Cook for One with Ease: The 7 Best Small Air Fryers for Individual Use of 2023

Air Fryers have become a must-have in the kitchen! We love that these easy-to-use appliances cook food with minimal use of oil and provide a fantastic alternative to grilling or even baking!  But what if you have limited counter space in your kitchen? Or are just cooking for 1? Fear not, this kitchen aid comes in different sizes. Better – we have taken the time to test several options and are happy to present the 7 best small air fryers. 

Air fryers have become essential in every household because of their various advantages over conventional cooking options – They require shorter pre-heating times and are able to cook/reheat/defrost food at a much quicker pace when compared to conventional ovens.  Additionally, air fryers support a healthier lifestyle as they require little or no oil when preparing foods while making them taste crunchy and delicious. 

So, let’s get right into our picks and see which compact air fryers will work best for you!

7 Best Small Air Fryers

If you are looking to get a new air fryer, but do not have the counter space or are looking for affordable options, we are here to help. Over the past few years, our team has tested close to 25 small air fryers, using different ingredients like reheating 250 grams of frozen cooked chicken,  reheating chili cheese fries, cooking healthy three-bean soup, and so on.  We loved that these compact appliances easily fit on small counters, and do not break the bank….. guess what some of them even travel well!  

Below is a list of the best small air fryers that have been used and recommended by us. Let’s explore these and help you choose the best one!

Product Image	Product Name	FoodLve Rating	Pros	Cons	Link
	Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer	Best Overall	The basket style makes it easy to use Adds additional crispiness to the food. Compact for small counter space.Easy to CleanValue for Money	The basket is tall, not wide. Limited cooking features No temperature control	Check Price Here
	Dash Digital Tasti-Crisp Air Frye	Best Air Fryer for One Person	Compact and does not take up counter space. Half the weight of a standard air-fryerIt is compact and lightweight. Has a variety of Features. Allows for Temperature Control Easy to Use	The touch button can get very hot after a few repeated uses. Gives hot air from the back. Lacks a pre-heating feature. On the pricy side	Check Price Here
	Bella Air-Fryer	Best Value	Value for Money [Manufacture constantly has deals] Adjustable temperature and evenly cooked food High performing and affordable Easy to Clean	Can be loud Heats up from the back The screws of the basked are attached with plastic over time we noticed that the plastic melts	Check Price Here
	Dreo Air-Fryer	Best Smart Looking Air Fryer	Smart-looking, high-performing Easy of use and programmable settings Viewing window	Touchscreen is on top of the air fryer Interior Light needs to be turned on manually Pricey when compared to the other small air-fryers	Check Price Here
	Instant Pot vortex	Best Multi-Feature	6-in-1 FunctionalityEasy to Use Lower Operating Noise Fast Preheating	Limited Warranty Expensive small air-fryer Required cool time of approx 8 mins between use	Check Price Here
	Chefman Small, Compact Air Fryer	Most Affordable	Value for Money  User Friendly  Space-saving compact size Simple Timer and Temperature Control	We found the 10-degree temperature increment to be too large Controls are a bit difficult to read	Check Price Here
	Elite Gourmet Personal Air Fryer	Best Personal Airfryer	Adjustable time and temperature Cool touch handle Does make a lot of sound	The timer ding is not loud and some people may find it to be too small Its size limits the types of items that can be cooked in it	Check Price Here

1. Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer (Best Overall Air Fryer)

Best Overall Air Fryer

Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer deserves to be on the top spot in our list of best small air fryers. This versatile basket-style air fryer is easy-to-use and adds additional crispness to fried items, making them taste delicious as ever. This air fryer has the dimensions of 8 x 10 x 9.5 inches and a capacity of 2 quarts. One of the most prominent features of this air-fryer is its removable basket which makes handling the air-fryer very easy. Moreover, the tray fits at the bottom of the basket so you can just directly transfer food without worrying about the food falling out.

2. Dash Digital Tasti-Crisp Air Fryer 2.6 Quart (Best Air Fryer For One Person)

Best Air Fryer For One Person

Dash Digital Tasti-Crisp Air Fryer came in second on our list. It is one of the best small air fryers out there with a huge variety of features. This basket-style air-fryer has dimensions of 11x9x11 inches and a measured capacity of 1.9 quarts. 

The Dash Digital air fryer has a great outlook with an easy-to-use control panel. Moreover, it cleans easily and excels in the noise test. 

Dash digital has compact and lightweight and is probably the best air fryer for one person. It is energy efficient and cooks your food well in a short span of time. It’s able to reduce fats in food by 70-80% without sacrificing the texture or taste of the food.

3. Bella Air Fryer 2 qt (Best Value Air Fryer)

Best Value Air Fryer

Bella Air-Fryer is a high-performing air fryer that has a sleek design and is energy efficient. Its high-powered system allows you to cook food at reduced speeds and adds additional crispiness to it to make it more delicious. We also noticed that it air-fried the food to a crispy texture with a moist interior.  

This air fryer has the dimensions of 13.7 x 9 x 13.7 inches and a capacity of approximately 1.7 qt of food. In addition to that, it has a power of 1200 watts that allows it to recirculate heat to cook your food evenly. The Bella Air-fryer required minimal clean-up and offers a versatile range of use

4. Dreo Air Fryer (Best Smart Looking Air Fryer)

Best Smart Looking Air Fryer

The Dreo Air-Fryer has a relatively different outlook and is definitely quieter than the other best small air fryers available. This basket-type air fryer has dimensions of 12 x 10 x 13 inches. It allows for trouble-free cleaning as well as easy usability and operations. We really liked that this air-fryer came with several special features including – a wider temperature range, a viewing window and various smart presets. If you are starting out learning to use the air-fryer, you will definitely find the 100-free recipe booklet handy.   

The measured capacity of the Dreo Air Fryer is 2.5 qt. It comes with a recipe book as well as a warranty of one year.

5. Instant Pot Vertex Plus Clear Cook (Best Multi-Feature Air Fryer)

Best Multi-Featured Air Fryer

The instant Pot vortex has a square basket design that makes it stand out from other air fryers. With a capacity of 3 quarts and dimensions of 11 x 10 x 13 inches, the instant pot vertex is dishwasher safe and has an easy-to-use control panel. A cool thing about the Instant Pot Vortex is that it has a 6-in-1 functionality. This means you can use it to air-fry, roast, bake, reheat, and dehydrate.  If you are starting out learning to use the air-fryer, you will find the 100 free recipe booklets handy.

It is extremely easy to clean and has relatively lower operating noise.  We loved its sleek designed model and balanced viewing basket.

6. Chefman Small, Compact Air Fryer, Healthy Cooking, 2 Qt Air Fryer (Most Affordable)

Most Affordable

The Chefman Small, Compact Air Fryer is our top choice for value-for-money air fryers below $50.  This personal-size air fryer saves counter space.  It has a 2 quart of interior basket capacity and a brushed stainless steel exterior. This model has manual temperature control and a 60-minute integrated timer that lets you reheat or cook your meals just right!

With a dimension of 9.75 x 9.75 x 12 inches, this useful air fryer is a top-notch choice as it produces very less operational noise and is extremely easy to clean with an auto-shutoff mechanism in place that provides safety and security.

7. Elite Gourmet Personal Air Fryer (Best Smallest Air Fryer)

The capacity of the Elite Gourmet Personal Air Fryer is measured at 1.1 quarts with dimensions of 6.5 x 6.5 x 9.8 inches making it one of the smallest air fryers available on the market. You can easily fit in a small cabinet, and we were able to hold an air-fryer in the palm of our hands. Don’t mistake size for less power, the Elite Gourmet has a high-power convection fan and a 30-minute auto-shutoff timer that makes it a very powerful small air fryers air fryer out there. 

This 1000W and 12V air fryer has a cool touch handle that allows you to safely remove the fried foods without burning them. Moreover, it consumes less oil and is non-sticky. 

Additionally, the Elite Gourmet Air Fryer doesn’t produce a lot of noise and is extremely easy to clean on the interior as well as the exterior. It has a one-year limited warranty which is pretty standard for air fryers. 

FAQs 

What is an air fryer and how does it work?

An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that uses a blast of hot air to cook food quickly and evenly. Its method consists of a heating element and a powerful fan, that circulates hot air around the food at high speeds to cook it quickly. Some models include several different types of presets and features allowing you to do several different things with your food including cooking, baking, reheating, dehydrating, roasting, etc

Are air fryers healthy?

In our opinion, air fryers are healthy, they can be used to cook a quick and convenient way to create a well-balanced and nutritional meal or snack. Since you are using little or no oil in your foods when using an air fryer, it supports a healthier lifestyle while making your food taste crunchy and delicious. 

Which size of air-fryer is best for me?

The best size of the air-fryer that would be best for you really depends on what stage of cooking you are in and who you will be cooking for. If you are starting out your journey with air-fryers and plan to use it for individual use, we suggest getting an 2 to 2.5 qt smaller more compact, and affordable air-fryers – we have listed the 7 best options above.  If you will be cooking for a family of 4 then a 3 to 4 qt medium-sized air fryer would be best for you. As you gain more experience using air-fryers you want to consider additional features such as temperature controls or preset cooking programs for different types of foods. Ultimately, the choice is yours and depends on your individual preferences and needs!

Are small air fryers worth it?

Definitely, small air-fryers are worth it, if you are someone who lives in a small space with limited kitchen counter space, if you are someone who will regularly cook for 1-2 people, or are looking to gain experience using an air-fryer but do not want to break the bank. We have listed the 7 best small air-fryers that will suit your needs.  

The Bottom Line

Small-air fryers are a good option if you do not have counter space or are not ready to invest a lot of money in this appliance. There are a lot of options available out there when you are looking to buy the best small air-fryers making the process very confusing. 

The Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer is one of the best small air-fryers on the market and it also ranks highly best value for money

We hope you find our summarization of the other best small air-fryers helpful so that you can make this decision more easily. Good luck!

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