You’re not really looking for an air fryer. You’re looking for a way to make weeknight dinners tolerable without turning on the oven, and you want to stop feeling guilty about ordering takeout. The problem is, most air fryers look like alien pods, take up half the counter, and are a pain to clean. You end up wondering if the hassle is worth the slightly crispier fries.
The Cosori Pro II (model CP168-AF) is the air fryer for people who’ve been burned by a cheap one before. It’s not the cheapest, nor the flashiest. It’s the one you buy when you’ve decided this appliance needs to actually earn its permanent spot on your counter.
The Interface Is the Main Feature
Most people get air fryers wrong by treating them like simple timers and dials. They’re not. The difference between perfectly crisped chicken thighs and a dried-out disaster is often a matter of precise temperature control and the ability to adjust it mid-cycle without resetting everything. This is where the Cosori’s touchscreen panel shines. It’s not just for show. Scrolling through the 13 presets (from fries to frozen pizza to veggies) actually teaches you the right time and temp for things you cook regularly. After a few weeks, you’ll start using the custom setting more, but those presets are a great training wheel. The beep is loud and clear, and the button press is a satisfying, quiet click—small details that make daily use less annoying.
Where It Justifies Its Space
It excels at two things consistently: even cooking and ease of cleaning. The square basket is a game-changer compared to round models. More surface area on the bottom means things lie flat, so you get better browning on all your potato wedges or chicken tenders without constant shaking. The non-stick coating on the basket and pan is robust. A quick soak and a soft sponge take care of 90% of the mess. The basket handle has a clever, sturdy button release that feels solid, not flimsy.
The detachable pan is the specific design quirk that matters long-term. The heating element is housed in the lid, not the base. The pan at the bottom is just a catch-tray. This means you can pull out the entire cooking basket, set it down, and the pan underneath slides out separately for cleaning. No more awkwardly flipping a hot, greasy basket over to scrub a fixed bottom. It’s a thoughtful engineering choice that addresses the single biggest pain point of air fryer ownership.
The Trade-Offs and The “Before You Buy” Detail
It’s not silent. The fan is noticeable, like a small countertop convection oven. You won’t have a conversation over it in a small kitchen. And while 5.8 quarts is a great, versatile size for a family, it won’t fit a whole 4-lb chicken comfortably. It’s for parts, not a whole bird.
What you might regret not knowing is about the accessories. Cosori sells a separate bakeware set (a round pan and a rack) that fits inside. They’re useful for things like baking a small cake or doing a two-layer cook (salmon on the rack, asparagus underneath). But without them, you’re limited to what fits in the standard basket. If you envision doing a lot of “multi-level” air frying or actual baking, factor that extra cost in. The machine itself is a complete tool, but its versatility expands with those add-ons.
It also has a very specific, slightly awkward heft. The body is light, but the lid—housing all the mechanics—is heavy. When you pull the basket out, the unit wants to tip forward if the counter is slick. It’s never tipped over on me, but I’m always conscious of it, and I make sure it’s not near the edge.
In the end, this isn’t a revolutionary device. It’s an exceptionally refined one. It takes the air fryer concept and smooths out the rough edges—the confusing controls, the uneven cooking, the cleaning nightmare. It becomes the appliance you reach for to reheat pizza (it brings it back to life, truly), roast a tray of broccoli, or cook a dozen wings while you watch the game. It doesn’t feel like a gadget. It feels like a reliable, compact oven that just happens to live on your counter, which is exactly what you wanted in the first place.