AIR FRYER OVEN REVIEW

Cuisinart 9 QT Stainless Air Fryer (AIRX-221) Review

★★★★☆ 4.3
4 owner reviews
8.4
Overall · #17 of 47

Crispiness8.5
Evenness8.4
Ease of use8.4
Noise7.9

A large stainless 9-quart basket fryer with six presets and a divider, so you can part-cook two foods in one drawer. A do-most-things family unit.

Capacity9 qt
Power1800W
Programs6
Warranty3 years
✓ What we liked
  • Six presets including dehydrate
  • Divider lets you split the basket
  • Reaches a proper 450°F
✗ Worth noting
  • Large and fairly heavy
  • Single drawer, so no true dual-zone timing

How it tested

We ran the same battery of tests we use on every air fryer, from frozen chips to fresh wings and roast veg. Here is how it scored on each.

Crispiness — 8.5

Strong crisping across the board, with the high top temperature helping chips and wings brown fast.

Crispy food fresh from the air fryer

Evenness — 8.4

Even results, though the divider works best with foods that cook at similar times.

Ease of use & cleanup — 8.4

The parts are dishwasher safe and the dial-and-display panel is easy to use.

Noise — 7.9

A steady hum, unremarkable for the size.

Design & build

A sturdy stainless and black unit that feels built to last. It is big, so give it space.

Who it’s for

✓ Buy it if…
  • You want the most cooking modes
  • You like the option to split the basket
✗ Look elsewhere if…
  • You want two independent zones
  • Bench space is limited

Full specifications

Capacity9 qt
Power1800W
Programs6
Temp range105-450°F
AccessoriesBasket, crisper plate, divider
Dishwasher safeYes
ModelAIRX-221
Warranty3 years

Our verdict

A capable all-rounder that covers more cooking jobs than most single-basket fryers, from dehydrate to broil. The divider is a neat touch for smaller households.

It is not a true dual-zone fryer, so two very different foods still need care. For everything else it is a strong, well-built pick with a long warranty.

How it compares

It offers more modes than the AIR-200NAS and adds a divider. Step up to the ADZ-110 if you need two fully separate baskets.

Compare all models →

Frequently asked

What does the divider do?

It splits the single basket so you can keep two foods apart.

Can it dehydrate?

Yes. Dehydrate is one of the six presets.

Marcus Bell, Appliance reviewer
Reviewed by Marcus Bell, Appliance reviewer
AirFryer Ovens test kitchen · Bought at retail, never supplied by the brand

Every oven runs the same five stages: preheat timing, a frozen chip crispiness run, a full tray evenness test, a full load cook, then noise, energy and cleanup. Scores carry the same weighting on every model, so commission never moves a ranking.

How we test →

Owner reviews

4.3
★★★★☆
4 verified reviews

★★★★☆

Cooks well and feels well made. It is heavy though.

Lucy F. · Jul 2026

★★★★★

Great value for a 9-quart with this many functions.

Karl S. · Jul 2026

★★★★★

So many modes. I use the dehydrate setting for fruit all the time.

Iris M. · Jul 2026

★★★★☆

Big and solid. The divider is handy for just the two of us.

Tom B. · Jul 2026

STILL DECIDING?

See how it stacks up against every model we’ve tested

Line this air fryer up against every other one in our test kitchen and compare them on the things that matter: crispiness, evenness, capacity, noise and price, all scored on the same scale. Change the size or budget you have in mind and the table updates on the spot, so you can weigh the trade-offs and land on the model that truly fits your kitchen.

  • 47 models bought and tested at retail
  • The same 5 tests run on every single unit
  • No sponsored picks, so the ranking stays honest

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