Why are air fryers gaining traction nowadays? It’s probably because air fryers are an alternative to deep fryers, which turn out unhealthy and greasy food. The best air fryer does the conventional fryer’s work, without the oil.
Air fryers use hot air, not oil, to circulate and cook the food at the same time, resulting in an even browning. For a healthier lifestyle, an air fryer would be a good investment.
Air Fryer Reviews
Philips Digital Air Fryer HD9240/94
Philips Air Fryer HD9240/94 features a digital touchscreen interface with temperature setting up to 390°F and 60-minute timer. It allows fast, healthy and even cooking using less oil. Its 2.65-pound capacity makes it an ideal air fryer for large families.
DeLonghi FH1363 MultiFry Extra
DeLonghi’s FH1363 air fryer and multi-cooker uses a patented surround cooking system, allowing you to cook healthier foods evenly and quickly. Its 60-oz capacity is ideal for large families and groups. Its automatic mixing process helps you cook without stirring.
Philips Air Fryer HD9230/26
Air Fryer HD9230/26 by Philips uses a digital touchscreen interface for easy adjustment of timer and temperature setting. This multi-purpose cooker comes with a free double layer rack. Its 1.8-lbs. capacity can feed 2 people with average appetite.
T-fal FZ7002 ActiFry
T-fal FZ7002 is an easy-to-operate multi-cooker, which lets you cook tasty and healthier foods up to 2.2 lbs per batch. It has a simple on/off switch and a digital timer with buzzer. It uses a transparent lid for easy viewing.
DeLonghi FH1163 MultiFry
DeLonghi FH1163 Multifry features a surround heating system for fast and even cooking. It comes with removable and dishwasher-safe bowl, paddle, and lid. Its 3.3-lb capacity is great for cooking large batches. It uses a transparent lid for easy monitoring.
Philips Air Fryer 9220/26
Air Fryer 9220/26 by Philips comes with a manual dial for setting 60-minute timer and temperature up to 390°F. It has a small, 1.8-lb capacity, which is just right for two people. It’s multi-purpose like most typical air fryers.
Elite Platinum EAF-1506D Air Fryer
Maximatic’s Elite Platinum EAF-1506D features a digital touch screen technology with 60-minute timer and 6 menu settings. Its 2.5L capacity makes it a good choice for large meals and snacks. It uses water vapors for oil-free and quick cooking.
Avalon Bay AB-AirFryer200SS
AB-AirFryer200SS by Avalon Bay facilitates fast, even and healthy cooking without oil. It features a digital touch screen interface with a 30-minute timer. Its 3.2L cooking capacity makes it an efficient kitchen equipment for typical families.
BLACK+DECKER HF110SBD Air Fryer
Black+Decker’s HF110SBD black Air Fryer features dual convection fans for quick cooking and crispy yet moist fried dishes. It has a 60-minute timer and temperature customization up to 400°F. It 2-L capacity is just right for 1 or 2 persons.
GoWISE USA Electric Air Fryer GW22611
Electric Air Fryer GW22611 by GoWISE USA features a digital interface with 8-setting options for various cooking needs. You can use it to fry, bake, grill and warm foods faster. Its cooking capacity per batch is good for 2 persons.
Types of Air Fryer
Air fryer is a revolutionized kitchen appliance designed to cook food by circulating superheated air. It utilizes rapid air technology in cooking foods usually deep-fried in oil. It has different types including:
Paddle-type – This promotes a “set and forget it” kind of cooking. It turns food over for you, allowing you to do other things. Aside from air frying, it can also do liquid dishes (ex. risottos and curries).
Basket-type – a dedicated air fryer which cooks food in a basket and features a handle that promotes ease in tossing foods from time to time. This means your intervention is crucial in the cooking process. It works gently on coated and battered foods like onion rings.
Static air fryer – When used in cooking, expect the food to stay stationary while the hot air the machine produces circulates around it. It works ideally in cooking cutlets, samosas, sausages, and the like.
Halogen air fryer – This uses special halogen light bulb as heating element, not the usual heating coils. One advantage is that the bright light within the cooking chamber and its transparent glass cover make you clearly see the progress of the food you’re cooking.
Air frying is one of the healthiest ways to cook food because it does not require you to deeply submerge them in excessive amounts of oil. Just make sure to pick the right type of air fryer, which will suit your needs.
Reasons to Have an Air Fryer
There are several reasons why it is worth your time and money to research about the different air fryers and invest on a reliable model. Top five reasons are the following:
Multifunctional – An air fryer can do many things. It works in frying, grilling, roasting and baking. It also has the ability of cooking multiple dishes at once, and in just a few minutes.
Healthier dishes – It can prepare healthier dishes since you can cook foods without the need to use fattening and unhealthy oils. It can produce dishes with 80% less fat than those cooked using other fryers.
No mess and grease – The fact that you won’t need any oil in cooking can lessen or eliminate mess and grease. It cooks food using hot air – no oils that can only cause greasy mess and stains on your fingers and plates.
Speed – Air fryer can prepare your desired foods in just a few minutes. For instance, you can cook pizza within just seven minutes. No need to wait for around 25 minutes just like when cooking it in an oven.
Versatile and sleek – It can easily fit in any kitchen. In comparison to a microwave, its dimensions and design are sleeker. You can let it settle in your tabletop or in any other room.
How to Select an Air Fryer?
When planning to invest in a good air fryer, there are a few factors that you have to take note of with the following as the most important ones:
Capacity – Determine the amount and types of food you plan to cook in it. Most models can cook around 1.8 to 2.5 lbs. of food. This is usually enough for daily cooking, but if you plan to cook more often, then look for one with a bigger capacity.
Size – Go for one, which perfectly fits in your kitchen counter. It shouldn’t be too large that it can make your kitchen counter look crowded.
Fryer settings – Choose one with clear control display settings, which is useful in adjusting temperature, switch mode and timing. A countdown timer is also a good feature because it ensures fast and secure cooking.
Cooking style – The cooking style depends on the air fryer type – whether you choose the paddle, basket, static or halogen type. Choose one, which perfectly meets your preferred cooking style.
Ease of cleaning – Find out if the air fryer has parts that are easy to clean and are dishwasher-safe. This makes it more convenient to use.
Ease of use – Some air fryers have analog buttons while others are digital featuring touch screen icons and preset programs. If it’s hard for you to control the analog buttons, then go for the digital model with smart LED control panel.
Tips in Using an Air Fryer
Preheat it for around three minutes – Do this tip prior to cooking. Preheating the air fryer for around three minutes will ensure that it can deliver your desired temperature.
Set adequate space for hot air to pass through – Provide enough space – around 1/2–inch room – around the bottom part of the basket when setting multiple ingredients for proper air circulation.
Use the right temperature – Make sure to set the air fryer at the recommended temperature based on the food you plan to prepare. This will ensure good results.
Shake the basket several times – It is preferable to do this tip in the middle of cooking. This helps ensure that you’ll cook your foods evenly.
Follow the recommended cooking time – Max set-up time is usually thirty minutes. Snacks, on the other hand, take around six to ten minutes to cook.
Clean it regularly – This will maintain its good condition for a long time. For the exterior, use a moist cloth to clean it up. For the interiors, cleaning it with a soft sponge and hot water is usually enough.
