REASONS TO BUY
Simple design
Great price
Always-on mode for longer cooking
Easy to clean
Non-stick
Cooks juicy chicken
Solid temperature accuracy
REASONS TO AVOID
Small basket
Large footprint for such a small basket
Lacks functions
Amazon Basics Compact Air Fryer Review
This simplistic model is easy to clean, but it trades price for performance, as it is not very intuitive and the small basket is limiting
Credit: Amazon
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Our Verdict
The budget-friendly Amazon Basics Compact Air Fryer rocks a simple design. The interface is clearly labelled but not particularly intuitive. The temperature is surprisingly accurate for a low-priced model, and the non-stick material makes the basket very easy to clean. The small basket is big enough for one, maybe two people, but this air fryer is too small for a family. The footprint is still rather large for such a small cooking capacity. While the price tag may be enticing, there are higher-performing options that only cost a little more.
Our Analysis and Test Results
At 15.5 by 11 by 12.5 inches, this air fryer is relatively small. The basket is 3.2 quarts, which will be sufficient for one or two people. While it is budget-friendly, it may not be worth the money, particularly if you are looking for a more versatile option.
Performance Comparison
The Basics 3.2 offers an okay experience at a budget-friendly price.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Cooking Performance
During our testing, we cook sweet potato fries, onion rings, donuts, chicken breast, and tater tots according to the times and temperatures recommended by the air fryer manufacturer. We measure cooking performance via texture, evenness, and cook time.
The Amazon Basics does not consistently produce a proper texture. Tots and sweet potato fries are not crispy on the outside, although the onion rings offer up a nice crunch. It cooks most food items evenly, but the donuts seemed to cook faster on the outside while remaining quite doughy in the center. Tater tots also suffer from a softer-than-desired center. As far as cook time goes, the tater tots and donuts take a bit longer than recommended, but the chicken, onion rings, and sweet potato fries are fully cooked when your timer goes off.
For a budget-friendly air fryer, the Amazon Basics produces an evenly cooked and deliciously juicy piece of chicken. The only downside is that the basket is so small you can barely fit one breast.
The texture and evenness of the tots are a little off. Some are burnt while others remain overly soft on the interior.
Credit: Austin Palmer
User Friendliness
The user-friendliness of an air fryer is determined by its interface, basket accessibility, and general versatility. The Amazon Basics is controlled by a digital interface and it's relatively easy to understand. The plus and minus buttons are used for both the temperature and the time.
The buttons are responsive and intuitive.
Credit: Austin Palmer
The basket holder slides in and out with ease, and there is a small piece of plastic that covers the button, which is used to remove the inner basket. The inner basket doesn't clip back in easily, which means some finagling is necessary. However, for a budget air fryer, it's pretty easy to use.
Pulling the drawer out is easy to do one-handed.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Ease of Cleaning
Wiping down and washing air fryers can be rather cumbersome, especially if there are lots of nooks and crannies. The Amazon Basics is pretty easy to clean. The basket holder and inner basket are the only two pieces that require cleaning; both are coated with proper non-stick material. The inner basket has slits in the bottom that food can get stuck in, but the material is slick enough that the foods can be excavated with a few swipes of a brush.
The non-stick coating makes the post dinner clean-up a breeze.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Temperature Accuracy
Using a series of thermometers, our testers are able to measure the accuracy of each air fryer's temperature. The Amazon Basics is only off by a few degrees here and there. The temperature ranges from 280°F to 400°F and can be adjusted in increments of 10°F.
We test each air fryer's temperature with our own thermometers.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Value
The Amazon Basics is one of the most affordable options in our test suite. Unfortunately, with the lower price point comes some performance flaws. If you are looking for a versatile, do-it-all type machine, this is not the one for you. However, if you're just looking to fry up some onion rings from time to time, it works just fine.
Conclusion
The Amazon Basics Compact is a very budget-friendly option for those looking to break into the air fryer world. However, other options perform significantly better for just a few more dollars.
The Amazon Basics is a decent air fryer, but other products in our fleet offer a higher value.
Credit: Austin Palmer
—
Hayley Thomas
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