We're obsessed with these Amazon air fryer deals ahead of the Prime Big Deal Days sale

If you don't have an air fryer yet, you need one. An air fryer is like a mini oven. It can make perfectly crispy fries, chicken nuggets, vegetables and more in mere minutes. It's also a great option when you've got your main dish going in the oven, sauces on the stove and need an extra kitchen gadget to help cook up the perfect side.

Related: How we select our products

But a good air fryer isn't always affordable. That's why we're so obsessed with these air fryer deals at Amazon. The retailer is offering plenty of top-rated air fryers on sale at Amazon now ahead of Amazon Prime Day II, including a special invitation-only deal on a top-rated air fryer model.

All of the on-sale air fryers in our roundup have a four-star rating or higher. If you're new to the air fryer game, we even consulted a kitchen expert on everything you need to know before you buy the popular kitchen gadget.

The best air fryer deals ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

Shop our selection of the best air fryer deals. Right now you can score a great deal on our bestselling air fryer.

Instant Vortex Plus (6 quart): $110 (30% off)

Unlike many traditional air fryers, the Instant Vortex Plus has a window. Instead of opening the air fryer every 10 minutes to see if your food is crisping, watch it get that delicious crunch while it's air frying without letting all the heat out of your device.

The Instant Vortex Plus can also roast, broil, bake, reheat and dehydrate food. What's unique about this device is that it features a progress bar and will display a message when it's time to add in the food (after pre-heating) or flip it over for maximum crisping. It can reach up to 400 degrees.

"I really like that I can check on my food without disturbing the cooking process," says CBS Essentials senior writer Lily Rose. "This machine is also very easy to use. It's really hard to make a mistake when you can see it air frying in front of you."

This air fryer is currently on sale for $110 (regularly $160).

Why we like the Instant Vortex Plus:

We love the little window and that the machine alerts you at all the right times.
The basket and tray are dishwasher safe.

$110 at Amazon

Philips 3000 Series Essential air fryer (invitation-only deal): $80 (56% off)

If you're looking for an easy way to make all of your favorite meals at home this holiday season, look no further. Amazon is offering a deep, invite-only discount on this top-rated Philips air fryer. It's compact -- ideal for those with smaller kitchens.

This device grills, roasts, bakes, reheats and of course, air frys. It features a digital touchscreen with seven presets for simplified cooking. It boasts a capacity of 4.1 liters, or roughly 4.3 quarts.

"This air fryer is very quiet and is fast. The basket size is perfect for one or two servings," one Amazon reviewer says. "So far we've used this for sweet potato fries, grilled chicken, steak and roasted vegetables (cauliflower and broccoli). Everything turned out delicious."

This is an Amazon Prime invitation-only deal, so you'll need to go to the product page and request an invitation to shop this deal during the Prime Big Deal Days sale on Oct. 10.

Why we like the Philips 3000 Series Essential air fryer:

The air fryer features seven easy cooking presets.
It's compact enough for small kitchens.
It's versatile with a 13-in-1 design that offers several different cooking functions in one compact device.

Request an invitation

Cosori Air Fryer Pro LE (5 quart): Save $15

Our bestselling five-quart Cosori air fryer features nine cooking functions that prepare your food at the best temperature and time. It can reach temperatures of up to 450 degrees. The non-stick air fryer basket is removable and dishwasher safe.

"I like the fact that, in addition to the nine pre-set temperatures and times for various foods and tasks, you can also manually adjust times and select a temperature right up to 450 degrees, which is close to the 'max crisp' temperature setting offered by one of the leading models in the market," one Amazon customer says.

Don't forget to apply Amazon's $15 coupon.

Why we like the Cosori Air Fryer Pro LE:

This air fryer can get really hot, really quickly.
It offers nine versatile functions.
Its basket is dishwasher safe.

$85 at Amazon

Ninja AF101 air fryer (4 quart): $100 (23% off)

Food science expert Jennifer Pallian highly recommends this four-quart Ninja air fryer. "It's a great size, affordable for the quality with an effective output and it doesn't take up too much counter space," she told CBS Essentials. She's not the only one who loves this air fryer. Amazon customers gave the kitchen gadget 4.8-stars!

This kitchen gadget can reach up to 400 degrees. It features four cooking programs, including air fry, roast, reheat and dehydrate. The included basket and crisper plate are both dishwasher safe.

This Ninja appliance is on sale now at Amazon. Get it for just $90 (regularly $130).

Why we like the Ninja AF101 air fryer:

This expert-recommended air fryer is great for beginners.
It won't take up much counter space.

$100 at Amazon

What is an air fryer?

Similar to a countertop convection oven, an air fryer is a portable cooking device with a variety of functions. However, unlike a convection oven, an air fryer offers an alternative approach to deep frying. Instead of engulfing refrigerated or frozen food in a pool of fat like a deep fryer does, it circulates hot air to achieve a similar result, using only the oils on the food's surface.

How does an air fryer work?

Most air fryers feature a fan and heating mechanism, which is responsible for circulating hot air and cooking food. While every model varies, most of them feature adjustable timers and temperatures with suggestions for popular foods. Many air fryers require preheating prior to cooking.

Food is generally placed in some sort of basket at the bottom of the appliance, usually resembling a fryer basket. The hot air begins circulating and heating the existing (or added) oils on food, resulting in a crisping effect. Depending on the air fryer recipe, you might need to flip food some time during the cooking process.

Are air fryers safe?

While most air fryers are safe, popular air fryer brand Cosori recently recalled more than 2 million units after receiving 205 reports of catching fire, burning, melting, overheating and smoking. Rest assured that none of the recalled models are on our list of the best air fryers below.

What to consider before buying an air fryer

Food science expert Jennifer Pallian told CBS Essentials that the two most important things to consider when shopping for an air fryer are wattage, capacity and the wattage-to-volume ratio. "Air fryers with higher wattage per quart heat up faster and have a stronger fan for the surface area, resulting in quicker cooking times and crispier food," she said. "Lower-wattage air fryers can't always produce crunchy, fried-like results. An air fryer should have at least 1500 watts per four quarts for best results.

Pallian also advises CBS Essentials readers to "look for an air fryer with adjustable temperature settings so that you can customize it to whatever food you're cooking. It's also nice to get an air fryer with multiple cooking functions (such as reheating and roasting, in addition to air frying) so that you have more options to maximize use."

Shop options from some of the best air fryer brands below, plus expert-recommended air fryers.