Our readers keep the lights on and my morning glass full of iced black tea. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.7 Best Air Fryer With Stainless Steel Basket | All-Metal, No Odor

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This is the unit that answers the “no plastic ever touches my food” requirement head-on. The Grano Care features a stainless steel inner pot combined with a ceramic-glaze-coated metal basket that is explicitly labeled PTFE- and PFAS-free. The 3600 rpm fan hits 450°F without the chemical smell that plagues cheaper air fryers, and the full-metal construction means the exterior does not get that tacky, heat-softened plastic feel after repeated use. At 14.8 pounds, it is one of the heavier models in the category, which translates directly to vibration dampening and consistent heat retention.

The 6-quart square basket is deeper than most round baskets, so a whole chicken or a thick pork loin fits without touching the heating element. The ceramic glaze on the basket is still a coating—not raw stainless steel—but it is bonded to a metal base using thermal spray rather than a polymer binder, which eliminates the peeling issue typical of conventional nonstick. The digital touch controls are responsive, and the temperature range (120°F to 450°F) covers dehydrating low-temp jerky all the way to high-heat roasting.

One trade-off: the ceramic coating, while durable, is not as naturally nonstick as a seasoned stainless steel surface. Sticky marinades can leave residue that requires a short soak before scrubbing. The included accessories are minimal—just the crisper tray—so if you want a rotisserie spit or multi-rack system, this is not the unit. But if the goal is eliminating plastic from the cooking path entirely, this is the closest you get in a mainstream model.

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The Cosori Iconic takes a different route: a stainless steel exterior and a PFAS-free ceramic-coated cooking surface inside, but with a crucial upgrade under the hood—a DC motor with five adjustable fan speeds. This is not the standard single-speed convection fan. The DC motor allows you to dial in lower airflow for proofing dough or gentle baking and max airflow for air frying, giving you control over texture that fixed-speed units cannot match. The 6.5-quart basket is the largest in this roundup, useful for families cooking more than 4 servings at once.

The interior is ceramic, not raw stainless steel, but Cosori certifies it as PFAS-free, and the ceramic layer is applied to a metal substrate rather than sprayed over aluminum. The build quality is evident in the door hinge and basket glide rails—both feel engineered to a tighter tolerance than the budget tier. The VeSync app integration adds guided recipes and lets you monitor cook progress remotely, though the touchscreen on the unit itself is intuitive enough that you may never open the app.

The main consideration here is the 5-year manufacturer support, which suggests Cosori is confident in the DC motor’s longevity—a component that has been a failure point in earlier-generation smart air fryers. The downsides are the price premium and the fact that the ceramic basket, while durable, will eventually show wear faster than a raw stainless steel surface. If you want connectivity and precision fan control, this is the strongest option.

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Breville does not use a pull-out basket. Instead, this is a countertop oven with an air fry mode that uses super convection—a system that forces air from both the top and bottom heating elements at high velocity. The cooking chamber and the included air fry basket are both stainless steel, meaning the food never contacts a coated surface unless you use the optional broiling rack. This is ideal if you want to air fry, bake, broil, toast, and reheat all in one appliance while keeping every surface metal.

The Element IQ system adjusts power to the independent heating elements dynamically, so if you load the oven with frozen fries, it pulses more wattage to the top element during the first few minutes to compensate for thermal loss when the door opens. The interior capacity is listed as 0.08 cubic feet, which translates to a 12 x 10 x 4.25-inch space—enough for a 4.5-pound chicken or an 11-inch pizza. The Crispy Reheat function is a standout: it re-crisps leftover pizza and fried chicken without drying the interior, something no basket-style air fryer does well.

The trade-off is size and cleaning. The unit is 16 inches tall and 15.7 inches deep, so it occupies significant counter space. The interior is not dishwasher safe; you wipe down the stainless steel walls and wash the mesh basket by hand. And while the stainless steel construction eliminates coating concerns, the exposed heating elements can splatter grease onto the top of the chamber, requiring periodic deep cleaning. For users who want an all-metal air fryer that also replaces a toaster and small oven, this is the most versatile choice.

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The DAYBEST is an interesting hybrid: a stainless steel exterior and an iron steel inner cavity, but a ceramic-coated metal basket as the actual cooking surface. What makes this different from standard nonstick baskets is the dual heating coil system—one coil at the top and one at the bottom—which creates a 720-degree 3D hot air circulation pattern that is noticeably more even than single-coil designs. The ceramic coating is applied via thermal spray rather than a liquid dip, which improves adhesion and reduces the likelihood of flaking.

The 6-quart square basket is 8.27 inches deep, which gives you enough vertical space to stack chicken thighs on a rack without them touching. The included silicone liner and stainless steel toast rack add versatility for bagels and tacos. The viewing window with interior light lets you monitor browning without pulling the basket out, and the auto-pause feature when the basket is removed is a standard safety feature that works reliably. The 12 one-touch presets cover everything from fries to cookies, and the temperature range spans 140°F to 450°F.

Two things to note: the “stainless steel” label applies to the exterior shell and the included toast rack, not the basket itself, which is ceramic-coated metal. If you need raw stainless steel on the cooking surface, this is not it. Also, the instruction manual recommends a 5-minute preheat at 450°F before cooking, which adds a step that some competitors do not require. That said, the dual-coil system delivers consistent browning across the entire basket without hot spots.

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The Instant Pot Vortex Plus is one of the most recognized names in the category for good reason: the EvenCrisp technology uses a 1700-watt heating element combined with a high-speed fan that circulates superheated air consistently across the 6-quart basket. The outer shell is stainless steel, giving it a premium look that resists fingerprints better than the matte-black finishes common on budget models. The cooking basket is nonstick-coated, but the inner cavity and the basket walls are metal, and the coating is applied to a steel base rather than thin aluminum.

The six one-touch cooking functions—air fry, bake, roast, broil, dehydrate, and reheat—cover the essentials without overwhelming the interface. The temperature dial adjusts from 95°F to 400°F in small increments, and the touchscreen shows the cooking stage in real time. Cleanup is straightforward: the nonstick basket slides out and is dishwasher safe. For families cooking 4 to 6 portions per batch, the 6-quart capacity handles a full bag of frozen wings or a 4-pound roast without crowding.

Where this model falls short for the stainless steel purist is the basket coating. It is a traditional nonstick layer, not a ceramic or raw metal surface. Users who notice a slight plastic smell during the first few uses should run an empty cycle at 400°F for 10 minutes to burn off any residue from manufacturing. Over time, the nonstick coating will show wear faster than a stainless steel basket would. But for buyers who want a reliable, widely-supported appliance with a metal exterior and solid cooking performance, this remains a strong mid-range pick.

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The Cosori TurboBlaze is a favorite for its 3600 rpm fan speed at a price point that sits below the premium tier. The TurboBlaze technology pushes air at a much higher velocity than standard convection, which means food comes out crispier in less time—often 20 to 30% faster than the company’s own older models. The basket and crisper tray use a PFAS-free ceramic coating, which removes the PTFE and PFOA concerns while still offering a slick release surface that is easy to wipe clean.

The build is dark gray metal on the outside, but the inner cavity is still nonstick-coated rather than raw stainless steel. That said, the coating is ceramic-based, not a traditional Teflon layer, so it does not emit the same chemical smell when heated. The 6-quart square basket is wide enough for a 5-pound chicken, and the 5-fan speed system gives you control over airflow intensity. One standout feature is the noise level: Cosori claims operation under 53 dB even at the highest fan speed, which is measurably quieter than many competing units that hum at 60 dB or higher.

The main downside for the stainless steel seeker is that this is a ceramic-coated basket, not a metal cooking surface. The ceramic will hold up better than standard nonstick, but it is still a coating that can chip if scraped with metal utensils. The included 24-recipe book is genuinely useful, and the preheat function can be toggled on or off depending on whether you want speed or precision. If your priority is a quiet, fast-cooking air fryer with a non-toxic coating and a metal exterior, this is a solid option in the mid-range.

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The Chefman 6 QT is the budget-friendly entry point in this list, and it makes the cut because the basket and inner cavity are metal with a nonstick coating, and the exterior is a matte-black finish. The Hi-Fry technology allows you to boost the temperature to 450°F during the final two minutes of cooking, which gives fries and breaded proteins an extra layer of crunch without overcooking the interior. The easy-view window on the basket is a rare feature at this price point—most sub- air fryers force you to pull the basket to check progress.

The 6-quart capacity is the same as the mid-range models, but the footprint is narrower at 11.1 inches wide, making it a better fit for tight counter spaces. The touch controls are responsive, and the four presets (fries, chicken, steak, fish) cover the basics. The shake notification alarm is helpful for beginners who forget to rotate their food halfway through. The basket and rack are dishwasher safe, and the 1700-watt heating element preheats quickly.

The trade-offs are clear: the nonstick coating is a standard polymer layer, not ceramic or PFAS-free. You will likely notice a plastic smell during the first few uses if you do not run a burn-in cycle. The build quality is lighter—10.1 pounds—and the metal feels thinner compared to the Grano Care or Breville units. For someone on a tight budget who wants to test whether a stainless steel air fryer is worth the investment without spending premium money, this serves as an intro. Just know that the basket is not raw stainless steel, and the coating will degrade faster than the higher-tier options.