College students often have a tough time eating healthy because they need to operate in tiny kitchens and are pressed for time. An air fryer is an absolute must for any college student and can be a handy accessory for anyone who needs to whip up yummy meals.
We took some time to consider the most important features that students might need to cook healthy meals with ease. This guide will look at the best air fryers for college students and help you find one that will make life a lot tastier.
What Makes These Air Fryers Best for College Students?
There are quite a few features that might make some air fryers more suitable for college students. Here is a quick look at air fryer features you probably need to cook for one or two people in a small dorm.
Price
Most college students operate on a tight budget because, well, that’s what “college student life” is all about. You likely need something affordable and something that won’t consume much energy.
Compact Size
Student apartments and dorms are usually pretty small. Bulky appliances are no option when you have limited space. A compact air fryer will keep your counter clutter-free and ease cooking in these small areas.
Healthy Meals
It is pretty tough to cook healthy when you have limited time and few cooking appliances at your disposal. Luckily, all air fryers are designed to increase your health since these devices can cook fine meals with very little or no oil at all.
Quick Cooking Time
Air fryers cook up to two times faster than your average oven, but the air fryer’s type and design can also impact the cooking time. High-quality air fryers with a powerful motor tend to cook faster, while cheaper air fryers can take longer. For many students, it is sometimes better to spend more on a quality product that will have their meals ready in less time.
Easy Cleaning
No one likes to spend hours scrubbing a nasty frying pan, especially if you are already working in a tiny kitchen. Air fryers are easy to clean with dishwasher safe parts or nonstick coatings that are preferable since these are very easy to keep nice and clean.
The 5 Best Air Fryers for College Students
There are quite a few air fryer brands and models on the market that will be very functional for student and dorm cooking. In this guide, we will look at 5 different air fryers that we feel will offer you the most functionality when cooking in a small area.
#1 The Ultrean AF01 Air Fryer
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Students who might be shopping on a tight budget can undoubtedly consider the AF01 air fryer by Ultrean. This simple yet functional air fryer is available at a great price, and it offers good cooking functionality considering its price range.
The little 4.2-quart air fryer is available in four different colors, and it is ideal for preparing meals for 1 – 3 people. Instead of multiple cooking presets, it comes with a timer and temperature control so you can air fry anything at a specific temperature up to 400 degrees for a set duration. It is ideal for making all sorts of foods, including bacon.
This simple little air fryer is also easy to clean since it has a non-stick pan that easily slides out of the appliance.
SPECIFICATIONS| Dimensions | 14.25 x 13.25 x 13 Inches |
| Weight | 9.86 Pounds |
| Colors | Black, red, white, or blue |
| Capacity | 4.2 Quarts / 4 Liters |
| Functions | Timer and adjustable temperature |
| Power | 1500 Watts |
| Temperature range | 180 – 400 degrees F |
| Cleaning | Nonstick pan and dishwasher safe basket |
| Display & Selection | LED display and press button selection |
Outstanding Features for Students
The AF01 is our best option if you are shopping on a tight budget. This little air fryer is also nice and compact, easy to use, and ideal for simple cooking.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable price range | Non-stick coating on the frying basket can flick off if you wash it in the dishwasher |
| Compact size won’t take up too much counter space | Grill insert can be challenging to clean |
| Functional for 1 – 3 people | No cooking presets |
| Simple settings for easy use | |
| Ideal for air frying a variety of foods | |
| The removable basket is easy to clean | |
| Available in fun colors | |
#2 The GoWise USA GW22735
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The GW22735 by GoWise is a good alternative for dorm students who need something affordable that offers a bit more cooking functionality.
This compact 3.7-quart air fryer is the smallest on our list but offers surprisingly many features. It has a temperature range of 175 – 400 degrees F and comes with 8 cooking presets so you can make a wide variety of foods. The 1700 Watt motor is powerful enough to make foods that are nice and crisp brown within minutes, and it is pretty easy to operate thanks to its touch screen LCD display.
Students also enjoy how easy it is to clean since the removable tray has a non-stick coating so you can just wipe it clean. With this handy little cooking tool, you can quickly whip up just about any small meal in no time at all.
SPECIFICATIONS| Dimensions | 13.5 x 12.5 x 11.5 Inches |
| Weight | 4 Ounces |
| Colors | Black, white and red |
| Capacity | 3.7 Quart |
| Functions | 8 Cooking presets |
| Power | 1700 Watts |
| Temperature range | 175 – 400 degrees F |
| Cleaning | Non-stick pan and detachable basket |
| Display & Selection | LED display with touchscreen |
Outstanding Features for Students
This little air fryer by GoWiseUSA won’t take up much space in your dorm. It is ideal for 1 – 2 persons, and it offers plenty of modern features and cooking presets so you can prepare all sorts of luxury meals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stylish design | It can produce a lot of heat below the machine, damaging some countertops. |
| Affordable price range | No direct off button |
| Variety of cooking presets | |
| Powerful enough to get foods nice and crispy | |
| Compact size; won’t take up too much counter space | |
| Ideal for cooking for 1 – 3 people | |
| A Nonstick basket is easy to clean | |
| Fairly easy to use | |
#3 The Instant Vortex Plus B08R6KMBQT
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If you prefer a small air fryer that can double as an oven, then the B08R6KMBQT by Instant Vortex is a good option.
This kitchen appliance is an air fryer and a mini oven in one. You can set it to a very low temperature of just 120 degrees F and it can dehydrate foods, or you can use it on a higher temperature and on different cooking preset and fry, bake or roast other meals. You can even entertain guests with great-tasting desserts like baked cakes or bake batches of muffins that you can easily store in the fridge if you have this appliance. The 1700 watt motor is tough enough to quickly fry and crisp foods in a short amount of time.
The mini oven is very easy to use. It has a large LCD display with easy touch buttons and includes a timer and preset programs.
This air fryer is also pretty easy to clean since the basket is treated with a non-stick coating, although some do not like that the basket does not loosen up from the tray.
SPECIFICATIONS| Dimensions | 13.03 x 10.2 x 11.02 Inches |
| Weight | 10.78 Pounds |
| Colors | Stainless steel |
| Capacity | 4 Quart |
| Functions | Air fry, broil, roast, dehydrate, bake, and heat |
| Power | 1700 Watts |
| Temperature range | 120 – 400 Degrees F |
| Cleaning | Nonstick tray and dishwasher safe basket |
| Display & Selection | LED display with touchscreen |
Outstanding Features for Students
This air fryer doubles as a mini oven and offers students with small kitchens plenty of benefits since they can use the oven for cooking, baking, frying, roasting, and dehydrating foods. It is also small and compact.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Functions as air fryer or general mini oven | The basket doesn’t detach from the base – it is one unit |
| Various cooking presets allow you to make a variety of foods | Can produce a plastic smell the first few cooking times |
| Ideal for 1 – 3 people | User manual is not the best |
| It can be used to make toasted bread | |
| Stylish overall design | |
| It doesn’t take up too much countertop space | |
| Easy to use and simple to learn | |
| Larger 6quart and 10-quart air fryers also available in this model | |
#4 The Ninja AF161
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If you are looking for a large air fryer at a good price, the AF161 Ninja can be a great option.
This large 5.5-quart air fryer is perfect for preparing meals for up to 5 people, and yet it won’t take up too much space since it has a compact tower design.
The air fryer is easy to use with its LCD screen easy touch buttons. It includes 7 cooking functions, but you can also set the time or temperature for customized cooking sessions.
This little oven is quite powerful with its 1750 Watt motor, and it can reach a higher maximum temperature of up to 450 degrees so you can crisp foods or make toast in less time.
The removable basket has a nonstick coating and is very easy to clean. It is dishwasher safe, but many do not recommend adding nonstick items into a dishwasher.
SPECIFICATIONS| Dimensions | 14 x 11 x 14.75 Inches |
| Weight | 11 Pounds |
| Colors | Black |
| Capacity | 5.5 Quart |
| Functions | 7 Cooking functions |
| Power | 1750 Watts |
| Temperature range | Up to 450 degrees F |
| Cleaning | Nonstick and dishwasher safe basket |
| Display & Selection | LCD display with touch button select |
Outstanding Features for Students
The Ninja AF161 Air Fryer is an ideal air fryer for multiple students that share the same dorm since you can prepare large meals. It is also easy to use and offers different cooking presets so students can prepare a variety of meals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stylish overall design | A square cooking base would have been more practical |
| Max temperature of 450 degrees is hotter than your average air fryer | Pricey compared to smaller models |
| Large 5.5 quart capacity is perfect for bigger meals | |
| The unit can serve 1 – 5 people | |
| Various cooking functions allow you to make a varsity of meals | |
| The 1750 Watt motor is more powerful than your average. | |
| The cooker is simple and easy to use | |
| The LCD settings and display makes for easy viewing and program selection | |
| It’s big but doesn’t take up too much countertop space |
#5 The Phillips HD9650 Premium
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Students who want a luxury appliance that offers good versatility and premium cooking results can consider the HD9650 by Phillips.
This elite air fryer offers a 7-quart cooking capacity and can be bulky. But you can use this handy accessory to whip up a wide variety of delicious fried foods, roasts, or even baked treats.
The air fryer is very simple to use with its LCD touch screen, and it includes accessories like a removable tray and loose silicone pans.
The Phillips HD9650 Premium Air Fryer is also the most powerful air fryer on our list as it’s fitted with a 2225 Watt motor that enables you to make much larger meals in less time than other air fryer models.
This appliance is also easy to clean since the removable tray and pan are covered in a non-stick coating.
SPECIFICATIONS| Dimensions | 15.55 x 15.55 x 15.67 Inches |
| Weight | 19 Pounds |
| Colors | Black |
| Capacity | 7 Quart |
| Functions | 6 Main functions |
| Power | 2225 Watts |
| Temperature range | 100 – 400 Degrees F |
| Cleaning | Nonstick tray and silicone muffin pans |
| Display & Selection | LCD display with touchscreen select |
Outstanding Features for Students
The air fryer is large enough to cook entire meals or entertain friends. It is ideal for preparing various foods, including baked items like muffins. The premium air fryer is functional, durable, and everything you might be looking for in a quality appliance.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High-quality design | Produces a bit of smoke or grease smell when grilling foods |
| Powerful motor for quick cooking and fast warming | A bit pricey |
| Includes silicone molds for cupcakes or muffins | |
| You can even cook deserts in this cooker | |
| Sleek and stylish design is sure to look great in your kitchen | |
| The tray is easy to remove for simple cleaning | |
| Large capacity so you can cook for 4 – 5 people | |
| Instructions and recipe book included | |
The Takeaway
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the best air fryers for college students. We are pretty sure that any of these will work just fine when trying to cook something delicious in your small kitchen.
If you are in the market for other great quality kitchen accessories for your dorm or student life cooking, you should look at some of the other guides we have on Sousbeurre Kitchen.
With our handy guides, you will find all the best kitchen appliances and accessories, no matter your cooking needs.
