What is an Air Fryer?
As the name says, it means frying something with the help of air. Air Fryers are, in general, amped-up countertop convection ovens. They mimic the dip frying cooking style but without (or very little) oil.
As there is less or no oil, the crust of the food is said to be more crisp and healthy. In short, hot air does the cooking in an Air Fryer.
How does it work?
Like the dip frying in oil, there is a basket where you put your food in an air fryer. The top has a heating source and fan. The hot air circulates the chamber, and the food is cooked when turned on. It’s like the food is dipped into hot air instead of hot oil.
Air fryers are popular among the American people for scaling down the calories and fat from classic foods.
The typical range for cooking food in an air fryer is 5 to 25 minutes, and the temperature is 350° to 400°F. It will depend on the food you are trying to cook. In some cases, you need to flip the food to get the food evenly crisp.
Adding one or two tablespoons of oil helps most of the time.
Best Air Fryers Money Can buy
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01. BELLA 2.9QT Touchscreen Air Fryer
Specifications
- Digital touchscreen control with 8 pre-sets for hassle-free, easy cooking.
- 5-IN-1 MULTI-COOKER: Air Fry, Broil, Bake, Roast or Reheat meals for your friends and family. A Recipe Book is included to help you get started.
- NO PREHEAT NEEDED: Using Circular Heat Technology, and its 1400 watt heating element, this Air Fryer quickly make crispy, evenly cooked meals with no preheat waiting time.
- BELLA air fried french fries have 88% less fat and 65% fewer calories than typical fast food restaurants.
- EASY TO CLEAN: Its PFOA-free Non-Stick cooking pan and crisping tray, are removeable and dishwasher safe for easy and fast cleaning.
- Specially designed compact size easily fits any kitchen counter to keep your kitchen clutter-free!
02. Instant Vortex 6 Quart Air Fryer
Specifications
- 4-IN-1 FUNCTIONALITY: Air fry, bake, roast and reheat.
- ONE-TOUCH SMART PROGRAMS: Customizable cooking programs for easy chicken wings, roasted veggies, cinnamon buns and more.
- EVENCRISP TECHNOLOGY: Delivering all the crunch and tenderness of deep-frying with 95% less oil.
- EASY TO USE DISPLAY: Touchscreen shows each stage of cooking.
- EASY CLEAN-UP: Non-stick, dishwasher safe air fry basket and tray.
- FAST PREHEATING: Little to no preheating time.
- ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE: Easily select temperatures from 95 to 400° F.
03. COSORI Air Fryer Max XL
Specifications
- COSORI Premium Air fryer (Red Dot Award, 2019) features 11 one-touch cooking functions and rapid 360° air circulation to provide crispy results using up to 85% less oil.
- The air fryer’s spacious 5.8-quart square baskets can fit a whole 5-pound chicken. The corner spaces provide more cooking footprint and flexibility than round designs.
- 11 Cooking Functions: 11 presets, Preheat, and Keep Warm help you cook meat, veggies, desserts, and more to perfection. Just choose your preset with 1 easy tap and you’re ready to cook. You can also set temperature and cook time for personal recipes.
- Safe Materials: The removable, nonstick baskets are dishwasher safe, PFOA free, and BPA free.
- Find inspiration for every meal with 100 original, COSORI chef-created recipes.
- Convenient Design: The air fryer produces crispy results in less time than a conventional oven and includes a shake reminder function.
04. GoWISE USA 1700-Watt 5.8-QT 8-in-1 Digital Air Fryer
Specifications
- This air fryer allows you to fry, bake, grill, and roast with little to no oil. Make crispy fried chicken, steak, French fries, pizza and much more in one countertop appliance.
- Sleek and modern look with advanced touch screen menu.
- 8 cooking presets: Fries/Chips, Pork, Chicken, Steak, Shrimp, Cake, Fish, and Pizza. Equipped with a wide temperature range from 180Fahrenheit to 400Fahrenheit in 10 degree increments and a cooking timer up to 30 minutes.
- Featuring a new Start/Stop button to change time and temperature in the middle of a cook cycle. Don’t forget to shake with the new built-in alarm function that reminds you to shake your ingredients in 5, 10, 15 minute increments.
- Comes with non-stick pan and detachable basket equipped with a cool touch handle and button guard to prevent accidental detachment.
- Rapid Air Technology – food cooks from all sides at once just like frying in oil, so you’ll get that crispy texture you crave.
Air fryer varies in size, functionality, and price. Depending on how many people you will cook for and the size of your kitchen, you should choose your air fryer.
Some air fryers have multiple functions as toaster included. A combo unit serves well for most people. The price range is $40 to $300, depending on the functionality and brand.
FAQ:
What are the best things to cook in an air fryer?
Most people do not know; they can cook a wide range of food in the air fryer. Let’s make a list of what you can cook in your home air fryer.
– Banana chips
– Steak
– Chickpeas
– Chicken nuggets
– Chicken breast
– Small pizzas
– Carrots
– Air-fried zucchini
– Potato chips
– Roasted vegetablesAnd there are many things you can cook or roast in your air fryer. Do you know that you can also fry your donuts in an air fryer? They will be more crispy and tasty. Try to avoid less batter in an air fryer.
What to make in an air fryer?
You can cook a wide range of food in an air fryer. The best thing to make in an air fryer might be the french fries and fried chicken.
The french fries might not taste the oil-soaked flavor as the deep fried ones, but the crunchy outside and soft inside french fries cooked in an air fryer almost resemble the oil fried ones. The better thing is it’s healthier.
The second item most people cook in an air fryer is chicken. It can be nuggets, breast, or regular fried chicken, but chickens are easiest to cook in an air fryer.
Can you make popcorn in an air fryer?
Yes, popcorn is easy to make in an air fryer. In case you will love the perfectly popped and roasted flavored popcorn that air fryers can produce. These are the most healthy popcorn you will ever get with fewer calories and fluffiness.
The chance of getting burned popcorn is also less in an air fryer than the regular stovetop version. Using oil/butter is optional when making popcorn in an air fryer. But, to add flavor, you can add a tiny amount.
– The air fryer needs to be Preheated to 400ºF (205ºC) temperature.
– Use Aluminum foil to cover the bottom of the basket.
– Place the oil/butter mixed kernels on the foil line.
– Heat for 3 minutes at 400ºF (205ºC)
– When all kernels are popped, get the basket out and serve with toppings as you need.Experimenting with your air fryer will make your popcorn perfect. Nobody gets perfect on the first try.
Can you make toast in an air fryer?
Definitely, you can. Just put butter on the bread and heat it for 3/4 minutes at 400°F / 205°C, then flip the bread upside down and heat it again for 3 minutes so that both sides will be crispy. It’s easier than you thought.
How to make chicken in an air fryer?
Chicken is the most popular item cooked in an air fryer. The process is not complicated. If you cook a frozen chicken breast, preheat the air fryer to 360ºF. Add seasoning, olive oil, and other ingredients as you like. Then cook the chicken for at least 18 minutes. You need to flip the chicken halfway for better results.
If the chicken is not frozen, you do not need to preheat it. Add pepper, salt, or seasoning, add olive oil, then cook it for 8 minutes per side. The internal temperature should reach 165ºF.
The air-fried chicken consists of 70% less fat than the regular deep-fried chicken. Also, the harmful ingredients of oils are not present here. Moreover, they are tender and juicy if you can do it correctly.
