What is an Air Fryer? Ask any diet conscious person and I bet they’ll enthusiastically explain you all details about this virtuous kitchen appliance. Undoubtedly, an Air fryer is the only kitchen appliance that lets you binge on your favorite snacks while still keeping your overall calorie intake considerably down.
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks food by circulating super-hot air around the food giving it that beautiful crunch without actually using oil for frying. The crunchy layer which we just mentioned that adheres the surface of any deep fried food, is due to the ‘Maillard effect‘. General methods of cooking induce the Maillard effect by completely or partially submerging the food in hot oil. Contrasting to which, an air fryer induces the same effect by circulating very hot air (up to 200°C) around the food with the help of a mechanical fan. Very little to mere spraying of oil can still be used to get the traditional essence of any food. Moreover all the cooking units of an air fryer are lined with a non-stick coating. So, even without oil, everything is just fine.
Air fryers have seen some major improvements in terms of design and user interface through the years after being perceived as a rather complicated appliance. These compact gizmos have two variables that you need to manipulate to get that desired ‘fried’ effect. These are the time and temperature settings. Standard models feature calibrated knobs to program the device while a select few in the higher-end of the price range feature digital controls. As a general rule, you’d find air fryers that can be programmed to up to 400°F while the temperature can be set for up to an hour. With such wide range of settings, air fryers provide endless possibilities for creative minds while still staying accountable to their health and fitness goals.
For instance, who doesn’t like French Fries but everyone knows the amount of oil it has. Also health conscious people tend to keep a distance from any oily food. But if I tell you that you can have all the Fried food yet keep your oil meter in check – sounds fishy? Not in the 21st century, Behold the power of Air Fryer. The Air fryer can reduce oil usage by more than 75%. You can also use no oil if you want to and yet the food tastes great. So, have your fries, chips, chicken wings and still stay well within your daily calorie goals.
Components of an Air fryer
Any air fryer has the following detachable parts:
- Cover (main body).
- Basket holder.
- Divider.
- Basket.
The base of the appliance is the cover or the main body which has the actual functioning unit. Above which there’s the basket holder which holds the cooking basket. It has the mechanical fan installed beneath it ( this may vary with brands).
Up furthermore, there is the cooking basket where the food is supposed to be kept for cooking. The cooking basket has a base in the form of a wire mesh which allows proper circulation of hot air around the food. Adding to the benefits, the device also has a divider which enables you to cook different varieties of food in the same slot at the exact same time.
Advantages of Air Fryer
1. Makes Delectable Food With Fewer Calories
Most studies show that air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It reduces calories by 70% to 80% and contains significantly less fat. This is the first advantage of air fryer pros and cons list and the reason behind the hype for this appliance. You’ll only need one tablespoon of oil or less to prepare your food with this appliance.
The food will be delicious and crunchy, but it will not add calories to your body. That is an ideal situation.
Whenever you deep fry food, it absorbs a lot of oil since it has been immersed in it. But that’s an opposite situation for an air fryer and it allows you to eat food that is lower in calories and fat.
2. Doesn’t Give Off Cooking Fumes
Air fryers are known for cooking food without creating a ruckus by emitting too much cooking fumes. Because very little or no oil is used in the cooking process, the heat is not applied to enough fat or oil to produce smoke. This is one of the most significant advantages of an air fryer.
You can’t claim that the air fryer doesn’t produce any smoke. And for instance, you may wonder do air fryers smell? It does happen from time to time, but only in very small amounts. To address this issue, some air fryers include an integrated air filter that prevents unwanted vapors and food odors from spreading throughout your home.
3. Easy to Use
It’s unlikely for people to be pleased if the new air fryer they bought takes too long to comprehend out how to use and understand. And since air fryers are simple and straightforward to use, cooking at home becomes a much more appealing option. It relieves you of the stress of long cooking process.
Simply place your food in the home device, add a little oil, and set the time and temperature suitable for the food you’re preparing, and you’re ready to go. The cooking process becomes a much easier affair with this device. Some air fryer models even stir the food as it cooks.
4. Easy to Clean
One of the benefits of using an air fryer is that it is simple to clean. Because it has dishwasher-safe parts, an air fryer is simple to clean.The majority of its components are detachable. It makes the cleaning process even easier to remove and wash them.
Aside from that, you may need to use a soft scrub brush to maintain your air fryer shiny. Furthermore, air fryers do not use a lot of oil, the cleaning process is simplified. With most cases, all that is required to complete the task is hot water, washing soap, and a little elbow grease.
5. Occupies Less Counter Space
The air fryer is a small kitchen appliance. It is even more compact than the convection oven. This kitchen appliance requires only about 1 foot cubed of space.
Their small size has a number of benefits. They are minimal enough to be stored in a kitchen cabinet when not used, and if you leave them on the kitchen counter, they will not take up much space either.
An air fryer allows you to prepare healthy foods on your own, whether you have a tiny kitchen or are preparing food in a college dorm. It takes up little space, so you can cook on a small kitchen counter, usual desk, or even a bedside table if necessary.
Read: 5 healthy Air Fryer recipes you must try
Disadvantages of Air Fryer
Air fryers have invaded the kitchen appliance industry with a storm owing to the promising claims associated with them. Although air fryers add a great deal of convenience, there are a few limitations to them as well.
1. Not for Big Families
Air fryers are known be compact appliances meant to be used on the kitchen counter. Limited by this virtue, manufacturers can use only go so far with the capacity of their models. Moreover, the body of the air fryer also incorporates hardware responsible for producing the immense temperatures. The actual usable capacity of an air fryer is related to the removable food basket. You may find air fryers that are as less as 2 quart in size to larger models that are 6 quarts. The models on the lower end of this range are fairly compact and can be conveniently sued over small counters; but again, aren’t meant for large portion sizes. Meanwhile, bigger air fryers (4-6 quarts) accommodate more food (some can be used to fry a whole chicken) but occupy more counter space. The sweet spot for most people is the middle ground. Regardless of what model you choose, there’s always a chance that you’d find your air fryer to lack in case of large family-sized meals.
2. Longer Cooking Durations
There’s no denying to the fact that air fryers replicate far healthier versions of deep fried foods. But, these can’t beat the short time frames taken by deep fryers. Air fryers exhibit considerably longer cooking times as compared to traditional deep frying methods. To be precise, an Air fryer can take as much as two times the duration when compared to deep fryers. This can be a con for you if you find yourself rushing for meals at a set time. However, for times like Sunday binge or other weekend gatherings, this limitation shouldn’t really bother you.
3. Rather Expensive
Owing to the health benefits associated with Air fryers, some models are priced way more than regular deep fryers. For context, you can get a deep fryer for as less as $50 while an Air fryer averages at around $100. These models however offer basic functionality and aren’t loaded with contemporary features. If you opt for add-ons like a touch control panel or programmable settings for that matter, the budget range for the corresponding models might as well climb past the $250 mark.
4. Bulky Design
Juggling between adequate cooking capacity and a fairly compact footprint; most models stray out of the favorable union where both aspects are compromised aptly. Recent models of air fryers have been showing an inclination towards increased basket size which by extension, means an increased overall size. Such bulky air fryers are only advisable for kitchens that can afford the corresponding counter space to store the appliance. Such bulky models eat way too much of counter space which can be an issue for small kitchens.
5. Ill-fitting Substitute for Ovens
Contrary to the popular belief of air fryers being able to substitute standard convection ovens; these are not exactly the same! Air fryers function as mini-ovens with amplified air circulation often times at a higher temperature setting. These provisions give the fried effect to the food in the basket. However, in the case of an oven, the cooking cavity is spacious and the heat is transferred at a slower rate originating from the heating coils through convection as compared to that of an air fryer. In simple terms, air fryers are amplified ovens; too thorough for certain foods. As a rule of thumb, you could associate an air fryer to be apt for frying while and a conventional oven to be ideal for low heat baking and broiling.
Well the disadvantages are being reduced with new iterations and new menus being added to the advantages, it is one of most preferred Home or Kitchen appliances.
Now that You know Air Fryers and its advantages for health. You would be wondering where can You get one and also how to decide which one is suited for You. Fret not, we’re here to help You with Your queries and tell You the best 10 in every price range with features. So just sit back and relax for we’ve got you covered.
