Airfryer advantages and disadvantages – Foods Guy (2023)

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Air fryers have become an incredibly popular kitchen appliance that claims to produce crispy, crispy foods without all the oil and calories found in deep-fried foods.

But are they worth the hype? How do airfryers compare to air fryers, ovens and microwaves?

Air fryers are great, but they don't exactly mimic deep-fried foods. They're more like handy mini convection ovens that cook food quickly, create a crispy texture, and are pretty handy.

So what are the pros and cons of the air fryer?The benefits of cooking with an airfryer are: they use less oil, are less messy, and require less manual cooking than an air fryer. They also use less energy and cook faster than a regular oven, and you can use them like a microwave to heat food.

The downsides of an airfryer are: they're smaller than a regular oven so they're not the best for larger families, they don't cook all the veggies evenly, they can take up a lot of counter or storage space, and they can be expensive.

Keep reading to learn about all the ins and outs of cooking with an airfryer, how airfryers work, and whether it's the right appliance for your kitchen needs.

How do air fryers work?

Although the name might make you think you need to use a lot of oil,Airfryers are basically mini convection ovens that circulate super hot air to create crispy foods that you place in them, with little to no oil..

The whole purpose of aair fryeris to make food crispy, like a deep fryer, but without using tons of oil or fat, so the final product is lighter and fresher than something deep fried. Dry heat is used for this.

Airfryers use dry heat in the form of circulating hot air to cook foods crispy, similar to a deep fryer without hot oil.

It's a very practical process: place the food in the airfryer basket or on the grill, press the timer button and remove the food when you hear a beep. Comfortable!

Advantages of cooking with Airfryer

Now that we know how an airfryer works, it's time to look at some of the advantages of cooking with an airfryer over something like a deep fryer, microwave or even an oven.

There are countless ways to use an airfryer to prepare delicious meals and snacks in no time.

Because airfryers are basically powerful mini convection ovens, they can often cook your food much faster than a regular oven..

They're also great for anyone looking for an alternative to frying that requires less oil, makes less of a mess, and takes less time to cook.

Read on to learn more about the benefits of cooking with aair fryer.

1. Air fryers use less oil than air fryers

One of the reasons air fryers have become so popular is because they are marketed as a healthier alternative to deep frying that still provides a crispy, crispy outside with a soft, fluffy interior.

Something to keep in mind is that when you air fry food, the outside of the food is not as crispy as it is when you fry it. However, the difference in calories and fat content is quite large.

Some estimates claim that outdoor fried foods have up to 70% fewer calories and a big difference in fat content.

Depending on the food you fry, it can only contain 3% fat, while some fried foods can contain up to 24% fat, which is a big difference..

If you want to control your fat intake, deep frying might be the best choice for you.

2. Air fryers cook faster than ovens

One thing I like about my airfryer is that it really doesn't need preheating, and because it's so powerful, it cooks food much faster than my regular oven..

That speed means I get home late from work and need a mealFASTI can throw some veggies and nuggets (or chicken or fish) in the airfryer and within 20 minutes I have a delicious, crispy dinner on the table.

3. Air fryers use less electricity than ovens

Depending on how many people you need to cook, an airfryer can be an energy-saving alternative to using the oven for every meal.

Because it is much smaller and cooks much faster than a regular oven, you can save a lot of energy if you use the airfryer..

4. Air fryers are less messy than air fryers

While nothing compares to the luscious, delicious richness of perfectly fried food, sometimes the mess and clean-up that comes with using an air fryer just isn't worth the effort.

A deep fryer requires you to constantly dispose of and replace your cooking oil, which can be a messy and unpleasant process. You can also splash a lot of oil during cooking, which can cause intensive cleaning.

Deep fryers also emit a lot of oil into the air as the food steams and cooks. This oil can then be spread all over the kitchen, which means that cleaning shouldn't just be transferred to the surroundings of the fryer.

And don't forget to clean the fryer basket, the fryer itself, the tongs and everything else you used while frying. It all adds up really fast!

When it comes to aair fryermost models on the market have dishwasher safe parts.

These parts are dishwasher safe (after they cool down!), making cleanup a breeze. Parts that cannot be placed in the dishwasher should generally be wiped gently with a damp cloth..

No oil splatter or frying oil needs to be thrown away, making everyday cleanup so much easier with an airfryer!

5. You can use your Airfryer as a microwave oven

One of my favorite uses for myair fryerit heats up my food quickly and easily.

Instead of turning on the oven and letting something heat up for more than 20 minutes or putting it in the microwave and getting a soggy texture, I just pop my leftovers in the airfryer..

I have everything from leftover taco fillings to chicken thighs to veggies and even soups (just pop them in an ovenproof dish) in my airfryer and the results are always fantastic!

I don't usually reheat on the highest heat, especially if I put the soup in a glass container, but it usually only takes a few minutes to reheat my food until it's almost as perfect as it was when it was cooked. cooked first.

When heating food in the microwave, it tends to get soggy and can have an odd texture (except soup, which is obviously already wet), and the oven can take a long time and consume a lot of energy.

So the airfryer works perfectly!

6. Frying requires more hands than frying

When it comes to preparing food in a deep fryer, it takes a lot of time and effort. You can't just throw some food in the fryer and walk away or you'll likely end up with burnt food at best and a grease fire at worst.

The ability to cook without the intervention of an airfryer is a real benefit, especially if you tend to multitask in the kitchen.

You can simply toss the food into the airfryer in one layer, select the right function or time for what you're cooking and go..

Some models may require you to shake or rotate the food halfway through, but there's a handy beep to remind you to do this. It takes a few seconds and then you can get on with your other household or kitchen tasks.

Air fryers can cook batches of food a little faster than an air fryer, but you'll need to stand over them the entire time to make sure the hot oil doesn't splatter or burn the food.

Using a fryer is also more labor intensive than an air fryer for the following reasons:

• You have to use a lot of oil
• You must discard the oil after cooking with it.
• To get rid of frying fumes, you need a kitchen with good ventilation.
• It can leave greasy residue in your kitchen

That's not to say deep-frying is better or worse than air-frying, but those extra steps are something to consider if you want to get to the table quickly and without a lot of cooking time.

Disadvantages of cooking with an Airfryer

While it shouldn't come as a surprise at this point that we love air fryers, there are some drawbacks to this cooking method that you should consider before investing in an air fryer for your home kitchen. Keep reading to find out more!

1. An Airfryer doesn't take up as much space as an oven

If you cook for more than 3 or 4 people, an airfryer might not be the best option for you, as most are relatively small compared to something like a convection oven..

While you can put a chicken and a few trays of vegetables in a regular oven, with an airfryer you'll have to choose one or the other as you can't fit both at the same time.

This smaller size means that if you are cooking for a large audience, everything must be done one at a time.

That said, there are some larger models (e.g.to be) that you can use if you plan on cooking just the side dishes or the main course in the airfryer and using the hotplate or other methods for the rest of the meal.

I wouldn't say size is a total deal breaker, but it's definitely something to consider if you have a larger family that you regularly cook for.

2. Airfryers don't cook all vegetables perfectly

I love my airfryer and I cook about 95% of my veggies in it and I get a result that is perfectly cooked and crispy on the outside. However, there are a number of vegetables that I find to perform worse in an airfryer: Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

This may be a personal preference, but I find that when I pan-sear my Brussels sprouts, the outside gets a little burnt and the inside is a little dry instead of soft and creamy like when I roast them. the oven.

I found similar results with broccoli. The outside gets charred while the inside dries out and also stays nice and crispy.

It's like the outside is overcooked and the center is still raw. This texture can be great if you like it, but that's allnofor me!!

If you tend to cook a lot of broccoli and Brussels sprouts, an airfryer might not be the best option.

That said, everything from green beans to potatoes and beets taste great in the airfryer, so it really depends on what you'll be using primarily.

3. Air fryers take up a lot of counter or storage space

While this drawback doesn't have much to do with how the airfryer cooks, it's still an important consideration depending on how much space is left in the kitchen.

Airfryers are not the smallest appliances and can take up a lot of space on the countertop or in cupboards.

If space is at a premium, you should consider whether you will use your airfryer enough to balance the space it takes up.In my case, I use my airfryers 2-3 times a day, so it basically sits on my countertop.

That's because I use it to heat up leftovers to make them crispy, I use it as a toaster, I use it to dehydrate, it has a skewer function and I live alone so it's the perfect size for my meals.

If you don't think you'll use it more than once or twice a week and don't have a lot of space, it's worth considering whether it's worth it.

4. Air fryers can be expensive

Finally, a good quality air fryer can cost upwards of $100, depending on what features you want, how big you want it, and how nice you want it to look..

Again, this does not affect the style or quality of cooking, but it is an important consideration when purchasing appliances.

Think about what you plan to useair fryerbefore and if it ends up in the back of the closet and collects dust.

If you're interested in trying one out before you buy, perhaps see if a friend or relative has one you can borrow for a few days.

If you can try one on before you buy it, you can gauge whether you'll actually use it and whether it's worth the price.

If you're new to air fryers and looking for some great recipes to try, check out this super helpful video from the folks at Lekker!

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