Cuisinart AirAdvantage 4.5-qt Air Fryer review

The Cuisinart AirAdvantage AIR-160NAS is a 4.5-quart, single-basket fryer with a viewing window, interior light and four cooking functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake and Keep Warm. Its most specific point of difference is an explicit manufacturer statement that its ceramic nonstick basket and crisper plate are PFAS-free, qualified on the page as “no intentionally added PFAS.” That documentation, rather than a performance claim, makes it worth considering for shoppers who require a stated surface disclosure. The tradeoff is a lower 400°F listed top setting and a compact 8-by-8-inch cooking surface compared with larger Cuisinart drawers.

Small basket, visible cooking area

The maker gives the capacity as 4.5 quarts and the basket surface as eight inches square. That is a different kind of fit from the elongated AIR-210, whose booklet lists an 8.5-by-12-inch surface, or the 9-quart AIR-220. A square basket can be easier to fit on a crowded counter, but its nominal volume is not a guarantee that a full recipe will cook in one layer. Cuisinart’s AIR-160 booklet lists examples such as 1.5 pounds of fries and two pounds of wings. Those are the manufacturer’s chart loads, not a promise about how crisp or evenly a larger or differently shaped portion will turn out; the manual itself says overcrowding can extend cooking and recommends smaller batches and a single layer.

A window and light let you check browning without immediately removing the drawer. They do not remove the need to turn or toss food when the cooking chart calls for it: the manual describes a toss reminder, and its presets can activate that reminder. Opening the basket pauses cooking. For someone who routinely wants to watch a small batch, that is a more useful distinction than treating every preset as a separate cooking mode.

Four functions and a 400°F ceiling

The exact AIR-160NAS listing and the page-linked booklet agree on Air Fry, Roast, Bake and Keep Warm. The booklet identifies four air-fry presets—French Fries, Wings, Vegetables and Frozen Snacks—and explains that Bake uses a preheat sequence. The listed temperature goes up to 400°F and the timer to 60 minutes. The reviewed materials do not establish a minimum temperature, so a low-end requirement for dehydrating herbs or proofing dough should not be assumed from this product page. Likewise, a 450°F high-heat requirement points elsewhere in the lineup: AIR-200NAS, AIR-210 and AIR-220 list a higher maximum, though their layouts and other modes differ.

The controls are digital and local; the exact product materials reviewed do not document phone control. Cuisinart lists 1600 watts, a three-year limited warranty, and dimensions of 15.23 by 10.7 by 10.47 inches with a weight of 8.8 pounds. Check those outside dimensions against the shelf or counter where you plan to place it, and leave room to pull out the basket. The maker's page and booklet describe a household appliance, not a commercial unit.

What the PFAS statement does—and does not—say

Cuisinart describes the basket and crisper plate as ceramic nonstick and marks the surfaces PFAS-free, explaining its asterisk as “no intentionally added PFAS.” This is a specific disclosure about the listed food-contact surfaces; it is not a general safety rating or a measured performance result. The page does not identify the base material beneath the coating, so a stainless-steel or glass-basket requirement is not supported. If your essential condition is a fully disclosed basket substrate rather than a coating statement, do not treat those as interchangeable questions.

The page calls the basket and crisper plate dishwasher-safe, and the linked booklet also describes hand-washing with hot, soapy water and a nylon brush or pad. Let the parts cool and unplug before cleaning, wipe the housing rather than immersing it, and avoid abrasive tools. For baking, the manual suggests using a heat-safe pan on the crisper plate, but says that pan is not included; plan to supply one if you expect to bake regularly.

When this Cuisinart makes sense

Consider the AIR-160NAS if one modest square basket, a window, dishwasher-safe removable pieces and the exact PFAS disclosure matter more than a high-heat setting, large capacity or multiple cooking zones. The glass-basket AFC-4 is another compact option, but its body is glass and its product page does not make this same PFAS-free coating statement; it is a materially different layout. The six-quart AIR-200NAS adds Broil and a higher maximum setting, while AIR-210 provides more nominal capacity but does not document this window or PFAS-free claim. If two different dishes need separate temperatures or finish times, compare a dual-basket model such as the ADZ-085 instead of expecting one drawer to act as two controlled zones.

The exact AIR-160NAS page links a 44-page booklet whose cover names the base AIR-160 code. The linked document supports the operating and cleaning details above, but keep the carton and model label in view when checking parts or support. This is an assessment of published specifications and instructions, not a personal cooking test; choose according to the capacity, temperature and documentation requirements you will actually use.

Sources: Cuisinart AIR-160NAS product page and its linked AIR-160 instruction and recipe booklet.