Brooklyn-based kitchen appliance maker Gourmia is expanding its air fryer lineup with its first ceramic-coated model, the 9-Quart Digital Air Fryer (GAF998), available exclusively through Costco warehouses and Costco.com at $59.99. The launch marks a material product pivot for one of the United States' leading air fryer brands, which has built its Costco relationship on conventional nonstick surfaces.
The Product Case
The GAF998's principal differentiator is a ceramic nonstick coating applied to both the 9-quart basket and the crisper tray — a direct response to growing consumer scrutiny over PTFE- and PFOA-based coatings in cookware and small appliances. "Consumers are paying more attention to the products they bring into their kitchens, including the materials used to manufacture those products," said Heshy Biegeleisen, Founder of Gourmia. The ceramic surface is dishwasher-safe, and the extra-large square basket is sized to hold up to a 6-pound whole chicken, six salmon fillets, or a 9-inch pizza, reducing the need for multiple cooking batches during family meals or meal prep.
Beyond materials, Gourmia has layered in software-driven convenience features. Three customizable favorite presets allow repeat cooks to lock in time-and-temperature combinations for staple recipes. CookFlow™ progress bars display preheating and cooking stages on-screen in real time, a feature absent from the brand's earlier Costco SKUs. The unit also carries nine built-in presets — covering air fry, bake, roast, broil, dehydrate, and proof functions — a maximum temperature of 450°F, and FryForce 360° Technology for even hot-air circulation.
Retail and Market Context
The Costco exclusivity strategy is consistent with Gourmia's longstanding go-to-market approach: the brand has used the warehouse channel to deliver high-capacity appliances at accessible price points, competing on value against category incumbents such as Ninja and Philips. At $59.99 for a 9-quart ceramic-coated unit, the GAF998 positions below comparable ceramic air fryers from specialty and department-store channels, where similar capacity and coating combinations typically retail between $80.00 and $120.00.
The ceramic cookware and appliance segment has attracted sustained trade attention as ingredient-safety concerns migrate from pots and pans into countertop electrics. Retailers including Costco have responded by expanding SKU assortments that feature PTFE-free surfaces. For foodservice equipment suppliers and kitchen electrics buyers tracking the at-home cooking segment, the Gourmia launch signals that ceramic coatings are moving from a premium differentiator toward a mainstream expectation across the air fryer category.
Gourmia, which also produces multi-purpose cookers, coffee and tea makers, and juicers, has framed the GAF998 as an incremental option rather than a wholesale replacement of its existing Costco lineup — broadening member choice rather than retiring prior models. Analysts covering the small appliance supply chain have noted that ceramic coating sourcing adds complexity relative to conventional nonstick, a factor that could influence margin dynamics at the $59.99 retail price point if raw-material costs shift.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
