We are paying more and more attention to health, sports and proper nutrition. We learn to cook the “correct” food: without a huge amount of oil, frying, unnecessary spices and sauces. This is, without a doubt, wonderful. But a healthy lifestyle in general and preparing healthy food in particular takes a catastrophic amount of time. The only thing that saves me is the air fryer - a special convection oven where food is cooked in streams of hot air. I’ll tell you now how to choose it and which 7 air fryers can be called the best.
- Air fryers: buyer's guide
- What to look for when choosing an air fryer?
- 7 best air fryers
- Answers to the most frequently asked questions
Rating of the TOP 15 best convection ovens of 2021
| TOP 4 best convection ovens in price/quality ratio in 2021 | ||
| 1 | Kitfort KT-2209 | Find out the price |
| 2 | Hotter HX-2098 Fitness Grill | Find out the price |
| 3 | Kitfort KT-2212 | Find out the price |
| 4 | Caso AF 250 | Find out the price |
| TOP 3 best air fryers | ||
| 1 | Steba HF 5000 XL | Find out the price |
| 2 | Caso AF 400 | Find out the price |
| 3 | Zigmund & Shtain ZAF-900 | Find out the price |
| TOP 4 best air fryers with a removable lid | ||
| 1 | Hotter HX-1037 Classic | Find out the price |
| 2 | CENTEK CT-1456 | Find out the price |
| 3 | Hotter HX-1036 Economy New | Find out the price |
| 4 | Vitesse VS-406 | Find out the price |
| TOP 4 best inexpensive air fryers | ||
| 1 | FIRST AUSTRIA FA-5030-1 | Find out the price |
| 2 | Kitfort KT-2206 Eva | Find out the price |
| 3 | GFgril GFA-4000 | Find out the price |
| 4 | Hotter HX-1036 Economy | Find out the price |
Air fryers
Kitfort KT-2203
pros
- Doesn't make noise
- Good quality teflon cup
- Cooks quickly and efficiently
- Even heat distribution
Minuses
- Marky building
- No complicated settings
Fry the cutlets in 10-15 minutes. There is a function to resume operation when the basket is removed. The black design will fit into any kitchen. Hot air on this model browns food on all sides; on some models, baked goods remain white underneath.
Suitable for people with a picky approach to cooking, as the mechanism easily maintains the set temperature with an error of several degrees. No need to use oil, the Kitfort air fryer is suitable for people on a strict diet. The bowl (3.2 liters) is enough to prepare a meal for the whole family. The small size of the unit allows it to fit even in a house with a small kitchen.
GFgril GFA-5000
pros
- No need to add oil
- Nice purple body color
- Quiet
- Overheat protection
Minuses
- Unreliable handle and non-stick coating
- Sometimes it smokes
There is smoke when cooking fatty foods, as the manufacturer himself warns about. If it is difficult to choose a baking stand due to the oval shape of the air fryer, you can additionally purchase a silicone mold with a diameter of 24 cm. The working flask (5 liters) holds a lot of products for cooking. Good heating performance at low power of 1,800 kW.
VES SK-A
pros
- Low power consumption (1200 W)
- Lightweight and compact
- Simple mechanical control
Minuses
- No convection
A worthy model in terms of price and quality ratio. The food basket has a capacity of 3 liters, which means it can fit approximately 0.5 kg of potatoes or three chicken ribs. Suitable for one or two people. Takes up little space in the kitchen, quickly prepared and stored in a drawer. An air fryer does not have a convection function, which allows air currents to move to heat food evenly.
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What to look for when choosing an air fryer
The variety of convection ovens is represented by a wide choice from simple devices with a mechanical control system to multifunctional devices equipped with an electronic panel.
Before purchasing, you need to study the following characteristics:
- Power is the main indicator that directly determines the speed of cooking; the minimum value is 800 W;
- Volume – the capacity of the bowl in which products are placed; it is possible to increase the standard volume using a special ring;
- Type of heating element - there are two types: heating element or halogen lamp, the service life of the first is much longer;
- Type of control - simple mechanical is carried out by rotary controls, more advanced and functional is electronic control using a display;
- Flask material – heat-resistant glass, food steel with non-stick coating or ceramics are used for manufacturing;
- The complete set - in addition to the flask itself and the lid, may include: racks with different heights of legs, a mesh baking sheet, skewers, and tongs.
Principle of operation
This device consists of a round glass container, which is located on a plastic stand. The container is closed with a lid, which has a built-in heating element and a fan. There is always a control panel located outside the device. In inexpensive models, halogen heating elements are installed instead of heating elements. The main advantage of these elements is that the glass container does not oxidize during operation .
Such heaters also have their disadvantages: low power and short service life. Most often, a convection oven with halogen heaters lasts only a few years. At the same time, models with a metal heating element can last almost 10 years.
Reference! The operating temperature of the air fryer reaches 260 degrees, but you can change its value at will.
In addition to the parts already described, the convection oven has several additional elements:
- Lattices . They are used to prepare meat and fish dishes . Usually, the convection oven comes with 1 to 3 grates, which differ in height;
- a mesh baking tray is sold included . It is suitable for preparing various steamed and deep-fried dishes .
Note! During operation, the air heated in the convection oven is moved by a fan. At first the movement is directed straight down, then its direction changes to the opposite. Thanks to this feature, the prepared foods are fried evenly, do not burn or stick to the dishes.
The best air fryer manufacturers
Top manufacturers are determined by the number of purchases of their products.
According to these indicators, the leaders are:
- Kitfort. The company has proven itself on the positive side with high-quality products at low prices. At the moment, the production of air fryers is located in China, which allows us to keep the price at a given level.
- GFgril. The company entered the small household appliances market in 2012 with high-quality electric grill models. At the moment, the manufacturer has expanded its range, and the company produces pancake makers, multicookers, waffle irons and other kitchen electrical goods.
- Hotter. The company specializes exclusively in the production of air fryers and has established itself as a reliable supplier of high-quality household appliances.
Customer Reviews
Gerasimenko Olesya
Kitfort KT-2206 Eva
Stylish design, the air fryer will fit well into the interior of a kitchen in modern or high-tech style. The white glossy plastic and gray chrome-look handle are completely invisible to fingerprints. Cooks quickly and bakes food evenly. Compared to my old air fryer with a glass bowl (only 100 W less power), it copes much better with thick fish steaks, without even turning them over during cooking. The sound signal about the end of cooking is quite “delicate” and does not irritate. The non-stick coating is good, nothing sticks, and is very easy to clean. I liked the protection against accidental pressing of the button that separates the basket and the bowl (a plastic cover above the button - you can lift it in a split second, but you won’t be able to do it accidentally and press the button). It is very convenient to store the cord - there is a place for it inside the convection oven itself; after winding up the cord, only the plug remains visible. During operation, the body heats up noticeably, in the off-season you can not only cook, but also warm up next to it
