Air Fryers: Are they Worth It?
posted September 30, 2021 by Sophia Ofer
Crispy fried food is my kryptonite, and when I get the chance to eat out it is usually what I go for. One thing I found myself lacking during quarantine was fried food. While I would like to consider myself a bit of a home chef, deep frying food was not something I really wanted to take on. Thankfully, as air fryers grew popular, my family got one as well. Since then I've lived in a beautiful and crispy world. I was surprised to find that the mechanics are quite similar to those of a convection oven.
Within an air fryer, the top section has a heat source as well as a fan. The fan creates a very fast circulation of extremely hot air, and the increased speed of the fans in combination with the small size of the device give air-fried food its crispy outcome. This cooking process is called rapid air technology, where the quickly moving hot air is able to cook the food from all angles, so despite coming from a singular heat source at the top it can still be evenly cooked.
While this makes food crispy and convenient, unfortunately it is still not possible to completely mimic the effects of deep-frying with minimal oil. So while air-fried food is very good, it is a stretch to say it is just as good or has the same effect as deep frying. That doesn't take away from the fact that it is still tasty, and while it may not completely replace your cravings for deep-fried food it could be a perfect alternative if you’re willing to sacrifice exact taste and texture for an easy and healthy process.
Another benefit of air fryers is that despite the name suggesting otherwise, they can do much more again just fry food. They have the ability to bake, roast, and boil food, making them perfect for cooking different types of meat and vegetables. Air fryers also typically have a dehydrating setting, cooking and drying out food at a very low temperature for an extended period of time. This setting can be used to make dried fruit, jerky, etc. Air fryers are very convenient, and while it may not yield the same results as frying, it is a easy multi-purpose tool making it a great addition to any kitchen for any skill level.
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