Editor
An air fryer is a popular kitchen appliance that cooks, bakes, grills and fries your favorite foods by circulating hot air around the food. Since it cooks food with hot air instead of oil, it makes up a very health appliance to own.
Mechanical fans circulate hot air around the food at a high speed, cooking it and creating a crispy layer. As a result, you get to eat your favourite crispy, fried food without any unhealthy ingredients.
Interested in buying this popular appliance? What’s best for you depends on a number of factors.
Major Factors to Consider
Size of the Air Fryer
Having the right size Air Fryer is important, especially when you have to feed a family of four to six. There is more space required for air fryers than what they actually can use to cook. Do not be surprised if the interior cooking compartment is much smaller than the entire footprint of this appliance.
For 1 person:
It’s great for one person to use a 2 quart air fryer. They are small and can be used to reheat leftovers, frozen foods, or small portions. For the single person, it’s the best choice for just reheating foods until they’re crispy instead of cooking a meal.
For 2 people:
Fryers with a capacity of 3-4 quart are excellent. With this size, you can prepare two servings of chicken or fish and some vegetables on the side. By cooking frozen foods to a crispy state in this size, leftovers can be reheated and frozen foods can be made crispy. Using national nutritional guidelines as a guide, we refer to reasonable serving sizes.
For 3-5 people:
5-7 quart models or oven/rack styles are recommended. With fewer batches, you can cook more food for larger groups.
For 5-6 people:
You can use the large oven, rack, countertop or toaster style air fryer oven if you plan on cooking for a big family of about 5-6 people. Almost all of these models have at least two racks for cooking, and some of them are large enough to use standard 9″ cake pans, 9″ pie dishes, and 9″ casserole dishes. Please check the dimensions of the air fryer before you buy it in order to ensure it will fit your existing dishware.
The Type of the Air Fryer
Basket/Bucket Style
With a hot circulating fan on top, the food is placed in a basket or bucket and air fried. The main compartment of a bucket style food container is elevated, allowing grease and oils to drip to the bottom. They typically have one main compartment and an insert that allows the food to remain elevated. Depending on the style, some buckets have a handle on the bucket and the bucket actually separates from the handle. The basket is used to separate the oil drippings from the food. Because of the basket/bucket, there is a tendency for recipe directions to say “shake.”.
Oven, Rack & Countertop Style
Most of these are larger than baskets and typically contain wire shelves for cooking foods in 2-3 layers. There are no major differences in the interior of these styles, other than the fact that they are smaller. The racks on these grills can hold more or different kinds of food. Due to the fact that the heating element is on top, the top rack receives the most heat, which results in food cooking and crisping faster than it would on the bottom racks. Often rotate the racks to change the position of the bottom rack from the top to the bottom and vice versa if you want even cooking. These models don’t shake the food. You have to pull out the rack, then flip the food.
Hybrid Styles
Due to the fact they have two different heating elements, they are usually the largest. Pressure cooker and air fryer functions are incorporated into one appliance. With the air fryer element, you can finish cooking something that normally does not crisp in a pressure cooker.
Halogen Air Fryers
The main glass cooking compartment is covered by a handle that is located above the top heating element. Basically, it is halogen light that has been heated and circulates at the top. In the large glass bowl, the food is then cooked by the hot circulating heat. These models don’t allow you to shake the food. The food must be flipped. They can cook an entire turkey. This is our recipe for whole turkey as well as a write-up.
Stirring Paddle or Stirring Blade Style
A lid normally covers and air fries the food, which is lifted up and down. Occasionally, the cooking compartment can be removed to ‘shake’. The food is gently stirred or turned by small rotating blades while air frying. Cooking is more evenly if food is not shaken, stirred or turned constantly.
Other factors to consider before making the purchase
Power Consumption
You should also ensure that your kitchen’s outlets can support the 800 watts to 1500 watts that a standard air fryer uses. Smaller units have a volume between one and two liters, while larger units have a volume between 1.8 and 2.5 liters. If you add up frozen food like frozen peas or meat to the grease, it will re-heat the oil quickly if you have a more powerful air fryer. The wattages of air fryers range from 600 watts to 1800 watts & more.
In a day, a 1500-watt air fryer can consume 1 unit of electricity. If you do 30 minutes of cooking in the air fryer every day, the maximum electricity you will consume is only half a unit per day. A household cook can complete their cooking needs in 15 minutes or less with an Air Fryer. The power rating of most of the air fryers is less than 1500 watts, so they require much less electricity than half an hour.
Temperature Control
Your air fryer’s temperature settings can significantly influence your final outcome. A temperature of over 400 degrees usually makes air fryers cook food well. The advantage of higher temperatures is that they can cook food faster. The grease won’t be absorbed as much by batter coatings or baked goods that are cooked for a shorter time at a higher temperature, but make sure that the machine has a temperature control that allows you to cook to the right temperature. It will be easier to cook with its integrated timer and indicator lights.
Safety
To avoid burning your hands while removing the basket, look for an air fryer that has well insulated handles that feature cool-touch grips. Additionally, the machine should have non-slip feet so it doesn’t slip off, a locking lid and an exterior basket control. Make sure the air fryer is equipped with an automatic shut-off to prevent overcooking.
FAQ
What Makes The Air Fryer So Unique?
Listed below are some benefits of using an air fryer that can help you decide if it’s right for you:
1. Bakes & Roast
It can also be used to bake food items such as cupcakes and muffins, or even to roast food.
2. Simple Cleaning Process:
The cleaning process is simple because there’s not much oil mess. Almost all parts are dishwasher-safe and disassemble.
3. Reduces Calorie Intake
Using this product can help you reduce fat and calorie intake without sacrificing taste.
4. Exhaust and Cooling System
The appliance has its own exhaust and cooling system, so there is no worry about overheating.
5. Safety
Oil will not pop or explode, making it a safer option.
6. Crispy Texture
In order to prevent the food from drying out on the inside, create a crispy coating on the outside. Food cooked in an air fryer will not become dry on the inside, while remaining crispy on the outside.
7. No Uneven Cooking:
It is impossible for food to be unevenly cooked since it is thoroughly cooked.
8. Maintains Healthy Diet
People who are starting a new diet or looking for healthy food options; working professionals are recommended to use it.
9. Simpler & Economical
Normally, they come with a timer, which allows you to multitask while the chips are being cooked. Air fryers are much easier and more economical than pans of oil for “frying” food.
How Fast Is An Air Fryer?
Phillips reports that the air fryer becomes hot as soon as it is preheated to 200 C from 21 C room temperature. It only takes 3 minutes. The chips will be ready 15 minutes later if you add enough for five people.
What Can You Cook In An Air fryer?
A food air fryer can make is a lot of things, such as French fries, fried chicken, muffins, and vegetables. The fat is less, the nutrition is more, and the speed is higher. Here are all the dishes you can prepare with it:
Meat Dishes
include fried or grilled chicken, beef, or other meat forms.
Vegetables
Even after a long day at work, you can enjoy steamed and fried vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, and broccoli using the airfryer.
Frozen Foods
With your air fryer, you can make everything from frozen fries to fish sticks to nuggets with ease. A maximum of 15 minutes should be needed to prepare these foods.
Baked Food
The non-stick baking dish is an optional accessory to purchase when preparing baked food. There are even options for preparing muffins, bread, lasagna, curds, and so much more.
Roasted Nuts
Nuts, almonds, walnuts, and peanuts can be roasted here easily. The roasting process takes hardly more than 10 minutes. …and so much more
How to use an Air Fryer?
To keep food from sticking together when cooking food items like French fries, shake your air fryer basket once or twice before use.
Don’t overload the basket, as you will block the circulation of hot air throughout the food, resulting in uneven cooking.
When applying oil to all food properly before air frying, a sprayer can work wonders. This will reduce the need for oil.
