Best Whirlpool Ranges With Air Fryer: Gas and Electric Models Compared

We rate a range the way a family actually uses it. Performance comes first: how evenly the oven bakes and how well the air fry mode crisps a big batch. After that we score oven size, noise, cleanup, and whether a teenager can safely run it while you are still at work.

Cleanup counts more than most buyers expect. A dishwasher-safe basket and dishwasher-safe grates save real time when you cook three meals a day. Child lock controls matter just as much in a house with a three-year-old.

Our ratings are our own judgments, built from the findings we trust on each model, and we say plainly where a finding is thin. Prices swing from one retailer to the next, so we give ballpark figures and tell you to check before you buy. We also keep ranges separate from over-the-range microwaves and loose baskets, which we explain in the buying guide.

Key specs and air fry features

The oven is a 7-in-1 design: Air Fry, Convect Bake, Convect Broil, Frozen Bake, Bake, Broil, and Keep Warm. The five sealed burners run 17000, 15000, 9200, 8000, and 5000 BTU/hr on cast iron continuous grates, and a SpeedHeat burner helps get big pots going. There is a storage drawer, and the range measures 36 x 29 7/8 x 28 7/8 in.

Self-cleaning uses Whirlpool's AquaLift water-based cycle, which finishes in under an hour. That is far more pleasant than a smoky high-heat clean with kids in the house. There is no Wi-Fi, which we count as a plus for a family that wants fewer things to troubleshoot.

Because it has seven rack positions, the air fry rack is position 4, the middle rack. We cover rack choice in the air fry section below.

Pros and cons

Who it suits

This is for families of five or more who already cook on gas and want one dependable oven. Price is usually about $1,935 at one big retailer and about $2,149 at others, and street pricing moves week to week. Availability is shifting, so confirm stock before you commit.

Key specs and air fry features

This slide-in electric pairs true convection with an included air fry basket and mode. It also has Frozen Bake, a touchscreen, a melt zone, and AquaLift self clean. The five elements include 3000W front burners.

The weak spot is the cooktop, and it shows up on exactly the nights a big family needs it. On a pasta night we would be standing at the stove watching a pot that takes about 360 seconds to boil, when a typical electric range manages it in 130. Then we would step back to check the touchscreen and find it hard to read from some angles. The glass cooktop also scratches easily, so we would not slide heavy cast iron across it.

The range ships without a printed manual, so setup includes looking up the air fry steps online. Do that before the first dinner, not during it.

Pros and cons

Who it suits

Where the gas pick wins on the stovetop, this one wins in the oven. Pick it if you bake and air fry in volume and boil water less often than you roast. Pricing runs from about $1,928 to $2,149 depending on the retailer, so shop around before you pay list.

Those two are the big-oven picks, but they are also the priciest. Four more models fill the gaps they leave. Each gets a full verdict, because the right range depends on your hookups, your budget, and how much you want an app in your kitchen.

Best slide-in

The five sealed burners include an 18K BTU burner and a 12K BTU oval burner, which is handy for a griddle pan or a big stockpot. Price runs from about $1,448 at one retailer to $1,889 at another, so this is a model where comparison shopping pays.

Best budget

Its "Air Cooking" mode is air baking by fan, so a basket is optional (accessory W11692811, sold separately). There is no Wi-Fi, and the model has five rack positions and a storage drawer. For a first apartment or a second family kitchen, that is plenty.

Budget is one way to trim cost. Gas with app control is another.

Best smart range

Self Clean plus Steam Clean covers oven upkeep. Remote control is a real help when a teenager is home alone and you want to confirm the oven is off, though keep the child lock engaged for the little ones.

Who it suits

Choose this one if you cook on gas, want a basket in the box, and can live with a 5.0 cu. ft. oven. It is the strongest value of the gas picks, at about $1,349 though pricing varies by retailer.

Best for air fry enthusiasts

Two cautions come before the praise for this last model. Whirlpool's own page title for the WFE975H0HZ lists Frozen Bake rather than air fry, though retailer titles say air fry, so confirm the air fry mode on the spec sheet before buying. The keypad is also slow to respond to presses, so expect to press and wait.

Treat this as a pick for cooks who already know they want a big convection oven.

With the six reviews behind us, the decision comes down to fit, fuel, and how you cook. Measure your cutout and confirm your hookup before choosing a model. Even a great oven is no use if it will not fit the space.

Size, slide-in vs freestanding, and fit

A freestanding range has finished sides and a back guard, so it stands alone or sits between cabinets. A slide-in sits flush with the counters and has its controls on the front. Both are about 30 inches wide, but depth, height, and the way the cooktop meets the counter differ, so check the spec sheet against your opening.

Front controls are worth thinking about with kids. A slide-in puts the knobs or touchscreen within a toddler's reach, so a child lock is not optional in that kind of house.

Oven capacity, burners and BTU output

Oven size is the figure that matters most for air frying. Our six picks range from 5.0 to 6.4 cu. ft., and the larger ovens hold more of a family dinner on one pan. A full-size oven air fries larger batches than a countertop basket, but it needs a tray underneath to catch drips.

On gas models, burner output sets how fast a pot boils. The WEG745H0LZ tops out at 17000 BTU/hr and the WFGS7530RZ lists an 18000 BTU/hr top burner. Published lineups differ between listings, so we lean on the top burner figure alone.

Self-clean, smart features and price tiers

Both of our top picks use AquaLift, a water-based cycle that runs under an hour. The others use Self+Steam or an adjustable cycle. Smart models add app control and voice assistants, which are nice but not essential.

Price tiers are fairly clear. The budget electric sits under about $900, the smart gas model near $1,350, and the large gas and electric picks sit near $1,900 to $2,150 at many retailers. Spend the extra money on oven size and a basket before you spend it on an app.

Every pick above leans on the same air fry feature, so it helps to know what it does. An air fry oven is a convection oven with a built-in air fry feature. Convection fans circulate hot air around the food to crisp it, which is the same principle a countertop unit uses. Whirlpool lays out the basics in its guide to how Whirlpool's oven air fry mode works.

Air fry basket and rack position

The basket is a stainless mesh basket (part W11548747) that goes on a baking sheet, with a tray underneath to catch drips. Whirlpool treats the basket as optional, and several models include one, so check the box on yours. It is dishwasher safe, or you can wash it with mild soap and water.

Use the middle rack. That is position 3 in five-rack ovens and position 4 in seven-rack ovens. Dark cookware boosts crispness, so a dark baking sheet beats a shiny one for fries and wings.

Air fry vs true convection

Convection already moves air. Air fry mode pairs that airflow with a basket and a heat setting tuned for crisping. Models marked "No Preheat Air Fry" or "Air Cooking" use the fan to skip or shorten the wait, but the principle is the same.

For a family cook, the practical point is that any of these ovens will crisp a pan of fries, nuggets, or vegetables with less oil than baking. The basket mostly helps airflow underneath the food.

Beyond the individual picks, the biggest fork in the road is fuel. For air frying, fuel makes little difference, since convection fans do the work. The difference shows up on the cooktop. Gas gives instant heat and strong BTU output, while our electric pick is slow to boil water.

Electric ovens often feel more even. Our top electric is the biggest oven in the group and browns uniformly. If you have only one hookup type, choose by that and by oven size, and do not pay to convert a kitchen for a few minutes of faster boiling.

On gas, dishwasher-safe grates and child locks help in a busy family kitchen. On electric, a glass cooktop takes effort to keep clean and scratches easily, which is worth knowing if the stovetop doubles as a homework table.

The last comparison is with the appliance most families already own. A full-size oven air fries larger batches than a countertop basket, which matters for a family of seven. You also skip washing a countertop basket and drawer after every use, since a sheet pan and the dishwasher-safe basket handle cleanup.

A countertop unit still wins on speed to heat and on energy for small meals. If you only cook for two, you may not need the oven version. For more on this, see our air fryer vs convection oven guide.

Prices shift week to week, and retailers often discount ranges during holiday sales. Because availability is shifting on some models, confirm stock first and check the one-year warranty terms for your model.

Shoppers often assume every Whirlpool range has air fry. Many do not, and some list only convection. Another mistake is assuming the basket is included, when it varies by model. A third is skipping the cutout measurement, which turns a good deal into a return.

Your hookup decides most of this. For a big household cooking on gas, choose the WEG745H0LZ. To spend less, consider the WFGS7530RZ at about $1,349, which trades some oven space for app control and an included basket. On an electric hookup, the WEE745H0LZ is the large-oven choice, and the WFES5030RZ is the budget route at roughly $729 to $888, with the caveat that you should confirm its basket before buying. Prices move week to week, so treat those figures as ballpark.

Whichever you choose, check the box contents for a basket on the WSGS7530RZ, WFES5030RZ, and WFE975H0HZ, since we could not confirm it for any of them.