How Do French Door Air Fryers Compare To Basket-Style?

Are you ready to buy a new kitchen appliance but are unsure of the difference between French-door air fryer models and basket-style ones? This question boggled us too, so Tasting Table sat down exclusively with Coco Morante, recipe developer and author of "The Instant Kitchen Meal Prep Cookbook," to get an answer. 

Morante makes it clear that we should first consider what we cook most often before deciding on an air fryer model. She explains, "French door air fryers usually have multiple levels for racks, so you're able to cook more food at a time, whereas basket air fryers have just one cooking level." This means if you're often just cooking one thing at a time, like a bunch of fries, a basket air fryer would make more sense. 

Additionally, Morante points out how the two styles differ in function and versatility. She tells us, "French door models also tend to have more cooking functions like baking, toasting, and even dehydrating, while basket models are best suited to traditional air fryer tasks (crisping up fries, cooking breaded foods, etc.)." Since breaded foods tend to be sticky, they tend to cook better in basket air fryers, which, as Morante explains, "tend to have a nonstick interior, which is great for ensuring that every side of your food gets crispy without sticking."

Since both styles of air fryer come with advantages, Morante finds it beneficial, as a cookbook author and recipe developer, to use both kinds — if you have the space for it. She states, "There's a basket-style air fryer and a toaster-oven style air fryer on my countertop at all times. I know not everyone has the space or need for that, though!" How much space you have at home is another point to consider before settling down with a specific style of air fryer. 

For Morante, if she had to only pick one, she would choose versatility and "go with the toaster-oven style (whether it opens French door style or with a single door). It's like having a mini oven that heats up in just a few minutes, cooks everything faster, and can take the place of a toaster, too." However, if you're lacking storage or counter space, and tend to cook a lot of breaded foods or frozen fries and nuggets, she suggests going with a basket-style air fryer. She adds, "they tend to take up a lot less space."

Additionally, check out our review of the best and worst air fryers to buy before you make a decision. After you purchase the perfect air fryer, be sure to go through our library of incredible recipes, such as this air fryer lobster tail recipe.