There's a specific kind of satisfaction in discovering that the expensive option isn't actually better. I set out to find the best frozen fries for the air fryer by buying six bags across a range of brands and prices, cooking them all under the same conditions back to back. The results weren't close. The bag that came out on top was the least expensive at under $3. They're widely available and probably already sitting on the shelf at your nearest grocery store.

At this point, we can agree that the air fryer has no match for cooking frozen fries. It's fast, and the results are as good as, if not better than, oven baking or deep-frying.…