6 Best Air Fryers for Homemade Chips of 2026

The bella 4Qt Slim Air Fryer is a fantastic entry point for those seeking healthier fried favorites like homemade chips without sacrificing precious counter space. Its sleek, space-saving design is a standout feature, fitting into kitchens where larger appliances simply won’t. Coupled with the EverGood Ceramic Nonstick Coating, cleanup becomes remarkably easy, addressing a common pain point with air fryers right out of the gate. This model provides a convenient and accessible way to start air frying.

Performance for homemade chips is solid for its size, powered by 1300 watts and circular heat technology designed for crisping. The 3.3 lb capacity is suitable for small to medium batches, perfect for individuals or couples. While it handles different foods well, achieving maximum crispness on a large batch of chips might require shaking the basket more frequently. The digital controls offer basic temperature and time adjustments, keeping operation straightforward.

Compared to larger models like the Bear 6.4Qt or Cosori 6Qt, the Bella 4Qt Slim trades maximum capacity and advanced features for a remarkably compact footprint and value. It’s ideally suited for smaller households or those with limited kitchen real estate looking for a simple, effective air fryer primarily for snacks and smaller meals. While it won’t handle family-sized portions like the Emeril Lagasse 26QT, it offers excellent accessibility and ease of use at its size.

For those who want to perfect homemade chips without the lingering smell, the Instant Vortex Plus 6QT stands out, primarily thanks to its innovative OdorErase built-in air filters. This feature directly tackles a common complaint about air frying – food odors. The clearCook window is another brilliant addition, allowing you to visually monitor crisping progress without opening the basket and losing heat, ensuring more consistent results. It’s a feature-rich model designed for convenience and better outcomes.

Performance is robust for crisping homemade chips, utilizing EvenCrisp air flow technology and a powerful 1700W heating element. The 6QT capacity comfortably handles substantial batches, making it suitable for families. The wide temperature range from 95 to 400°F offers versatility beyond just air frying, allowing for precise dehydration or gentle reheating. Monitoring through the window is a game-changer for achieving that ideal golden crisp.

Positioned against models like the Ninja Air Fryer Pro AF141, which focuses heavily on crisping tech, the Instant Vortex Plus adds valuable user-experience features like the viewing window and odor control. While both offer excellent crisping, the Instant provides peace of mind regarding smells and the convenience of visual checks. Its balance of generous capacity, powerful performance, and unique features makes it a strong contender for families prioritizing both results and kitchen environment compared to simpler models like the Bella 4Qt Slim.

The Ninja Air Fryer Pro AF141 is engineered with one goal in mind: delivering intense crispiness, making it a top choice for achieving that perfect texture in homemade chips. Its signature Air Crisp Technology, reaching 400℉, surrounds food with superheated air, promising results with significantly less oil than traditional methods. If your primary pain point is getting truly crunchy results from your air fryer, this model directly addresses it with focused technology.

Performance for homemade chips is where this unit shines, consistently producing hot, crispy outcomes. The 5QT nonstick basket is sized to fit up to 4 lbs of fries (a good proxy for chips), ample for a family serving. It’s also particularly effective at cooking foods from frozen quickly, adding convenience. While it offers 4-in-1 functionality, its core strength lies in its powerful air frying capability and speed.

Comparing it to the Instant Vortex Plus 6QT, the Ninja AF141 focuses more singularly on raw crisping power and speed, potentially sacrificing features like a viewing window or odor control found on the Instant. It offers a slightly smaller capacity than the 6QT models but excels in its core function. For users prioritizing maximum crispness and fast cooking, especially from frozen, the Ninja AF141 offers a compelling performance advantage over models like the Cosori 6Qt TurboBlaze if speed and crisp are paramount.

Breaking away from traditional basket designs, the Emeril Lagasse Extra Large French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo offers unparalleled capacity and versatility, making it ideal for preparing massive batches of homemade chips or multiple dishes simultaneously. The extra-large 26-quart capacity and elegant French doors immediately signal this is more than just an air fryer; it’s a full countertop oven replacement. This unit solves the problem of needing separate appliances for different cooking tasks.

Performance for air frying homemade chips benefits greatly from the dual-speed fan and 360º superheated air circulation, ensuring even cooking across a large area. Its sheer size means you can cook enough chips for a large gathering in one go, a feat impossible for basket models. Beyond air frying, its 25 cooking presets cover everything from toasting to slow cooking, showcasing its multi-functional prowess.

Compared to any of the basket-style air fryers in this dataset, like the Bella 4Qt Slim or Cosori 6Qt, the Emeril Lagasse is a completely different class of appliance. It requires significantly more counter space and comes at a higher investment. However, it offers the capacity and functionality of a small oven, making it ideal for large families or those who want to consolidate multiple appliances. Its ability to handle a 6-lb chicken or a 12″ pizza dwarfs the capacity of basket models, providing a different level of utility.

The COSORI Air Fryer 9-in-1 TurboBlaze is designed for speed, precision, and quiet operation, making it a sophisticated tool for perfecting homemade chips. Featuring innovative TurboBlaze Technology with a powerful 3600 rpm fan and ability to reach 450℉, it promises beyond-crispy results faster than many competitors. This model directly addresses user desires for quicker cooking times and superior texture control without excessive noise, operating at less than 53 dB.

Performance for homemade chips is exceptional due to the combination of high heat, powerful fan, and precise 90°–450°F temperature control. The 5-fan speed system allows granular control over airflow, crucial for getting the texture just right on different types of chips. The 6-quart square basket is efficiently designed for family-sized portions. Its speed and quiet operation make it a pleasure to use even on busy weeknights.

When compared to the Instant Vortex Plus 6QT, the Cosori TurboBlaze focuses its advanced tech on fan speed, temperature range (up to 450F vs Instant’s 400F), and quietness, whereas the Instant adds a viewing window and odor filtration. Both offer similar capacity, but the Cosori provides more technical control over the cooking process. It offers faster, quieter performance than the Bear 6.4Qt, trading a viewing window for advanced internal mechanics.

The Bear Air Fryer is built with families in mind, offering a generous capacity and a highly convenient Transparent Viewing Window to easily monitor the progress of your homemade chips. Its impressively large 6.4Qt capacity is among the biggest in standard basket air fryers, perfect for cooking substantial quantities for 4-6 people. This model solves the problem of needing multiple batches for family meals and the uncertainty of cooking blind.

Performance for homemade chips is boosted by 360° hot air circulation, aiming for even results, though some shaking is still recommended for best crispness. The ability to watch your chips brown through the window is invaluable for pulling them out at the peak of perfection. Eight presets simplify common cooking tasks, while adjustable temperature (145-400℉) and time offer flexibility.

Compared to the Cosori 6Qt TurboBlaze or Ninja AF141, the Bear Air Fryer emphasizes capacity and ease of monitoring over advanced technical controls or maximum crisping temperature. It offers slightly more capacity than the Instant Vortex Plus 6QT, while also featuring a viewing window like the Instant. For families prioritizing maximum basket size and the ability to visually check their food without interrupting the cooking cycle, the Bear offers excellent value and convenience compared to smaller or non-windowed models.