I tested the Cosori Dual Blaze air fryer for a number of weeks, both in my own home and in our test kitchen, to see if this bulky air fryer is a good option for family kitchens. Despite its smart tech, I didn’t feel like the dual heating design makes any real difference between some of the best air fryers I’ve tested over the years. However, this generous air fryer is perfect for those looking for a reasonably priced and large model that can cook for the whole family.
Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer: specs
Model name: CAF-P583S-KUSCapacity: 6.8 quartsCooking modes: Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Roast, Keep Warm, Reheat, Chicken, Steak, Seafood, Veggies, Fries, and FrozenTemperature: 175°- 400°F / 80°- 205°C.Size: 9.4 x 9.4 x 4.8 inchesWeight: 13.7 lb Power: 1750 wattsCleaning: Nonstick and dishwasher-safe baskets and inserts
Getting started
The Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer came in a very large cardboard box with a plastic handle that made it a little easier to carry up the stairs to my apartment. Its packaging was disappointingly heavy on non-recyclable polystyrene, meaning it won’t be winning any added points for eco-conscious design. If this is an important factor for you, I’d suggest taking a look at one of Ninja’s air fryers, which often come in recyclable materials. Millie lives in a small apartment with a constantly overcrowded kitchen, and her current air fryer of choice is the Instant Vortex Plus. I enjoyed how sturdy the basket felt, and it slides in and out of place securely from the very first use. The control panel is at the top section of the air fryer and angled to sit comfortably in your line of vision when standing in front of the air fryer. There is a selection of cooking pre-sets including Chicken, Fish, Frozen, Fries, Veggies, and even Steak. I like that these are written instead of being represented by the often-confusing icons you’ll see on other Cosori air fryers such as the Max XL. You can also opt for cooking modes such as Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Roast, Keep Warm, and Reheat, and adjust the timing and temperature for each using the arrows in the center of the control panel. There is also a removable air fryer insert with the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer. You can use the two rings in the center of this insert to lift it into place, which is a bit less convenient than other air fryer inserts which have a lever element to allow you to lift without getting too hands-on with the grease at the bottom of the basket. I also checked out the dual heating elements and sure enough, these sit directly above and below the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer basket.
Cooking fries
Because there is a heating element on both the top and the bottom of the air fryer, I was a little worried that the base of the air fryer could get too hot and scorch my kitchen counter. For the first few uses I used a trivet to keep the air fryer lifted from my wooden kitchen island, but I realised that the heat wouldn’t be an issue after a handful of uses and continued to use the air fryer directly on the wood cooking surface. To make the most of the 6.8 quart capacity I made a generous serving of homemade french fries for some friends I had visiting. After tossing my potato in a drizzle of oil and some seasoning, I turned the air fryer onto the Fries setting and allowed them to cook for 20 minutes. In the past I’ve been able to cook fries in this time, but I ended up adding another 8 minutes to get an even level of crispiness. Even after this, the fries felt a little limp despite being browned evenly.
Cooking frozen food
Air fryers typically do a brilliant job of cooking frozen food in record times. I’ve been able to cook frozen chicken tenders in just 8 minutes when I’ve tested other air fryers such as the Instant Vortex Plus 6-in 1 Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdorErase. In the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer I made some vegetarian chicken nuggets which had a recommended oven cook time of 25 minutes. I put them in the air fryer for 12 minutes at max heat. After the 12 minutes I found that the nuggets needed a little more time to get crispy, so I turned them over and cooked them for another 5 minutes. After this they were still not as brown as they could’ve been, but they were nice and crisp. I was surprised that it took close to the recommended oven time for my nuggets to reach target brownness levels, despite the dual heating elements which I had expected to speed up the cooking time.
How does it compare?
I’ve tried a number of Cosori air fryers over the years, including the CAF-L501-KUS and the Pro-Smart CS158-AF. I’ve been impressed by the quality of the cooking you can achieve with these budget-friendly air fryers, but have always felt that they lack the style-forward design you can often find with alternatives from Ninja and Instant. Cosori did recently launch a more attractive air fryer which I really enjoyed when I tested it in our lab. It’s called the Cosori Lite 4.0-Quart Smart Air Fryer and it comes in grey, white, or sage green. This did a brilliant job of cooking, but its small capacity means it’s not a good choice for families. Another stylish air fryer we’ve tested is the Beautiful 6-Quart Digital Air Fryer, which also came in Sage green and had a more generous cooking basket than the Cosori lite. While the Dual Blaze felt sturdy and like it was designed to last, other Cosori air fryers such as the Max XL have felt quite flimsy when I’ve tried them in the past. If you want a large Cosori air fryer for your family, I’d opt for the Dual Blaze over the Max XL, which has a plastic-y control panel with confusing icons that make it hard to know what food types they’re designed for. Another family-friendly air fryer I’d recommend is the Ninja Foodi DZ401 6-in-1 XL 2-Basket Air Fryer. It has two drawers that amount to a combined 10 quarts of cooking space, and it lacks pre-set food modes that can often be confusing for new users.
How to clean the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer
Like all of the Cosori air fryers I’ve tried, the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer has a BPA-free and made without PFOA basket and crisper plate. These are non-stick coated and can go through the dishwasher. Because the basket is quite large though, I found that it took up a lot of space in my dishwasher and was easier to clean by hand using some dish soap and warm water.
Should you buy the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer?
This isn’t the best air fryer I’ve ever tried, but at an RRP of $179.99, I think it’s well-priced when compared to many air fryers of a similar size on the market. The dual cooking elements don’t make a tangible difference in the cooking of your meals, but it does do a good job of cooking evenly without having to turn as often as you might in a different air fryer. If you want a family-friendly air fryer that’s large and unimposing, the Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer is a perfectly good choice. And if you see it on sale, which Cosori often offers, it’s definitely worth the money.
About this review, and our reviewer
Millie Fender is Head of Reviews at Homes & Gardens. She spends a lot of time testing everything from toasters to air fryers in her own apartment and recommending the very best ones to readers. Millie put this air fryer to the test for a number of weeks to make fries, bacon, and roasted vegetables. She will keep this review updated with any thoughts on how it compares to other models on the market.
