If you have a small kitchen or you're a single-person household then one of the best small air fryers for one person could be exactly what you need to cook healthy sides and snacks using minimal oil. Just like the best air fryers, small air fryers can cook food faster than the typical range, all while using less oil and hopefully boosting your overall health. The difference is that these air fryers are more compact, freeing up extra counter space for food prep and other appliances.
The smaller and more lightweight your air fryer is, the easier it is to store in a pantry or relocate to a different part of the kitchen. The size also directly corresponds to portion sizes; for example, there's a huge difference between the number of fries that can fit in a four-quart drawer (which is best for 2 - 4 people) versus a six-quart drawer (adding more space for family-sized portions). The more power, the better, too. Air fryers with 1500+ watts should produce tastier, crispy portions and cook faster than less powerful models.
The very best small air fryers for one person typically cost between $60 and $120. At the higher end of the scale, premium features often include intuitive digital displays and extra cooking functions such as pre-heating, grilling, roasting, toasting and baking. Read on to find out which of these compact counter-top appliances made our shortlist.
The quick list
To make it easy for our readers, we've provided a summary of each project so that you can check out all of its key features and specs before making a quick, informed decision. If you want to read more into each product, use the links to read our more detailed analysis of each small air fryer and how it compares to other similar products.
The best small air fryer overall
The Cosori Lite Air Fryer is the ultimate safe choice. Weighing just 9 lbs, the basket air fryer has a reasonably spacious four-quart drawer and 1500 Watts of power. If you’re cooking for 3 to 4 people, you can count on crispy, tasty portions every time.
The best budget small air fryer for one person
If you’re crunching numbers, you won’t need much persuasion to buy the Instant Vortex Slim. For just $119.99, the air fryer can air fry, broil, bake, roast and reheat, helping you to save money on your energy bills by using your stove or range less and less.
The best small toaster oven
Styled like a convection oven, the Cuisinart TOA-60 is truly compact and yet it can still cook delicious bacon, veggies, steak, fries and chicken for 3 - 4 people. With retro dials rather than a digital display, the design will suit some more than others.
The best simple small air fryer for one person
From the makers of the Nutribullet, the Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer can be yours for just under $50. It lacks some functionality compared to more premium small air fryers, but it’s very compact and will work just fine for one person, or two at a stretch.
The best small air fryer design
The Cosori TurboBlaze Compact Air Fryer design is out to impress, with a family-sized six-quart drawer and a grand total of nine cooking functions. With 1725 Watts of power, it’s incredibly quick to cook too.
The best small air fryer for one person we recommend in 2024
Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best small air fryer for one person overall
✅ You’re short on space: Weighing just 9 lbs, the Cosori Lite is a very compact air fryer, making it a good fit for smaller kitchens or cramped apartment counters.
✅ You are on a budget: This air fryer is often on sale for under $100 on Amazon, making it a budget-friendly way to cook with less oil.
✅ You’re a busy person: The best part about the Cosori Lite is that it’s incredibly easy to use. Plus, with 1500 watts of power, it’s incredibly quick to cook through your food, saving you extra time.
❌ You’re not a fan of fingerprints: As nice as it is that the Cosori Lite has a sleek digital panel, if you have greasy hands, fingerprint marks are quick to show up. You will need to use a wet cloth to wipe down the air fryer regularly.
❌ You are cooking for over four people: The four-quart tray provides just enough space for a portion for up to three to four people. Larger families will quickly run out of space.
❌ You want to grill or bake food: The air fryer has seven very simple functions. There are no settings for you to grill, bake, dehydrate or reheat your food as on other similar small air fryers.
🔎 The Cosori Lite Smart Air Fryer may not be able to bake or grill, but when it comes to air frying, it crisps bacon, fries and other products to perfection, proving itself to be a powerful and reliable appliance for any small kitchen. ★★★★
The Cosori Lite Smart Air Fryer is an Amazon favourite, but does it live up to expectations? We reckon so. Throughout our thorough testing process, the 1500-watt air fryer consistently put other well-respected small air fryers to shame, cooking food evenly and speedily. It also has capacity to cook for 3 - 4 people, making it suitable for small families.
Design: At a quick glance, it may appear that the compact, 9-lb air fryer can’t possibly handle the demands of a small family. However, the four-quart tray is surprisingly spacious. Cooking for a group any larger than 3 - 4 people would, however, be over-ambitious. It has a single basket design, so unfortunately, you can't grill, bake, roast or dehydrate.
Available in muted gray, white or green, the Cosori Lite has a good choice of colors. The digital control panel displays the temperature and timer settings, and there are additional buttons to select from seven different functions (bacon, veggies, steak, fries, chicken, preheat, keep warm) or adjust the temperature and timer. Overall, it looks clean and modern, although the control panel does show up greasy fingerprint marks.
Performance: The Cosori Lite produced perfectly crispy results with fries, chicken tenders and bacon, so long as the food was flipped partway through. Conveniently, it offers a pre-heat setting as well as a shake function to help fries cook evenly. All worked as intended; the fries were particularly fluffy, although there’s not that much space if you want to spread them out in the tray.
When cooking fries, some excess oil pooled at the bottom of the tray. However, it was easy to clean by hand-washing or putting the basket and grill plate in the dishwasher.
Price: With a list price of $111.98, the Cosori Lite isn't the most budget-friendly air fryer, nor is it the most expensive. However, it's just about right for the number of functions and space you get. Just note that you can get budget models for half this price, although they'll lack the same functionality.
Read more: Cosori Lite Smart Air Fryer review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Sleek and compact but offers a spacious four-quart tray. | ★★★★ |
| Performance | Crisps food to perfection quickly and quietly. | ★★★★★ |
| Price | Available for under $100 in Amazon sales. | ★★★★ |
The best budget small air fryer for one person
✅ You don’t have much space lengthways: This machine is slim, so it works well if you’ve got a narrow slot free on your kitchen countertop.
✅ You are a family: Our top pick, the Cosori Lite, is realistically only suitable for 3 - 4 people. On the other hand, this model can accommodate portions for a larger family in its spacious six-quart drawer.
✅ You are on a budget: This air fryer is often on sale, so you can often get a discount on the $111.99 list price. Even without the discount, it’s quite budget-friendly.
❌ You want something extremely compact: While the air fryer is slim and trim length-wise, the rest of the machine is quite chunky and will probably disappoint if you are looking for a truly compact air fryer.
❌ You hate making a mess: While the grill plate and basket are dishwasher-friendly, the rubber side holds are trickier to clean, making them prone to gathering grease and grime if you don’t stay on top of cleaning.
❌ You want to bake and grill: This air fryer only air fries, which is great if that’s all you need. However, if you want to grill, bake and whatnot, then you need to look elsewhere.
🔎 The Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer is modern, family-sized and, perhaps most importantly, easy on your budget. With 1700 watts of power and five different functions, it produces crispy portions with minimal oil. It’s also easy to clean, with dishwasher-friendly parts. ★★★★
Being on a budget doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice quality. The Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer is powerful and compact. It features 1700 watts of power, a spacious six-quart tray and five functions, all for just $119.99.
Design: The Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer has a unique shape for an air fryer, being narrow in width but long from front to back. This is a shape that slots easily into a slim space on the countertop. Nevertheless, the six-quart basket is surprisingly family-sized; Instant claims that it can fit a 4-lb chicken or a 2-lb bag of fries.
You may find that this Instant air fryer gives you a new lease of life in the kitchen, as it’s just so easy to use. After selecting a time, temperature and cooking function, you get shown a progress bar and a countdown clock. An attractive jingle also prompts you to shake the basket halfway through, which is key to getting evenly cooked food when using an air fryer.
Performance: The Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer did well in our thorough testing process. It achieved evenly cooked asparagus, a crispy family-sized portion of thin-cut fries and great chicken nuggets, as well as super-crispy bacon rashers in just a couple of minutes.
The pre-heat function crisps up food even more, although it’s a little too powerful at times, so you may need to shave time off the overall cooking period.
Getting rid of any leftover grease is a bit tricky by hand, but the basket and grill plate are dishwasher-friendly. It’s only the rubber side holds that are hard to clean.
Price: The Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer costs $111.99, although it’s often on sale. Either way, it’s quite a bargain considering that it packs in a large variety of different cooking functions and has 1700 watts of power.
Read more: Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Modern, sleek and intuitive to use. | ★★★★ |
| Performance | Produces even results and crispy family-sized portions. | ★★★★ |
| Price | Great value considering the power and spacious capacity. | ★★★★★ |
The best small toaster oven
✅ You fancy grilling, baking, and roasting: The Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Mini Oven has seven cooking settings, which extend to cooking, grilling or roasting potatoes and even baking cakes.
✅ You want to save on your energy bills: With so many different cooking functions packed into one device, you’re set to save money on your energy bills if you use your oven, microwave and toaster less.
✅ You like retro designs: Rather than having a modern digital display, the TOA-60 sports a few retro-ish dials with silver rims. It’s an acquired taste, especially if you’re used to using mostly digital cooking appliances.
❌ You don’t fancy daily cleaning: Cuisinart recommends that you clean the TOA-60 daily, wiping down any grease using a damp cloth and emptying the pull-out crumb tray after use.
❌ You hate puddles on the countertop: When cooking moist foods, the TOA-60 may leave behind a few condensation puddles. This is to be expected, but it can still be a pain to clean up.
❌ You don’t have much space: This model requires a space of 1.5 - 1.7 sq.ft., and it’s tricky to store it elsewhere because the machine weighs over 20 lbs.
🔎 The Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Mini Oven has an impressive seven different cooking functions, making it an excellent choice if you want to save money on your monthly energy bills and get toasting, baking, grilling and roasting all in one place. ★★★★
The Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Mini Oven can take over the responsibilities of your toaster, oven and grill. Styled like a convection oven, it has a retro design that’ll be either be a deal-sealer or -breaker. Seven functions are packed into the one compact appliance.
Design: Setting up the Cuisinart TOA-60 requires some elbow grease, as it weighs 23 lbs. This is because it packs in an oven rack and a baking tray in addition to the standard air fryer tray.
Naturally, with all these different parts, the model is a bit on the larger side too, which will either be a downside if you have a very small kitchen or a big plus if you're cooking for a family. It’ll need a permanent 1.5 - 1.7 sq.ft. parking space on your counter, given its lack of maneuverability.
The air fryer has a matte charcoal steel exterior with a few glints of silver. There is no digital display, but there are retro control dials which can be used to select between seven cooking settings and set the temperature and timer. The long list of functions is one of its most attractive features; it can air fry, bake, toast and grill, in addition to making paninis or toasties and roasts or pizzas.
Performance: Our reviewer got great results with bacon, chicken breast and thighs and nachos. They even managed to bake a full Victoria sponge cake. When cooking moist food such as raw potatoes, a fair bit of condensation leaked onto the countertop, although that’s to be expected.
You’ll need to keep on top of cleaning; Cuisinart recommends wiping away grease with a damp cloth and liquid soap after every use. There is a pull-out crumb tray.
Price: The Cuisinart TOA-60 costs $170 from Amazon. That makes it the most expensive small air fryer in our round-up and $60 - 70 more than the Cosori Lite and Instant Vortex Slim Air Fryer. However, the TOA-60 has such a quality design that we reckon it’s a reasonable ask. The three-year warranty is also three times the standard.
Read more: Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer Mini Oven review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Large, retro design which requires a permanent spot on your counter. | ★★★★ |
| Performance | Great results for bacon, chicken, fries and even a Victoria sponge. | ★★★★★ |
| Price | A bit expensive but you get a three-year warranty and lower energy bills. | ★★★★ |
The best simple small air fryer
✅ You have $50 to spare: Rather than purchasing a new pair of boots or denim jeans, you can spend your spare $50 on a compact air fryer that will crisp your food quicker than a standard oven.
✅ You have very little countertop space: This air fryer is one of the most compact models we’ve reviewed. Weighing under 8 lbs, it’s also easy to store in the pantry when you need to make extra space for other activities.
✅ You are just one person: With a 2.5-quart drawer, the air fryer has just the right amount of space to fit a portion of fries or veggies for one person living alone.
❌ You like digital controls: If you’re used to quickly tapping away on a digital display, you may get frustrated with having to use the Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer’s manual temperature and timer dials.
❌ You want the ultimate accuracy: The dials also make it a bit tricky to get your timings spot-on. Especially when you’re running a short blast, you may find that you accidentally burn your food.
❌ You are cooking for a family: You’ll quickly run out of space if you are using the Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer to cook for a family. Realistically, the drawer only has room for a side for one or two people.
🔎 The Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer is easy on the eyes, easy on the budget and easy to use. Costing just $50, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t treat yourself to this air fryer if you’re only cooking for yourself, although don’t expect anything overly sophisticated. ★★★
From the makers of the Nutribullet blenders, the Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer doesn’t overcomplicate air frying. It’s irresistibly straightforward to use and cheap too.
Design: When something is labelled as ‘simple’ or ‘basic’, to a certain extent, you need to have realistic expectations. As a simple air fryer, the Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer lacks the functionality that you get with more premium air fryer models. It has one main method of cooking (air frying), so it works only as it’s intended to.
The Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer is truly compact too, with just a 2.5-quart drawer. If you live alone or in a dorm room, it’s just right. Weighing just 7.9 lbs, you can also easily tuck it out of sight when you have guests, although you won’t necessarily want to, as the design is black, glossy and discreet.
The manual temperature dial has a good temperature range of 180 to 400 °F. There are also six pre-sets with suggested methods for cooking fries, vegetables, chicken wings, frozen chicken wings, fish and poultry. The manual timer can be used to prevent your food from over-cooking too.
Performance: The downside of using a manual dial is that it’s tricky to get your timings spot-on. If you only want to run the air fryer for five minutes, you may accidentally add on a few minutes. The drawer is also a bit cramped, limiting the portion sizes, but being non-stick, it has the benefit of being easy to clean. Everything our reviewer air-fried was tasty, despite the model’s few limitations.
Price: The Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer costs $49.99 directly from Nutribullet. It’s hard to find an air fryer cheaper than that and which still works a treat. You do miss out on the pleasure of grilling, baking and so on, but that’s to be expected at this price point.
Read more: Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Easy to to use but a bit prone to inaccuracy. | ★★★ |
| Performance | Good at air frying but lacks space. | ★★★ |
| Price | Incredibly affordable but lacks some functionality. | ★★★★ |
The best small air fryer design
✅ You have a busy schedule: If you don’t have much time to spare, the powerful Cosori TurboBlaze will be a handy addition to your kitchen. With 1725 watts, it’s very fast to air fry, and produces evenly-cooked food.
✅ You’re a family: It’s tricky to find a compact air fryer that has enough space to fit portions for a small family, but with a six-quart tray, the TurboBlaze is fit for purpose.
✅ You have small children: There are a couple of good safety features to protect small children. When the basket is pulled out, the air fryer shuts off, and the exterior also stays cool throughout the whole air frying process.
❌ You’re on a budget: The Cosori TurboBlaze costs $119.99, which is over double the cost of the Magic Bullet Compact Air Fryer. If you’re watching numbers, you may want to keep rifling for a smaller, budget-friendly model.
❌ You always burn food: If you’re already prone to burning food, you may find that the TurboBlaze is a bit of an enabler. Because it’s so powerful, it can easily burn food before you notice.
❌ You’re cooking for one: f you’re cooking portions for just one or two people, it’s not worth buying the Cosori TurboBlaze as lots of space will go to waste, unless of course, you’re a hobby chef.
🔎 The Cosori TurboBlaze Compact Air Fryer comes with safety features, a roomy six-quart drawer and 1725 watts of power, making it one of the most sophisticated designs out there for hobby chefs and families. ★★★★
If you want to cook healthy air-fried bacon and fries while still having enough countertop space put aside for family food prep, the Cosori TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Air Fryer should go down a treat.
Some smaller, budget air fryers simply can’t handle the demands of a family. However, this glossy air fryer strikes a good balance between saving space and consistently meeting the demands of a family.
Design: Delivered with an accompanying recipe book, the Cosori TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Air Fryer means business. It’s nothing special looks-wise, as it’s mostly matte-black, but it has a sleek LED digital display with timer and temperature buttons, as well as buttons to select from the functions: preheat, reheat, dry, bake, proof, warm, air fry, roast, broil or cook from frozen.
With a DC motor and 1725 Watts of power, the air fryer has the potential to cook food evenly and quickly. The six-quart drawer is also family-sized, fitting up to five salmon fillets and good family-sized portions of potatoes even when they're spread out.
When the drawer is pulled out, the device automatically shuts off, a helpful safety feature for families. During use, the outside of the air fryer also stays cool, making it safer if little kids’ fingers are likely to pry around the countertops.
Performance: The model does indeed cook powerfully, although this can be a double-edged sword if you’re not careful. During our tests, it overcooked food a few times, so much so that our reviewer had to shave a few minutes off the recommended cooking times. Therefore, some mental mathematics is required for the perfect crisp.
The non-stick drawer is easy to clean with soap and water or in the dishwasher.
Price: Available directly from Cosori, the Cosori TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Air Fryer costs $119.99. That makes it over double the price of the Magic Bullet model we reviewed. However, it packs in an impressive number of functions and it’s also very powerful, so it should be well worth it.
Read more: Cosori TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Air Fryer review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Well-designed, with generous features and lots of power. | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Really good results but prone to burning food. | ★★★★ |
| Price | To be expected for such a powerful, family-sized model. | ★★★★ |
How to choose the best small air fryer for one person for you:
When choosing a small air fryer, there are a few important factors you’ll always want to keep at the back of your mind.
Size
If you’re looking at small air fryers, you’ve probably already identified size as your main limiting factor. However, there’s still a huge difference between air fryers that can cook for one to two people versus air fryers that can cook for up to six people. The more spacious the drawer, the less compact the air fryer. If you’re a family with very limited space, a workaround is to find a lightweight air fryer that can be stored in your pantry in between uses. The most important thing is to measure your kitchen space before purchasing a small air fryer, rather than using guesswork.
Wattage
The higher the wattage, the more powerful your small air fryer will be. This, in turn, means that you will experience faster cooking speeds. The main downside is that higher-wattage air fryers use more electricity, resulting in higher energy bills.
Cooking functions
Many people buy an air fryer to create popular air-fryer dishes such as bacon and fries with minimal oil. However, they can also replace kitchen appliances such as a toaster, grill or microwave. The more cooking functions a small air fryer has, the more expensive it is. If you’re new to air frying, you will also want to keep your eyes peeled for small air fryers with pre-set modes for items like fries, bacon, veggies and chicken. These will provide the ideal temperature and timer settings so that you don’t have to do any mental mathematics.
Cleaning
Most small air fryers require very little maintenance due to their size. The exterior can be wiped down using a wet cloth and a little dish soap. Air fryers with dishwasher-friendly parts are ideal if you don’t want to waste time hand-washing the basket. Otherwise, you may find yourself having to soak and scrub the tray after every use. It’s important to keep the air fryer clean to keep it working safely and effectively.
Price
A small air fryer can set you back anywhere between $60 and $120 depending on the brand, size, features and wattage. At the lower end of that scale, you should expect basic air frying settings and a small capacity suitable for just one to two people. At the higher end of the scale, the air fryer might offer additional roasting, baking and grilling cooking functions and a spacious drawer fitting portions for up to five or six people.
How we tested these small air fryers
How we test the best small air fryer for one person
We like to test all of the products that we feature in our buyers' guides, and the best air fryers for one person is no except; all have been reviewed by our review panel.
We've had hands-on experience with the air fryers for one person for a minimum of two weeks. All the specifications have been fact checked, and we've assessed how easy the air fryers are to set up as well as how well they clean-up. But ultimately, you want to know if they perform. We've cooked a selection of vegetables, fries and bacons (and sometimes cake) to show just how versatile these compact countertop appliances can be. Read more about how we test.
