How to Choose Air Fryer: A Step-by-Step Selection Guide

 Air fryers are the perfect kitchen gadget for people who love fried food but fear the oil. It is one of the trendy countertop kitchen appliances that has gained much popularity. They don’t fry food. They are more like mini ovens instead of deep fryers.

The mini oven simplifies cooking small portions of food. They cook more quickly than in a traditional oven. You can also roast and bake food in some air fryer models. Cooking french fries, heating frozen food, and grilling small cuts of meat is possible with an air fryer.

How do Air Fryers Function? 

Air fryers are masters at preparing the same quality of food if you were to deep fry it. But in this case, without the heavy use of oil. The air fryers work by circulating hot air with an internal fan. The hot air cooks and turns the food crispy. Generally, the small size of the air fryer helps reach the cooking temperature in a few minutes. 

Air fryers blow hot air fast. Additionally, the compartment for food is small. The heated air makes contact with food quickly and not much heat is lost in the process. This is also the main difference between a regular convection oven and an air fryer.

Most air fryers have a perforated food basket that allows hot air to travel through. This way the air hits the food from all sides, cooking food evenly. The process of quick hot roasting quickly browns the exterior and keeps the interior moist without being overcooked. This achieves a similar texture when food is deep-fried. Thus, the name air fryer.

As per common opinion, air fry food tastes very similar to deep fry food. In some cases, it is even better than deep fry because it is not filled with oil that dominates the flavor.

To achieve even browning and cooking, air fryers feature different design options. Air fryers can have a pull-out drawer, an automatic stirrer, or an automatic rotating basket to ensure the same.

Pull-Out Drawer 

The common air fryer design has a pull-out drawer and a basket. During cooking, you will have to manually shake to ensure the food cooks evenly. Commonly, these air fryers don’t have a timer or alert sound. You have to remember to shake the food on your own.

Pull-out drawer air fryers are best for foods that you might cook by shallow fry or grilling. Vegetables, fish, and chicken can be cooked easily. The removable baskets are often dishwasher safe.

Automatic Stirrer

Some air fryers feature self-stirring to allow uniform cooking. For self-stirring, they have an automatic stirring paddle. The paddle slowly stirs the food inside the basket. Few models have better stirring mechanisms than others.

The stirrer eliminates the need to remember to shake food manually. But the food may still not be evenly browned. This can happen because the food pieces get bent by the stirrer itself.

Some air fryer models may come with an extra food basket that doesn’t have a stirrer to allow cooking bigger food items that don’t require stirring. The stirrer feature is best for food that you may shallow fry, deep fry, or bake. Vegetables, chips, and small pieces of meat can be cooked.

Automatic Rotating Basket

The more handy models of air fryers have a self-rotating basket. The food is rotated automatically for uniform cooking and browning. They come with additional attachments for grilling, roasting, and baking.

Is Air Frying a Healthier Alternative?

Although the health quotient is determined by how wholesome the food you’re cooking is, nonetheless, the option of cooking with less or minimal oil is a healthier choice. Air fryers offer a healthier way of cooking without compromising the taste. Less oil means easy food digestion and fewer calories.

Different Types of Air Fryers

The air fryer has been around for quite some time in the growing world of countertop kitchen appliances. There are so many options for air fryers to choose from on the market. Each type of air fryer has a different range of cooking functions and features.

By careful study of specifications, you can choose an air fryer that suits your lifestyle and requirements. There are single-basket air fryers, double-basket air fryers, and oven-style air fryers with advanced cooking options.

Basket-Style Air Fryers

Basket-style air fryers have a tub or basket that holds your food. You can slide the basket in and out of the body of the appliance for convenient handling. Such air fryers can have dual baskets. 

Dual air fryer baskets help cook different foods at different temperature settings and are synced to finish cooking at the same time. The baskets are removable and generally dishwasher safe. The size of such baskets generally ranges from 2 to 5 quarts.

These air fryers are best for cooking small portions of food. They are the basics, and the starting models of air fryers are often affordable.

Oven-Style Air Fryers

Oven-style air fryers or multi-ovens have multiple shelves for air frying. The multiple shelves not only increase cooking capacity but allow the cooking of different foods. The air fryer ovens can usually fit a whole chicken. However, you need to check and rotate the food for uniform cooking. 

These multi-ovens have advanced cooking functions and multiple attachments for a variety of foods. They come with many presets and cooking options, such as baking, roasting, toasting, broiling, and dehydrating. Consequently, they are much costlier.

How much do Air Fryers Cost? 

Normally, the more you are willing to spend, the more cooking functions and better quality you can expect from a product. However, it is worth considering that there is no guarantee that an expensive air fryer is also the best. The price range can vary as per the brand, size, features, and functions the air fryer offers.

Additionally, digital air fryers tend to cost more than mechanical air fryers. The build material also determines the cost; a stainless steel model may be pricier than a plastic model. You can get a basic air fryer for $50 or less. The high-end hybrid models can cost you as much as $300 or more.

You can also choose to go for bargain brands or look for special sales and offers. Many air fryers are affordable and can fulfill basic cooking requirements.

Who should buy an Air fryer? 

Having an air fryer can be handy for individuals or people with smaller families. Students living in hostels or working individuals in studio apartments find it convenient. It can be a solution in an RV or camper van with no oven.

If you are someone who is constantly reheating foods or cooking frozen food, an air fryer can be a lifesaver. Since it quickly heats small portions of food. People who like to experiment with cooking methods will also enjoy an air fryer for its versatility. It also doesn’t heat the kitchen like an oven does.

However, people who frequently have guests over or people with large families would be better with a conventional oven or grill. People who like battered food may also not like an air fryer.

How to select an Air Fryer? 

Since there are so many types of air fryers available on the market, you may get overwhelmed. Instead of making an impulsive purchase, it is wise to do some market research. This ensures you buy an air fryer that is suitable for you and your kitchen.

Space

The air fryers come in a variety of sizes and forms. Start by checking how much counter space you have available for the air fryer. Some models have a top-opening lid. Thus, there should be ample space to open the lid and use the air fryer. 

Many people use their air fryers regularly. So, they may not want to put the air fryer inside the cupboard after every use. In that case, the air fryer will need a permanent space in the kitchen. However, some people rarely use your air fryer. Thus, you should look for a model that is easy to store and fits in your cupboard.

Size

When you are buying an air fryer, the first thing that comes to mind is what size it should be. There are some thumb rules you can follow and change as per your preference. 

If you are cooking for 1 to 2 people regularly, an air fryer of 1 to 2 quarts (0.9 to 1.9 liters) should suffice. Keep adding one quart for each person for the final size. 

Usually, in a smaller air fryer, the food heats up in less time compared to a bigger one. A larger air fryer has to heat more space and food. Consequently, more heat dissipates in the process. Thus, a small air fryer can be more efficient and effective in terms of performance. It is worth considering that batch cooking is required in small fryers for large quantities of food.

Total Cooking Capacity

One mistake that first-time buyers can make is being confused by capacity. Often, the capacity or volume claimed by the company can be vague. This happens when measurements of the whole interior are mentioned instead of the actual cooking space capacity. You may want to double-check to find out the actual amount of food you will be able to cook. 

Cleaning 

An air fryer is usually designed to be simple and easy to clean. Generally, most fryer parts and attachments can be cleaned in a dishwasher. You can also clean them in the kitchen sink, provided you use non-abrasive cleaners if they have a non-stick coating. It takes only 1 to 2 minutes to clean them by hand.

Controls

An air fryer can either have manual controls or digital controls. Manual controls are often simple and basic. They usually consist of a temperature-setting dial and a time-setting dial. The dial doesn’t offer much precision. Consider buying an air fryer that has a timer of more than 30 minutes. A longer timer helps avoid setting the timer repeatedly for longer recipes. 

Digital air fryers often have touch controls and a display screen. They have precise time and cooking temperature settings. Many presets for cooking different recipes are also included. Consider buying a model that has a user-friendly digital interface. 

Choosing one type of control over the other is a personal preference. The control system has minimal impact on performance and the cooking process. To make a decision, consider how comfortable you are using a digital interface.

Although digital air fryers come with presets, it may still take some trial and error to perfect a recipe.

Air Fryer vs. Oven

Overall, an air fryer is energy efficient as compared to an oven. Their small size provides quick heating without much loss. Additionally, the heating element is close to the food basket. Mostly, they complete the cooking process in less time as compared to an oven. 

Nevertheless, a conventional oven is better if you are cooking large amounts of food. Because of the large quantity of food, you have to batch-cook in an air fryer. This not only takes a lot of effort and time but also consumes more energy. Besides, in an oven, the complete meal can be cooked at once to avoid reheating it later.

What to cook in an Air Fryer?

You can cook food items that you usually prepare by deep frying. Mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, french fries, and fish sticks. You can also roast vegetables. Sweet potatoes, stuffed peppers, and cauliflower florets can all be cooked quickly.

It can cook many appetizers and side dishes and transform a simple dinner into a feast. It is also a great way to cook pre-fried frozen foods, including chicken tenders and battered fish. However, leafy vegetables should not be cooked in an air fryer because they tend to dry out and lose all nutritional value.

People who enjoy experimenting with and developing new cooking techniques love air fryers. They usually share ways to make full use of an air fryer through social networking and online classes. 

Air Fryer- Elevate your Cooking Style

Having an air fryer can improve your cooking style and experience. They can make tasks such as cooking frozen foods and reheating super convenient and time efficient. If you are someone who is overwhelmed by cooking, an air fryer can be a lifesaver. 

Some people don’t have much time to cook meals, so an air fryer is not only time-saving but a healthy cooking alternative. Whether you choose a basket style or multi-oven air fryer largely depends on your requirements. 

The number of family members, available kitchen space, budget, cooking style, and what you want to cook all weigh into the final decision. Sometimes, air fryers also have a transparent window, so you can check progress during cooking. Additionally, energy-efficient air fryers are more popular. They help keep your electricity consumption in check. Read our other blog Delicious Tim Hortons Timbits Flavors You Must Try.