Air fryers have been popular recently and there are seemingly endless types of air fryers, choosing the perfect air fryer for your kitchen might be challenging. To make the best choice, you need to consider the air fryer’s size, power, temperature range and cleaning convenience. If you’re about to buy an air fryer for the first time, or if you’re looking to replace yours, this guide will give you the best of the best in terms of features based on what the experts think are the most important.
Air fryers are convenient and user-friendly for families. There are numerous models that come with preset options for popular dishes and all you have to do is press the button and let the machine do the work for you. Apart from frying, most air fryers can also roast, bake, and even dehydrate food, thus they are a multi tasking appliance for versatile cooking. With non-stick and dishwasher safe parts included in most models, your cleaning up process will be much quicker and easier !
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that uses hot air circulation to cook food, giving you a healthier option than traditional frying. Crucially, it produces a crispy outer layer and uses little to no oil by circulating hot air around the food at high speeds like frying. Air fryers are the most basic: they have a heating element and fan, and the hot air whips around the food, rapidly cooking it on an even basis and leaving a golden, crunchy exterior.
Key factors to consider when buying an Air Fryer
When thinking about what air fryer to buy, a few things can help you choose the best model for your needs. This goes from the size and capacity, to the features and whether a product has temperature control or is easy to clean. Here are some of the factors you should look into when searching for an air fryer:
Capacity and size of the model
Capacity and size are two important factors you want to consider when buying an air fryer. For example, if you are only preparing a couple of dishes usually then you can opt for a smaller model of 2 to 4 quarts should be ideal. With a sleek and small model, it’s easy to store or put in small kitchens. While for families and preparing large meals then an air fryer with 5 to 7 quart capacity will be a suitable choice.
Impressive features of an air fryer
What makes air fryers so popular nowadays? Thanks to its incredible features offered to users, air fryers have been an essential item in every household. Every air fryer has a built-in rapid air technology, circulating hot air to achieve a crispy texture with minimal oil, making it a healthier alternative to traditional frying methods.
Not only is it healthier to cook with an air fryer but most models are also user-friendly, they usually come with preset cooking programs for fries, chicken and vegetables that automatically set time and temperature. But the high end of the scale often comes with many options for multi-cooker functionality with baking, roasting, grilling and even dehydrating to give you the ability to prepare a huge variety of meals and snacks.
Easy cleaning and maintenance
Most highly-advanced air fryer models come with non-stick, dishwasher safe baskets and trays, ensuring that food won’t stick and leave easy cleanup. The parts are easily removed and placed in the dishwasher for daily maintenance, and using non-stick coatings, a lot less scrubbing is required. These parts also help prevent food particles and grease slip up on the machine.
The heating element can also be cleaned softly to prevent any buildup, and even trace odors can be removed by running the air fryer with a slice of lemon inside. Taking good care of the appliance keeps it working well and adding years to its working lifespan, making proper care a low maintenance working tool.
Cost-effective and excellent performance
Besides its impressive features, air fryers are shown to be excellent at cooking all types of dishes in the most convenient way. Because these air fryers only require a small amount of oil (or even none at all) to produce a crispy, fried texture, air fryers not only make healthier cooking easier, but at a reduced price too. It can save you a lot of money both on the ingredients and on the energy, so maybe air fryers are a good value for the money.
Speaking of saving money, air fryers are also a cost-effective option for your kitchen. Despite its cheap costs, air fryers are well known for producing similarly high quality results in terms of cooking style including roasting, baking, and even dehydrating. Some models have built in programs that make it easier to cook certain popular dishes, while the ability to adjust temperature and timer for other recipes add precision.
What are the types of air fryers?
There are many types of air fryers available, each version created for a specific preference and kitchen set up. Here are the main types:
Basket Air Fryers
Basket air fryers have a pull out basket for food to be placed and cooked in. Usually, these models are small and small to operate, so it can be perfect for a kitchen that is small or quick eating. For example, they’re best for foods that get more evenly crisp by being shaken a bit mid-cook, like fries or chicken wings.
Oven-Style Air Fryers:
Often with several racks these mimic a mini convection oven and can cook more than one item at a time. Larger, and use more counter space, but offer additional versatility featuring multiple cooking functions like baking or roasting, and toasting. If you cook larger amounts of food at time, basket models leave you with little in the way of cooking space, but this type is great for families or just those who often enjoy cooking.
Paddle Air Fryers
Paddle air fryers will have an automatic stirring paddle that will move the food around while cooking, resulting in even cooking with no shaker or flip of the food required. Because this type of utensil provides continuous movement, it’s particularly helpful for foods like stir fry or risotto, foods that in turn benefit from this movement. But of course, sometimes the paddle can limit the type of food you can actually use in that case, more delicate foods for instance that might not really be able to withstand constant movement.
Rotisserie Air Fryers
In fact, these air fryers include a rotating spit which is perfect for cooking foods like whole chickens, kebabs, or roasts. The rotation feature does two things: It helps the food cook evenly and develop a golden brown crust. Rotisserie air fryers tend to be bigger and can do multiple jobs, you get more for your money but are more suited to houses with room to house the device.
How to choose the right wattage for your air fryer
To cook your food to perfection using an air fryer, depends on the wattage of the model. Most common models in this class air fryers range from 800 watts to 1800 watts, with the majority being between 1200 and 1500 watts. Together with Easylifeathome, let’s find out what is the right wattage for your air fryer:
Smaller Models (800-1200 watts):
They are perfect for people or small families who cook in tiny quantities. These models take a while to get going compared to the higher wattage models but they’re actually less power hungry for everyday, smaller meals.
Medium Models (1200-1500 watts):
The most common range is the one of these and a good compromise between cooking speed and energy consumption. A medium wattage air fryer allows you to cook many different foods quickly. For use by couples or small families, these are the most popular and are great.
Larger Models (1500-1800 watts):
The larger wattage models are good for large families or for the person whose desire it is to cook larger meals faster. They might have more advanced features and settings for precise temperature control, but they’re also more power consuming.
Bigger watts mean shorter cooking time, and better at handling larger meals. But it also means more electricity is used. For example, you want to select a wattage that accommodates the amount of food you regularly prepare and the speed with which you want to cook them. Typically recommended to most users is 1500 watts, which provides reasonable speed and good energy efficiency.
Things to avoid when using an air fryer at home
Air fryers are becoming popular these days making their use rampant, even in households. To ensure a safe cooking experience. There are few tips that prevent you from getting hurt and ruining the air fryer:
Overcrowding the Basket
This is one of the main causes of mistakes of most users. There is a tendency to overload the air grill basket. Overloading food into the fryer can affect the circulation of heat, causing uneven cooking of food and less crispness of the surfaces. It is recommended to cook in smaller portions and leave enough space for the hot air to move around all the items being cooked.
Using too much oil:
Excessive oil is one great mistake some people make when it comes to air frying. Air fryers are designed to need little or no oils, yet some users make the mistake of pouring oil in excess. For starters too much oil makes the food oily and even can spoil the insides of the air fryer. A fine mist or a quick brush of oil is good enough to create that crispiness.
Not preheating the air fryer:
Fail to prepare an air fryer, and it may result in long cooking times, as well as cooking unevenly. Like an oven it is crucial to let the air fryer sit on the counter for a few minutes until the preheat desired temperature has been reached for the food to be put in. Most units have a preheat feature so utilize it whenever possible to achieve the best outcomes possible.
Ignoring the user manual
The User manual may include special directions for air fryers such as the most suitable cooking temperature and the kind of food that the air fryer guys best. Such methods will cause ineffective cooking or even destruction of the device. The instructions will assist you in maximizing the performance of your air fryer and help you to use it correctly.
Not cleaning the Air Fryer regularly
Food particles, fats and oils, can build-up within the air fryer over a period thereby affecting its operation and the food quality. The grease deposit control by frequently cleaning the basket, tray and heating element helps to preserve the performance of the heating appliance and prevent its early breakdown.
To summarize, the ideal air fryer for your kitchen will depend on how large it is, how big of a batch you can cook in it, and what it can do. It can be fast cooking, easy cleanup, or versatility; there’s a model that will fit right in with your kitchen routine. With air frying, you don’t need to worry about the mess while enjoying healthier, quicker meals with the convenience of air frying.
