Best 5 Quart Air Fryer Tested and Top-Rated Picks [2023]

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The best 5 quart air fryer is great for small families of three to four. It can make a couple of servings of French Fries, chicken wings, or sausage rolls. All in all, it can revolutionize your evening snack time.

If you have decided to buy an air fryer but are still trying to make a choice, we are here to help. We searched the market far and wide and came up with a list of air fryers to keep your health in check and make your taste buds sing with happiness.

So are you ready to dive in and learn the crème de la crème of 5-quart air fryers? Before going any further, you should know how we curated our list to make it trustworthy.

It took us about 110 hours to test approximately 29 air frying units before we finally got satisfied with the performance of the below-mentioned 8 best air fryers. From the sleek and stylish to the hands-on and affordable, there is something for everyone.

Best 5 Quart Air Fryer Tested and Top-Rated Picks [2023]

A Note For Our Readers

A five quart air fryer is a great option. But it might not be suitable for all households. If you are a family of four to five, buy the best 6 quarts air fryer. Similarly, a seven-quart air fryer is better for cooking for five to six people. And for a family of six to seven, you should go for nothing less than the best 8 quart air fryer.

1. COSORI Pro LE Best Quiet Air Fryer

If you want an air fryer that ticks all the boxes for style and quality, your quest ends here. COSORI Air Fryer Pro LE has nine customizable functions to help you cook various foods. This versatility is valuable for every kitchen.

The Air Whisper Quiet Operation technology makes this air fryer relatively noiseless. So, it is suitable for smaller kitchens as enclosed spaces make sound more intense.

The design and construction make it a space-saving unit for kitchens where space is a premium. However, It isn’t possible to monitor cooking time and temp from a distance because the display or panel is on top.

We were quite happy with its cooking performance. We made seasoned zucchini, bell pepper, and carrots. The veggies were mouthwatering and tender. We also baked a cake; it was moist and fluffy, but the top was a bit darker than we liked. We find this air fryer easy to use; still, you will go through a learning curve to achieve cooking perfection. 

Compared to COSORI air fryer, it is less pricey. Cosori Pro comes with 130+ exclusive recipes, whereas you get only 30 recipes with COSORI Air Fryer. 

Overall, this air fryer is a reliable unit that can quickly become a staple for your kitchen. It will help you cook delicious healthy meals without sacrificing taste or convenience.

PROS

  • Space-saving design
  • Customizable cooking functions
  • Easy-to-read control panel
  • Attractive gray-colored exterior

CONS

  • There is a learning curve for achieving perfect cooking results

2. Chefman Digital Air Fryer Best BPA and Teflon Free

While it is true that this air fryer might not win big awards for its looks, we do want to point out that its control panel is very clean and uncluttered. The buttons are self-explanatory and easy to read. Each is labeled with the name and a picture of what it cooks.

As per our experience, we are happy to share that the unit can easily accommodate 10 wings simultaneously. Adjusting drumettes and flats is more convenient than larger chicken pieces. 

Testing this air fryer was no hassle. It was easy to get perfectly browned and crispy Brussels sprouts and bacon-Wrapped Scallops at the temperature in our recipe. It has a shake reminder feature, which makes it suitable for people who forget to shake their food periodically.

However, our team discovered through using this product that it required a bit longer than the preset recipe time. So, if you are making food for guests, plan cooking accordingly.

We found this air fryer compact compared to most units with the same capacity. However, the circumference is wider than a standard blender. So placing an air fryer on the kitchen counter beside other appliances might be a hassle for small kitchens.

PROS

  • Affordable
  • The basket can accommodate more than ten wings
  • The control panel is quite organized

CONS

  • The unit’s girth is wider than a blender

3. GoWISE USA GW22965 Best Under $100

If you can get past the looks of this air fryer pricing under $100, you can achieve great things in the kitchen with it. Apart from doing air frying (the primary function), it can reheat, which extends its ability to refresh leftover pizzas, McDonald’s wings, fries, and much more.

Drawing from our experience, we could not find many faults in the food we cooked. Its “dehydrate function” is particularly admirable as it helped us get flawlessly dehydrated strawberries and apple chips.

We loved that GoWISE USA GW22965 depicts a balance between affordability, consistent cooking, and the number of presets. With this air fryer, you can forget about hauling a cumbersome air fryer, as it only weighs less than 14 pounds.

The only slight quibble is its basket design. Compared to COSORI Air Fryer Pro LE’s square basket design, GoWISE USA’s round basket prevents it from accommodating elongated and larger pieces more efficiently. Alternatively, arranging it along the walls can add more food, like potato sticks and wings.

PROS

  • Consistent cooking results
  • The deep five-inch basket is good for stacking food in the air fryer
  • Basket coated with PFOA-free, non-stick material
  • Also has 2 QT and 7 QT variants
  • Budget friendly

CONS

  • Round basket is less space efficient

4. Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Air Fryer Best With Pressure Cooker

Ninja performed great during our cooking tests and impressed us with its ease of programming and use. We loved its additional cooking functions, such as pressure cooking, searing, and sauteing. They encourage you to feel like a sous chef.  

For cooking tests, we made tender pot roast and juicy ribs. We got perfect results, but saying it happened in the first attempts will be an exaggeration.

Before getting perfect food, we passed through the required learning curve tinted by uneven cooking and burned spots. If you experience such results, give yourself time to get the hang of it.

It is a bit pricier than many pressure cookers—a dealbreaker for many of you on a tight budget. But then you might not be able to get the same reliability and cooking quality that a Ninja unit can offer.

Instant Pot also has an air fryer pressure cooker, which is less pricey. But compared to it, Ninja Foodi has more cooking modes, such as bake/broil. This additional feature explains its higher price tag.

Deep cleaning the air fryer can be a hassle, especially its lid. And the whole process is time-consuming. However, to save time on lengthy cleaning, we always advise wiping the unit after every use to avoid dirt and grease buildup.

PROS

  • Programming it is a breeze
  • Offers more than standard multi-functional air fryers
  • Pressure cook and air fry in one pot
  • The 9-in-1 air fryer can replace many appliances
  • Nesting broil rack offers additional cooking space

CONS

  • Cleaning is a bit hassle

5. CHEFMAN Air Fryer Best Energy Efficient

If you don’t want to stress about overcooking food, you need to cook in an air fryer that lets you keep a look at the food. In other words, you need a CHEFMAN 5-Quart Digital Air Fryer with an easy-view window.

The large see-through window on the basket allows you to see the food without opening the basket during cooking. An instant pot air fryer also has an easy-view window, but that unit is way more expensive than this unit from Chefman.

So, CHEFMAN 5-Quart accomplishes the hard-to-reach standards of affordability and convenience seamlessly. After using it multiple times, we are happy to share that it is well worth the money.

Drawn from our experience, one amazing feature of this air fryer is its section on the control panel dedicated to choosing the meat doneness.

That part of the control panel synchronizes with the meat probe connected to the side of the air fryer. It helps ensure your steak is never raw or undercooked—genuinely admirable!

The basket’s 8-inch diameter has enough space to accommodate more than eight egg rolls and serve a party. You can also fit a whole chicken in it, albeit a small one. But it is worth a try.

Another super convenient aspect is that preheating the air fryer is not required. The internal temperature reaches the desired level instantly. The only complaint is that the temperature increments are in degrees of 25F which makes setting the precise temperature a problem.

PROS

  • Convenient cooking
  • Evenly cooked food
  • Temperature probe helps attain perfection
  • Less expensive than air fryers with similar features

CONS

  • Temperature increases in increments of 25 F

6. Oster DiamondForce Air Fryer Best Value For Money

The Oster DiamondForce air fryer has a safety guard on the basket handle. You cannot release the basket from the drawer until you press the guard. This small but thoughtful addition ensures you don’t drop the drawer when grabbing the basket with food.

The diamond particles-infused non-stick coating on the air fryer basket makes it capable of enduring the test of time. A power-saving aspect of this unit is that until you press the power button, the display stays asleep.

Another exciting feature we loved about this air fryer is when you push the power button to turn it off, it takes a few seconds to release heat before shutting off. To all who might think this is a glitch, know that it is a safety feature that increases the gadget’s efficiency.

The control panel has a three-dot menu button to access cooking presets. You must repeatedly press the menu button to reach the desired cooking preset. Nothing complicated, but a bit of a hassle though!

To check its cooking ability, we made crispy chicken tenders. The appliance exceeded expectations, delivering perfectly breaded and juicy chicken tenders that were a hit among our guests.

PROS

  • Smart and sleek control panel
  • Diamond particles infused with non-stick coating
  • Safety guard on the basket handle
  • Multiple cooking presets
  • Non-stick, PFOA-free, square basket

CONS

  • Selecting the right cooking presets is a hassle

7. GoWISE USA GW22821-S Best With Digital Controls

GoWISE USA 5 Quart is conferred the title “best buy” by America’s Test Kitchen. Our team wanted to perform enough testing to be confident about including it in the final pool of the best five-quart air fryer.

We liked that the large handle on the basket is ergonomic and makes it quite easy to grab and hold the basket even if it is full of food.

A slight design inconvenience about this air fryer is that the control panel on the top makes it difficult to operate when placed on the countertop under the kitchen cabinet. You must take it or place it on an island so the space over the control panel is clear. 

We air-fried tofu, onion rings, Buffalo wings, chicken thighs, and many other things until we were satisfied with its performance. Its cooking results and quality justify its selection.

This air fryer comes with a recipe book with 50 recipes, making cooking quite convenient for many kitchens with budding chefs.

Its PFOA-free non-stick pan and basket make it the best non-toxic air fryer for health-conscious people. There is no chance that the material will release toxic fumes even at the highest temperature.

Compared to the earlier mentioned GoWISE GW22965, this GW22821-S has excellent looks. It can enhance the beauty profile of your kitchen.

PROS

  • Attractive looks
  • PFOA free non-stick plate and basket
  • Recipe book included
  • Easy to clean
  • High-quality, consistent cooking results

CONS

  • The control panel on the top is difficult to operate
  • The learning curve associated with its use

8. Aria CFA-897 Best Ceramic Air Fryer

If you are nervous about spending a lot on an air fryer, Aria Air Fryers CFA-897 is an excellent gadget to start your air frying journey. It demonstrates good quality cooking and builds at an affordable price. 

Like most air fryers, it cannot replace the reheat function of a microwave. But still, reheating meal in the air fryer gives you sufficiently good results.

We loved the completeness of the design of this air fryer. The control panel lacks nothing, even at an economical price of under $100.

On top of that, the design of the control panel does not make the air fryer cluttered.

The design of the air fryer is not only user-friendly but safeThe basket and the crisper plate are PTFF, PFOA, and BPA-free.

CFA-897 is a great unit for a small family, but compared to it, Aria’s 7 QT Ceramic Digital Air fryer is more suitable for a bigger family. Its 7 QT variant can accommodate a 3-tier rack if you want, helping you make various foods.

In our cooking tests, overall, we were happy with the results of the air fryer after making multiple rounds of French fries and slices of bell pepper, baked pizza bites, and roasted zucchini.

Except for the pizza bites, which initially had a dryer exterior and undercooked interior, everything cooked and tasted perfect. We plan to try another pizza recipe to see how it performs and are quite hopeful about it.

PROS

  • Using it is a breeze
  • The manual is elaborate and easy to understand
  • The coating is ceramic non-stick
  • Easy to clean

CONS

  • Reheat function is not impressive
  • Gets hot from the outside

How To Choose Top Quality 5 Quart Air Fryer

  • Power: The higher the wattage, the faster an air fryer cooks. If you want efficiency, buy an air fryer with at least 1500 watts of power.
  • Capacity: A 5 QT unit is a suitable air fryer for 3 people. For more people, a five-quart machine might be insufficient. So look for the best large air fryers on the market—the 8 quarts air fryer is worth consideration.
  • Cooking Presets: Consider an air fryer with many cooking presets for chicken, fish, bagel, veggies, cake, etc. It saves you the hassle of having cooking time and temperature at your fingertips.
  • Design and Footprint: Design is often irrespective of the capacity of an air fryer. Some 5 QTs air fryers have a bigger footprint than others. Buy an air fryer whose design is compatible with the space and style of your kitchen; otherwise, you might need to keep it in the cabinet after each use.
  • Recipe Booklet: Some air fryers have recipe booklets that include the best air fryer recipes. These booklets simplify your cooking process and eliminate the chances of mistakes related to guessing air fryer recipes.
  • Accessories: Air fryer accessories allow you to make the most of it. You can cook with enhanced convenience and ease. Some five-quart air fryers come with accessories, while others don’t and require you to spend extra on buying required accessories. Buy an air fryer with accessories like baking trays, racks, baskets, etc.

FAQs

What are the best five quart air fryers?

  1. COSORI Pro LE Quiet Air Fryer
  2. Chefman Digital BPA and Teflon Free Air Fryer
  3. GoWISE USA GW22965 Budget Friendly Air Fryer
  4. Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Air Fryer Pressure Cooker Combo
  5. CHEFMAN Air Fryer 1000 Watt Energy Efficient
  6. Oster DiamondForce Air Fryer With Non-stick Basket
  7. GoWISE USA GW22821-S Digital Air Fryer
  8. Aria CFA-897 Ceramic Air Fryer

What can you fit in a 5 qt air fryer?

What you can cook in a 5 quart air fryer depends on its design and manufacturing. However, on the whole, it can make 1.5 to 2 pounds of fries. It can also hold a whole chicken (in small size). Nonetheless, it is always better to check the height and width of the basket to know how much it can cook before buying a five quart air fryer.

Is a 5 quart air fryer a good size?

Whether it is a good size for a family depends on everyone’s individual needs. A 5 quart air fryer can easily cook for two to four people. But if you entertain guests frequently, a 5-quart air fryer may not have enough capacity to meet your needs.

What is the best size air fryer for a family of 5?

A family of five needs to cook more food in their routine, so a 6 to 7 quart air fryer is a good option. These sizes are ideal as they allow you to cook more food or multiple items in one go.

Is a 5 qt air fryer too small?

Though, the suitability of the capacity of an air fryer is judged based on your cooking needs. Practically speaking, a 5 quart air fryer is not too small. An air fryer is considered too small if it has a 1 to 3 quart capacity.

Wrapping Up!

In conclusion, a 5-quart air fryer is a great option for small families or individuals who want to cook healthy meals without using a lot of oil. Our list of the best 5-quart air fryers includes a range of practical, stylish, and affordable options catering to everyone’s needs. We extensively tested and researched various models and brands to ensure that our recommendations are reliable and offer great value for money. We hope our buying guide has helped you choose the perfect 5-quart air fryer for your needs, allowing you to enjoy delicious and guilt-free meals at home.

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