Why does our body love junk food so much? French fries and chicken fried in an incredible amount of oil, various fast foods... Such dishes make your mouth water, and at these moments few people remember about a healthy lifestyle.
However, there are manufacturers who have thought about our health for us by creating such amazing kitchen appliances as the air fryer.
But there's a catch. And it’s in the name of the new device. Why is the kitchen appliance called “air fryer” derived simultaneously from two words - air fryer and deep fryer? How are they different? Let's find out in our article.
Air fryer with door
Air fryer, air fryer and deep fryer - who's who?
The characteristics of an air fryer are similar to a deep fryer and an air fryer. Hence the similarity in the name. The principle of frying food in oil is taken from the deep fryer, but the main difference between the two devices is its quantity. If a huge amount of oil is poured into the deep fryer bowl in liters, then for an air fryer you only need a little bit - a tablespoon.
Speaking about the air fryer (which is a type of convection oven): the air fryer completely borrowed its operating principle - heating the product using an air flow. The main difference between an air fryer and an air fryer is the speed of cooking. This is where the air fryer wins. At the same time, it is important that, for example, French fries in an air fryer turn out not baked, but crispy, like from a deep fryer - and this is precisely what is valued by children and adults. The air fryer is also inferior to the small size of the bowl made of glass. As a result, the new device may well replace the deep fryer and air fryer, while creating healthy food.
Based on the comparisons described above, we can list the main advantages and disadvantages of the air fryer.
Caso air fryer with pull-out tray
Advantages of an air fryer
- Cooking food with a minimum amount of oil - you get tasty and at the same time healthy dishes without carcinogens. This leads to another advantage of kitchen appliances.
- Saving on oil. After all, to make crispy fried food in an air fryer, you only need a tablespoon of oil. This results in time savings, since there is no need to heat a huge volume of deep fat. Cooking food itself begins immediately after starting the program.
- Cook food quickly with advanced heating technology.
- The device is simple and easy to use. Most household appliances have similar control principles. All buttons are labeled; if you have questions, the instructions from the manufacturer can help.
- It can be easily disassembled into its component parts and washed with water. Unlike air fryers, an air fryer comes apart into components that can be placed in the dishwasher without exception.
- More expensive models have special filters to capture cooking odors. Considering that classic deep fryers are associated with smoke from boiling oil and the bright “aroma” of fried foods, air fryers with a filter almost completely absorb odors .
- Air fryers with a bowl are very compact , which allows the housewife to easily find a place for it in the kitchen. This is especially valuable in small kitchens. However, models with a door cannot boast of this - having a larger volume, such equipment is larger in weight and size.
- Some models with a door can cook two dishes at the same time . There are also models with the ability to install 3-4 pallets.
- Due to the presence of a rotation function in an air fryer with a door, more uniform heat treatment of products . The finished dish will not only be healthy, but also as tasty as possible. Unfortunately, air fryers with a pull-out tray do not have this feature. However, it cannot be said that the dishes turn out much worse.
- The transparent door allows you to see the food while it is cooking. Full control of the process is an additional bonus of the air fryer.
- Depending on the configuration, you can get a huge variety of dishes . The manufacturer additionally produces baking trays, grill grates, frying baskets, skewers for kebabs of meat, fish, vegetables, etc. This mainly applies to air fryers with a door.
Rawmid air fryer
Popular models with brief characteristics and prices
The TOP 5 most popular air fryer models of 2021 will help you make the right choice. The rating is based on reviews from happy owners of this device.
| 1 | Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry | 15,990 rubles |
| 2 | Philips HD9235 | 14,989 rubles |
| 3 | Tefal ActiFry 2 in 1 | 21,989 rubles |
| 4 | GFGRIL GFA-3500 AIR FRYER | 7,430 rubles |
| 5 | ENDEVER AF-120 SkyLine | 8,849 rubles |
Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry
A modern, economical device will make French fries with just 3% oil. The presence of an original spatula for mixing ingredients will allow you to evenly distribute the oil over the entire surface of the food. The lid of the device, again of an original design, is equipped with a special outlet for excess steam, which speaks in favor of the safety of the device. The power of the device is 1400 Watt, the bowl capacity is 1 kg. The stylish combined body made of plastic and steel will decorate any kitchen. The device is controlled electronically and has a built-in timer.
- no condensation;
- all parts are removable and can be easily washed in the dishwasher;
- non-stick coating;
- measuring spoon included.
- after the sound signal the device does not turn off;
- The included recipe book is not Russified.
Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry
Philips HD9235
The plastic model in a futuristic design with touch buttons looks very presentable. Power 1425 Watt, bowl with non-stick coating - 3 liters. The LCD display will display the ongoing processes, the microprocessor control is intuitive. The original Rapid Air technology allows you to fry, bake, grill without oil or with a minimum amount of it.
- compact size, easy to maintain cleanliness;
- auto shutdown;
- cord compartment;
- kebab skewers and grill grate;
- great recipe book.
- for a large company you will have to make several bookmarks.
Tefal ActiFry 2 in 1
The device is housed in plastic. Power 1500 Watt. There is a bowl with a capacity of 1.5 kg. Microprocessor control, timer included. The completely transparent lid allows you to monitor the process. The set includes two non-stick frying pans: 500 g and 2000 g, you can cook two dishes at the same time.
- all components can be removed and washed in the dishwasher;
- non-stick coating;
- the ability to simultaneously cook two different dishes.
- after the buzzer the device does not turn off on its own;
- The recipe book included in the kit does not contain Russian.
Tefal ActiFry 2 in 1
GFGRIL GFA-3500 AIR FRYER
The device in an elegant plastic case with a power of 1500 Watts is equipped with a unique Rapid Air Circulate System technology, thanks to which you can fry and bake delicious dishes with a grill effect with a minimum of oil. There is an LCD display on the body of the device that reflects everything that happens. The device has 8 auto programs. The non-stick bowl has a capacity of 3.2 liters.
- presence of a timer;
- presence of a filter;
- sound signal;
- compact size;
- removable bowl.
GFGRIL GFA-3500 AIR FRYER
Disadvantages of an air fryer
- High cost of equipment. Since air fryers were created relatively recently and are not produced by all manufacturers, prices for these kitchen aids are still relatively high .
- Air fryers with a pull-out tray have a small bowl volume - from 2 to 4 liters. About 2 kg of food will be prepared at one time. This is not enough for a large company, but for a small family of 2-3 people it is quite enough.
- To start the air fryer with a slide-out tray to cook a second portion of food, you need to wait until the bowl has cooled . Therefore, when preparing a dish for a large number of guests, it will take a lot of time.
- Most air fryers with a bowl are not transparent , so there is no way to see the food being cooked. To look inside, you need to pull out the tray.
- Some manufacturers include primitive instructions with their product without a detailed description of the operation of the device. In this case, it is difficult to independently understand the proposed programs and the cooking time of a particular mode.
Variety of dishes prepared in the air fryer
Top 3 Best Premium Air Fryers
Premium air fryers are particularly reliable, build quality and have a wide range of functionality. Convection frying in them is very uniform; many models support several automatic programs for processing different dishes.
Tefal ActiFry FZ710
The air fryer with intelligent ActiFry technology allows you to quickly and easily prepare a portion of potatoes or nuggets in a 2-liter bowl. Equipped with a spatula for automatic mixing of ingredients, it ensures completely uniform and high-quality frying. During operation, condensation does not accumulate inside the device. The body is made of hard plastic and steel, so the device looks harmonious in the interior and has a long service life.
You can buy ActiFry FZ710 from 19,000 rubles
Philips HD 9240
The air fryer supports additional grilling and baking modes and comes with a 3-liter bowl, making it suitable for large families. The device has a fuse that trips when overheating, and there is an automatic shut-off function. Power of 2100 W ensures high cooking speed.
Attention! The Philips HD 9240 comes with a divider so you can cook several different dishes at the same time.
You can buy an air fryer HD 9240 from 18,000 rubles
Philips HD 9235
Another functional model from a well-known brand allows you not only to fry, but also to bake food, as well as grill it almost without the use of oil. There is an LCD display that displays the current settings, and there is a compartment on the body for the cord. Among the disadvantages, one can note the small capacity of the bowl, only 800 g.
The average price of an air fryer HD 9235 starts from 28,000 rubles
How does an air fryer work?
For many housewives, it is important to know the operating principle of kitchen appliances. For different reasons. Therefore, we will also touch on this issue, but in general terms.
Once the food is placed in the containers, placed inside the air fryer, the timer and cooking temperature are set, the magic begins. Thanks to the internal heating element located in the upper part of the chamber and the convector, hot air flows are formed, which are carefully and evenly distributed inside the device. As a result, the product is first dried, then the food is cooked using the convection method - the food is evenly blown with hot air from all sides.
How does an air fryer work?
Tips for using an air fryer
Customer reviews are a very valuable thing. By collecting positive and negative information from people, as well as advice from manufacturers, we get:
- To prevent the product from sticking to the grill of the appliance, grease it with sunflower oil before placing food.
- Before purchasing an air fryer made of combined metal and plastic material, pay attention to the presence of thermal insulation of the body. Getting burned while using a kitchen appliance will be a very unpleasant fact.
- Before using household appliances, manufacturers recommend warming them up in advance - 1-3 minutes will be enough. In this respect, air fryers are similar to ovens. However, this is only a recommendation, not a mandatory rule.
- The manufacturer does not recommend placing more food than is provided in the bowl. An extra pile of vegetables or meat will result in uneven cooking. As a result, it will not be the “bad device” that will be to blame, but the housewife who overdid it with the amount of products.
Air fryer from Tefal with measuring spoon included
How to choose an air fryer?
Before purchasing any kitchen appliances, you should study its characteristics, types, as well as customer reviews. There are many types of air fryers. Let us note the most significant parameters.
- Pay attention to the case material , which will directly determine its price. Manufacturers make air fryers from plastic, stainless steel, or a combination of both materials. A plastic air fryer is lighter but not durable. Therefore, it is recommended for housewives who do not plan to use it frequently. With a metal device, the opposite is true: its strength will allow it to serve for a long time, even taking into account daily work. The price will be higher accordingly.
- Air fryers vary in capacity . Here, start from how much of the final product you need to get. Manufacturers create bowls with a volume of 2 to 4 liters, in models with a door - up to 12 liters, so you can choose the equipment of the required volume for your family and depending on your goals.
- The temperature range is also different for different models. Most often, the temperature is set between 60 and 240 degrees. At the same time, low values are created for drying, drying (vegetables, fruits, fish, meat), while high values are used mainly for making baked goods.
- The shape of the bowl is also different: round and square. If round air fryers win in terms of compactness, then square ones win in terms of capacity.
- The power of the devices varies from 800 to 2000 W. Most air fryer models have a power of about 1400 W, which is enough to cook most dishes.
- The device control can be electronic or mechanical. In the first case there is a touch screen, in the second there are only mechanical toggle switches and buttons. At the same time, the type of control will affect the price of the device - air fryers with touch controls cost more. Mechanical ones are less likely to fail and are not so demanding on voltage drops in the outlet.
- The kitchen appliance turns off after the timer . The time range is from 30 to 60 minutes. Some models automatically turn off after the time has elapsed, while others beep while continuing to cook.
- An air fryer with a door has many additional features compared to appliances with a pull-out tray. For example, grill, rotation function, baking, skewers, popcorn basket, etc.
- Some models have functions for defrosting and heating food , which is a pleasant bonus for many housewives.
- Air fryers differ in the type of heating element . Inexpensive models most often have a halogen heating element made of glass and containing halogen gas. Another type of heating is stainless steel, heating element, which has a number of advantages over halogen ones. These are fast heating rate, strength and durability.
Air fryer comparison
The comparative characteristics of air fryers are summarized in the table below. Models described for example:
- Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry - air fryer with bowl,
Air fryer Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry - Zigmund & Shtain ZAF-900 - air fryer with bowl,
Air fryer Zigmund & Shtain ZAF-900 - Rawmid Modern RMA-02 - air fryer with a door.
Air fryer Rawmid Modern RMA-02
| Characteristic | Torgmash UKM-P | Kitchen machine Bosch MUM5XW40 | Kitchen machine Redmond RKM-M4020 | Kitchen machine Polaris PKM 1104 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia | Slovenia | China | China |
| Number of speeds | 2 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| Warranty, months | 12 | 12 | 12 | 24 |
| Power consumption, kW | 1,5 | 1 | 2,5 | 1,1 |
| Main functions | Meat grinder Whipping/Stirring Bread and spice grinder Vegetable slicer Sifter Wiping Ripper | Meat grinder Citrus press Blender Grater Shredder | Meat grinder Kneading dough Whipping Grater/slicer Blender Pasta machine | Meat grinder Beating Mixing Dough kneading Blender |
| Weight, kg | 155 | 8,7 | 7.5 | 4.6 |
| Bowl volume, l | 25 | 3.9 | 5 | 5 |
| Bowl material | Metal | Metal | Metal | Metal |
| price, rub. (as of July 2021) | from 165,000 | from 32 000 | from 37 000 | from 15 000 |
Air fryer 5 in 1| What is the new RAWMID Modern RMA-02 capable of? REVIEW. Video
Popular models with brief characteristics and prices
The TOP 5 most popular air fryer models of 2021 will help you make the right choice. The rating is based on reviews from happy owners of this device.
| 1 | Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry | 15,990 rubles |
| 2 | Philips HD9235 | 14,989 rubles |
| 3 | Tefal ActiFry 2 in 1 | 21,989 rubles |
| 4 | GFGRIL GFA-3500 AIR FRYER | 7,430 rubles |
| 5 | ENDEVER AF-120 SkyLine | 8,849 rubles |
Tefal FZ707267 ActiFry
A modern, economical device will make French fries with just 3% oil. The presence of an original spatula for mixing ingredients will allow you to evenly distribute the oil over the entire surface of the food. The lid of the device, again of an original design, is equipped with a special outlet for excess steam, which speaks in favor of the safety of the device. The power of the device is 1400 Watt, the bowl capacity is 1 kg. The stylish combined body made of plastic and steel will decorate any kitchen. The device is controlled electronically and has a built-in timer.
- no condensation;
- all parts are removable and can be easily washed in the dishwasher;
- non-stick coating;
- measuring spoon included.
- after the sound signal the device does not turn off;
- The included recipe book is not Russified.
Air fryer reviews
Reviews from air fryer buyers are divided into 2 camps. While the first group notes the high quality of the resulting dishes, the speed of their preparation, and the absence of the need to monitor the cooking process, others are frankly not satisfied with the operation of the device. Despite the high cost of these household appliances, the programs of some models freeze. There are also manufacturers who did not bother to include instructions for the air fryer(?!?!), which discouraged housewives. In the Internet era, this issue is resolved quite quickly, but a description of the programs of a specific model (their detailed purpose, for which dishes each of them is used and the cooking time of the product) is not always easy to find.
Air fryer - cooking without oil Having collected numerous reviews about air fryers of a few models, we can conclude: not every housewife is ready to find a place for a new, not yet cheap, assistant. The undeniable advantage of the device is the final healthy product without excess fat (harmless French fries - that’s cool!). Caring for the health of the family is the main priority of every housewife, but you can also do without an air fryer. Therefore, this kitchen appliance should not be strongly recommended; the potential buyer must independently decide whether to purchase it or not. After all, for some, for example, a coffee maker or toaster is a necessary thing, while others are used to frying bread in a frying pan, preferring to have a spacious kitchen.
What foods can you cook in an air fryer?
The capabilities of the device are not limited to preparing French fries. The only limit is the cook's imagination. In addition to classic potatoes, you can cook vegetable, fish, meat skewers, chicken wings and drumsticks, steaks, cutlets, meatballs, dumplings, sandwiches, nuggets and much more.
The air fryer is also great for baking: muffins, sausage rolls, cookies and pies always turn out great.
The device also handles frozen foods without requiring them to be defrosted first.
Some models come with a recipe book. And there are already quite a lot of recipes, tips and life hacks for air fryers on the Internet.
Cooking in it is a pleasure
