Air fryer world, look out: Magic Bullet is coming for you. The company that brought you the cult-favorite compact yet powerful blender is now venturing into convectional crisping territory with its new Magic Bullet Air Fryer. If you wish your existing air fryer could more easily fit on your countertop or you’re ready to buy your first fryer, this adorable little gadget is begging to be part of your appliance arsenal — and you’ll hardly notice it’s there until it’s time to make the most crunchy meats and veggies that have ever graced your palate.
- Magic Bullet Air Fryer ($59.99; nutribullet.com)
The rundown
Beyond its “Star Wars” droid-esque appearance, the Magic Bullet Air Fryer is a space-saving appliance that uses 360-degree convection technology to crisp up the foods of your choice with minimal oil. As with the brand’s famed blenders, what sets this air fryer apart from the rest is it’s ultra-compact size: The 2.5-quart capacity of the fryer makes it perfect for households of one to two people, or apartments where counter space is minimal. Take it from someone who has little counter space to spare — I can comfortably keep this air fryer out in my kitchen without it taking up the precious real estate I need for cooking prep.
This air fryer also features a wide temperature range from 180 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can cook a variety of goodies inside its compact drawer. In addition to the fryer itself, you’ll get a 1,300-watt base, an easy-to-clean crisping tray to place in the fryer drawer and a recipe guide to help you get creative.
The lowdown
One of the Magic Bullet Air Fryer’s best qualities is just how easy it is to use. Simply take the food you wish to air fry, place it in the drawer, set your temperature and time and let it go. Right at the top of the fryer there’s a guide to what temperature and cooking time different foods need, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of air frying.
From there, all you have to do is wait until the timer dings, and you’ll have perfectly crisped food ready to serve. Pro tip: Make sure to pull the drawer out when your food is halfway done, shake it up and place it back in. The food will continue cooking at the same time you left it at, and it’ll help distribute the heat more evenly. Also, refrain from filling the drawer all the way to the top in order to ensure your food cooks through.
The Magic Bullet is intuitive to use fresh out of the box. Once you unbox your fryer, wipe it down with soap and water, dry it, then run it for about five minutes to get rid of any factory smells. Once that’s all set, you’re ready to get to frying.
The bottom line
After testing some sweet potato fries, veggies and breaded chicken in this air fryer, I can say it’s an effective little model that cooks and crisps well. You definitely need little to no oil when cooking, which makes for a healthier meal and an easier cleanup when you’re finished frying. Best of all, it’s not as expensive as some other popular air fryers on the market, which often don’t hit the $60 price range unless there’s a particularly good sale going on.
If you’re looking to join the Air Fryer Elites club and want to save on space, the Magic Bullet is the perfect appliance for you.