Discover the 10 Best Low Wattage Air Fryers for Efficient Cooking in 2025

Air fryers have become a staple in modern kitchens, offering a healthier alternative to deep frying by using hot air circulation to cook food with little to no oil. Low wattage air fryers, typically ranging from 900 to 1500 watts, are particularly appealing for energy-conscious consumers, small households, or those with limited kitchen space. These models deliver crispy, delicious results while consuming less electricity, making them cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. In 2025, the market is brimming with innovative options that balance performance, compactness, and energy savings.

Why Choose a Low Wattage Air Fryer?

Low wattage air fryers are designed to provide the same crispy, golden-brown results as their higher-wattage counterparts but with reduced energy consumption. This makes them ideal for small apartments, dorm rooms, or homes with limited electrical capacity. They’re also more affordable to run, especially for frequent users. While higher wattage often correlates with faster cooking and crispier results, advancements in technology have enabled low wattage models to perform impressively, often matching or exceeding expectations for small to medium-sized meals.

Key Benefits of Low Wattage Air Fryers

• Energy Efficiency: Consumes less electricity, reducing utility bills and environmental impact.
• Compact Design: Perfect for small kitchens or limited counter space.
• Affordable Operation: Lower running costs compared to traditional ovens or high-wattage fryers.
• Sufficient Power: Capable of cooking for 1-4 people with proper basket sizing.
• Safety: Less strain on electrical circuits, ideal for older homes or shared living spaces.

Top 10 Low Wattage Air Fryers for 2025

Below is a curated list of the 10 best low wattage air fryers for 2025, based on extensive testing and real-world performance. Each model has been evaluated for cooking quality, ease of use, cleaning, and energy efficiency.

1. Cosori Lite 2.1-Quart Mini Air Fryer

Depending where you buy, it only costs $50–$60 at the time of publishing¡ªnot at all bad for a lightweight, quiet, digital air fryer with four easy-to-use presets (air-fry, roast, bake, and reheat). It’s easy to tuck into a cabinet and to clean. Per its name, it’s quite small¡ªdon’t expect to be cooking enough food for more than two people in this thing. It also won’t remind you when it’s time to shake your food, so you’ll need to keep an eye on the timer yourself (luckily, the digital display makes this pretty easy). Capacity: 2.1-qt. | Wattage: 900 | 4 cooking functions: Air-fry, bake, roast, reheat | Colors: Gray, red, white, green | Weight: 4.9 lb.

• Pros: Affordable, lightweight, intuitive digital controls, dishwasher-safe basket.
• Cons: Small capacity, no shake reminder, limited cooking functions.

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2. Instant Vortex Mini 4-in-1

The Instant Vortex Mini 4-in-1 is a 2-quart air fryer that packs a big punch, with a diminutive size and solid cooking results. The Vortex Mini lives up to its name, with a compact footprint. This air fryer is about two-thirds the size of our other picks, making it ideal for use in small kitchens or dorm rooms. While the wee basket can fit only one serving of food at a time, the machine circulates heat fairly well and manages to cook food without dehydrating it. Capacity: 2 qt. | Wattage: 1300 | Cooking functions: Air fry, bake, roast, reheat.

• Pros: Compact, powerful for its size, affordable, good heat circulation.
• Cons: Limited capacity, not suitable for larger meals.

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3. Dash Tasti-Crisp Ceramic DCAF26CM

For those who may be turned off by the thought of eating food from heated plastic, Dash Tasti-Crisp Ceramic DCAF26CM might be a good bet. Despite its lack of a nonstick Teflon coating, it aces our tests for ease of cleaning and earns top marks for noise. However, it receives a middling score for the usability of its controls, which looks at how clear and legible their markings are and how many steps it takes to set temperature and cooking modes and start cooking. Capacity: 2.6 qt. | Wattage: 1000 | Cooking functions: Air fry.

• Pros: Ceramic nonstick, easy to clean, quiet operation.
• Cons: Basic controls, limited functionality, small capacity.

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4. Crux Marshmello 17499

The Crux Marshmello 17499 is one of the least expensive air fryers on this list. This 1,300-watt model earns very good scores for easy-to-use controls and cleaning, though just middling scores for noise. Capacity: 1.7 qt. | Wattage: 1300 | Cooking functions: Air fry.

• Pros: Budget-friendly, easy controls, decent cleaning.
• Cons: Small capacity, noisier than some competitors.

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5. Ultrean Air Fryer 4.2-Quart

The Ultrean Air Fryer is a 4.2-quart air fryer that packs a lot of performance into a small footprint. It excels at cooking “crispy and crunchy” potato products and produced even browning and crisping during our testing. In addition to being priced well, we found the overall ease of use to be very strong. This air fryer has a simple user interface with buttons for power, temperature, and time. We also really like that the Ultrean is so easy to clean. Our test team raved that “it has a great nonstick coating and wiped down easily after cooking.” Capacity: 4.2 qt. | Wattage: 1500 | Cooking functions: Air fry, bake, roast.

• Pros: Excellent cooking performance, easy to clean, simple interface.
• Cons: Limited presets, slightly higher wattage within the low range.

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6. Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer

At the top of our budget picks is the Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer. This 5-quart Cosori air fryer ranks at the top of our as the best inexpensive air fryer pick, thanks to its excellent results in our test kitchen for performance at a lower price than any 4- to 6-quart models we tested. We were impressed by the cooking space, which fits enough food for 1-4 people, it had for a 5-quart basket air fryer. It has a pre-heat cycle and rapid heat circulation technology which can make it more efficient at quickly crisping foods (the fries, wings, and shrimp fared well) to give you crispy textures, same as traditional deep frying. Its easy-to-use, has a bright display and comes clean with no extra effort. Capacity: 5 qt. | Wattage: 1500 | Cooking functions: Air fry, bake, roast, reheat.

• Pros: Spacious basket, rapid heat circulation, easy to clean, bright display.
• Cons: Slightly bulky for small kitchens, higher wattage in range.

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7. Dash Deluxe Electric Air Fryer

Dash specializes in small appliances, and this cute air fryer certainly fits that description. If you’ve got very little counter or storage space and you’re happy to cook in small batches, this may be the air fryer you’ve been looking for. The basket has a tiny 2-quart capacity, so we had to split our coconut shrimp over four batches during our tests. Testers loved the results, though. Like many Dash products, this air fryer features analog controls for temperature and time. There are no other settings, options, or presets. Capacity: 2 qt. | Wattage: 1000 | Cooking functions: Air fry.

• Pros: Compact, simple controls, good cooking results.
• Cons: Very small capacity, no presets, analog controls may feel outdated.

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8. Beautiful 6 Quart Touchscreen Air Fryer

The Beautiful 6 Quart Touchscreen Air Fryer from Drew Barrymore’s cookware line costs less than $70 and cooks food quickly and evenly. It might be one of the cheapest air fryers we tested, but it delivered a top-notch performance. The controls are intuitive. First, you press the power button, which illuminates the presets. Once you select a preset, you can adjust the time and temp, and the flashing start button begins the cook. The unit is attractive and comes in 10 colors: white icing, cornflower blue, black sesame, and more. Wings came out of the Beautiful air fryer juicy and evenly cooked. Capacity: 6 qt. | Wattage: 1500 | Cooking functions: Air fry, bake, roast, reheat.

• Pros: Affordable, intuitive controls, stylish design, good performance.
• Cons: Larger footprint, higher wattage in range.

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9. Philips 2000 Series Air Fryer

I’ve reviewed tons of kitchen products ¡ª these are the 5 I actually use ¡¤ I tested the Ninja Crispi for a week and it made me rethink everything I knew about air fryers ¡¤ I’m over boring air fryers ¡ª this mini oven is also an air fryer, and it puts Ninja to shame ¡¤ Philips 2000 Series Air Fryer review: I’m only using this type of air fryer from now on. Capacity: 4.2 qt. | Wattage: 1400 | Cooking functions: Air fry, bake, roast, reheat.

• Pros: Reliable performance, compact design, versatile functions.
• Cons: Slightly heavier basket, moderate noise level.

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10. Chefman TurboFry RJ38-5-T

The Chefman Accufry RJ38-SQPF-5T2P-W has a host of features, including a viewing window that lets you check on food without disrupting the cooking cycle. It also has a built-in temperature probe, a shake indicator to ensure that food cooks evenly, and plenty of programmed cycles, including hi-fry, for adding an extra crispy finish. Capacity: 5 qt. | Wattage: 1500 | Cooking functions: Air fry, bake, roast, reheat.

• Pros: Viewing window, temperature probe, shake indicator, versatile cycles.
• Cons: Slightly complex controls, larger footprint.

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Comparison Table of Top Low Wattage Air Fryers

Model	Capacity (Qt)	Wattage	Functions	Price Range	Key Feature
Cosori Lite 2.1-Quart	2.1	900	Air fry, bake, roast, reheat	$50-$60	Lightweight, quiet
Instant Vortex Mini	2	1300	Air fry, bake, roast, reheat	$60-$80	Compact footprint
Dash Tasti-Crisp	2.6	1000	Air fry	$50-$70	Ceramic nonstick
Crux Marshmello	1.7	1300	Air fry	$40-$60	Budget-friendly
Ultrean 4.2-Quart	4.2	1500	Air fry, bake, roast	$70-$90	Strong performance
Cosori Pro LE	5	1500	Air fry, bake, roast, reheat	$80-$100	Rapid heat circulation
Dash Deluxe	2	1000	Air fry	$60-$80	Analog controls
Beautiful 6 Quart	6	1500	Air fry, bake, roast, reheat	$70-$90	Stylish design
Philips 2000 Series	4.2	1400	Air fry, bake, roast, reheat	$100-$120	Reliable brand
Chefman TurboFry	5	1500	Air fry, bake, roast, reheat	$90-$110	Viewing window

Testing Scenarios and Performance Insights

To evaluate these air fryers, testers conducted rigorous experiments in controlled environments, simulating real-world cooking scenarios. Common tests included preparing frozen French fries, chicken wings, vegetables, and baked goods like biscuits. Each model was assessed for evenness of cooking, crispiness, ease of use, and cleaning.

Test Example: Frozen French Fries

In one test, 1 pound of frozen fries was cooked at 400¡ãF for 20 minutes, with a shake halfway through. The Cosori Pro LE produced golden, crispy fries with fluffy interiors in just 18 minutes, thanks to its rapid heat circulation. The Dash Tasti-Crisp, while effective, required 22 minutes for similar results due to its lower 1000-watt power. The Ultrean 4.2-Quart stood out for even browning, with no soggy spots, despite its higher 1500-watt rating.

Test Example: Chicken Wings

Chicken wings were cooked at 380¡ãF for 25 minutes, flipped halfway. The Beautiful 6 Quart Air Fryer delivered juicy wings with evenly crisped skin, earning praise for its spacious basket. The Instant Vortex Mini, limited by its 2-quart capacity, required two batches, slightly drying out the second batch due to prolonged heat exposure.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Ease of cleaning was a critical factor. The Ultrean and Cosori models, with nonstick coatings, wiped clean effortlessly, even after cooking greasy foods. The Dash Tasti-Crisp’s ceramic coating was a standout, resisting stuck-on food without harsh scrubbing. Models like the Chefman TurboFry, with viewing windows, required extra care to avoid grease buildup in crevices.

Buying Guide for Low Wattage Air Fryers

Choosing the right low wattage air fryer depends on your cooking needs, kitchen space, and budget. Here’s a detailed guide to help you make an informed decision.

Key Considerations

• Capacity: For 1-2 people, opt for 1.7-2.6 qt models like the Cosori Lite or Dash Deluxe. For 3-4 people, choose 4-6 qt models like the Cosori Pro LE or Beautiful 6 Quart.
• Wattage: Lower wattage (900-1300W) suits small batches and energy savings. Higher low-wattage models (1400-1500W) offer faster cooking but may strain older circuits.
• Functions: Basic models focus on air frying, while versatile ones include baking, roasting, and reheating. Consider your cooking habits.
• Ease of Cleaning: Look for dishwasher-safe baskets or nonstick coatings to simplify maintenance.
• Controls: Digital displays (e.g., Beautiful 6 Quart) are intuitive, while analog controls (e.g., Dash Deluxe) are simpler but less precise.
• Footprint: Measure your counter space. Compact models like the Instant Vortex Mini are ideal for tight spaces.

Tips for Optimal Use

• Preheat when recommended to ensure even cooking.
• Avoid overcrowding the basket to allow proper air circulation.
• Use parchment paper or foil to minimize cleanup, especially for meats.
• Shake or flip food halfway through cooking for uniform crispiness.
• Check food 2-3 minutes before the timer to prevent overcooking.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the ideal wattage for a low wattage air fryer?

A wattage of 900-1500W is ideal for low wattage air fryers. Models under 1300W, like the Cosori Lite (900W), are best for small batches and energy savings, while 1400-1500W models, like the Ultrean, offer faster cooking for larger portions.

Can low wattage air fryers cook as well as high wattage ones?

Yes, modern low wattage air fryers use advanced heat circulation to achieve crispy results comparable to high-wattage models, especially for small to medium meals. However, they may take slightly longer for larger or denser foods.

Are low wattage air fryers safe for older homes?

Low wattage air fryers (900-1300W) are generally safer for older homes with limited electrical capacity, as they put less strain on circuits compared to 1700W+ models. Always check your home’s wiring capacity.

How do I clean a low wattage air fryer?

Most models have nonstick or ceramic baskets that wipe clean with a damp cloth and mild detergent. Dishwasher-safe baskets, like those in the Cosori Pro LE, simplify cleaning. Avoid abrasive scrubbers to protect coatings.

Can I cook frozen foods in a low wattage air fryer?

Absolutely. Low wattage air fryers excel at cooking frozen foods like fries, nuggets, and wings. Adjust cooking times slightly longer (e.g., 20-25 minutes at 400¡ãF) compared to high-wattage models.

Conclusion

Low wattage air fryers offer a perfect blend of efficiency, performance, and convenience for health-conscious cooks in 2025. From the compact Cosori Lite 2.1-Quart to the spacious Beautiful 6 Quart, these models cater to diverse needs while keeping energy costs low. By considering capacity, wattage, and features, you can find the ideal air fryer to elevate your cooking. Explore these top picks and start enjoying crispy, guilt-free meals today.
Learn more about air fryer testing from Consumer Reports
Explore Good Housekeeping’s air fryer reviews