We're obsessed with these October Amazon Prime Day 2023 air fryer deals

If you buy one thing during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, make it an air fryer. 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 during the October Prime Day 2023 sale, including the ritzy Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer.

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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 October Prime Day 2023 air fryer deals

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

Ninja AF101 air fryer (4 quart): $90 (31% 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.

$90 at Amazon

Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven: $250 (save $50)

Not only can this Cosori device air fry, it can air roast, air bake and air sous vide. It features functions just for bagels, toast and pizza, as well as functions for baking, broiling, dehydrating, proofing, reheating and warming. In a shocking twist, it won't take up your entire kitchen counter. The kitchen gadget is only 13.5-inches wide.

The premium air fryer model includes a splatter guard, thermometer, casserole pan, wire rack, sheet tray, roasting rack insert and a fry basket. All accessories are dishwasher safe.

Why we like this air fryer:

It offers a huge capacity for a variety of food items.
It's equipped with 13 functions, including several dedicated air fryer selections.
It's easier to clean than many air fryer models thanks to its hidden ceramic heating elements.
It's a staff-loved option.

$250 at Amazon

Ninja mini air fryer: $71 (11% off)

The Ninja mini air fryer has a two-quart capacity and a quick timer setting. It can air fry snacks or small meals at 400 degrees and offers easy cleanup with a nonstick cooking basket. It's a great basic air fryer for kitchens with limited counter space, including dorms or small apartments.

"I wish more products were designed like the Ninja mini air fryer; total simplicity of function," an Amazon reviewer says. "The unit runs at 400 degrees all the time. It has a basket that is perfect for a one person household. The food comes out beautifully browned and juicy. I'm totally satisfied."

The compact air fryer typically retails for $80, but you can currently get it for just $71 on Amazon.

What we like about the Ninja mini air fryer:

It features a nonstick cooking basket and crisper plate for easy cleaning.
The air fryer includes a quick-set timer.
The Ninja mini air fryer is great for kitchens with limited counter space.

$71 at Amazon

Ninja Foodi 12-in-1 deluxe XL air fryer (8 quart): 32% off

One of Ninja Foodi's highest-rated models on Amazon, this 4.8-star-rated, family-friendly 12-in-1, extra-large air fryer features an eight-quart pot that holds up to a seven-pound chicken or eight chicken breasts.

It can pressure cook and slow cook, air fry and crisp, steam, slow cook, bake, sous vide, keep warm, sear, sauté, roast, broil, dehydrate and make yogurt.

Get it now for $170 (regularly $250).

Why we like the Ninja Foodi deluxe:

It features a 4.8-star rating.
It can do the work of 12 devices in one.
It can make a massive amount of food, making it a great option for large families.

$170 at Amazon

Instant Omni Plus air fryer: 11% off

Right now on Amazon, you can save money on this higher-end Instant Pot model.

As you can tell from the picture, the Instant Omni Plus is not exactly a pot. In fact, no, it isn't a pot. The Instant Omni Plus is a countertop convection oven that, in true Instant Pot fashion, has a bunch of tricks up its sleeves. (And, yes, we know, the not-a-pot doesn't have sleeves -- just go with it.) This 10-in-1 appliance can be used to air fry, broil, bake, roast, dehydrate, reheat, toast and warm. And, as noted, it works as a convection oven and a rotisserie.

You can get an October Prime Day deal on this air fryer. It's $250 (regularly $280).

Why we like the Instant Omni Plus:

It features a window so you can see how your food is progressing.
It can do the work of 10 appliances in one.

$250 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.

When is Amazon Big Deal Days?

The Amazon Big Deal Days sales event (also known as October Prime Day) kicks off at midnight PT (3:00 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, Oct. 10 and runs through Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

What else is on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days?

During the Amazon Big Deal Days sales event, you'll also find big discounts across all of Amazon's departments, including home, tech, kitchen, fitness and so much more. This is the perfect time to kick off (and potentially even finish) your holiday shopping, without having to deal with Black Friday crowds and having the gifts you want to purchase being sold out. You'll find deals on luggage for your holiday travels, too.

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Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop Prime Big Deal Days deals?

While some of the best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days offers are Prime-exclusive or invite-only, there will also be tons of deals that are open to all shoppers. So even if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership, there will be deals available to you.

If you want to shop the best deals, though, you'll want to sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Prime memberships costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year, and include access to Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football) and a number of other great perks.

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What other stores are holding competing early Black Friday sales?

Savvy shoppers know that any of the Amazon Prime Day events offer the perfect time to find tens of thousands of popular products on sale from Amazon, including some at their lowest price of the year. However, many other popular online and retail merchants, such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy and even your favorite department stores, such as Macy's, all tend to kick off sales either at the same time or around the same dates as Amazon Big Deal Days.

Best Buy's 48-Hour Flash Sale is happening on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, the same days as Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days.
Walmart's Holiday Kickoff sale will run from Oct. 9 through Oct. 12.

Do products on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days sell out?

You bet they do -- and sometimes things sell out within hours. If you see something on sale that you want to get your hands on during the Amazon Big Deal Days sale, order it right away. Often, quantities are limited. Once a product is sold out at the sale price, Amazon won't always restock right away and when it does restock, the sale price likely won't be offered.

Can products bought from Amazon during Amazon Big Deal Days be returned?

Unless it specifically states in the product description or near the "add to cart" and "buy now" buttons that the product being offered on sale is a final sale or not returnable, Amazon's regular return policy for that product will be honored.

On the right side of a product description on Amazon, just below the "buy now" button (and where it says "ships from and sold by"), look for the heading that says "returns."

If the text says, "eligible for return, refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt," that's the return policy that will be honored. However, you may be responsible for paying return shipping to Amazon, unless you drop off the product as a Whole Foods or Kohl's, which accepts some Amazon returns.

Best October Prime Day home deals to shop now

Need a new robot vacuum, mattress or maybe a new set of tools? Amazon has deals on all that and more during its Big Deal Days early Black Friday sale.

Lily Rose

Lily Rose is a senior writer for CBS Essentials and the site's expert in home appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and ranges. When she's not writing about how you can upgrade your laundry room, she's writing about home and kitchen essentials that will transform your space. Her favorite appliance is her air fryer. She firmly believes that it can make the crispiest sweet potato fries.