I spent 2 weeks reviewing the T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer, and it aced every test

Some of today’s best air fryers are quite large, taking up a big chunk of real estate on your kitchen counter. However, if you have limited room, you may want something a bit smaller, and the new T-fal Infrared Air Fryer definitely fits the bill.

While it has a decently large 6.3-quart capacity, this air fryer’s footprint is only 14 x 15 inches, so it’s easy to tuck into a corner of your kitchen. It’s also surprisingly powerful for its size, boasting 1550 watts of power and an infrared heating element that can reach high temperatures in less than a minute.

To see if this new, compact air fryer is worth adding to your kitchen lineup, I tested it out for several weeks, using it to cook everything from chicken tenders to Frozen french fries and bacon, and while it's on the smaller side, it aced every cooking test. Here’s what I liked about the T-fal Infrared Air Fryer, as well as a few caveats to know before you buy.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Price and availability

The T-fal Infrared Air Fryer was released a few months ago, and it has an MSRP of $129.99, which is fairly average for an air fryer of its size. You can purchase the model directly from the brand’s website, and it’s also available from major retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: First impressions

When I first unboxed the new T-fal Infrared Air Fryer, I was quite surprised at how small and lightweight it is. It’s several inches smaller than my existing air fryer, and at under 10 pounds, it’s very easy to pick up and carry around.

The unit has a touchscreen display across the top with seven cook settings, including air fry, broil, roast, bake, toast, and reheat. It also has buttons that turn on its “Crispy Finish” setting, as well as the unit’s inner light. I noticed that, with the help of the light, the window on the front of the basket is much easier to see into than other air fryers, which makes it easy to monitor your food as it cooks. The light also stays on throughout the duration of the cooking process.

While this air fryer technically has a capacity over 6 quarts, its cooking basket is fairly small but quite deep. This isn’t great for cooking large quantities of food, as it needs to be arranged in a single layer for even cooking, though you might be able to fit larger items like a whole chicken inside. Because its cooking space is limited, I think this model is best suited for one- or two-person households.

One of the big marketing points of this air fryer is its “infrared heating,” and I wanted to see what makes it different from other air fryers. The brand explains that the air fryer has a carbon fiber heater that can reach temperatures as high as 750 degrees in just 45 seconds, and as such, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer before use. Beyond that, there’s really no information on what infrared heating actually does.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Performance

To see how the T-fal Infrared Air Fryer performed while cooking different foods, I used it in my kitchen for a few weeks. My partner and I used the appliance to make a variety of foods, including both frozen and fresh options, and overall, I was impressed by how much power is packed into the small air fryer.

Cooking frozen fries

When testing air fryers, I always start out by cooking frozen French fries—this time, I opted for cute smiley face ones! Based on the directions on the bag, I cooked them for 12 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through the cooking process. This air fryer doesn’t have a mid-cycle shake reminder, which is inconvenient, as you have to keep an eye on the timer. The brand says that you don’t have to flip or shake food, but I found that the tops of the fries were browning much faster than the bottoms, so a flip was definitely needed for even cooking.

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

I was in the next room when the air fryer finished cooking, and I didn’t hear its end-of-cycle beep at all—I only realized it was done because the low hum of the air fryer had stopped. On subsequent uses, I paid closer attention, and while the appliance does beep a few times, it’s fairly quiet and easy to miss if you’re not listening for it.

Despite this one small hangup, I have to admit that I was impressed by the air fryer’s performance. The fries were perfectly cooked on the inside and nicely golden brown on the exterior. I probably could have taken them out a minute or two earlier, but I like my fries extra crispy.

Air frying chicken tenders

I used the T-fal Air Fryer to cook homemade chicken tenders two times. The first time, I breaded them with a mixture of bread crumbs and shredded coconut, and the second time, I used just panko crumbs. I could only fit four or five average-sized chicken tenderloins in the air fryer’s basket, so you’d have to cook in batches if you’re feeding more than two people.

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

I cooked the chicken on the air fry setting at 375 for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking cycle. (Again, I think the flip was necessary, as the bottoms weren’t nearly as browned as the tops.) When the cycle was finished, the tenders were perfectly cooked and the bread coating was nicely browned. I was impressed that they were fully cooked in such a short time.

With the second batch of tenders, I also tried out the air fryer’s “crisp finish” option, which adds on an extra two minutes of cook time and cranks the temperature to 425. The brand claims it helps to crisp up food even more, but honestly, I didn’t notice any difference from the first batch.

Baking cinnamon rolls

To try out the air fryer’s bake setting, I purchased a package of premade cinnamon rolls (which were more like cinnamon biscuits, truthfully). For the first batch, I followed the directions on the package, which said to bake for 12 minutes on 320 degrees, flipping halfway. However, the dough sagged into the crisper plate, leaving funny patterns on top of the rolls, and I also ended up taking them out two minutes early because they were extremely brown and bordering on burning.

I cooked the rest of the package the next day, and I opted not to flip them this time. This worked much better, helping the rolls to maintain their shape, and again, they only needed 10 minutes of cook time. It was a quick and easy way to cook these pre-made treats, and I loved that I didn’t have to wait for the oven to preheat.

Roasting potatoes

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

I used the air fryer to roast some sweet potatoes as a side dish for dinner one night, cooking the cubed potatoes for 12 minutes at 400 degrees on the roast setting. I did need to toss them halfway through the cook cycle—another instance where I wished the air fryer had a mid-cycle alarm.

At the end of cooking, the potatoes were nicely crisp on the outside and perfectly tender inside, and it was much faster than cooking them in the oven.

Cooking bacon

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

For my final test, I wanted to cook up some bacon in the T-fal air fryer—it’s one of the easiest (and least messy) ways to cook bacon, if you ask me. I was able to fit five strips in the basket, but they had to be slightly folded over at the ends, as the basket isn’t quite long enough for them to lay completely flat. I cooked them at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and flipped them halfway through the cooking cycle.

When the air fryer was finished cooking, the bacon was nicely crisp, further cementing the gadget’s solid cooking abilities. If you like your bacon super crispy, I’d say to add on another minute of cooking time, but otherwise, it’s a pretty foolproof way to whip up some bacon for breakfast.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Cleaning

When it comes to cleaning out the T-fal air fryer, the basket itself needs to be washed out by hand. It has a nonstick finish, so most crumbs just fall off. I only ever needed to give it a quick scrub with soapy water and a sponge to get the interior clean, and I paid special attention to the interior of the window, which tends to get a bit grimey if it's not washed regularly. The removable crisper basket is technically dishwasher safe (you have to take its rubber feet off first), but I usually just scrubbed it down while I was cleaning the basket.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: How does it compare?

If you want a compact air fryer, another option to consider is the Ninja Pro 4-in-1, which has a similar capacity of 5 quarts and is one of the best air fryers we’ve tested. Its basket is wider and shallower than the T-fal’s, giving you more space to arrange food. It’s easy to operate, and it retails for a similar price of $120.

The Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer is another solid option that’s a bit more budget-friendly, retailing for around $90. It has more cooking modes, including proofing bread and dehydrating, as well as a customizable preheat program. This air fryer also has a 6-quart capacity, and many of its components are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. However, it’s worth noting that neither of these models have a window on the cooking basket, so you aren’t able to monitor your food as it cooks.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer review: Verdict

The new T-fal Infrared Air Fryer is compact and lightweight, yet still powerful enough to cook just about any food. It aced all my cooking tests, yielding well-cooked French fries, chicken, and baked goods, and I loved that it didn’t take up too much space on my counter. It also has a handy window and inner light that lets you monitor the doneness of your food without opening the basket. The only major downside is the machine’s limited capacity—you can really only cook two servings at a time within its basket, so it may not be the most practical option for larger households.

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