There’s been a popular trend in recent years for people to ditch their traditional deep fryers and replace them with air fryers. This has mainly been fueled by the widespread and largely justified perception that air fryers are healthier.
While air fryers do have some limitations regarding the types of foods that they can cook and tasks they can perform, they need far less oil than deep-fat fryers, resulting in meals that contain lower amounts of fat and calories,
This article lists and looks at 10 positives of using air fryers.
10 Benefits of Cooking With an Air Fryer
Here are 10 advantages:
- Healthier
- Crispier food
- Faster
- Less messy
- Safer
- More versatile
- Don’t spread heat and odor
- More compact
- Affordable
- Easier to use
I examine each benefit in more detail below.
- Healthier
The main health benefit of cooking with an air fryer is that they use far less oil than a deep fryer. Much of the oil used also drains away and isn’t absorbed by the food. This means that you consume less fat and calories.
The convection process employed by these fryers promotes a chemical effect known as the Maillard reaction, which leads to browning. As well as improving the appearance, this has the effect of making the food very tasty, despite there being less fat.
- Crispier Food
One of the the most desirable traits of air fryers is their ability to produce crispy food without oil frying. They achieve this by using convection-style heating to envelop food in a perforated basket or on a rack with super-hot air on all sides.
This makes air fryers perfect for creating crispy French fries, onion rings, fish sticks, and other types of foods that are traditionally fried.
An air fryer produces crispier results than a standard convection oven in part because it can surround all sides of the food, and partly because the fryer basket enables any fat to drip away making the food drier and crispier.
- Faster
Because of the way that they work, air fryers cook much faster than most of the traditional alternative methods. The intense heat generated is kept inside the fryer and constantly circulated, making the cooking process speedy.
Many models also don’t require to be preheated before use, or have a very brief preheat time. Depending on the specific foods, cooking time reductions can be in excess of 30-50% when compared with a regular oven.
- Less Messy
Air fryers are far less messy than deep fryers. That’s because there’s only a minimal amount of oil needed for the cooking process and it’s this that causes much of the mess.
The easiest way to clean an air fryer is by using a soft bristle brush, dishwashing soap, and some water.
- Safer
As air fryers are self-contained devices and, as there isn’t a lot of hot fat involved in the cooking process, air fryers are generally safer. There’s less concern about splashes and burns.
Machines are also designed to shut off after the timer ends to stop the food from burning.
- More Versatile
The vast majority of foods that are traditionally cooked in a deep fryer can be prepared by an air fryer just as well, or even better. There are many different recipes to try. Baked goods, vegetables, and steaks work surprisingly well.
- Don’t Spread Heat and Odor
Air fryers hold in the heat, so they don’t increase the temperature of your kitchen area like a traditional oven does. This trait is particularly useful if you live in a smaller house or apartment.
The minimal amounts of oil required also means that there aren’t the strong odors being spread that can result from deep frying.
- More Compact
Air fryers are relatively small kitchen appliances, barely bigger than toasters. They are great for situations where size can be an issue, such as in a smaller kitchen.
They are also easily transportable, so can be used on a campsite, or in an RV or camper when traveling.
- Affordable
Considering how useful and versatile air fryers are, they are surprisingly inexpensive to buy. They are typically available at online retailers for somewhere between $50 and $150.
However, I would advise opting for quality, even if that costs you a little more, and I would stay away from the cheaper models.
- Easier to Use
Air fryers are generally very straightforward to use and require very little monitoring when cooking. You simply set the temperature and time, place the food inside the basket and allow the fryer to do its job.
There are lots of easy recipes to refer to, should you need any inspiration. I find cooking vegetables in the fryer to be particularly straightforward and satisfying, the roasting effect makes them turn out tasty.
Are Air Fryers Better for the Environment?
Air fryers are more energy efficient than most cooking devices. As they keep heat from escaping and cook faster, they use less electricity than traditional ovens and deep fryers.
Air fryers also require lower amounts of oil, so there is less to dispose of, which is also good for the environment.
