Everything you need to know about air fryers!
As an air fryer owner, nutritionist and someone who spends quite a lot of time talking about food to others, I am invariably asked about air fryers all the time!
What on earth are they, how do they work and what do they cook! So, I thought I’d give you the low down on everything you need to know. And now could be the perfect time to ask for one in your Christmas stocking!
If you are someone who finds it challenging on a practical front to prepare regular meals, are time poor and generally overwhelmed, an air fryer may provide some assistance.
They are a versatile kitchen gadget and not just for people who want to make healthier chips! In fact, you can create a myriad of tasty dishes, quickly and make energy savings too.
Air fryers are compact – small in size compared to a conventional oven, meaning that they heat up quicker, so you waste less energy and food is cooked quicker.
To be clear, an air fryer is not an actual fryer; more a small convection oven. However, you can cook many of the foods you would in a deep fat fryer using significantly less - oil and the food comes out just as crispy. The circulating air also means than your food will get evenly browned.
Here are my top 5 reasons you should invest:
1 You’ll save money using an air fryer compared a regular oven -[source: Citizens Advice Bureau] If you use the air fryer for 30 minutes a day, it will cost £1.86 a week compared to £2.06 for your oven.
But don’t forget, you’ll speed up cooking times so the real cost of cooking (as an example) chicken nuggets will be less since it takes half the time [10 mins compared to 20 mins]. So your chicken nuggets will cost you 9p to cook in the air fryer compared to 20p in the oven.
2. Less mess -If you’re a fan of grilling more oily foods you’ll know what a mess it makes on the inside window of your oven. By using the air fryer, the splatter is contained and is easily wiped away and cleaning your air fryer is significantly easier than the grill pan too.
3. Air fryers are healthier than deep frying/frying but you can achieve a similar crispy, crunchy finish. If you’re cooking with oil, you’ll need less of it. And the air fryer basket allows excess fat to drain into the tray below.
4. If you are eating chips or wedges, ( this can include potato , sweet potato, parsnips etc )air fryers make them so much crispier than your regular oven as they circulate the air around the food so that everything cooks more evenly.
5. Air fryers are practical for family cooking but especially if just cooking for yourself. It’s quick and easy to whip up a meal with some basic ingredients in no time at all. Especially good for pimping up your veg!
What can you cook in an air fryer?
In short, pretty much anything if you’ve the space to fit it in! I’ve been known to cook……
Granola
Toasted nuts and seeds
Kale crisps
Crispy chickpeas
Stuffed chicken
Crispy cauliflower
Stuffed mushrooms/ peppers
Crispy tofu
Speedy chicken tikka
Parsnip, sweet potato and potato chips
Veggie patties
Lamb kebabs
Chicken fajita filling
Chicken drumsticks
Baked aubergine with miso
Mixed Roasted veggies
Baked apples
Crumbles
Soft boiled eggs and sourdough
Heating up leftovers!
Any time is a great time to buy but you’re likely to find some fantastic deals in the sales so, if you’ve been thinking of taking the plunge, now might be your best excuse yet.
Here are my top picks:
Instant Brands Vortex 6-in-1 Air Fryer
Tefal EasyFry Classic 2-in-1 Air Fryer and Grill
Philips Airfryer Essential XL Connected – this even connects to your Alexa
Ninja AF150AMZ Air Fryer XL