This post will discuss some small air fryers that are best for one- to two-person households.
I researched 10 different air fryers and found that the Philips Compact Airfryer is the best small air fryer for cooking food enough for 1-2 people.
I have mentioned only 9 in the list; out of them, only 5 are air fryers, which I feel you can buy. The research was long, and I considered all factors, including my opinion, customer reviews and pictures, and an overall consensus of what people think.
So this post should be a bulletproof guide for someone looking to buy a small air fryer.
**This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission at no extra cost if you purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
I bought the Philips air fryer, so it best suits my needs.
I live alone, and sometimes, I have guests or family over, and this Air fryer is still good enough to cook for 3 people.
I have been researching different air fryers for a few months, and now I own one. It is perfect for my needs, but I understand we have different preferences, so I listed some other options you can consider.
The Philips Air Fryer I got is good and has a great wattage of 1400W. This is quite powerful for a 4 qt. Air fryer; hence, I recommend getting it.
It does not need to be preheated and can cook food in minutes.
We have different needs, so keep reading as I list down the best small air fryers and look at their features to see which air fryer fits your needs the best.
Our Best Small and Compact Air Fryers
1. Philips Compact Airfryer with Rapid Air Technology HD9200/91 (Best Compact Air fryer Overall)
2. Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Mini Air Fryer(Best All-Rounder Mini Air fryer)
3. Chefman Small Air Fryer(Best affordable Air Fryer Overall)
4. Elite Gourmet EAF1121BG Personal Compact Air Fryer(Best Air fryer with different size options)
Different Sizes In Air Fryers
With hundreds of models and brands that sell different air fryers, it can be a little hard to choose one for you.
There are also different sizes of air fryers that need to be considered when buying one. While most air fryers range from 2-6 quarts, there are also larger ones.
Most small air fryers are enough to cook for 1-2 or 2-4 people. It is not that large, but it is enough for cooking a meal for a small group of people.
- Small Air Fryers – 1 to 4 quarts
- Medium Air Fryers – 4 to 6 quarts
- Large Air Fryers – 6 to 10 quarts
- Extra-large Air Fryers – 12 to 20+ quarts
These are rough estimates of the sizes of most air fryers categorized by their sizes. It can be the determining factor in buying the right air fryer.
How do I choose the right size air fryer?
As a rule of thumb, you should buy an air fryer according to the number of people you usually cook for, roughly 1 quart for each person.
There are other factors like the appetite of the people you cook for and the type of food you are cooking, but usually, 1 quart for 1 person will be enough.
What Is The Best Size Air Fryer For One Person?
I have owned a couple of air fryers; for a person who lives alone, -1 to 2 quarts is enough. It is large for one person, but it is convenient for me when some guests come over.
These small air fryers work well for reheating leftovers such as pizzas, where I only need 1 slice for a snack or a meal.
If you are not looking for an air fryer that you would regularly use to cook meals but rather reheat small portions of food, 1-2 quarts are the choices.
How to avoid the Teflon coating from coming off in air fryers?
A common issue with most air fryer users is that the Teflon layer peels off, now, if you get a good brand air fryer, this will not happen.
Philips and Instant Vortex are the brands I highly recommend. But if you are using other cheaper brands, then make sure not to clean the air fryer basket in the dishwasher.
I handwash my air fryer, which has helped me maintain the coating on my Philips air fryer that I bought two years ago.
You can also use silicone liners to prevent food from sticking to the air fryer, making cleaning much easier.
Food sticking on the basket can cause the coating to come off while scrubbing, so soaking the basket in water overnight also helps.
I usually fill up the basket with water and leave it to soak overnight, and I clean the air fryer basket in the morning.
Best Small And Compact Air Fryers
Now, onto the list…
1. Phillips Essential Compact Air Fryer With Rapid Air Technology
Pros:
- Dishwasher-safe removable parts.
- Has timer control and temperature control.
- Temperature range of 0-200degree celsius and timer range from 0-60 minutes.
- Great features within the given price range
- Durable.
Cons:
- It has a dial, so you might have to carefully set the temperature as the digital controls are more precise.
Philips Air fryer is probably one of the best in the market. A few other brands produce good air fryers, but you cannot go wrong with this one from Philips.
This air fryer has a 1400W wattage and a 4qt. Capacity comes under a medium air fryer, but I recommend this over others on the list for the price point, power, and capacity.
I own this air fryer, which has been working perfectly well for about a year. I wash the air fryer with a sponge and dish soap, so I cannot guarantee the dishwasher-safe claim.
However, many people who bought this air fryer have washed it in the dishwasher and have had no issues.
I have been using it a lot for a year, and it is as good as new, so I can tell this dishwasher will last you for a long time.
After a ton of research, I concluded to buy this one, and I have no regrets.
2. Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Mini Air Fryer Oven Combo
Pros
- The air fryer is the next best thing to the Philips air fryer, with a max temperature of 400°F and 1300W power.
- It has a 2-quart capacity, and it can cook any recipe quickly.
- Digital controls make setting the time and temperature easier as compared to analog controls on some air fryers.
- Easy to use and durable(barely any user complaint, and I believe them since a friend owns this air fryer).
Cons
- None
The Instant Vortex 4-in-1 air fryer is a modern air fryer that you can control digitally and with a dial as well.
This air fryer came very close in competition with the Philips air fryer that I bought, and the reason I got the Philips one is that it was 4 qt. And this one is 2 qt.
I felt 2 qt. would be very small, so I got the Philips one. But if I want a smaller air fryer, I would blindly pick this one after Philips(or instead of it).
There are different preset modes on the air fryer, set the timer and temperature through the dial, and you are ready to cook.
It has a 2 quarts capacity, so it is perfect for 1 to 2 people or if you have a small family.
The fact that this small air fryer has a wattage of 1300W proves that it is very powerful compared to all the air fryers listed below.
3. Chefman Small, Compact Air Fryer Healthy Cooking
Pros:
- Budget-friendly price.
- Removable and dishwasher-safe basket and tray.
- Auto-shut-off for added safety.
- Cool-to-touch exterior.
- The Max temperature is 400°F, and it has a wattage of 1000
Cons:
- Has some design flaws, like the sharp edges of the tray scratching the non-stick interior.
- The basket is sometimes difficult to remove and insert.
With a compact design and a black or stainless color, this air fryer will fit in any kitchen. It is a budget-friendly air fryer for those with a tight budget.
However, cheaper does not always mean worse. It can get up to 400F and as low as 200F, allowing you to cook almost any recipe you want.
The air fryer does well in the dishwasher, and many users wash it in there. The Teflon coating seems to be okay and stays intact too.
With its rapid-air technology controlled by analog dials, you can make the crispiest fried chicken or other recipes in the Chefman air fryer.
Chefman is a GREAT deal at the given price.
4. Elite Gourmet EAF1121BG Personal Compact Air Fryer
Pros:
- Lightweight and easy to move.
- You get different capacities in the same air fryer model and have 1.1 qt. And 2 qt. and so on is perfect for a small family with one to two people.
- Affordable.
- The Max temperature is 400°F, and the wattage is 1000W, which means it is a decently powered air fryer.
Cons:
- It is quite small, and it would be a pain if you want to cook for more than 2-3 people.
- Durability isn’t very solid as compared to the Philips and Instant Vortex.
The Elite Gourmet personal air fryer is perfect for someone living alone. Its capacity is only 1.1 quarts, so it can only cook for one person at a time(of course, you also have other capacities of air fryers).
It has two analog dials for setting the timer and temperature and has a slightly narrower range of temperature at 176F to 395F for frying, baking, or roasting food.
The removable basket and non-stick coated fryer pan allow you to cook anything using little to no oil and are very easy to clean as they are dishwasher safe.
You might have to use silicone liners for the coating to last long and even though it says dishwasher safe, try to hand wash the basket.
5. Magic Bullet MBA50100 Air Fryer
Pros:
- Dedicated icons for cooking the perfect food – chicken, veggies, and more.
- Wide range of temperatures.
- Separate dials for timer and temperature.
- Crisping plate creates crunchy finishes without using oil.
Cons:
- Labels on the dial fade easily. This is a huge con if you want something to last, so I suggest you skip this one.
With pre-set icons indicating the type of food you are cooking, you can easily set the right temperature and time for perfecting the food you want.
If your recipe does not occur on the pre-set buttons, you can easily set the temperature and timer with the analog dials on top and in front of the air fryer.
This Magic Bullet air fryer is 2.5 quarts big, so it is good enough for 2 people and can cook for up to 3 people if you want.
However, there are some complaints of plastic smell in the fryer, and some people have gotten defective pieces of the air fryer.
You can replace a defective piece, but the smell is something that would bother me, but NOT everyone has had the scent issue, so if you have that, exchange it, but I rather recommend investing in an Instant vortex air fryer than this one.
You can go for it if the brand is too appealing. It is still way better than most air fryers out there.
6. Ninja AF080 Mini Air Fryer
Pros:
- It has a timer to set a time for the foods you want to cook.
- It has a 2qt capacity and is relatively smaller and more compact compared to the Philips air fryer mentioned above.
- Very affordable.
- It has a power of 1000 watts, so it will be powerful.
Cons:
- It has a set temperature of 400F, and you cannot cook food at any other temperature.
This Ninja 2-quart air fryer is perfect for cooking or reheating your meal. The air fryer has a set temperature of 400F, and you do not have a temperature knob to change it.
Choose this air fryer only if you want to cook at this temperature because you have a timer but not a temperature control knob.
This air fryer is good for cooking and reheating meals but may not cook all meals perfectly. You might not be able to cook specific dishes that need lower temperatures.
The fact that the air fryer has no temperature control is worrisome as not all meals cook well at 400°F, some need less temperature than that, and you do not have a temperature control knob.
7. Dash AirCrisp Pro Compact Air Fryer
Check out the Air Fryer”>==> Check out the Air Fryer
Pros:
- Quick and easy to use.
- Versatile for frying, baking, and roasting.
- It has overheating protection.
- Auto-shut-off feature.
Cons:
- Some pieces have poor design quality and issues pushing the basket into the air fryer.
- Looks beautiful but feels cheaply made.
Another air fryer from Dash that you can use for reheating small meals is the AirCrisp Pro air fryer. It is a small 2-quart air fryer that can cook enough food for 1-2 people.
This is very similar to the previous model from Dash, but this one has issues with the design, and even though it works properly, the unit doesn’t seem durable.
This is one of the reasons I put this recommendation in the end.
I try and include all kinds of products and give you my honest, researched opinion so you can make a great choice, by far, this one has no hazard as compared to this other air fryer from the same company which catches fire.
8. GoWise Electric Mini Air Fryer
Pros:
- 5 built-in presets for easy and versatile cooking.
- Digital touchscreen controls.
- The modern look fits in any kitchen.
- Wide range of temperatures.
Cons:
- It has loose trays that sometimes fall out.
- The unit caught fire for one or two users.
GoWise USA is another famous brand of air fryers.
The digital touchscreen control is paired with the 2 quarts capacity making the GoWise Electric air fryer for 2 people.
You can make a wide range of recipes with this air fryer as it can go as low as 180F and as hot as 400F so you can cook anything you want in it.
But there are a few issues about this air fryer that bother me, and one of them has to be that the unit caught fire for one or two people out of the thousands of reviews.
There is less chance of this happening, but I would still recommend you to beware of these products.
9. Dash Compact Air Fryer
Pros:
- Specified temperature and timer dials.
- Has an auto-shut-off feature for safer cooking.
- Lightweight for carrying or changing its setup.
- The air fryer has a wattage of 1000W and a max temperature of 400°F
Cons:
- The labels on the timer are pretty small and hard to read.
- Many buyers have had serious issues with the Teflon coating
- The air fryer unit has caught fire for a few users.
The Dash Compact Air Fryer is an analog air fryer with individual temperature and timer dials. It is perfect for cooking food for 1 to 2 people with its 2 quarts capacity.
It has a wattage of 1000 Watts, meaning it has decent power and can easily cook most meals.
This air fryer has complaints of the Teflon coating coming off; hence, I highly recommend using a silicone liner when cooking with it at all times to reduce the chances of food sticking to it.
I wish it was as simple as that, but there are a few complaints from users that this air fryer catches fire, and that is a BIG NO from me, so I had to put this air fryer on the list to say DO NOT BUY IT EVER!!!
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