Everything you need to know about Air Fryers
The latest must-have kitchen appliance, air fryers, are taking the world by storm. You’ve likely heard about them from friends or family who rave about how quick and easy they make mealtimes. But if you’re not sure if an air fryer is right for you, we’re here to fill in a few gaps and help you make an informed decision.
What is an air fryer?
Before we get into the mechanics of how air fryers work, let’s start with a quick overview. An air fryer is a plug-in appliance that sits on your counter and cooks your food with convection heat, just like an oven does. However, air fryers are more efficient than conventional ovens, cooking your food faster while using less power.
With the cost of living crisis, it’s easy to see why they’ve been adopted by so many UK families.
How do air fryers work?
Unlike deep-fat fryers that submerge food in oil, air fryers cook food using convection (circulated) heat. You place your food into a basket, and hot air is pushed through the heating mechanism by the fan, rapidly cooking the food.
This process gives your food a crispy finish, just like traditional frying, but without the need for excessive oil. For this reason, air fryers are considered a healthier alternative to traditional food preparation methods like deep frying or pan frying.
If you’re interested in the science behind this, read more about the Maillard reaction.
What is the difference between an air fryer and a convection oven?
While ovens and air fryers both use convection heat for cooking, there are significant differences in how efficiently they do it.
As they’re larger, ovens take significantly more time to get to heat, impacting your power bill. This is an acceptable trade-off if you have a full oven’s worth of food to cook, but it makes it inefficient if you’re cooking a small meal that doesn’t use the oven’s full capacity.
In contrast, air fryers have a much smaller capacity, and so reach their target heat in a matter of minutes. Thanks to their compact size and superior efficiency, some small households are opting to ditch their oven completely!
Small enough to fit on a countertop or stored in a cupboard when not in use, many busy professionals, couples or elderly people find they can replace their old oven with a dishwasher or dryer to make better use of their space.
ElectroCare stocks a wide range of air fryers in different capacities to suit all homes.
Is food from an air fryer healthier?
Like any frying method, air fryers work best when a small amount of oil is introduced; however, many foods contain their own oils, which negates the need to add any. This makes air fryers a lower-calorie cooking method than deep-fat or shallow frying.
A simple change in how you cook your food can dramatically reduce the calorie content of your favourite foods.
How do I use an air fryer?
Gadget lovers will love the air fryer and find most have very intuitive controls; however, if you’ve always relied on your oven, you might be wondering how tricky the process is. Rest assured that using an air fryer is very simple (and significantly less dangerous than cooking with hot oil).
Step One. Place your food into the air fryer basket.
Air fryers come in a variety of styles so that you can choose one that meets your needs. While two drawer units and shelved options exist, the most common style is a single basket that slides into the unit. Most air fryers can fit 2-4 servings of food, but take care not to overcrowd the basket as it will reduce the efficiency of the machine.
Step Two. Set the time and temperature.
Due to their small size, air fryer cooking times range from as little as 5-25 minutes using a temperature of 175° to 200°. There’s no need to preheat your air fryer, as they heat up incredibly quickly.
Step Three. Cook your meal.
Depending on the food you’re cooking, you may want to turn your food halfway through cooking to help it cook evenly, however, the instruction manual will let you know whether this is necessary with your machine.
Step Four. Clean your appliance.
After cooking your meal, it’s important to give your air fryer a quick clean. Simply use a sponge or soft cloth with a little water and washing liquid to wipe out any residue.
Shop air fryers at ElectroCare
If you’re ready to try an air fryer, you’ll find a great range of options at Electrocare. We stock trusted brands such as Tefal, Comfee and MasterChef, and offer flexible finance options.
