Air fryer: Is cooking with an electric fryer healthier and cheaper than an oven? – 07/20/2022 – Balance

in Air fryers It was recently described as the designated product for 2021, with sales up 400%.

But how does it work? And since they use little or no oil, are they a healthier option than other food preparation methods?

At a time when the cost of living is rising, it is also worth asking yourself how Air Fryer It affects your (and your pocket) energy consumption.

The answer is yes in both cases. But Air Fryer It has its limits.

Greg Foot, host of BBC Radio 4’s Sliced ​​Bread, consulted with two experts to understand why.

1. The air fryer cooks by circulating hot air around the food

The Air Fryer It is similar in size to a bread machine and fits nicely on the kitchen counter. Is he there Very hot air circulatesat high speed, around the food.

“It’s basically a very strong wind and very hot. You can compare it to using a hair dryer,” explains Jacob Radzikowski, culinary education designer at Imperial College London, UK.

“It’s basically like a fan oven. But it’s smaller, and the fan is usually much more powerful.”

The force of the air current inside a Air Fryer It looks like a fairly high-end professional oven that you would find in a professional kitchen.

2. An air fryer cooks faster than a conventional oven – but only in small batches

as a lover Air Fryer More powerful, its cabin is smaller, and the whole machine is more efficient, says Jakub.

“If I took a chicken leg, I would probably cook it for 20 minutes on Air Fryer. In the oven, it will take longer.”

Also, it takes longer to heat up a larger conventional oven.

but like a stair Air Fryer Less capacity, you can only prepare small quantities.

“If you are cooking for four or six people, it does not save you time, because you will need several batches in one Air Fryer‘ says the food scientist.

3. An air fryer is great for making food “crunchy.”

advertising stars Air Fryer It’s usually chicken and fries, because the machine is great for making “anything you want to make crunchy,” Jacob says.

Cabbage chips, banana, rusk zucchini, you name it.

4. Is it healthier?

“Compared to deep frying, it’s obviously healthier because it uses less fat,” Jacob says.

But it can also be healthier than cooking in a conventional oven.

If the potatoes are brushed with oil, they will absorb it during roasting. with the Air FryerEverything falls into the perforated basket.

“If there’s any excess fat, it will drain to the bottom, and you won’t eat it.”

There are still healthy ways to cook – you can often, for example, grill or steam food without using oil.

But “feature a Air Fryer “It usually has functions in addition to that of air frying,” says Anya Gilbert, editor of the BBC’s Good Food magazine who specializes in evaluating equipment and appliances.

5. There is a large selection of prices and functions among the models

diversity Air fryers The market is wide.

“They’re getting more and more diverse, too,” Anya says. “Some of the newer models have about 15 jobs.”

Recently, BBC Good Food magazine published a list 14 Best Air Fryers of 2022and evaluate models according to a series of categories.

“The Cosori brand has done very well,” she says. “Ninja Food Max Health Grill & Air Fryer was also a highly rated model.”

6. Air fryer consumes less energy than oven

To come to this conclusion, Simon Hoban, producer of the BBC’s Sliced ​​Bread programme, made chicken thighs and potatoes – one part in the oven, the other in the oven. Air Fryer (Be careful to turn off other devices at the time of preparation).

Then he checked the electricity meter to see how much energy was used.

Compare the program team between Air Fryer For an electric oven for comparison.

“The chicken took about 35 minutes to cook in the oven, and the counter told me I used 1.05 kWh of electricity. Air Fryer It took 20 minutes, and the meter was indicating a use of 0.43 kWh. “

The potatoes (with the peel) in turn took about an hour to bake properly in the oven – equivalent to 1.31 kWh.

“in Air Fryer “It took a lot less time,” Simon says. “Thirty-five minutes,” with a consumption of 0.55 kWh.

conclusion? “Cooking in Air Fryer It uses less than half the energy needed in a furnace,” says Gregg. So the cost of cooking in the oven is more than twice the cost of cooking in the Air Fryer. “

7. An air fryer doesn’t quite replace the oven – but it’s a ‘cool invention’

Jacob does not believe that a Air Fryer It can completely replace the furnace. “Obviously you can’t roast an entire chicken in one go. Air Fryer‘, he says, or at least not a turkey!

“But I think it’s a great invention. I have one, I use a lot. I think it’s great for someone who doesn’t have an oven.”

Anya agrees: “I think that Air fryers It’s a really exciting tool… that can be a smart investment when it comes to kitchen storage and cooking time. So yeah, I’m impressed.”

Originally Posted text over here