GoWISE USA Digital Review

The GoWise Digital performs well across the board at a price you just can't beat. From the accurate temperature reading to the easy cleaning, it is a no-brainer for the casual chef. It does not perform particularly well for more complicated recipes like chicken breast, but for anything you'd typically be deep-frying, like tater tots or donuts, it works great. The eight air fry settings temperature range of 180 to 400 degrees make using it a breeze; however, the 10-degree set increments and tight-fitting drawer can add a level of struggle when you're trying to get specific or have your hands full. If you're looking for an inexpensive air fryer for your frozen tots and NOT your juicy chicken breast then the GoWise is a great option at a more-than-fair price.

Performance Comparison

Cooking Performance

While there are other air fryers in our test suite that outperform the GoWISE in cooking performance, it definitely doesn't disappoint. From greasy onion rings to chicken breast, we feasted on a range of food items during our testing period. We paid special attention to texture, evenness, and cook time and found that food items like french fries, onion rings, and tater tots turned out well. They cook quickly and evenly, with a little variance in the texture. Sadly, our onion rings came out a wee bit dry and crunchy rather than juicy and crispy. That said, it still holds up to the competition for the price.

The GoWISE didn't do as well with meat — specifically chicken breasts. Cook time and evenness are okay, but the texture that this air fryer yields is sub-par. Our chicken breast came out very dry and a little chewy; some of our testers even described it as stringy, which is not how most people want to describe their poultry dishes.

Fortunately, the outside had a nice crisp to it, and the inside was cooked evenly. Testing indicated that this air fryer works best for starchy, carby, or breaded items like french fries, onion rings, fries, and even donuts, rather than juicy meats like chicken.

User Friendliness

The GoWISE is somewhat user-friendly. This air-fry-only device has a temperature range of 180 to 400 degrees. Some of the others in our test suite surpass the 400-degree mark, but this range works well for freezer french fries and tater tots, which is what it's designed for. It is easy to dump the contents of the basket out without burning yourself, and a simple press of a button separates the basket from the drawer, which allows for easy cleaning. The GoWise also comes with eight air fry presets, which are useful for air frying newbies.

While we love a digital interface, the GoWISE is not what we would consider straightforward. The buttons do not always respond to your touch, which can be frustrating. The temperature can be adjusted in increments of ten, which is okay, but we prefer increments of five or, better yet, full control over the temperature.

The timer can only be set for 30 minutes. It is not difficult to start it back up again if you need more time, but we prefer the set-it-and-forget-it approach, which you cannot do if your food requires over 30 minutes.

Our last and possibly biggest gripe with the user-friendliness of the GoWise is that the drawer is difficult to remove from the body. It is virtually impossible to remove the basket without bracing the unit, which makes it hard to do it one-handed. Make sure you set those tongs down before opening up the GoWise, or you might pull the whole unit off the counter.

Ease of Cleaning

The GoWISE is super easy to clean. As we mentioned, the basket can be removed from the drawer with a simple press of a button. The basket also has a handle, so as long as you are careful, you can clean it while it's still relatively hot.

Unfortunately, when the basket is removed from the drawer, the drawer is left without a handle, which is a little annoying. Because you have nothing to hold the drawer with, you must allow it ample time to cool. A quick wipe-down is a breeze, but you'll probably want to enjoy your freshly fried food before you tackle cleaning the drawer, or you might get burnt.

Temperature Accuracy

The accuracy of the temperature setting is very impressive. We only noticed a small variance in projected and actual temperature during our hands-on testing. We found that at 300 and 375 degrees, the measures temperature was slightly lower. At 300 degrees, our temperature reads 290. A 10-degree difference can significantly change the outcome of your meal; however, most air fryer recipes call for a temperature of at least 360 degrees.

Our biggest concern in this metric is that the air fryer reaches the highest temperature it is advertised to reach. Some of the products in our test suite claim to reach 400 but come up short. We are happy to announce that the GoWISE Digital has no issue reaching its peak temp of 400 degrees.

Should You Buy the GoWISE USA Digital?

The GoWISE is one of the least expensive options in our test suite. While it is an excellent deal, it's important to take a moment to think about what you plan to cook. If you are looking to create gourmet meals, complete with juicy meats, the GoWISE may not be the right pick for you. But if you're looking for something to satisfy your craving for crunchy onion rings and crispy fries, then this air fryer will do the trick. With its next-to-perfect temperature accuracy that ranges from 180 to 400 degrees — frozen, store-bought potato products are easy to cook. Once it cools down, cleanup is a breeze.

What Other Air Fryers Should You Consider?