The air fryer’s meteoric rise over the past few years has truly revolutionised home cooking, cementing its place as a kitchen essential. Beyond just a trend, air fryers have transformed how we prepare meals, offering a healthier approach with significantly less oil and fat. Its appeal lies in its efficiency, reducing cooking times and streamlining everyday recipes. Moreover, air fryers transcend simple frying, boasting multi-functional capabilities like grilling, baking, roasting, and even dehydrating, all within a compact, benchtop-friendly design. This versatility has captivated a generation, turning the air fryer from a novel gadget into an essential in every kitchen.
In this air fryer guide, we’ll help you get a better understanding of what an air fryer is, how it works and how you can benefit from this convenient style of cooking.
What’s an Air Fryer?
An Air Fryer is a benchtop cooking appliance that can ‘fry’ your food with minimal to almost no need for oil. Instead of deep-frying or shallow frying your food in oil, an Air Fryer will help you achieve the same crispy and delicious result without the fat, oil and guilt.
How does an Air Fryer work?
Air Fryers combine fast air flow with high temperatures to deliver heat that fry your food. Enjoy creations that have been cooked evenly inside and out as the fryer boasts advanced sensor technology which eliminates cold spots. Many air fryers will have automatic functions such as bake, grill and toast to suit your cooking needs. A large temperature range is usually available so you can control your cooking.
What can I cook in an Air Fryer?
Not just for fries or chicken nuggets, expect to cook a wide range of foods in an Air Fryer, including:
Fried Foods:
Classic “fried” favourites:
- French fries (from fresh or frozen)
- Chicken wings & nuggets
- Onion rings
- Spring rolls
- Mozzarella sticks
Healthier versions:
- Home-made fish & chips
- “Fried” calamari
Protein:
Meats:
- Chicken (whole, breasts, thighs)
- Steak
- Pork chops
- Bacon
- Hamburgers
- Fish (salmon, cod, etc.)
Other Proteins:
Vegetables:
Roasted vegetables:
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Asparagus
Other vegetable dishes:
- Vegetable chips (kale, zucchini)
- Stuffed vegetables (capsicums, mushrooms)
Sweets:
Baked goods:
- Cookies
- Brownies
- Small cakes
- Donuts
Other sweets:
- Fruit crisps
- Roasted fruits (apples, pears)
Others:
Reheated foods:
- Pizza
- Leftovers (crisps them up nicely)
Snacks:
- Homemade chips (potato, tortilla)
- Dehydrated fruit or vegetable chips.
Breakfast items:
- Breakfast sausages.
- Hash browns.
How do I choose the right Air Fryer?
This will ultimately depend on your cooking needs such as the cooking capacity, the amount of control you’d like, if you need automatic cooking functions and the types of accessories you might use. The conventional Air Fryer is designed upright with an insert basket that will hold and cook your food, great for everyday no-fuss cooking.
Alternatively, benchtop ovens with Air Fryer typically come equipped with other accessories to enable other cooking functions, such as a baking pan for baking cookies and a roasting pan to roast meat and vegetables.
Below are some considerations to factor in before you buy an Air Fryer:
- Size/Capacity: Match to your household size & counter space.
- Features: Temperature range, timer, cooking pre-sets and any multi-functions you may need.
- Cleaning: Non-stick, easy wipe-down cooking surfaces and any dishwasher-safe parts.
- Power: Wattage (W) power for speed, energy efficiency mode and auto-off.
- Design: Style, materials, noise level.
- Budget: Set a price and consider value for money to ensure right fit.
- Brand/Reviews: Consider the brand’s reputation, any customer feedback and reviews, as well as the warranty protection.
Find your perfect Air Fryer today!
An Air Fryer is a lifesaver in the kitchen. Its compact size, cooking capabilities and easy to use controls has made it an infamous kitchen appliance. If you’re interested in purchasing an Air Fryer, you’ve come to the right place. On one site, you can view several Air Fryers, find out their features and benefits, read reviews, compare and then find them at your local retailer. You can even buy online so you don’t have to leave the house. Click on the link below to get started.
VIEW AIR FRYERS
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