Anion exchange membrane electrolyzers (AEMELs) are widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies to enable low-carbon hydrogen production. AEMELs can combine the advantages the traditional alkaline electrolyzer (AEL) and proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEMEL) – allowing for the use of PGM free electrodes, high operating current density, environmentally friendly materials, and compact design. Although significant progress has been made in the field of AEMELs, there is still a gap in performance compared to PEMELs that can be overcome through electrode design.One of the most critical aspects affecting the overall performance of the AEMEC is the water management. It has a major influence on cell behavior, and specifically mass transfer at the anode side of the cell. To improve AEMEL anode water dynamics, our team modified its porous transport layer (PTLs) through the addition of controlled amounts of hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This study investigated the effect of PTFE loading and coating method on the performance of AEMELs. Ni-based PTLs were used. Experimental results revealed that a low amount of PTFE not only enhanced the performance, but it also enhanced the catalyst layer attachment. On the other hand, higher PTFE content led to a reduction in water availability in the electrode, leading to increased mass transfer overpotentials. In summary, increasing the hydrophobicity of Ni-PTLs appears to improve AEMEC performance, with the best performing electrodes having a PTFE loading of ~1-2% (equivalent to 5-10 wt.% on carbon GDLs).