Air fryers have become a must in many homes, for various reasons. The concern for health and a healthier and more natural diet has led many people to acquire a device of this type, but in addition, they provide other advantages that have made them become one of the most successful appliances in recent years, with models like the Cosori CS158-AF, which accumulates thousands of highly positive reviews.
There is a wide variety of air fryers (also called oil-free fryers), with models for all tastes, needs and pockets.. You can take a look at the individual reviews we have done, which you can see here classified according to some parameters:
Depending on other characteristics:
What advantages do air fryers offer?
Air fryers offer a wide range of advantages; Below, we tell you the most notable ones:
Reduce fat intake
This is the reason why many people choose to purchase a device of this type, and that air fryers allow you to cook without oil or using a small amount, achieving golden and uniform finishes while reducing calories, recovering the natural flavor of food and achieving a healthier diet.
Depending on the type of food and the recipe in question, you can cook without any oil —for example, some slices of salmon or some hamburgers— or using a small amount (as a guide, one or two tablespoons).
For classic fries, we recommend cutting them and submerging them in water at least 15-30 minutes before cooking (to reduce starch), drying them and impregnating them with a small amount of oil, to achieve a more golden and crispy finish, similar to that of traditional frying.
When pouring the oil, some users choose to spread it with a silicone brush, while others prefer to use a spray sprayer to spread tiny droplets throughout foods.
Easy to handle
Air fryers are devices that are simple and intuitive to use. Apart from the models that allow you to use an app or even voice commands, the usual thing is the use of a touch panel, which includes various preset functions, which set the appropriate time and temperature depending on the type of food.
Thanks to programmed functions, cooking is easier than ever, since With a simple touch, we can make various preparations: usually, chips, fish, meat, seafood, vegetables or baked goods (cake, muffins...).
There are thousands of recipes available for this type of device., both starters and first courses, as well as side dishes, main courses or desserts; Furthermore, in general any oven recipe can be adapted, partially reducing the time and/or temperature.
You can also easily adjust the time and temperature to adapt the preparations to your tastes. (for example, if we like it more or less done, more or less golden), or to make recipes manually, designed by ourselves or following those on the Internet.
Versatility
Air fryers are similar in operation to a convection oven., with a resistance that generates heat and a fan that circulates hot air inside the appliance to cook food quickly and evenly.
Although they are called air fryers, These appliances function largely like a small oven, so they not only fry, but also roast, bake, heat or dehydrate, for example.
Typically, these devices work in a temperature range between 75º-80º and 200-205º C, but some reach higher temperatures.: up to 220º (Moulinex Easy Fry XXL EZ8018), 230º (as Cosori CAF-LI401S), 240º (Ninja Air Fryer Max) or even 260º (Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill), enabling more golden finishes or additional functions such as gratin or grill cooking.
In addition, There are multifunctional devices that include the air fryer function but offer a wide range of possibilities., highlighting the American brand Ninja, with models such as the Foodi Mini OP100EU or the SmartLid 12 in 1.
Comfort
Cooking with an air fryer provides greater comfort, not only because it has various preconfigured functions, but because We do not have to constantly monitor the food as when "we have it on the fire", and smoke, odors and splashes are also avoided.; In addition, they are fairly silent devices (more or less like a dishwasher).
Save of time and money
With this type of device you save time, since you do not have to constantly monitor the food, and money, grthanks to the lower use of oil, and for being compact and efficient devices, with a smaller interior space than an oven, so they need less time and/or temperature to cook (as a guide, 25% less).
Capacity
There is a wide variety of models, for all homes and needs., from the most compact ones, for 1-2 people, to others with the capacity to cook 8-10 servings, or even prepare more than one dish at a time.
Usually, you will see the internal capacity in liters, which depending on the shape of the device, may be more or less usable. In general, those with a more square shape are better used than those with a circular shape, and the wider the base, the better..
As a guide, divide the volume in liters between 1 and 1,5 to calculate the number of servings you can make.; For example, if it has 6 liters, it would be enough to cook between 4 and 6 people.
easy maintenance
The maintenance of this type of machines is also very simple. When finished, you simply have to let the elements in which you cook (bucket, rack, etc.) cool and wash them with water, soap and a soft sponge., so as not to damage the non-stick coating. In various models it is also possible to use the dishwasher (although some users still prefer hand washing, to achieve greater durability).
The exterior of the appliance can be cleaned with a dry or slightly damp soft cloth.
Safer cooking
With air fryers You avoid the possibility of burning yourself on the stove, there are no oil splashes, and you program a work time, so your food does not burn. In addition, they usually include automatic disconnection after a time and protection against overheating.
History of air fryers
Air fryers are a relatively recent invention. Although they have similarities with convection ovens, they have been widely used in cooking since the post-World War II period (that is, since 1945).
Many consider the Whirlwind oven designed by American William L. Maxson as the precursor of oil-free fryers.. Maxson devised his device as a way to quickly heat meals; The machine weighed about 15 kilograms and could cook some foods in about 15 minutes, something Popular Science magazine called “magic” at the time.
The first air fryer was presented by the Dutch brand Philips in 2010 at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin., and from that moment on the term Airfryer became popular to refer to these devices.
The system did not achieve great diffusion in its early stages, until Well-known chefs such as the American Emeril Lagasse and the British Gordon Ramsay began to popularize the invention.
In 2015, Philips Airfryers were already a best-selling device, number 1 in low-fat fryers worldwide, promoting healthier eating, initially through recipe books and later through its NutriU app.
From there, Various kitchen specialist brands joined this segment., such as Moulinex, Ninja, Princess, Cosori, Innsky, Russell Hobbs or Tefal, as well as other more general firms, such as Aigostar, Cecotec, Proscenic or Xiaomi have also joined, with a wide variety of models that have discovered to millions of users the pleasure of cooking in a simple way and with less fat.
