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The size of the air fryer depends on the number of family members and the quantity of food you want to cook.
People say size doesn’t matter, but it matters a lot when it comes to air fryers. When choosing an air fryer, the key is finding the right balance of cooking capacity and features.
An air fryer size starts from 2 quarts and goes up to 26 quarts. With so many options in the given range, it can make your head spin. Don’t worry; we will help you find a perfect-size air fryer for you and your family.
What Size Air Fryer Do I Need? Know Before You Buy!
The size of the air fryer you need depends on various factors, such as the number of people in your family, the quantity of food you usually cook, and the space available on your kitchen countertop. After assessing these factors, you can easily pick an ideal-sized air fryer for your home.
Keep reading if you need a further breakdown of this topic. Stopping here means you interested to know more about the capacity of the most suitable family-size air fryer.
Air Fryer Sizes Comparison
You must watch this video to understand the different sizes of air fryers. We compared 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8-quarter air fryers and explained why a large air fryer is good for every household. Before diving into detailes, this comparison chart can be very useful for you:
| Air Fryer Size (Quarts) | Food Capacity | Suitable For |
| 2 Quart | Small snacks or side dishes | Single servings, small kitchens |
| 3 Quart | Small meals or snacks | Couples or small families |
| 4 Quart | Small to medium meals | Small families or meal prep |
| 5 Quart | Medium meals or snacks | Small to medium families |
| 6 Quart | Medium to large meals | Medium-sized families |
| 7 Quart | Large meals or batches | Large families or entertaining |
| 8 Quart | Large meals or batches | Large families or entertaining |
| 10 Quart | Large meals or large batches | Cooking for gatherings |
| 12 Quart | Large meals or large batches | Cooking for larger gatherings |
| 15 Quart | Extra-large meals or large batches | Cooking for parties or events |
Find the Air Fryer Size That’s Best for You
Many factors contribute to your decision about choosing the right size of air fryer for your needs. Some of the major ones are:
Purpose of Buying An Air Fryer
Some people buy an air fryer to ensure that their kitchen is up to date with the latest kitchen appliances. Others need it for practical benefits: short cooking time, healthy cooking, and multiple cook settings.
If you want to enjoy an alternative cooking experience, reheat the food, and make light meals and snacks, go with a small air fryer.
A small air fryer is also suitable for working couples who don’t have much time to cook food through traditional methods. But if you plan to cook multi-course meals, cook various dishes at one time, and serve your family and guests all at once, go with a large air fryer.
Air Fryer Size Based On Family Members
Next, consider the number of people you want to cook for!
- Air Fryer For Small Family: A small air fryer with one to three quarts of capacity is enough for two people. Such air fryers are good for dorm room and college students.
- A Family-Size Air Fryer: An air fryer with a 4 to 6 quart capacity is a good choice for three to four people. It could be a small family or a couple with guests.
- Air Fryer For Large Family: If you have a family of five to six people, you cannot go for less than a 10 quarts air fryer because it has a big cooking capacity.
An extra-large air fryer can be used by families who frequently hold parties and group dinners for more than eight people. It could range from 12 quarts to 25 quarts or more.
Available Countertop Space
You may like the multifunctional ability of a bigger air fryer, but the countertop space is one factor that can bar you from buying a larger unit.
The available counter space also impacts your decision to choose the shape of an air fryer. Some people prefer round air fryers, while others go for a square or pod-shaped air fryer.
Overall, for small counter spaces, you need a compact air fryer. For larger kitchen spaces, you can be a little more extravagant.
But remember that big air fryers are often bulky, so moving them from one place to another is quite tiring. So, choose an air fryer that you can easily accommodate on the counter without having to move it around.
Your Cooking Requirements
One of the factors that can sway your decision about the size is what you want to cook in the air fryer.
For Reheating Food
If you want a unit for reheating food, making occasional snacks, or cooking 2-4 chicken wings or two-three chicken legs at a time, a small air fryer with 1-3QT is suitable. An air fryer of this size can make ample snacks for two people.
Cooking Meal In Small Quantity
A family-size air fryer can cook four-six pieces of chicken breast or pieces of fish at a time in its 4 to 6 Quarts capacity. You can also prepare crispy fries for 5 to 7 people in every batch.
The unit provides enough options to try many foods and even cook multiple items simultaneously. You can also prepare a whole chicken or turkey on Thanksgiving in a 6 Quarts air fryer.
Cooking Food In Large Quantity
An air fryer with a larger basket or more than 7 Quarts capacity is sufficient for cooking large meals. Also, you can bake cakes, and dehydrate veggies and fruits on its multiple racks. Moreover, the accompanying spacious trays and wire racks provide ample space for toasting slices and roasting veggies.
With an extra-large air fryer, the sky’s the limit when it comes to cooking options. It is suitable for entertaining large crowds and backyard gatherings. Big air fryers also have a rotisserie for cooking whole chicken and fries.
It may have many similar functions as you will find in family size and large air fryers, but the jumbo size is a deal maker for party lovers.
Air Fryer Size In Litres
Wondering why do you need to look into air fryer sizes when buying an air fryer? There are different air fryer manufacturers, and each model comes in sizes tailored to various cooking needs.
Air fryer sizes are measured in quarts, particularly in the region of the United States, where it is a unit most people are familiar with. Quart is the measurement of the liquid capacity of the air fryer interior, equal to 1/4th of a US liquid gallon.
However, if you live outside of the US, you may observe air fryer sizes mentioned in units other than quarts. For instance, in the UK region, where the measuring unit for the air fryer is liters. While quart and liter are the most used measurement units, some air fryer manufacturers also mention sizes in pounds.
How To Convert Air Fryer Size From Quarts To Litres
Below is how you can quickly convert an air fryer size from quarts to liters:
- 1 quart= 0.94 liters approx.
- 2 quart size= 1.9 liters
A small air fryer with a 3.5-quart size will be equal to 3.2 liters. Similarly, a large air fryer for 5 people with a 6.8 quart capacity equals around 6.4 liters.
Note: there is a negligible difference between air fryer sizes mentioned in liters and quarts. That’s why people use the unit of liters and quarts interchangeably when discussing air fryer sizes!
How Many Liters Does My Air Fryer Need To Be?
- If you have a family of 1-2 people, go for 0.95 to 2.8 Litres (1 to 3 Quarts capacity)
- For a family of 3 to 4 people, 3.8 to 5.7 Litres (4 to 6 Quarts) is a suitable size
- For a large family of 5 to 6 people, your chosen air fryer should have 6.6 to 7.6 Litres (7 to 8 quarts capacity) to accommodate the cooking needs
- People with an extra-large family of 9 or more people can go for anything bigger than 8.5 Liters (9 Quarts)
FAQs
What size air fryer do you need for a family of four?
The most suitable air fryer size for a family of four is between 4 to 6 Quarts. The basket of 4 quarts of air fryers is big enough for making four chicken breasts and a half bag of frozen fries. But for cooking a full chicken at once, go for 6 Quarts. You will also be able to cook more than one item at a time in its multiple trays.
What size air fryer do I need for a family of 5?
For a family of five, you need an air fryer with a capacity of more than 6 Qt. to meet your cooking needs. You can roast a whole turkey or chicken and bake large pizzas in it. It often comes with more than one rack for cooking various items in one batch. You can also fit two bags of frozen fries or cook more than 20 normal and 12-15 buffalo chicken wings.
What size air fryer do you need to cook a whole chicken?
You need an air fryer with 5 Quarts or bigger for cooking a chicken roast. Doesn’t matter if the basket of an air fryer is round or square, it has enough space on the rack and inside the unit to easily fit a whole chicken, 1lb. veggies, and two 8oz. steaks.
What air fryer size is good for a single person?
An air fryer with 2 Quarts capacity is enough for a single person. You can adjust two small chicken breast pieces or some fries around it in the air fryer basket. But if you are fond of air frying more than steaks, for your not-so-frequent friends, you will need a bigger air fryer.
Wrapping Up
You don’t want to buy a larger-than-required air fryer. Neither do you want to go for an air fryer that does not fit your family’s needs. Therefore, selecting the right size of air fryer can be very overwhelming. The above-provided guide is for helping you solve this dilemma and make a final decision. You can look at all the factors simultaneously and then select a unit. In general, large families need large or family-size air fryers. While for smaller families or couples, a small air fryer can work too.
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