How does smart/wifi-connected air fryer work and is it safe?
Sources
8 cited
Air fryers with built-in WiFi or Bluetooth that connect to smartphone apps for remote monitoring, guided cooking programs, and recipe downloads. While convenient for busy parents, these connected appliances collect usage data and depend on manufacturer app support that may not last the life of the appliance.
Renee · Founder, R3
Also known as: WiFi Air Fryer, Connected Air Fryer, App-Controlled Air Fryer, Smart Kitchen Air Fryer, IoT Air Fryer, Bluetooth Air Fryer
Reality Check
What brands claim
What it actually means
Smart air fryers have become one of the fastest-growing segments in the kitchen appliance market. Brands like Cosori, Ninja, and Instant now offer models that connect to your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth, letting you start cooking remotely, follow guided recipes, and monitor your food from another room. For parents juggling bedtime routines and dinner prep simultaneously, the appeal is obvious.
But connected appliances come with tradeoffs that are worth understanding before you bring one into your kitchen. We dug into how these work, what data they collect, and what happens if the company behind the app moves on.
A smart air fryer includes a WiFi chip (sometimes Bluetooth) that connects the appliance to your home network and pairs with a companion smartphone app. The app typically lets you:
Some models also integrate with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, allowing hands-free control. You can say "Alexa, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees" from across the house.
The physical air fryer itself works identically to a non-connected model - the same convection heating principle applies. The smart features are a software layer on top of the core cooking technology. If your WiFi goes down, you can still operate the air fryer manually using the onboard controls.
Here is where we need to talk about what you are trading for convenience. When you set up a smart air fryer app, you typically provide:
The app collects usage data continuously. This includes cooking frequency, preferred temperatures, recipes used, and times of day you cook. Some apps share aggregated data with third parties for analytics or advertising purposes.
We reviewed the privacy policies of three major smart air fryer apps (Cosori VeSync, Ninja, and Instant). All three collect usage data. VeSync's policy explicitly states data may be shared with third-party analytics and advertising partners. This is standard practice for connected home devices, but it is worth knowing that your kitchen habits become data points.
For families concerned about data privacy, the key questions are:
If children in your household interact with the app (even just voice commands through Alexa), be aware that COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) applies to data collected from children under 13. Most smart appliance apps are not designed with COPPA compliance in mind because they are marketed to adults. If your child uses the voice assistant to control the air fryer, that interaction may be recorded and stored by the voice assistant platform.
This is perhaps the most underappreciated concern with smart appliances. Your smart air fryer's connected features depend entirely on the manufacturer continuing to support the companion app. If the company discontinues the app, gets acquired, or goes out of business, you lose the smart features you paid a premium for.
This is not hypothetical. Multiple smart home companies have shut down app support for older products, turning connected devices into standard ones overnight. When evaluating a smart air fryer, consider:
The core cooking ability will always work without the app. But if guided recipes and remote monitoring are why you chose a smart model, losing app access reduces your premium purchase to a standard air fryer.
Smart air fryers have the same physical health considerations as any air fryer - the basket coating material (PTFE, ceramic, or stainless steel) determines the chemical safety profile, not the connectivity features. The unique concerns with smart models are data privacy (usage data collection and sharing) and the possibility that remote start or voice commands could be triggered unintentionally, particularly by young children interacting with voice assistants.
Smart air fryers must meet the same electrical safety standards as non-connected models, including UL listing (UL 858 or equivalent) and FCC compliance for the wireless radio components. The WiFi/Bluetooth modules must comply with FCC Part 15 regulations. There are no specific FDA or CPSC regulations addressing the smart features of cooking appliances. Data collection practices fall under FTC oversight and state privacy laws (like CCPA in California).
Remote start capability means the air fryer can be activated without someone physically present. Voice assistant integration could allow young children to unintentionally start the appliance. Firmware updates can change appliance behavior after purchase. All physical safety standards (UL listing, thermal shutoff, auto-shutoff timer) apply identically to smart and non-smart models.
Look for these
Watch out for
The material composition of the cooking basket or accessoriesPFAS or chemical safety status of the cooking surfacesPhysical safety features like auto-shutoff or cool-touch designCooking performance differences between smart and non-smart modelsLong-term durability of the appliance hardware
Download and review the companion app's privacy policy before purchasing. Check app store reviews for reports of connectivity issues, app discontinuation, or unwanted firmware updates. Verify the air fryer has full manual controls by reviewing the physical control panel in product photos or specifications.
| Certification | Electrical Safety | Chemical Safety | Mandatory (US) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart/WiFi-Connected Air Fryer(this page) | — | — | — | See details above |
| ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ||
| ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ||
| ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
A WiFi or Bluetooth chip embedded in the air fryer connects to your home network and communicates with the manufacturer's cloud servers. A companion smartphone app sends commands (start, stop, change temperature) to the cloud, which relays them to the air fryer. The appliance sends status updates back through the same path. Some models also include a microphone or speaker for voice assistant integration.
R3 Bottom Line
Shop smarter
Every product scored on safety, efficacy & value - so you know which air fryer to trust around smart/wifi-connected air fryer.
No. The cooking performance is identical - both use the same [convection heating](/learn/technology/convection-heating) principle with a fan and heating element. Smart features add software convenience (remote control, guided recipes, notifications) but do not change how the food is cooked. A $90 non-smart model with the same wattage and basket design produces the same results as a $170 smart version.
Most smart air fryer apps collect your email, location, WiFi network information, and detailed cooking usage data (what you cook, when, how often, which presets you use). Some apps share aggregated or anonymized data with third-party analytics and advertising partners. Review the specific app's privacy policy before purchasing.
You lose the smart features - remote control, guided recipes, notifications, and cooking history. The air fryer itself continues to work normally using the physical control panel. This is why we recommend confirming that any smart air fryer has complete manual controls before purchasing.
Yes, this is possible if voice assistant integration is enabled. A child saying something that Alexa interprets as a cooking command could activate the air fryer. Some models require confirmation before starting, and you can disable voice control for specific devices in the Alexa or Google Home app. Evaluate whether voice integration is appropriate for your household.
Smart air fryers meet the same physical safety standards as non-smart models, including [UL listing](/learn/certifications/ul-listed) and thermal protection. The WiFi components must comply with FCC regulations. The unique safety consideration is unintended remote activation - make sure the model has confirmation steps for remote start, especially in homes with young children.
Most smart air fryers use standard WiFi encryption (WPA2 or WPA3) and communicate with manufacturer cloud servers over encrypted connections. The security is generally comparable to other smart home devices. Keep your home WiFi password secure and update the air fryer firmware when prompted to maintain security patches.
An automatic power-off feature that turns an air fryer off when the cooking timer expires or when the unit overheats. Timer-based shutoff is standard on all air fryers, while thermal protection shutoff is a separate safety mechanism required by UL 1026 that activates if the unit reaches dangerously high temperatures.
The two main control interface types in air fryers. Digital touchscreens offer precise temperature and time settings, preset programs, and smart features but can malfunction and are harder to clean. Analog dials are simpler, more durable, and more intuitive but less precise. The choice represents a reliability-versus-features trade-off for families.
Smart air fryers receive over-the-air firmware updates, which can improve performance, add recipes, and fix bugs. But updates can also change how your appliance works in ways you did not choose. There have been cases where firmware updates altered cooking presets, changed app interfaces, or introduced new data collection practices.
You generally cannot decline firmware updates on smart appliances without disconnecting from WiFi entirely. This means the manufacturer maintains ongoing control over your appliance's software behavior after purchase.
From a physical safety standpoint, smart air fryers have the same safety profile as their non-connected counterparts. They still need to be UL Listed, still have auto-shutoff timers, and still use the same heating elements and basket materials.
The smart features do add some safety benefits:
However, remote start capability introduces a consideration. If someone (including a child) accidentally triggers cooking through the app or voice assistant, the air fryer will heat up. Look for models that require confirmation before remote start, and consider whether voice assistant integration is appropriate for households with young children who might give unintended commands.
Smart features are genuinely useful for multitasking parents. Getting a notification that the chicken nuggets are done while you are giving the baby a bath has real value. But go in with clear expectations:
The cooking quality is identical. A $150 smart air fryer cooks food exactly the same as a $90 non-smart version with the same heating element and basket. You are paying for software convenience, not better cooking.
Read the privacy policy. Know what data the app collects and how it is used before connecting.
Test manual operation. Make sure you are comfortable using the air fryer without the app, because you may need to someday.
Evaluate your actual use case. If you always cook standing in the kitchen anyway, smart features may not add meaningful value. If you regularly multitask during cooking, they might be worth the premium.
Consider the basket material separately. Smart or not, the PFAS and coating questions are the same. A smart air fryer with a PTFE basket has the same material considerations as a non-smart version with the same coating.
| ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Electrical
✕Chemical
✕Mandatory
✕Electrical
✕Chemical
✕Mandatory
✕Electrical
✕Chemical
✕Mandatory
✕Electrical
✕Chemical
✕Mandatory
✕