Capacity vs. counter space. A 6-quart basket sounds appealing until it's sitting on the counter permanently. For a household of 1–2, a 3–4 quart model usually covers real needs; families of 4+ should look at basket-style units in the 5–6 quart range or oven-style air fryers that stack functions.
Basket vs. oven-style. Basket air fryers are compact and fast but limited to one cooking zone. Oven-style units (toaster-oven-sized) offer racks for multiple items and often include bake/broil settings, at the cost of a larger footprint.
Wattage and preheat time. Higher wattage (1500W+) generally means faster preheat and more even cooking, which matters most for anyone cooking frozen foods regularly.
Cleanup. Dishwasher-safe, non-stick baskets save real time. Textured or ridged baskets can be harder to scrub by hand — check reviews specifically for cleaning complaints before buying.
Bottom line: Match capacity to actual household size rather than buying for hypothetical entertaining, and prioritize dishwasher-safe parts if cleanup speed matters to you.