Some years back, the air fryer was touted as game changer gadget for the modern kitchen. We were told that this was the healthy alternative to deep frying foods and a great option for weight conscious people. It also sounded more convenient and safer to a lot of us. Years later we have had time to assess the air fryer and its pros and cons:
For someone like me who likes to be organised in the kitchen, an air fryer sounded great. With an air fryer, you simply put the food in the tray/box sprinkle oil if required and set the timer to cook. So an air fryer is very convenient. It is a compact gadget that takes roughly the same amount of space as a mixie.
It saves time. The whole process of, say, frying potato chips will take less time. You don’t have to wait for the oil to boil or remain present at the stove for the entire duration of the cooking process. It means not having to use a kadhai full of boiling oil that one has to watch every second and keep stirring at intervals.
Deep frying is a bit of a waste I feel since I am always reluctant to reuse the oil but don’t want to waste it either. Using less oil also makes sense for health reasons. Plus anyone who has borne the brunt of hot oil splashes will want to steer clear of a wok full of boiling oil if possible.
An air fryer is fairly versatile. You can ‘fry’ in less oil, grill, make pizza and do some kinds of baking as well. The cooking method is such that you can often get fairly crisp results without having to use much oil.
When I was in the market for an air fryer a few years ago, I examined many different models of air fryers but always thought that the capacity was too small or found something else that was a deal-breaker. So I ended up buying a halogen oven (in the picture below). It has the same principle of a heated element along with a fan to distribute the heat evenly and quickly. This gadget is bigger and the glass construction lets you see what is going on inside. Plus the novelty of it makes it something of a conversation starter. I find it very useful when we have people over or we have a barbecue – it cooks while we can continue to be with guests.
The use of these gadgets isn't as convenient as they claim it to be. Firstly there is the size issue – if cooking for a large family or a party, you may have to cook in smaller batches rather than all at once.
And it isn't really as easy as fill it, shut it, forget it. There is always the chance that things can get burnt if you’ve not set the time right. Since the whole thing is opaque there is no way to tell. Figuring out the air fryer can take some amount of trial and error. When cooking things like patties or cutlets you may have to turn sides halfway through the cooking process. The claim that it can bake a cake is rather a tall one – one can bake very small cakes if at all.
In the end, there is really no real substitute for deep frying. If one really loves that deep-fried taste and crispiness, the air fryer will be unsatisfying in the sort of results it produces. For instance, there is no real way to fry something like pakoras made from besan in an air fryer.
You also have to ask yourself if the sort of food you eat warrants an air fryer. The concept sounds very interesting, but you need to consider how often you will be able to use it. So all in all, while an air fryer could be a useful addition to some kitchens it may not be for others. And in the long run, it may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
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