Chefman TurboX 5-Quart Air Fryer (RJ38-5T-GREY) review

Chefman | one-basket digital air fryer

Chefman TurboX 5-Quart Air Fryer (RJ38-5T-GREY) review

This review is for the gray TurboX model whose exact Chefman SKU is RJ38-5T-GREY. The same collection also lists a black-finish code, RJ38-5T; it has its own black-SKU assessment. The exact pages link to the same RJ38-5T-Series guide, but detailed ratings, weight, dimensions and basket-material wording below belong only to the gray code. The captured official page showed RJ38-5T-GREY unavailable on October 24, 2026. That is a dated stock snapshot, not evidence of discontinuation.

One drawer, four distinct jobs

The TurboX is a pull-out basket fryer with one basket and one active cooking zone. Its top-facing digital panel presents Air Fry, Bake, Reheat and Frozen as separate functions. The code-matched 20-page guide assigns each a different range and default duration: Air Fry is 300–400°F for 15 minutes by default; Bake is 200–350°F for 30 minutes; Reheat is 300–400°F for 5 minutes; and Frozen is a 30-minute starting cycle with a 300–400°F selected setting. These are editable controls, not performance promises. A one-zone layout means it cannot set two drawer temperatures independently or finish two separately programmed foods at once.

Pay attention to the mode boundary when choosing by temperature. The product page says the appliance reaches 400°F overall, but that is not an Air Fry setting from 200°F: the manual puts Air Fry’s lower endpoint at 300°F. The 200°F figure belongs to Bake’s lower endpoint and to the opening stage of Frozen, which runs at 200°F for five minutes before rising to the selected Frozen setting. Bake also displays PRE during a roughly five-minute warm-up. By contrast, the guide says general preheating is optional. If you need a low Air Fry temperature, a dedicated dehydrator cycle or a true multi-zone plan, this fact pattern does not establish that fit.

Capacity, footprint and cleanup

Chefman lists 5 qt (4.73 L) nominal capacity. Treat that as a comparison label, not usable volume, food weight or a guarantee that dinner for four fits without crowding. The manual says not to fill above the MAX mark and warns against crowding because air circulation matters. It includes one removable rack inside the drawer, not a second container. The listed unit weight is 9.7 pounds. Chefman gives dimensions of 14.6 × 10.87 × 11.61 inches without naming the measurement axes, so check your shelf and counter rather than assuming which number is height.

For Air Fry, Reheat and Frozen, the halfway Shake Alert asks you to remove the basket and shake or turn the food if appropriate; the machine does not stir it for you. Removing the drawer pauses the cycle, which resumes when it is returned. The manual says the cooled basket and rack can go on the top rack of a dishwasher. It cautions against aerosol cooking spray on nonstick parts and says to keep the housing out of water. Leave at least six inches above and behind the appliance as the manual directs. A tight overhead cabinet or shallow space may therefore be a poor fit even when the unit itself measures compactly.

What the materials and ratings do—and do not—say

Chefman calls the basket PFAS-free and nonstick. That is the manufacturer’s wording, not an independent chemical test or health assessment. The reviewed page and manual do not identify the basket’s base metal or coating chemistry, and the wording does not clearly document every food-contact component. If your essential requirement means only the basket statement, read the exact manufacturer claim carefully; if it means a complete materials declaration for every contact part, this record leaves that point unresolved. Chefman lists 1500 W and 120 V, but the sources inspected do not state line frequency. A strict 120 V/60 Hz documentation requirement is therefore not proven. The page also advertises cETL approval and a one-year Chefman assurance; those are maker claims, and you should verify current warranty terms and seller eligibility.

Who should consider this TurboX?

It is worth comparing if a five-quart nominal basket, local digital controls and four mode choices cover your routine, especially if you use Bake or want the Frozen program’s staged start. Its 9.7-pound listed weight is lighter than many larger basket designs, but the unknown dimension orientation and six-inch overhead clearance matter in small kitchens. The exact-page photo shows a gray, opaque, single drawer with a digital panel; Chefman does not say whether its studio image is a photograph or a rendering.

Choose another exact model if you need a transparent window, more than one cooking zone, an established 5.5-quart minimum, a documented 405°F-or-higher setting, or verified 60-Hz supply evidence. For a different five-quart feature set, compare the separate TurboFry Touch Stainless-Steel RJ38-SQSS-5T: it has four food presets for one Air Fry function rather than TurboX’s separate Bake, Reheat and Frozen functions. Do not assume same nominal capacity means same programming.

Manufacturer references: Chefman TurboX product page, exact SKU RJ38-5T-GREY and listed specifications; RJ38-5T-Series U.S. user guide; separate black SKU RJ38-5T; Chefman air-fryer collection page 2.