Do air fryers actually make food crispy?

Mostly yes, but results vary by model. High-volume verified-purchase reviewers and specialist communities consistently call out fast preheating and good crisping on top picks like the Cosori TurboBlaze and Ninja AF101. However, some r/airfryer owners of larger and oven-style units report uneven browning and food that comes out no crispier than a conventional oven, so airflow design matters more than the marketing quart count.