ARE AIR FRYERS REALLY WORTH IT?

Reliablecounter Team

Hot air frying is a new cooking approach which allows you to deep fry, grill and roast without the use of abundant and copious amounts of fat and oil. You can get that deep-fried taste and texture without the actual grease.

Hot air frying machines are the first real kitchen innovation since the 1970s, when we acquired slow cookers and microwaves. Since their launch in 2010, they have been slowly gaining popularity all over the world and recently, they appear to be on the wish lists of foodies everywhere.

 

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN AIR FRYER?

Licensed by Philips Electronics Company, an air fryer is a popular handy kitchen appliance which is used to make fried foods such as meat, pastries and potato chips.

Air fryers are designed and structured in a way that the top of the unit holds a heating mechanism and a fan. Hot air rushes down and around food placed in a fryer-style basket. This extremely hot air is circulated in a style that mimics the movement and flow of heat currents in a pot of boiling oil, to crisp up the outsides of food while cooking it inside. In other words, an air fryer works by circulating hot air that contains fine oil droplets around the food to produce a crunchy, crispy exterior. Cleanup is super easy as well, and most units have a dishwasher safe basket with them.

The process of air frying results in a chemical reaction known as the Maillard effect, a reaction which occurs between an amino acid and a reducing sugar in the presence of heat. It results alterations in the color and flavor of foods.

Air fryers are not a fad because they are not going away anytime soon because crispy fried food made with little or no oil is a deliciously tempting offer, and what they claim to do.

 

PROS OF AIR FRYING:

There are a number of reasons for you to invest in an air fryer. Some of these pros include:

  1. Air frying gives us fried food, which we love, by reducing the health risk and not destroying the taste.
  2. Your food after air frying is healthier. You do not need to use much (or any) oil in these appliances to get your food crispy and browned. No oil means no mess and less fat.
  3. Air-fried foods are promoted as a healthy alternative to deep-fried foods, because of their lower content of fat and calories. In fact, most people reduce their calorie intake by 70 to 80 percent, on average, when air frying and some manufacturers also claim that using an air fryer can cut the fat content of fried foods by up to 75%.
  4. Air frying provides quick, more efficient cooking as they take just minutes to preheat, and most of the heat stays inside the appliance. Foods are cooked faster than in an oven or on a stove top because this heat is not lost to the surrounding air.
  5. Even frozen foods are quickly done because the effect of the heat is intensified by the circulating air.
  6. Since making use of a fryer will not heat up your house in the summer, the cost of the electricity used is just pennies.
  7. Most air fryers are designed to be really easy to use. You Just have to set the cooking temperature and time, put your food in the basket and walk away.
  8. Air fryers are more than just fryers because they can be used to air fry, stir fry, reheat, bake, broil, roast, grill, steam and even rotisserie in some models. Besides the fries and nuggets, you can make hot dogs and sausages, steak, chicken breasts or thighs, grilled sandwiches, stir-fried meats and veggies, roasted or steamed veggies, all kinds of fish and shrimp dishes, even cakes and desserts.
  9. If you have picky vegetable eaters at home, such as kids, air-frying is a great way to crisp up veggies and make them tastier.
  10. Air-frying usually won’t fill your home with the smell of fried foods for hours, the way deep frying does because some air fryers are built with an integrated air filter that eliminates those unwanted vapors and food odors from spreading around your house.
  11. To make sure you get the most out of your appliance, most air fryers are accompanied with a recipe book to help you get started right away on your journey of fast, yet healthy meal preparations.

 

CONS OF AIR FRYING:

Whereas the air fryer has its benefits, there also are a few disadvantages which might make you think twice about buying an air fryer. These include:

  1. You cannot make anything with a liquid batter, unless you freeze it first.
  2. You cannot make anything in large quantities because most air fryers are best suited to making food for 1-4 people, so if you are planning on feeding a family, be prepared to cook in batches.
  3. The air fryer is not a small appliance and you’ll have to give up valuable storage (or counter) space to have one.
  4. Air fryers are mostly made from plastic and inexpensive metal parts. They may stop working after months or years of use.
  5. Even though they are easy to use, there a few learning curves therefore it may take you a few trials before getting the desired results.
  6. Air-fryers produce high temperatures at a very rapid rate, thus making it extremely easy to burn food. And charred food may be carcinogenic.
  7. While air frying will give you results much closer to deep frying than your oven will, at the end of the day, it’s still not the same.

Hence, air fryers are not for everyone to enjoy. While they have their numerous benefits, eating too much air fried food on a regular basis can lead to adverse health conditions because air-fried foods are still fried foods. We know for a fact that air fryers are a better alternative to deep fryers, limiting your intake of fried foods altogether is the best option when it comes to your health.