For many households, air fryers are simply too convenient to pass on, and yet, many contain forever chemicals. Here are our top picks for PFAS free air fryers.
We recently set up a small in-law suite for visiting family and friends. This created a quandary: how to kit out a small kitchenette with non-toxic, sustainably made appliances, on a budget.
Having never considered an air fryer for our own kitchen, suddenly, this compact, do-it-all countertop appliance seemed like a good idea for guests.
The problem?
Most air fryers are PTFE-coated, pricey, and unreliable.
And the companies making them are woefully lacking in transparency when it comes to materials and coatings.
Understandably, then, this piece has taken a while to put together. But after some heavy research and lots of outreach to brands, here’s our list of the best air fryers, free of PTFE (or with easily replaceable parts) and better than the rest in terms of sustainability.
Before we jump into the top choices, here’s a quick look at the trouble with air fryers and what to watch out for when making your decision.
Air fryer sustainability
From a sustainability point of view, air fryers can be a great way to save energy. Compared to using a much larger electric oven, a compact air fryer can cut your energy consumption and utility bill. It can also save you time by avoiding the need to preheat a large oven cavity.
You’ll want to look for a reliable air fryer model though, given that making one of these uses a lot of resources. Some appliances are also hard to repair and hard to take apart for recycling.
When we rate products at Leaf Score, we consider the following as part of our sustainability calculation:
- Durability
- Ease of repair
- End of life disposal.
This is in addition to looking at how the product is made, and where, as well as its energy use and efficient operation.
Toxic air fryers are the norm
Air fryers are massively popular, especially with folks looking for a way to reduce fat intake. Ironically, though, these appliances are far from healthy, given the presence of non-stick PTFE forever chemicals in almost every air fryer on the market.
So, what do you need to watch out for when choosing an air fryer?
In short:
PTFE and all PFAS
It’s not enough for a company to say that an air fryer is free of PFOA, PFOS, or Teflon (a brand name for PTFE). What we want to see is an official chemical disclosure statement that an air fryer is entirely free of PFAS, not just select forever chemicals or a brand name chemical.
Read more about PFAS and what all those initialisms actually mean.
BPA
You’re probably more familiar with bisphenol A (BPA) as a thing to watch for in receipts, water bottles, and so on, but it can also pop up in air fryers.
Bisphenol A (and other bisphenols) are known endocrine (hormone) disruptors and are often found in plastic parts and resins used in kitchen appliances. When these items are used at high temperatures, BPA can leach out into food.
What we want to see is a chemical disclosure statement showing a product is entirely free of BPA and, ideally, associated bisphenols.
Phthalates
Instead of coating air fryers with PTFE, some companies have taken to using phthalates for easier clean-up. This is a huge problem, given the association of phthalates with:
- Endocrine issues
- Asthma and allergies
- Reproductive concerns
- Developmental problems in infants and children.
If you’re hoping to be healthier by using an air fryer, there’s no place for phthalates in the mix. This includes parts of the product that aren’t necessarily in contact with food, given that plastic breaks down with heat and can off-gas and leach.
Undisclosed ceramic non-stick chemicals and aluminum
As concerns about PFAS become more common, more appliance makers are ditching PFAS for ceramic non-stick. This is good news in some ways (no forever chemicals!) but doesn’t mean these PTFE-free air fryers are totally non-toxic or sustainable.
Ceramic coatings are typically made with titanium nanoparticles or silicone dioxide. The exact composition of ceramic non-stick coatings is almost always a tightly held secret that brands won’t disclose. This means we’re left to make educated guesses about the safety of these coatings.
The other issue is the sustainability of such coatings. PTFE, for all its faults, does tend to be quite hardwearing. Ceramic non-stick coatings, however, can be easily scratched, which compromises the non-stickiness and can expose whatever is underneath the coating. In most cases, this is aluminum, which we don’t usually want in contact with food.
This may mean replacing ceramic coated non-stick accessories more often, which obviously isn’t as sustainable as having more durable cookware.
Does the perfect non-toxic air fryer exist?
No.
After intense research, I’m yet to find an air fryer that is free from all of the issues I outline above.
The closest we can get is an air fryer that is free from:
- PTFE and all PFAS
- BPA and phthalates (unless present in the electrical cord)
- Dubious ceramic coatings that may chip, scratch, or contain toxic chemicals.
The workaround is to choose an air fryer that is almost perfect and then replace any troublesome accessories.
To the best of our knowledge, having scoured product info and reached out to brands, none of our recommendations contain PTFE or any other PFAS. We also highlight air fryers that are free of BPA and phthalates. Finally, we prioritize brands that offer air fryers without undisclosed ceramic coatings.
This leaves us with….
Our top picks
GE Digital Air Fry 8-in-1 Toaster Oven
Highlights: Versatile 8-in-1 air-frying toaster oven with stainless steel construction and options for mechanical or digital controls. Totally PFAS-free and BPA-free and spacious despite its small footprint.
- Totally PFAS-free and BPA-free
- Stainless steel construction and accessories
- 8-in-1 functionality, including air frying
- Spacious interior fits a 12-inch pizza or 8 lb. chicken
- Precise digital controls (mechanical option also available)
- Smart, compact design doesn’t monopolize counterspace
- Durable accessories that are easily recyclable
- No interior light
- No rotisserie function
- Accessories aren’t dishwasher safe
- Expensive
Amazon has reduced the GE 8-in-1 by 41% to just $129 for Black Friday!
The GE Digital Air Fry 8-in-1 Toaster Oven is my top pick for an air fryer because this small kitchen appliance is totally free of PFAS and BPA and boasts durable, more eco-friendly, non-toxic stainless steel construction. The accessories are also PFAS-free and BPA-free and comprise stainless steel and chrome plated steel wire. That means they’re more likely to last longer and keep performing well even if they get a few dings and scratches.
This air fryer/oven offers eight cooking modes, without too much fussiness. These include:
- Broiling
- Baking
- Toasting
- Air frying
- Convection
- Keep warm
- Proof
- Roast.
You can choose between digital controls for greater precision, or mechanical controls (this option is cheaper and may make repairs easier).
Other than its more sustainable construction, the big winner with this oven is its capacity relative to its overall size. Sure, it’s not going to be easy to stash this 23 lb. air fryer away in a cupboard, but if you have a decent amount of counterspace, you might be fine leaving it out permanently.
The biggest limitation, other than cost, is the lack of an interior light. This seems an odd oversight as it’s much more eco-friendly and safe to monitor food without opening the oven door.
Some folks will also baulk at the lack of a rotisserie function. Oh, and the stainless steel accessories aren’t dishwasher safe, so you’ll need to clean these by hand to keep them from getting tacky with any oil and food residues. The stainless steel interior is also a little hard to clean, but easier than with the KitchenAid model below.
The good news is that GE also offers replacement or additional stainless steel accessories. I love this, because replacing and recycling a few accessories is much more sustainable than ditching an entire appliance.
And with a 1500 W max power, this appliance should be fine for most electrical circuits, though it’s always best to check with your electrician for safety.
KItchenAid Digital Air Fryer
Highlights: Powerful 9-in-1 countertop oven with a user-friendly interface, spacious interior, and dehydrator mode. Larger footprint though and gets very hot to the touch.
- Totally PFAS-free
- Non-toxic, stainless steel air fry basket
- Stainless steel construction
- Dehydrator mode, air frying, and 9 cooking modes overall
- No-flip air frying basket
- Spacious interior
- Very clear and uncluttered user-friendly digital interface
- Powerful 1800-watt heating element
- Exterior gets hot during operation
- Hard to clean interior after air frying
- Accessories aren’t dishwasher safe
- Timer sound isn’t very loud
The KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven with Air Fry offers slightly more cooking modes than the GE model and is the best choice if you also want a dehydrator as well as an air fryer.
This model gets top marks for air frying, with a generous non-toxic stainless steel basket that skips the flipping mid-cook.
Users typically appreciate the clear digital controls and clean layout. What they don’t appreciate is the quite quiet timer sound, which can lead to overcooking and burnt food.
The KitchenAid air fryer also outpowers the GE (1800 W vs. 1500 W), which is fine if you have the electrical outlets and circuitry to handle that wattage. Otherwise, stick with the GE for safety.
This air fryer is also best kept well away from kids as it gets very hot on the exterior. If you don’t have a lot of counter space and will be moving around this appliance while it’s on, be very careful. Unlike the GE, the footprint of this air fryer is quite large, given its interior capacity
Again, like the GE, this air fryer comes with a stainless steel interior and accessories that aren’t dishwasher safe.
GreenPan 13-in-1 Elite Convection Air Fry Oven
Highlights: Feature-packed convection air fryer oven with 13 cooking functions, PFAS-free non-stick ceramic surfaces. More stylish than most air fryers, but company loses leaves for lack of transparency.
- PFAS-free non-stick ceramic coatings
- Tons of functionality!
- Energy-efficient alternative to full-sized ovens
- Spacious interior accommodates large dishes
- Really even cooking and air frying crispiness
- Duo Cook function lets you program two modes in success
- Dishwasher-safe accessories (except crumb tray)
- Super expensive!
- Not as durable as basic stainless steel
- Larger countertop footprint
- Steeper learning curve for multiple functions
- Too many modes for most folks wanting an air fryer
- GreenPan is woefully lacking in transparency about its coatings
GreenPan has reduced the Elite Oven by 30% to $399.99 for Black Friday!
The GreenPan Elite Convection Air Fryer Oven offers the most versatility of any of the air fryers on this list and is also the easiest to clean. Like the others, it’s totally free of forever chemicals (PFAS), but instead of a stainless steel interior, this oven’s interior and some accessories have a non-stick ceramic coating.
GreenPan is not transparent about its coatings, but users of this oven note that the coating does seem quite durable. The more spacious interior also makes it easier to get into nooks and crannies for easier clean-up. The ceramic non-stick also seems to be silicon dioxide based, rather than nano-based.
This latest GreenPan air fryer has HexHeat technology, which means there are six (hence hex) quartz heating elements and convection fans. That makes for really good heat distribution and crispiness all round.
It’s also powerful at 1800 W, though doesn’t suffer from the same high heat exterior as the KitchenAid air fryer (hopefully that means it has better insulation and is more energy efficient).
I also like that this model allows you to program two cooking modes one after another, though you won’t want to leave this, or any other air fryer, unattended during operation.
The biggest downsides to the GreenPan air fryer are the lack of transparency from the company, meaning we can’t be totally sure what’s in those coatings, and the simple fact that ceramic non-stick will wear out far faster than stainless steel. Overall, this means your fancy GreenPan air fryer likely won’t last as long, or be as sustainable over its lifetime, as a simpler stainless steel model like the GE.
To extend the life of your GreenPan air fryer, and reduce toxicity concerns, consider switching out the coated accessories for simpler stainless steel ones.
Our Place Wonder Oven
Highlights: Cute, versatile, compact air fryer and oven with non-stick ceramic coating.
- Cute, compact and stylish design – a great gift
- Multifunctional (6-in-1 cooking modes)
- Quick preheating and cooking times
- PFAS-free construction with non-stick ceramic
- Easy to clean (at least for first few months)
- Easy to use mechanical controls
- Expensive!
- Small capacity
- Air fry function isn’t as good as the others (or a dedicated air fryer)
- Mechanical, analog controls lack precision
- Non-stick ceramic coating isn’t very durable
- Limited warranty (1 year) suggests Our Place isn’t confident in its coatings or product
Our Place has reduced the Wonder Oven from $195 to $149 for Black Friday!
I really want to like Our Place and its products, but… they just seem to disappoint eventually. My Always Pan is very definitely not non-stick after just six months or so, and I see the same complaints about the Wonder Oven.
That said, the Our Place Wonder Oven is a multifunctional air fryer that boasts a unique aesthetic and doesn’t take up much space. This 6-in-1 device offers:
- Toast and roast
- Broil and bake
- Air fry
- Reheat.
For a dorm room or microapartment, this could be just the ticket. For serious cooks, though, this Wonder Oven will make you wonder why you bought it.
The oven’s capacity is about 12 L, which means you can just about figure out a meal for 1-2 people. It preheats fast though and is much more energy efficient than a conventional oven, if you’re just cooking small amounts.
The mechanical controls are likely easier to fix if something breaks, but they also seem to suffer from a lack of precision.
The biggest draw, other than cuteness and size, for the Wonder Oven is the PFAS-free non-stick interior and accessories. This oven is partly made of stainless steel and boasts mainly ceramic coated aluminum for its accessories. That means once the coating wears off, which it will, you might not want to use the accessories for fear of aluminum exposure. And, given the oven’s small size, it may be hard to find stainless steel replacements.
The biggest downside by far, though, is the subpar air frying function. Of all the cook modes, the Wonder Oven seems to perform the worst in air fry. So, if you’re most keen to find an air fryer that also boasts other cooking modes, strongly consider the GE, KitchenAid, or even the GreenPan before the Wonder Oven.