How does an air fryer work?

If you’re thinking of buying an air fryer – or if you’ve already purchased one – it’s a good idea to know how they work. Not only does this mean you’ll have a better understanding of how to get the best results, so you don’t accidentally waste the right food. Knowing how an air fryer works can also come in handy when you’re adapting your favorite recipes.

If you’re looking for air fryer buying advice, you can see our best recommendations by type in our roundups of the best dual-draw air fryers and the best fry ovens among the best air fryers overall.

How does an air fryer cook food?

Emma Rowley / Foundry

There are exceptions. Thanks to its double-decker design, the Ninja Double Stack has two heating coils at the back – one behind each drawer.

Below the coil and fan is a crisper plate where your food sits. It’s perforated, so that the heat can reach the underside. The fan blows hot air around the cavity in order to cook the food quickly. As an air fryer’s cavity is smaller than the average oven, it reaches a high heat faster, and can maintain it with less energy use. Coat your food with a small amount of oil and the fanned hot air “frys” the surface for a crispy, golden finish.

Emma Rowley / Foundry

This can be improved by shaking the food in the drawer, roughening the exterior to create more surface area and a crispier result.

Is an air fryer more economical than my oven?

Although the temperatures using an air fryer are similar to your oven because you don’t spend time waiting for a large cavity to preheat and the food cooks quickly, air frying is more economical for many everyday meals , if not most,.

The situation changes if you cook large quantities at once, such as a family roast. Running a standard oven for a big batch of roasted potatoes, as well as meat or poultry joints, roasted vegetables, and other side dishes tend to be more economical than cooking each one individually in a blast air fryer. unique.

However, a dual draft air fryer has the capacity to cook an entire meal at once and may well be cheaper, depending on how many people you are cooking for. Take a look at our roundup of the best double drawer air fryers for our top recommendations.

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To determine which is better for a large meal or batch cooking, look at the appliance’s wattage so you can calculate its approximate KWH energy consumption. You can use an online electricity cost calculator to help you.

Is cooking in an air fryer healthier?

Air frying is a somewhat misnomer in that the foods are not fried in the conventional sense. When you deep or shallow fry in oil, what you are doing is using the oil to seal the exterior, so that the water in the food cannot escape and is heated, cooked to steam inside. To do this, the oil penetrates the surface layer of the food.

In contrast, air frying uses ventilated air to heat food, with only a small amount of oil and agitation creating a crispy exterior. Not only does less oil result in lower fat foods, making it healthier, but if you cook high fat foods the fat has nowhere to go.

However, because air-fried foods lose moisture during cooking, they can become dry if heated for too long or at too high a temperature.

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Should I always use air fryer programs?

Most air fryers have default presets for time and temperature – usually for food types or cooking methods – but there’s no need to strictly adhere to them.

You may need to experiment to find the right temperature and cooking time for your favorite foods. Some recipes perform better with a lower temperature and longer cooking time, while others only require a quick burst of heat.

Check out our article on five new things to cook in an air fryer for inspiration and cooking temperature tips.