacity air fryers are more versatile and create convenience in air frying different foods.

Air Fryer Measurements

Not all air fryers are labeled with quarts measurements as others may be labeled in pounds.

1 quart is equal to 1/4 of a gallon or

1 quart is equal to 0.94L for people in the USA and 113L in the UK.

These measurements will help you to estimate the food you can cook inside.

What Air Fryer Size Do I Need?

What Size Air Fryer For A Family Of 2

A family of two people will need an air fryer between 2.0 to 3.0 quarts for comfortable air frying. If you have a plan to expand the family to 3, then consider an air fryer sized between 3.0 to 5.0 quarts.

Best Air Fryers To Buy For A Family Of 2 or 3

There are some small air fryers that have great performance and come at a cheaper price. Check the recommendations below.

BELLA 14538 2.6 Quart Air Convection Fryer
Philips TurboStar Technology Airfryer, Digital Interface, 1.8lb/2.75qt
Ninja Air Fryer (AF101)
GoWISE USA GW22632 2.75-Quart
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart

Best Air Fryer For A Family Of 4

A family of four people would be well suited by an air fryer of 5.0 to 5.8 quarts. This is the most popular size that means there are plenty of models to choose from. The following are the best air fryers for a family of 4 people.

COSORI Air Fryer, Max XL 5.8 Quart
Philips Premium Digital Airfryer
GoWISE USA GW22731 1700-Watt 5.8-QT 8-in-1 Digital Air Fryer
Ultrean Air Fryer, 4.2 Quart
ENKLOV Air Fryer 5.5QT XL

What Size Air Fryer For A Family Of 5

This size of a family needs an air fryer from 5.8 quarts and above. Large-capacity air fryers come with extra features but ensure to check the most important features and accessories.

Dash DFAF455GBAQ01 Deluxe Electric Air Fryer
Chefman 6.8 Quart Air Fryer

What Size Air Fryer For A Family Of 6

For a 6 people family, an air fryer from 6 quarts and above will be great. They come at a higher price due to extra compartments and features.

OMORC 7.6QT Large Air Fryer
PowerXL 8 QT Family Sized Power AirFryer Pro
Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-1 Air Fryer

Best Air Fryer For A Limited Counter Space

The medium and large air fryers would be a problem for limited counter space in the kitchen. This doesn’t mean you have to buy a 1.0-quart air fryer but the solution is to look for a portable air fryer.

There is a 3.0-quart air fryer designed to take less space on the kitchen counter.

Best Small Capacity Air Fryers

Dash Compact Air Fryer 1.2 L Electric Air Fryer
BLACK+DECKER Purify 2-Liter Air Fryer
Copper Chef 2 QT Air Fryer

What Air Fryer Can Cook A Whole Chicken and Small Turkey

If you want to fry mostly whole chicken or small turkeys, there are also air fryers with a capacity to fit a whole chicken. Depending on the pounds of the chicken, looking for an air fryer between 5.3 to 6 quarts or more is the solution.

GoWISE USA GW44800-O Deluxe 12.7-Quarts
Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Air Fryer

Air Fryer Sizes FAQ:

Is an air fryer worth the money?

This is a question with answers unique to each family. If you’re a family that lives off of eggs for breakfast and soups or sandwiches for the other meals, then you probably won’t get too much use out of an air fryer and may prefer to save the money for a different, more functional kitchen appliance for your style.

If like most families, you cook by a mix of stovetop, oven, and more for those more “deep-fried” types of foods, then you’re fairly likely to find ways to swap out your usual, heat-intensive recipes for an air fryer recipe. This will help you improve the health of the recipes, keep your kitchen temperature lower, and save money and time on oil and cooking!

What air fryer size is best?

This is hard to answer generically since it depends on your family size, cooking plans, etc. If you’re brand new and just want the most versatile option, you’d be wise to go with one of the medium to large size air fryers, as suited for the air fryer sizes for a family of 4. This way you know it’s not too big to do smaller batches for cooking, but not so small that if your family expands or you have company, you’ll be cooking a ton of tiny batches.

How do I choose the right size air fryer?

Think about your family size (ie servings needed), how much food you usually cook at once (one night’s worth of servings versus cooking for tonight plus leftovers), and how often you’ll use it.

If you only plan to make homemade french fries once or twice a year, you might prefer to purchase a cheaper and smaller air fryer. You might also choose a smaller one if your storage is very tight/limited.

If you’re planning on trading in your frying pan for the air fryer and using it multiple days per week, then going for a larger sized air fryer may be the better option for the larger families or those families that cook dinner portions + leftover for tomorrow’s lunches in one go.

Should I get an air fryer sized for one person?

I wouldn’t recommend it. Unless you’re 100% living alone, have no family that will ever come over for dinner, and don’t plan on expanding your family, there’s always a chance you’d want a little extra space. If nothing else, you might want to make enough for lunch the next day, so you may want an air fryer sized for 2 so you can fit that extra serving worth.

The instances where an air fryer for one person may be useful is for college students who need small appliances to fit in college housing, or elderly people living in senior apartments/living centers where storage space is limited.

I have a very big family. Should I just look for an air fryer commercial size instead?

Doubtful. Most of these models will not be as safe for use in the average household kitchen versus the smaller sizes. The cleaning will be more cumbersome since larger sizes mean larger parts. Make sure you have a big kitchen sink!

How much will I spend on a good air fryer?

Your price will vary depending on the size and extra features in an air fryer that you choose. Generally speaking, you’ll spend somewhere around $150+ to get a pretty good one for most households.

Conclusion (How Big of an Air Fryer Do I Need?)

Air fryers are the healthy alternative to deep-frying which uses a lot of oil. There are a variety of air fryer sizes to suit everyone’s requirements.

Depending on the size of your family, you will require the above-discussed air fryer sizes for every family size and group.

There is no need to but a big air fryer for small capacity air frying. Although the large capacity air fryers have more benefits and versatility, it’s your decision to choose the right size.

I hope this post helps you in the quest for living a healthier life through air frying.

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