When air fryers started popping up everywhere several years ago, some thought it would just be a fading trend. Instead, these countertop appliances have continued to grow in popularity since they were first sold in 2010. Nowadays, when people think of their favorite kitchen appliances, air fryers are a common favorite. Small kitchens with less countertop space.
According to a survey conducted by CNET In 2025, 70% of adults in the United States either already own an air fryer or plan to buy one when they can. After launch, Air Fryer sales continued to grow for years, gaining a ton of traction during the early 2020s during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reported by Research and markets It has been found that in 2020 and 2021, air fryer sales in the United States saw a 76% increase. Since then, more and more air fryers are sold every year, continuing to grow.
The appliances have become such a household staple that many frozen foods now include instructions for air fryer cooking. This increase is likely due to the air fryer’s convenience, faster cooking time and ability to make crispy food healthier by cooking it in less oil. Jenny Caton, a food blogger who runs The Air Fryer Kitchen, explains the continued popularity to CNET. “Air fryers can handle almost any dish you can cook in a conventional oven, but in a fraction of the time,” she says. “They’re ideal for busy people. Once someone tries an air fryer, they usually tell their friends, and then those friends want one too.”
Where the Air Fryer Began
The original, modern air fryer was invented in 2006 by Dutch engineer Fred van der Weij. His idea was similar to a convection oven, using a fan to move hot air around the space and cook food more evenly. By placing a basket inside the device, van der Weij improved on the original air fryer convection oven, allowing hot air to move under the food as well. Unfortunately, it took years to develop his patented rapid air technology, and it didn’t work at first. In an interview with BBCThe inventor’s daughter, Suse van der Weij, explains her father’s persistence in building the air fryer. “… I guess at times, I thought he just lived in the garage. He couldn’t lose faith,” she says.
He refined the invention, built multiple prototypes, and enlisted the help of colleagues until it worked. In 2010, van der Weij sold his patent for the accelerated air technology to the electronics company Philips. The first Philips Air Fryer was shown at the IFA technology fair in Berlin in 2010, and the device took off from there. Other brands began developing their own models, and now there are many air fryers on the market. In 2015, the name-brand Philips Air Fryer was the top choice for low-fat frying tools, Chicago Tribune. The continuity of the craze is beginning to prove it Air fryers are truly life changing.
Air fryers can be used for more than major appliances
Because they’re so small, air fryers offer a quick and convenient way to heat food without getting soggy like a microwave. Although the oven was a common way to crisp or bake food in the past, its size made it one. The most expensive kitchen appliances to run in your home. Not only is the upfront cost of an air fryer much lower than an oven, but you don’t need to heat as much or run the appliance as long as a cooking chamber. Between convenience and cost, air fryers can serve as one of the most used appliances in the kitchen.
A representative for the Ninja appliance brand told CNET that there’s a good chance Air Fryers will begin phasing out the Classic Oven. “We’re seeing people cook whole meals — chicken on one side, Brussels sprouts on the other,” says the representative. “In many ways, it’s changing how people use their ovens.” The air fryer’s versatility for cooking a variety of frozen and fresh foods (including raw meat) as well as its speed and cost-effective nature contribute to its popularity.
Fred van der Weij died in 2022, but his inventions have superseded modern cooking techniques for the foreseeable future. From chefs to home cooks, the air fryer continues to impress and has proven to be more than a passing trend in the 16 years since its introduction.
