I earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links below, at no extra cost to you.
The COSORI Pro Gen 2 is the Best for Families pick in my best cheap air fryer guide. It costs $72.99, has one 5.8-quart square basket and 13 one-touch functions — its own listing and manual both put the count at 13, not the 11 the guide previously listed.
Amazon shows 4.6 stars across 965 ratings. Filtering to this model leaves 303 written reviews, and 78 of those are critical, or 25.7%.
Owners who like it praise the square basket’s capacity, how easy it is to use and clean, and enough owners have bought a second or third one to suggest real loyalty. The critical reviews centre on a basket handle and latch that some owners report breaking or wearing out, and a smaller number describing a hot plug or a unit that stopped working — separate from a 2023 recall of an earlier COSORI generation that this model was not part of.
Quick Verdict
| Score | Price | Rating | Buy |
| 7/10 | $72.99 | 4.6★ (965) | Check Price on Amazon |
What Comes in the Box
The air fryer with its detachable inner and outer baskets, a printed recipe book, and a Quick Reference Guide, per the manual’s package contents list.
The manual names the product the Pro Gen 2 5.8-Quart Air Fryer, model CP168-AF, made by Arovast Corporation. The listing title matches.
The warranty is two years, automatic, from Arovast Corporation. Registering online at cosori.com/warranty is optional and COSORI says it speeds up support, but the manual states the warranty itself applies regardless.
Specifications
| Model | COSORI Pro Gen 2 5.8-Quart Air Fryer, CP168-AF |
| Capacity | 5.8 quarts (5.5 L), one square basket; COSORI says it serves 3 to 5 people |
| Functions | 13 one-touch functions: Steak, Chicken, Seafood, Shrimp, Bacon, Frozen Foods, French Fries, Vegetables, Root Vegetables, Bread, Desserts, Preheat and Keep Warm |
| Temperature | 170–400°F, adjustable on any function |
| Timer | 1–60 minutes |
| Power | 1,700 W, 120V, 60Hz |
| Dimensions | 11.7″ D × 14.2″ W × 12.6″ H including the handle |
| Weight | 11.9 lb |
| Coating | Aluminum basket with nonstick coating, per the manual; PFOA-free and BPA-free |
| Cleaning | Baskets are dishwasher safe, per both the listing and the manual |
| Safety | Automatic shutoff on overheat; error code E1 means an open circuit in the temperature monitor, E2 a short circuit — contact COSORI support for either |
| Warranty | Two years, automatic |
The Real Function Count: 13, Not 11
The manual’s own preset table lists 13 rows. Steak, Chicken, Seafood, Shrimp, Bacon, Frozen Foods, French Fries, Vegetables, Root Vegetables, Bread and Desserts are the 11 food presets, plus Preheat and Keep Warm as their own buttons — 13 in total, matching the “13 One Touch Functions” on the listing title.
Each preset has a default time and temperature you can override. Steak runs 400°F for 6 minutes by default, Chicken 380°F for 25 minutes, French Fries 380°F for 25 minutes with a shake reminder, and so on — all adjustable from 170–400°F and 1–60 minutes with the +/- buttons.
Only five presets carry the Shake Reminder: Shrimp, Frozen Foods, French Fries, Vegetables and Root Vegetables, per the manual’s own table. One critical reviewer says COSORI “deleted the halftime shake feature” compared to an older generation they owned; the current manual shows the reminder present but limited to these five presets, not absent altogether.
Manual air frying is also available without a preset, by setting temperature and time directly — useful for anything the 11 food presets don’t cover, though it comes with no Shake Reminder unless you start from a preset that has one and adjust from there.
Who It’s For
- Households cooking for 3 to 5. COSORI rates the 5.8-quart basket for that, and owners describe fitting a whole chicken or a full tray of vegetables.
- Anyone who wants a square basket over a round one. The corner space genuinely adds capacity for the same stated quart figure, and this is the most repeated specific compliment in the reviews.
- Anyone who wants dishwasher-safe cleanup without a caveat. Both the listing and the manual agree the baskets go in the dishwasher.
- Repeat COSORI buyers. Several reviewers are on their second or third unit and keep buying the same model, which is a real loyalty signal even alongside the complaints below.
- Anyone who wants a genuine 2-year warranty without needing to register a product first.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
- Anyone who wants the sturdiest possible basket handle. “Basket” appears in 18 critical written reviews, several describing the handle or latch cracking or breaking within months, and one reviewer specifically calls it a burn risk when the basket separates unexpectedly.
- Anyone with limited grip strength. At least one older reviewer found the outer basket required more force to open than they were comfortable with, even after watching COSORI’s own instructional video.
- Anyone who wants a silent countdown beep. One reviewer calls the end-of-cook beep an “annoying high pitch,” and it sounds on every button press as well as three times when a cook finishes.
- Anyone spooked by COSORI’s 2023 recall history. This model, CP168-AF, was not part of that recall, but a small number of reviewers separately report a plug or unit getting unusually hot, the same failure mode the recall addressed in older models — see below.
Performance
The Square Basket: What “More Usable Space” Actually Means
“Basket” appears in 18 critical written reviews, but a much larger positive signal backs the capacity claim: multiple owners specifically call out fitting more food than a round basket of the same stated size, and COSORI’s own comparison image shows roughly double the pieces of breaded chicken fitting corner-to-corner.
A whole 5-pound chicken is COSORI’s own stated benchmark for what the 5.8-quart square basket holds, per the listing.
The tradeoff is footprint: at 14.2 inches wide including the handle, this is a larger counter presence than the budget picks in this guide, which the Cons list already reflects.
The Basket Handle: A Recurring Wear Point
“Broke” appears in 10 critical written reviews and “latch” in 3. The specific complaint is consistent across independent owners: the plastic piece connecting the handle to the basket cracks or separates, in one case after less than six months of light, careful use.
One reviewer calls this a burn hazard, since a separated basket can drop suddenly; a positive reviewer on a second unit describes the same latch as “what wears out after heavy use,” while everything else on their unit “functioned perfectly.”
The manual itself warns not to carry the baskets by pressing the release button, and to only separate them resting flat on a counter — guidance that suggests COSORI is aware the release mechanism needs careful handling.
The 2023 Recall, and Why This Model Isn’t On It
In February 2023, COSORI’s parent company Atekcity recalled about 2 million air fryers sold from June 2018 through December 2022, after 205 reports of units catching fire, smoking or overheating, tied to crimp connectors that could overheat inside the unit. The recalled models were CP158-AF, CP137-AF, CS158-AF, CO137-AF, CO158-AF, CP258-AF and their regional variants.
CP168-AF, the Pro Gen 2 reviewed here, is not on that list.
“Recall” still appears in 26 critical written reviews, almost all from owners recounting that an older COSORI unit they previously owned was the one recalled, and that this Pro Gen 2 was their replacement or a separate purchase. A smaller number describe a hot plug on this specific model, the same failure mode the 2023 recall addressed, which is worth taking seriously even though this model was not recalled for it.
Design and Build
A black square housing with a touch control panel on top and a pull-out basket with a plastic handle. It measures 11.7 inches deep, 14.2 inches wide including the handle and 12.6 inches tall, and weighs 11.9 pounds, per the manual.
The manual asks for 5 inches of clearance behind and above the unit, and says not to place anything on top of it while it is running.
Both baskets are dishwasher safe, and COSORI also describes hand-washing with hot, soapy water and a non-abrasive sponge, or a baking-soda paste for stubborn grease, as alternatives.
What Owners Report
Of the 303 written reviews filed under this model, 192 are five stars and 49 are one star; 225 are positive and 78 critical. The themes below each appear in more than one unconnected review.
What recurs in the positive reviews
- Large square basket. Genuinely more usable space than a round basket of the same quart size.
- Easy to use and clean. One-touch presets and dishwasher-safe baskets.
- Repeat buyers. Several owners on their second or third unit, buying the same model again.
- Fast, even cooking. Owners describe crisp results without much added oil.
- Long service for some. Owners reporting years of regular use.
- Support experience. More than one owner describes COSORI replacing a defective unit without much friction.
What recurs in the critical reviews
- Basket handle and latch. Cracking, breaking or wearing out, in some cases within months.
- Basket hard to open. At least one owner with limited grip strength could not use the unit.
- Loud beep. An end-of-cook and button-press tone some owners find unpleasant.
- Units that stopped working or a hot plug. A smaller share of owners report outright failures or overheating separate from the 2023 recall.
- Recall history. Several owners are replacing an earlier, recalled COSORI generation and watching this one closely as a result.
Most of the critical reviews are not about how the food turns out. They are about the basket handle and latch, and a smaller cluster of outright failures; owners whose unit holds up describe it as spacious, easy and worth repurchasing.
Value
At $72.99 it sits between the budget picks in my best cheap air fryer guide and the Best Overall pick; the Dash Tasti-Crisp costs $49.99, the Chefman TurboFry Touch $57.92, and the Ninja AF101 $119.99.
Against the Best Overall pick in my best air fryers guide, the COSORI TurboBlaze at $99.99, the Pro Gen 2 costs 27% less but carries a critical share more than four times as high (25.7% against 5.8%) and a smaller basket (5.8 vs 6 quarts).
Against the guide’s two cheaper picks, my Chefman TurboFry Touch review and Dash Tasti-Crisp review, the Pro Gen 2 has a noticeably larger basket and no coating-wear pattern in its reviews, but neither of those had a basket-handle complaint at this frequency either.
Durability
The warranty is two years, automatic, from Arovast Corporation, and applies from the date of purchase without requiring registration, though COSORI says registering online speeds up support if you need it.
“Broke” appears in 10 critical written reviews and “latch” in 3, concentrated on the basket handle and release mechanism rather than the cooking function itself.
“Recall” appears in 26 critical written reviews. Nearly all describe an earlier COSORI air fryer that was part of the February 2023 recall of about 2 million units (models CP158-AF, CP137-AF, CS158-AF, CO137-AF, CO158-AF, CP258-AF and regional variants, sold June 2018 to December 2022, over overheating crimp connectors); CP168-AF was not included. A small number separately describe a hot plug on this current model, which shares the recall’s underlying failure mode even though it was not recalled for it.
Against that, “years” appears in 19 positive written reviews, including multiple owners on a second or third unit who keep buying the same model.
None of this is a failure rate. Unhappy owners write more reviews than happy ones, and written reviews are not a random sample of units.
Alternatives to Consider
- For the guide’s overall top picks, see the best air fryers guide and my COSORI TurboBlaze review.
- For cheaper single-person picks, see my Chefman TurboFry Touch review or Dash Tasti-Crisp review.
- For a larger single basket built for a bigger household, see my Ninja AF101 review.
- Everything else on air frying is in the air fryers hub.
Verdict
The COSORI Pro Gen 2 is a genuinely spacious 5.8-quart square-basket air fryer with 13 functions, dishwasher-safe cleanup and enough repeat buyers to suggest real loyalty, at $72.99.
Against that, the basket handle and latch are a recurring wear point across independent owners, a smaller share report a hot plug or outright failure, and while this exact model was not part of COSORI’s 2023 recall, several reviewers are watching it closely because their previous COSORI was.
Seven out of ten: marked up for the basket capacity, the ease of use and cleaning, and the loyalty signal from repeat buyers, marked down for the handle and latch complaints, the loud beep and the smaller share of overheating and failure reports.
How This Review Was Put Together
Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this air fryer, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.
What it rests on: the published specification — the capacity, functions, temperature range and warranty terms in COSORI’s Pro Gen 2 user manual (model CP168-AF), the claims on its Amazon listing, and CPSC’s published recall records for the brand — read against the other air fryers in my best cheap air fryer guide; the split of the 303 written reviews filed under this exact model rather than the 4.6 average across 965 ratings; and the text of the positive and critical reviews, read for themes that recur across independent owners.
Why owner reviews are treated as evidence here: one reviewer cooking on one unit for a fortnight cannot show whether the basket handle and latch hold up and whether a unit keeps working after months of daily use. Hundreds of owners over several years can. A theme is only reported above where more than one unconnected owner raised it.
What I could not establish: what share of the basket-handle complaints trace to a manufacturing batch versus normal wear over time, since I have no way to isolate which; whether the hot-plug reports on this specific model reflect a real recurrence of the recalled failure mode or isolated incidents, since CPSC has not recalled CP168-AF; and what share of units fail outright, since unhappy owners are over-represented in written reviews.
Price, stock and ratings were read from Amazon’s US marketplace on 16 September 2026 and will move.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cooking functions does the COSORI Pro Gen 2 have?
13: Steak, Chicken, Seafood, Shrimp, Bacon, Frozen Foods, French Fries, Vegetables, Root Vegetables, Bread and Desserts as food presets, plus Preheat and Keep Warm. This matches both the listing title and the preset table in COSORI’s own manual.
Was the COSORI Pro Gen 2 part of the COSORI air fryer recall?
No. The February 2023 recall of about 2 million COSORI air fryers, issued by parent company Atekcity over overheating crimp connectors, covered models CP158-AF, CP137-AF, CS158-AF, CO137-AF, CO158-AF, CP258-AF and their regional variants, sold June 2018 through December 2022. The Pro Gen 2, model CP168-AF, is not on that list.
Why do COSORI Pro Gen 2 reviews mention a recall?
Most reviewers mentioning a recall are describing an earlier COSORI air fryer they owned before switching to this Pro Gen 2, either as a replacement or a separate purchase. A smaller number separately report a hot plug on this current model, which shares the recall’s underlying overheating failure mode even though this model itself was not recalled.
Does the COSORI Pro Gen 2 have a shake reminder?
On five of its eleven food presets: Shrimp, Frozen Foods, French Fries, Vegetables and Root Vegetables, per the manual’s preset table. Steak, Chicken, Seafood, Bacon, Bread and Desserts do not trigger it.
Why does the COSORI Pro Gen 2 basket handle break?
Owners describe the plastic piece connecting the handle to the basket cracking or separating, in some cases within months. COSORI’s manual warns never to carry the baskets by the release button and to only press it with the baskets resting flat, which suggests the mechanism needs careful handling.
Is the COSORI Pro Gen 2 basket dishwasher safe?
Yes, per both the Amazon listing and COSORI’s own manual, which lists the dishwasher as the primary cleaning method and hand-washing with a non-abrasive sponge as an alternative.
What do the E1 and E2 error codes mean on the COSORI Pro Gen 2?
E1 means an open circuit in the temperature monitor and E2 a short circuit, per the manual. Both require contacting COSORI Customer Support rather than a self-fix.
What is the warranty on the COSORI Pro Gen 2?
Two years, automatic, from Arovast Corporation, from the date of purchase. Registering the product online is optional and COSORI says it speeds up the support process, but is not required for the warranty to apply.
Glenn is the founder of Kitchenware Compare and has spent years researching, testing, and reviewing kitchen appliances, cookware, and gadgets. A lifelong home cook raised in a family that treated every meal as an occasion, Glenn started this site to cut through the noise of conflicting product reviews and give readers honest, practical guidance. When he is not testing the latest air fryer or digging into the specs of a new espresso machine, he can usually be found experimenting with new recipes or hunting for the perfect cast iron skillet at a flea market.
Leave a Reply