How We Research

Every guide on Countertop Compass follows the same process.

1. Define the real question. “Best air fryer” is too broad, so we start from a specific need: a one-person household, a small kitchen, a basket without Teflon.
2. Build a long list from current models. We only include products that are currently sold by the manufacturer or major retailers.
3. Pull primary sources. Capacity, wattage, dimensions, weight, temperature range and coating come from the manufacturer’s product page or owner’s manual. Each pick lists its sources.
4. Compare the trade-offs. We weigh the specs against the use case (footprint vs. capacity, wattage vs. your kitchen circuit) and explain our reasoning.
5. Say what we don’t know. When sources disagree (for example, a retail listing vs. the manual) we point it out rather than guessing.
6. Keep it current. We review guides regularly for discontinued models, revised coatings and new releases.

What we never do

• Claim hands-on testing we didn’t do
• Publish made-up performance scores
• Hard-code prices (they go stale; we link to the live listing instead)
• Let affiliate commissions decide rankings