Beautiful Air Fryer review: Drew Barrymore's air fryer is the best budget model we've tested

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

I'm wary of any kitchen appliance a celebrity is hawking, especially when it's tied to the air fryer trend. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Beautiful 6-quart Touchscreen Air Fryer by Drew Barrymore not only lived up to its name, but it's also one of the best air fryers I've tested, sporting an affordable $70 price tag.

As Business Insider's primary air fryer tester, I've put over 60 units through several objective tests. The Beautiful Air Fryer earned a spot in our best air fryers guide because it cooks evenly and quickly, is easy to clean and use, and is available in seven color options, so you're sure to find a hue that matches your kitchen decor. Below are the details of my Beautiful Air Fryer testing.

Getting started

The Beautiful Air Fryer is ridiculously easy to set up: just remove the packaging and plug it in. I didn't need any instructions to get going. It might be unclear when you first look at the air fryer because you can't see the buttons. Yet, when you plug it in, the power button lights up and pulses.

Once you press the power button, you can choose from four cooking modes: air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate. After you select, the time and temperature adjustment buttons illuminate, and the start/pause button pulses to show you how to start your cook. Easy peasy.

Cooking performance

Frozen fries

In every air fryer we test, we cook a pound of Ore-Ida french fries at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. After eight minutes, we check to see if the fries are done, and we continue to add more time until the fryer achieves golden-brown fries. Few air fryers are done in eight minutes, and the Beautiful air fryer was no different. It ranked average with 13 minutes cook time. The fries were evenly cooked and crispy, though a little dry.

Hand-cut fries

We also make fries from scratch in each air fryer. After 15 minutes at 350 degrees, we check the fries and give them more time if they're not crisp yet. This is a difficult test for most air fryers, and while the Beautiful wasn't perfect, it was among the best. The fries were ready in 15 minutes and about as evenly done as an air fryer gets. The texture and flavor were on point: crisp and not dried out.

Broccoli

We put a pound of broccoli florets in the air fryer basket, spray them with olive oil, and cook them at 375 degrees until the broccoli is tender. After eight minutes, we check for doneness and add more time if needed. 

The Beautiful Air Fryer made excellent broccoli in just 10 minutes, while most models take at least 12. Before the stems can get tender enough, air fryers usually burn the florets. This was not the case with the Beautiful. Instead, the broccoli was pretty even, with tender stems and lightly crispy florets, and it wasn't too dry.

Chicken wings

We've found that air fryer chicken wings are always great. We test this by cooking a pound of wings at 400 degrees for 16 minutes, turning them over halfway through. When time is up, we evaluate how evenly cooked, crispy, and juicy the wings are.

The Beautiful Air Fryer passed with flying colors. The wings were up to temp after 16 minutes. While I could see some were more done than others, they were pretty evenly cooked. They were incredibly juicy and mildly crispy, though not as crispy as I prefer. 

Cleaning

The crisper plate and basket of the Beautiful Air Fryer are dishwasher-safe, and I found the dishwasher gets them clean. However, with the handle jutting out, the basket takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher. I prefer to wash everything by hand because it's easy to clean, thanks to the nonstick surfaces. Plus, washing nonstick items by hand will extend the lifespan of the nonstick coating.

Read about how to clean an air fryer. Or, consider buying the best silicone air fryer liners to skip cleanup altogether.

Cons to consider

Seeing the Beautiful Air Fryer's screen in a brightly lit room is hard. The light-up screen isn't bright enough to overcome sunlight. I tested the white model, and there just wasn't enough contrast between the touchscreen and the air fryer's body; I had to get really close to see the buttons and settings.

I'll revisit two nitpicks I've already mentioned. First, the frozen fries came out a little dry, not the restaurant quality I look for, but they were still evenly cooked and yummy. Also, the air fryer basket takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher. Fortunately, it's easy to wash by hand.

What are your alternatives?

The honor of the top air fryer overall goes to the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven, which did just as well, if not better, as the Beautiful Air Fryer in our cooking tests. It has a window in its basket to monitor your food's progress and retails for about $80 more than the Beautiful. Check out our best air fryer guide for more recommendations.

If you're looking for another budget option and don't mind sacrificing size, the four-quart Chefman Small Compact Air Fryer might be your best bet. It did a passable job cooking, and it is smaller and $20 cheaper than the Beautiful, but it isn't nearly as aesthetically pleasing and doesn't have additional presets. Check out our best small air fryers guide for more ideas.

The bottom line

Beautiful is one of the few air fryers available in nonstandard colors, like cornflower blue, lavender, or sage green. Of the sub-$70 models I've tested, it's far and away the best. Its roomy six-quart interior makes it great for most tasks. This is the air fryer to get if you want to try air frying without breaking the bank or if you want an appliance that complements your kitchen's interior. 

Pros: Intuitive controls, cooked food evenly and quickly, seven color options, crisper plate and basket are dishwasher-safe

Cons: Basket takes up a lot of dishwasher space, fries came out dry