Is the Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven worth it? I tried it
As a CBS Essentials home and deals expert, I make it my business to know all about kitchen gadgets. I'm an air-fryer fanatic. It's even in my author bio. So when Cosori launched its new 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven, I was intrigued. For a whopping $260, it offers 13 cooking functions; fits a five-pound whole chicken; and, thanks to its ceramic interior, promises easy cleaning. My old PowerXL air fryer can barely feed more than two people, and not even my parents' luxe six-quart Instant Pot Vortex has that many features. And fitting a chicken that big? Forget it.
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I got my first air fryer in 2020, and ever since I used it to make sweet potato fries, I've been hooked. Over the last three years, I've used my air fryer at least once a day to prepare vegetables, meat and frozen foods. But its best days are behind it. There are permanent marks where things have burned and gotten stuck. One basket won't close all the way no matter how hard I try to shut it. It also has a broken button (don't worry, I rarely need to turn the temperature down anyway).
Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven
Enter the new hotness. This Cosori device can not only air fry, it can air roast, air bake and air sous vide; it also features functions just for bagels, toast and pizza, as well as for baking, broiling, dehydrating, proofing, reheating and warming.
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.
Right now, this air fryer is on sale for just $260 when you include the $40 off coupon. It regularly retails for $300.
Pros:
You get what you pay for. This ritzy device 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.
Cons:
It's huge. If you have a tiny kitchen and limited counter space, this air fryer may take up most of it. It's also super heavy and not easy to move around (should you need to).
The new air fryer oven is also available in a slightly more affordable base model option with 11 functions. It comes with a splatter guard, wire rack, sheet tray, roasting rack insert and fry basket. All accessories are dishwasher safe. It's also on sale at Amazon now.
How big is the Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven?
Let's be honest -- 26 quarts is big. To put it in perspective, many popular air fryer models are anywhere from 6 to 10 quarts. To Cosori's credit, the brand does hype up its size, letting you know it can fit a 12-inch pizza or nine pieces of toast.
But for someone with little counter space, the Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven is massive. Although it only measures 13.5-inches wide, this kitchen gadget is deep -- 16.9 inches deep. I had to put away my coffee maker and toaster to make it work with the space I have. If you have plenty of kitchen-counter real estate, I don't see its size being an issue. But if you live in a bitty apartment like I do, the air fryer oven may block you from accessing some of your key kitchen items.
What it's like to use the Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven
If you're looking for features, the Cosori ceramic air fryer oven is where it's at. This 2023 kitchen gadget is like a space ship compared with my old air fryer, which can only (as the name implies) fry. I love that you can easily toggle between all the Cosori air fryer's abilities and then customize them to fit your meal.
Because I had to put my toaster away, I've frequently used the Cosori's toast function, which allows you to choose your favorite level of toastiness, as well as how many slices of bread you're using. Reader, let me make it clear: I have never made better toast in my life. If I can sell you on on one feature alone, it's the toaster. This kitchen gadget can produce the perfect, crunchy-on-the-exterior, soft-in-the-middle piece of toast.
But after trying my hand at several delicious tartines and the odd sliced baguette, I wanted to challenge my device with a complex meal. For my first-ever air fryer dinner with the Cosori air fryer oven, I made salmon and eggplant with gochujang. Because of its size, the air fryer had the capacity to cook both at once. It has four tiers, into which I can slide roasting racks and sheet trays, so, should I ever need to host Thanksgiving (or feed a small army), I actually could.
Because this air fryer has a door that doubles as a window, I can see inside. I can monitor food before it gets too done. I used the air fryer's many accessories for this meal, including the casserole pan, wire rack and sheet tray. I set the function to air fry, which prompts you to select a temperature and a time. If I hadn't been in the mood to air fry, I could have air roasted or even air baked my meal.
Twenty minutes later, I had crispy-skinned eggplant and some perfectly cooked salmon. I was able to watch my items through the air fryer window and even use the included thermometer that can plug into the device and tell you the temperature of your meat.
When the meal was all over, I easily wiped down the inside of the device using a wet paper towel. This is a major plus of the Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer. My old air fryer (and pretty much any air fryer I've ever used) has gunk stuck to the inside that's impossible to clean. Because this device has a smooth ceramic coating, you can just wipe it all down and have a clean air fryer in seconds.
Why not just use an oven?
This massive air fryer can do everything your oven can do and then some. It pre-heats faster, it cooks faster. Plus it offers more visibility, so you're not always opening and shutting the door. Have you ever tried to clean an oven? If you spill something in your oven, you have to wait until this massive home appliance has cooled, all so you can get on your hands and knees and scrub. This air fryer cooled quickly and was a dream to clean.
Also, I don't know about you, but my regular oven is terrible at cooking frozen things. All of the frozen goods I've ever thrown in my oven usually turn out soggy. But this air fryer transformed all my Trader Joe's frozen items into perfectly crispy snacks in minutes. Plus, an air fryer is a fantastic addition to your kitchen, especially if you're hosting a holiday meal and need more space to make goodies like roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, stuffing, rolls or casseroles.
Is the the Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer oven worth it?
If you're part of a family that's been looking for an air fryer that can make frozen waffles as well as it can make a salmon fillet, you've found the air fryer for you. This show-stopping kitchen gadget might be a godsend for weeknight meals, as it requires minimal time to pre-heat and cook, and it's easily cleaned. Plus, it comes with all the accessories you need.
If you're someone with limited counter space who only cooks for one or two people, this may not be the air fryer for you. Sure, it does it all, but how often are you feeding an army, really? Plus, you may have to sacrifice precious space that used to feature key appliances like your food processor and blender. We've even found a variety of smaller air fryers with at least five functions for about half the price.
The Cosori 26-quart ceramic air fryer is a truly dazzling device, but your old air fryer with just the one function may really be enough.
