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Cosori Pro II 5.8-Quart Air Fryer Review: Is It Worth It?
The 5.8-quart air fryer with 13 presets, a big square basket and dishwasher-safe parts — a genuine Ninja alternative for less.
Illustrative image — see Amazon for the actual product.
Our verdict
The Cosori is the air fryer to buy if you don't want to overthink it. Big square basket, quiet fan, one-tap presets, dishwasher-safe parts and a price that undercuts Ninja on most days — it's the smart-money pick for a family-size air fryer.
The short version
The Cosori is one of the two air fryers most people compare when they're shopping, and it's earned that spot with a bigger, squarer basket than most competitors, a straightforward touchscreen with 13 one-tap presets, and prices that regularly undercut Ninja by a real margin. The 5.8-quart size fits a whole small chicken, a family-sized batch of wings or a full pound of fries in a single layer, the nonstick basket and crisper plate go straight into the dishwasher, and it preheats in about three minutes. It's not the fanciest air fryer on Amazon, but for most households cooking dinner for two to four, it's the smart-money pick.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Big 5.8-quart square basket fits more than round baskets
- Preheats fast — dinner is ready in 15-25 minutes
- 13 one-touch presets take the guessing out
- Nonstick basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe
- Quieter fan than most competitors
- Regularly cheaper than the equivalent Ninja
Cons
- Single basket — no DualZone-style side-by-side cooking
- Touchscreen icons take a couple uses to learn
- Presets are conservative and often need a small time bump
Why people love it
Rapid 360° hot air
A high-speed fan and rear heating element blast 360° hot air around the food, crisping the outside in a fraction of the oil deep frying needs.
One-touch presets
Thirteen preset programs cover the everyday hits — fries, wings, chicken, steak, seafood, frozen, reheat, dehydrate and more — with time and temp already dialed in.
Shake and serve
Pull the basket midway, shake or flip once, slide it back in, and let it finish. Nonstick parts pop out and go in the dishwasher.
Who it's for
- Households of two to four cooking dinner most nights
- Anyone who wants crispier reheats than a microwave can deliver
- Cooks trading a deep fryer for a lower-oil option
- Shoppers looking for a Ninja alternative that costs less
Is the Cosori air fryer worth it, and how does it compare to Ninja?
The Cosori's popularity is a straightforward value story: for most people the 5.8-quart Cosori Pro II delivers the same crisp-with-less-oil experience as the equivalent Ninja for meaningfully less money, and it's often quieter to boot. The square basket is the underrated advantage — round baskets waste corners, but a square 5.8-quart footprint actually holds a family-size batch of fries or wings in a single layer without stacking, which is where crisping falls apart. Add 13 presets, a clear touchscreen and dishwasher-safe parts and it's easy to see why it's the top pick for shoppers who don't want to overspend.
The honest limitation is that it's a single-basket unit. If you want to run a protein and a side at different temperatures at the same time — chicken at 400°F while broccoli finishes at 375°F — you need a DualZone-style Ninja instead. For everyone else cooking one thing at a time, or cooking sides in the oven or on the stove, the Cosori's single basket is plenty. Between Cosori and Ninja, the practical answer for most households is: pick whichever is on sale, and if they're priced the same, Cosori's bigger square basket and lower noise usually decide it.
How to use a Cosori air fryer: cook times and everyday recipes
The first weekend you'll want to run through the presets — fries, wings, chicken, frozen — because they get you 90% of the way there. Fresh-cut fries take about 18-22 minutes at 400°F with a shake at the halfway point; frozen fries take 12-15 minutes at 400°F. Bone-in wings crisp beautifully at 400°F for 22-26 minutes, flipping once. A pound of chicken breast cooks in 12-15 minutes at 380°F with a light oil spray. Reheating pizza and fries — the underrated superpower — takes about three minutes at 350°F and destroys the microwave.
The recipes that trip people up on any air fryer are wet, saucy or delicate foods. Marinades that are dripping wet will drip through the crisper plate and burn on the pan below — pat proteins dry and dab off extra sauce. Delicate items like fish fillets do better on a small piece of perforated parchment. Anything breaded loves a light oil spritz — that's what gets the golden color. Learn those three habits and the Cosori becomes the appliance you reach for most nights of the week.
Cosori care, longevity and the nonstick basket question
The Cosori's nonstick basket is dishwasher-safe, but the coating lasts noticeably longer with a gentler routine: cool it fully, wash by hand with warm soapy water and a soft sponge, and skip metal utensils. If the coating scratches or chips, that basket needs replacement — Cosori sells replacement baskets on Amazon, which is a big advantage over models where the whole unit becomes disposable. Wipe the interior chamber and heating element with a damp cloth once a month when it's unplugged and cool to keep smoke and buildup down.
For long-term reliability, avoid running the unit dry for extended dehydration cycles the manual doesn't call for, and give the fan intake a wipe if you cook a lot of fatty foods. The most common failure people report isn't the fryer itself — it's a worn nonstick basket after a couple of years of heavy dishwasher use. Treat the basket like a nonstick pan and the Cosori easily runs for three to five years of daily use, which is a strong return on the price of one.
See Cosori Air Fryer on Amazon
Check the latest price, photos and buyer reviews on Amazon.
Check Price on Amazon →Sold and shipped by AmazonFrequently asked questions
Cosori vs Ninja: which air fryer is better?
They're the two most-compared air fryers on Amazon and both are excellent. Cosori tends to be cheaper, has a squarer basket that fits more single-layer food, and runs a bit quieter. Ninja's single-basket AF101 is the classic compact 4-quart, and the DualZone models let you run two baskets at different temperatures at once. If you want one basket, one meal, better value — Cosori. If you want dual-basket flexibility or the Ninja ecosystem — Ninja.
Is the 5.8-quart Cosori big enough for a family?
It comfortably handles dinner for two to four. You can fit a whole small (3-4 lb) chicken, a family-size batch of fries in a single layer, or eight to ten wings without crowding. For a family of five or more that regularly cooks big meals, look at the 6.8-quart Cosori or a DualZone-style model instead.
How do I clean the Cosori air fryer?
Let it cool for 20 minutes, then pull the basket and crisper plate out — both are nonstick and dishwasher safe. For daily use, warm soapy water and a soft sponge is enough. Wipe the interior heating chamber with a damp cloth occasionally once it's unplugged and cool. Avoid metal scourers or abrasive cleaners so the nonstick coating lasts.
Can I use aluminum foil or parchment in the Cosori?
Yes, in moderation. A small piece of foil or perforated parchment liner is fine for delicate foods or easier cleanup. Never cover the whole crisper plate — that blocks airflow and ruins crisping — and don't run the fryer empty with loose paper inside, since the fan can blow it into the heating element.
Do I need to preheat the Cosori?
For most foods, a 3-minute preheat gives noticeably crispier results, especially for fries, wings and anything breaded. Frozen foods and reheats can skip preheating with only a small difference. The unit has a dedicated preheat button that makes it a one-tap habit.
Why are my results not as crispy as I expected?
Almost always overcrowding. Air fryers crisp by moving hot air around the food, so a packed basket steams instead of crisping. Cook in a single layer with space between pieces, shake or flip halfway, and give wet foods a pat dry before cooking. A light spray of oil on fresh-cut potatoes helps browning as well.
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