In recent years, there has been a popular trend for people to ditch traditional air fryers and replace them with air fryers. This is mainly due to the widespread and largely justified perception that air fryers are healthier.
Although air fryers have some limitations in cooking and tasks, they require much less oil than deep fryers, resulting in foods that contain less fat and calories.
1. Healthier
The most important health benefit of pressure cooking is that it uses much less oil than deep frying. Much of the used oil also flows away and the food is not absorbed. This means you consume less fat and calories.
The convection process used in these fryers promotes a chemical effect known as the Maillard reaction, which causes browning. In addition to improving the appearance, it makes the food very tasty, although there is less fat.
2. Crispier Food
One of the most sought-after features of air fryers is their ability to cook crispy foods without frying in oil. They achieve this by using convection heating, surrounding the food with superheated air in a perforated basket or grill.
This makes air fryers ideal for making crispy fries, onion rings, fish sticks, and other traditionally fried foods.
An air fryer produces crispier results than a conventional convection oven, partly because it can surround the food on all sides and partly because the pan allows the fat to drain, resulting in drier, more crunchy food.
3. Faster
Because of the way they work, air cookers cook much faster than most traditional alternative methods. The intense heat generated remains inside the fryer and circulates continuously, which speeds up the cooking process.
Also, many models do not need to be preheated before use, or their preheating time is very short. Depending on the food, the cooking time can be reduced by more than 30-50% compared to a conventional oven.
4. Less mess
Air fryers are much less messy than deep fryers. This is because it only needs a small amount of oil to cook and it makes a lot of mess. The easiest way to clean the air cooker is to use a soft brush, dish soap, and a little water.
5. Safer
Because air cookers are self-contained devices and because there is not much hot fat involved in the cooking process, air cookers are generally safer. There is less to worry about spills and burns.
Machines also turn off after the timer expires to prevent food from burning.
6. More Versatile
Most foods traditionally prepared in a deep fryer can be prepared just as well or even better in a pressure cooker. There are many different recipes to try. Pies, vegetables, and steaks work surprisingly well.
7. Don’t spread heat and smell
Air cookers are heat resistant, so they don’t raise the temperature of your kitchen like a traditional oven. This feature is especially useful if you live in a smaller house or apartment.
The minimal amount of oil also means that there is no strong smell when frying.
8. More compact
Air cookers are relatively small kitchen appliances, barely bigger than toasters. They are perfect for situations where size can be an issue, such as a smaller kitchen. They are also easy to transport, so they can be used on a trip while camping or in a car or caravan.
9. Affordable
Considering how useful and versatile air fryers are, they are surprisingly affordable to buy. They are usually available in online stores for $50-$150.
I still recommend going for quality, even if it costs a bit more and I would stay away from the cheaper models.
10. Easier to use
Air cookers are generally very easy to use and require very little supervision during cooking. You simply set the temperature and time, put the food in the basket, and let the fryer do its work. If you need some inspiration, there are many simple recipes you can use. Cooking vegetables in a deep fryer seems particularly easy and satisfying to many, the roasting effect makes them delicious.