What’s in a title? Cosori has brilliantly named its latest $249 air fryer the “Iconic.” With its sleek stainless steel appearance, adaptable cooking settings, and handy smart functionalities, it truly represents the pinnacle of basket air fryers. Yet, that’s not the sole reason I believe it justifies the investment after several months of evaluation.
In contrast to numerous other air fryers, the Iconic is devoid of plastic elements that could release microplastics at elevated temperatures, and its basket isn’t treated with harmful perpetual chemicals, or PFAS, including PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, or Teflon). As someone who’s discerning about kitchen instruments for the welfare of myself and my pets — Teflon poses serious risks for my parrot — I have no reservations about using the Iconic frequently.
Design and construction
Countless air fryers showcase a stainless steel appearance over black plastic construction, including various other Cosori models; however, the Iconic features a more upscale build that’s nearly all stainless steel inside and outside. The only exception is its basket handle, crafted from plastic to avoid burns. Much of its exterior becomes hot when operating on a higher setting for an extended period.
The Iconic’s other non-stainless components are its basket interior and metal crisper plate, both equipped with a ceramic nonstick coating. As per a chemical disclosure statement from VeSync, Cosori’s parent company, it does not contain any Teflon. Anecdotally, I didn’t detect any unusual synthetic odors while the Iconic was in operation.
Beyond cleaner cooking, the Iconic’s predominantly stainless design creates a significant visual impression. It appears luxurious and complements the other brushed stainless steel appliances in my kitchen. Surprisingly, it doesn’t attract fingerprints easily — in contrast to my stainless Samsung fridge, which is prone to smudges. Any crumbs or food residue on its surface can be easily wiped away with a dishcloth or damp paper towel.
The Iconic’s basket and crisper plate also clean up nicely between food batches, and you can place them in the dishwasher for a more thorough cleaning at the end of a meal.
I usually detest countertop clutter, but the Iconic is so elegant that I can manage its presence on the counter. Additionally, I don’t really have a choice since it’s too large to store in any of my cabinets. It weighs just over 14 pounds, stands about a foot tall, and has a footprint of roughly 15 by 12 inches, so it is somewhat bulky.
Cooking modes
At the top of the Iconic, you’ll encounter a glass touch control panel featuring six distinct cooking functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dry, Proof, and Reheat. Each function is accompanied by its own temperature and time presets ranging from 90 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and one minute to 24 hours. They also have designated fan speeds; Dry and Proof operate nearly silently, while Air Fry and Roast are relatively louder. I would estimate they’re still less than half the noise level of my hair dryer, the Shark FlexStyle.
If you need a prompt to flip your food, you can hit a separate Shake button that makes the Iconic beep a few times midway through an Air Fry cycle. (It only functions with that mode.)
I tested all of the Iconic’s cooking functions, and they performed excellently. Air Fry produced a slightly charred, still-pink cheeseburger and crispy fries without any oil. Roast caramelized a mix of broccoli and red onions without burning them. I used Bake to create some crusty yet fluffy brownies, and Dry to dehydrate Honeycrisp apples and bell peppers (some snacks for the aforementioned parrot). Reheat warmed leftovers without making them soggy; it has rendered my microwave obsolete.
I even baked whole wheat sourdough in the Iconic. The dough developed an unappealing crust on top after proofing for two hours, but it vanished during the shaping/baking process and resulted in a cute little loaf of very moist, quite edible sandwich bread.
The Iconic features a 6.5-quart basket, making it an ideal size for a small household. It comfortably accommodated a whole bag of fries, four single-serve brownies (in ramekins), and every sliced round of a large apple (arranged flat in one layer).
Smart features
The Iconic enables smart controls through VeSync’s mobile app if you connect it to WiFi, and they feel about 70 percent effective.
With the Cooking Functions feature, you can choose settings from your phone and transmit them to the Iconic; they’ll show up on its control panel within seconds. You can’t actually start it remotely, but that’s a safety precaution. The app will display a timer once the cooking cycle commences and send you a notification when your food is done.
If you’re uncertain about how to prepare a specific food, a Cooking Chart feature can recommend settings based on the serving size and “status” (i.e., whether a vegetable is chopped or meat is bone-in).