It can be difficult to know which air fryer brands to trust when shopping online, especially when faced with a range of manufacturers you've never heard of. While COSORI may not be as recognizable as Ninja and Instant, it makes air fryers that are well worth consideration.
That's what was gleaned from testing the COSORI Lite, an Amazon favorite. This small air fryer is unassuming in its appearance, but let me assure you that it's one to watch when it comes to power. Boasting 1500 watts, this air fryer can easily keep up with the major players regarding the speed and evenness of cooking.
This model is designed to serve up to four people and is available in a range of colors to suit your kitchen worktop. It was tested extensively with a range of foods to see if it is truly as versatile as meat and veggies, as this is the only way to test whether COSORI is really a reliable brand to invest in.
The cleaning process and ease of storage of the COSORI Lite were also high on the agenda when it came to testing and assessing whether it packs enough in for its price tag. So, can it be safely said that the COSORI Lite is worthy of the title of one of the best air fryers? Keep reading to find out.
Molly Cleary is a freelance reviewer and was previously the Staff Writer at Top Ten Reviews. She now works as an e-commerce editor at the home interest site Ideal Home, where she reviews air fryers, vacuums, and a huge range of other appliances every day. Her writing has been featured in Live Science, My Imperfect Life, Livingetc and other titles. Molly tested this air fryer at Future's dedicated test facility alongside a host of other models.
Cosori Lite: Key specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 |
| Capacity | 4qt |
| Power | 1500W |
| Functions | Bacon, veggies, steak, fries, chicken, preheat, shake, keep warm |
| Weight | 9.97lb |
Cosori Lite: Price & availability
The COSORI Lite has a list price of 111.98, but you can often find it for closer to $100 or even less, especially on Amazon during sales periods.
Cosori Lite: Setup
Minimal plastic is used to unbox the COSORI Lite, which reduces waste. Once it's unboxed, the first impression you get is that it's fairly small. Though the basket has a capacity of 4 quarts, it would be ambitious to try to cook for over four people using this air fryer. So, the first thing to know is that if you're catering to a crowd daily, this won't have the space you need. It is, however, very small space-friendly.
The overall design of this air fryer is very appealing. The muted gray color tested here would be a great fit for most kitchens, or you can pick it up in white or green if that's a better fit.
Multiple pamphlets were included with the COSORI Lite in the box, one containing instructions and another with recipes. The latter is a great touch for anyone just starting with air frying.
To get started, you need only remove all the packaging from outside and inside the COSORI Lite and plug the unit in. Handy buttons run along the top of this air fryer's interface—these are your presets. You can use these to get predetermined temperatures and times for various foods, from veggies to chicken.
Inside the basket is a metal grill on which food sits once you cook. When you first use the air fryer, you might be alarmed by the plastic smell. Rest assured, this is usual when operating an air fryer for the first time.
If you're inclined, you can also set up the COSORI Lite on the accompanying COSORI app and remotely operate this air fryer using Wi-Fi, which is a huge plus for those who love to be smart-home connected.
Cosori Lite: Design
The COSORI Lite Air Fryer's clean lines and minimalistic look excellently accompany its small size. It occupies less space on the front of its exterior than other models, which is perfect if you prefer a cleaner look in your kitchen or pantry.
It has only one basket, a hindrance if you want to cook two separate elements simultaneously. The 4-quart capacity may also set some users back. The control panel that sits on the top of the machine is well-organized and easy to use, but some users may find the material used to be fingerprint-prone.
Cosori Lite: Performance
Testing how an air fryer can crisp up foods is essential when reviewing, as it's a great indicator of how it will perform with a range of foods like fries and cuts of meat. For the first test, I air-fried three pieces of bacon for 5 minutes after using the fantastic pre-heat setting on the COSORI Lite.
The pre-heat setting is so good that the bacon came out crispier than I would've liked, even though 5 minutes is a short time for this test. This shows how powerful the COSORI Lite is as it uses all 1500 watts.
While I was disappointed that the bacon curled up in parts during testing, this can be remedied by flipping the rashers during cooking. Learning how to understand just how powerful the COSORI Lite is can be a learning curve, but once you've worked it out, you'll save so much time on cooking.
Next, I moved on to fries, an air fryer staple. These thicker-cut fries take up a fair amount of space in the basket, and if you're cooking for four people, you might find that you can't pack as much in there as you'd like.
To give this air fryer a fair test, I left a good space between the fries and set them off to cook. As this was a longer run time than the bacon, I used the shake function during this test, which is excellent. The air fryer will beep to let you know it's time to grab the basket by the handle and move the contents around. This is great for getting that all-over cook. Often, cheaper models don't have a shake or preheat function, so it was great to discover both on offer with the COSORI Lite.
The result was fluffy but well-done fries cooked in a fraction of the time it would've taken in the oven. Though you may be unable to pack in all the fries you'd like, the COSORI Lite mightily be good at cooking them.
Another test I tried with the COSORI Lite was frozen chicken tenders, an easy snack. As with the fries, this air fryer proved the perfect appliance for the job, with the shake reminder halfway through to prevent burning. The tenders were cooked far before the time I had predicted, showing the power of this air fryer once again.
Finally, I tried out how the COSORI Lite fared with some vegetables, namely a whole bunch of broccoli. This was another test that added to my overall view, which is that this air fryer might look small, but it packs a whole lot of power.
In just a couple of minutes, the stalks were browning, which you'd usually want to avoid. This makes this a great appliance for adding greens to a meal quickly.
Though the air fryer is very powerful, I was shocked at how quiet it was to run, averaging around the 60-decibel mark. During some of the tests, like the fries, when I applied oil, excess liquid tended to pool at the bottom of the tray. This is normal with all air fryers, but a more noticeable amount was gathered there than usual.
Cleaning the COSORI Lite is straightforward. The basket and grill plate are dishwasher safe, though hand washing will also suffice. Keeping those fingerprint marks off the exterior might be tricky daily, but a damp cloth always helps.
Cosori Lite: User reviews
The Corsori Pro LE 5-quart air fryer has received high praise from users on Amazon for its sleek, modern design, touch panel functionality, compact size, and quiet operation. Users appreciate its ease of use and cleaning and its efficiency in cooking healthy food. The air fryer's convenience and speed are also highlighted, with users enjoying the delicious and crispy dishes it produces.
The air fryer's compact size is perfect for smaller households and doesn't take up much counter space. It has preset functions for temperatures and times for some items, making it even more convenient to use. The display is large enough to monitor the cooking time.
The air fryer is also easy to clean. The dishwasher-friendly basket and tray inside make cleaning a breeze, and food rarely sticks to the bottom. Users have found it a great investment for quick cooking without using too much oil or butter.
Would I buy the Cosori Lite?
The COSORI Lite air fryer is a powerful and compact appliance for small households. It offers efficient cooking, easy cleaning, and a sleek design. However, it's not ideal for larger families and is prone to showing fingerprint marks. It's a great choice for those looking for a space-saving and time-saving cooking solution at an affordable price.
| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | suitable for small households or individuals; compact and space-friendly | 7/10 |
| Wattage and Cooking Performance | powerful and efficient, cooking food quickly and evenly; features a preheat setting and a shake reminder; cooks food faster than expected | 9/10 |
| Versatility and Cooking Functions | multiple cooking presets for various foods, such as veggies and chicken; lacks some advanced features found in larger models; smart app for remote operation | 8/10 |
| Ease of Cleaning | non-stick basket and grill plate that are dishwasher safe; exterior may be prone to fingerprints | 8/10 |
| Build Quality and Safety Features | solid, with a sleek and minimalistic design; user-friendly interface and a quiet operation; potential for excess liquid pooling at the bottom of the tray | 8/10 |
Buy it if...
Don’t buy it if…
How does the Cosori Lite compare?
The COSORI Lite is a fantastic air fryer but lacks some of the functionality of other models we've reviewed. Our top-rated air fryer, the NuWave Brio 37001 6-Quart Air Fryer, can grill, bake, dehydrate, roast, broil, and reheat, while this COSORI model's functions are limited to certain foods (e.g., veggies, or meat).
You may want to look elsewhere if you're looking to pack in different modes for your money. Similarly, the Cuisinart Compact Air Fryer Toaster Oven is a more capable if you'd prefer an air fryer/toaster oven combination.
It also features a keep-warm setting, which the COSORI Lite lacks. Overall, however, if you need an affordable air fryer, the COSORI is a reliable choice, even if it lacks some of those extra modes.
How I tested the Cosori Lite Smart Air Fryer
The main testing criteria for this air fryer were its ability to cook a variety of foods, its value for money, and its overall design.
I did several rounds of testing using different foods. I recorded how long each food type took and photographed everything to document how cooked it was.
Finally, I cleaned and stored the air fryer at our test facility to simulate its day-to-day use.
