Wattage numbers on air fryer boxes tell you almost nothing about actual cook times, since basket shape and airflow design vary widely between models. We ran identical batches of frozen fries and chicken thighs through five units to compare real preheat and cook times side by side.
Basket capacity claims were often optimistic. Several manufacturers list a capacity that only works if food is stacked in a single dense layer, which defeats the purpose of even air circulation. We found actual usable capacity ran 15–20% below the advertised figure in most units.
Counter footprint should weigh heavily in any small-kitchen buying decision, and it's the spec most buying guides underrate. Two units in our test performed nearly identically on cook quality but differed by several inches in required clearance, which matters if counter space is tight.
For small kitchens, we'd prioritize a compact basket-style model with a simple dial interface over larger touchscreen units — the extra features rarely justified the added counter space in daily use.