What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is new innovative convection like device which is powered by a turbo. It is small and will easily fit over your counter. It has a very fast process of generating hot air and then spreading it evenly around the food to cook it. While the air fryer has a removable basket like a deep fryer, instead of submerging the food into the hot oil, the items in the basket are baked by the heat from air flowing around them. (It's the same method as the convection option on a full-size oven or large toaster oven, just miniaturized.) It cooks your food with electric heat that’s circulated by powerful fans, and that hot air then cooks the skin of the food making it nice and crispy while keeping the food moist from within. With a little bit of oil and hot air, you can fry any of your favorite items such as potatoes, chicken wings and anything you can imagine. The air fryer can also be used to grill, bake and even roast. An air fryer can be used to fry, grill, roast and even bake. See the detailed article on What is an Air Fryer?

What Is a Deep Fryer?

A deep fryer works by heating a vat of oil to a specific temperature. A basket containing food is dipped into boiling oil. The food cooks quickly and comes out very crispy and even. Deep fryers aren’t time-consuming nor are they very difficult to use. The basket with food is dipped in oil which is heated at about 325-400ºF. This gives the food the crispy texture we all love and secondly it cooks the food through. Different types of meals or food items cook at different rates but regardless of that, we should not cook the food for too long as it will make very greasy.

Here are some things that you should consider before buying a fryer:

The air fryer and deep fryer, both share some similarities when it comes to physical features. They both have digital screens plus adjustable temperature. Both have controls which are very simple and easy to use. The discourse about air fryer vs deep fryer boils down to a couple of features. The pricier the fryer, the more features it’s likely to have. For example, you can find a well-equipped fryer with adjustable temperature control and a timer with a ready signal and automatic shut-off.

Some fryers even come with cooking pre-sets to take the guesswork out of the cooking time. There are some general things that you should think about when you are deciding to buy a new fryer. Since this is an investment for a healthier lifestyle, you have to make a well-informed decision so that you are confident about your purchase and will, therefore, stay committed to it. Here are some points that you should think over as you look at the air fryer vs deep fryer debate.

1. Cooking Time and Capacity, Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer

Everyone looks for a quick meal. It is essential to buy a fast product and top quality. How quickly does it work? Deep fryers generally take lesser time because preheated Oil cooks faster. Deep Fryers also have more capacity as you have to dunk an entire tray full of food into them.

2. Temperature Control

This allows a lot of control over the taste and texture of the food. You can adjust the temperature on the fryer according to your taste and the type of cuisine you want.

3. Convenience and Reliability

You do not want something too technical and complicated, therefore, you want a fryer which is easy to operate, to clean before and after use. Durability plus little or no odor during is also an essential feature to look out for.

4. Healthiness

As much as you love the smell and taste of fried food such as French fries and chicken, you also want to maintain decent health status. Fried oil is a deal-breaker when it comes to a healthy diet hence an air fryer is a much better option here as it requires little to no oil for it to fry up food.

5. Price

Deep fryers are more expensive than air fryers because they are larger in size. Although the price of the modern air fryer is also pretty high because air fryers nowadays come with the latest technology. Deep fryers would approximately cost you around 50 to 100 dollars, in this range, you can get a top-quality deep fryer. The cost of an air fryer is determined by the specific type of technology it uses hence a more advanced air fryer would cost more than an average retail store one. The price range is around 100 to 200 dollars.

Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer

Pros and Cons of Air Fryer

Pros:

• Air fryers have an efficient temperature Control system that ensures that heat is generated quickly.
• This ensures that foods are cooked easily and quickly. They also have a built-in cooling system and exhaust that disposes of the heat and smell after use.
• Many of them also come with automatic shut off button for ease and convenience.
• An oil used in an air fryer is reduced by more than 70%. With less oil, there are little or no health risks or fear of increased cholesterol.
• This makes it a preferred choice for health-conscious people. Plus, you save money, eat your favorite fries, and remain healthy.
• Air fryer parts are dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean. Plus, there is little or no oil spill making cleaning less messy.
• This makes it a multipurpose device. It can fry, bake, roast and grill.
• Heat can rise as high as 300 degrees and is evenly distributed. Also, you’re sure that your food will not get burnt.
• Super safe to use as there is no danger of boiling oil or anything like that.

Cons

• Some air fryers do not come with automatic shut off buttons and may burn your foods if not checked frequently.
• Most domestic air fryers have limited spaces for food. This means you might need to cook in sets.
• Air fryers may also cause your foods to dry out if not checked frequently. This is because they do not require so much oil to preserve the moist within.
• Black Crust called acrylamide may build up on your meat in the air fryer. Such may cause cancer if it builds up in the body and not scraped off before consumption.

Pros and Cons of Deep Fryer

Pros

• A modern deep fryer comes with a timer and an audible alarm that sounds when the food is fried.
• There is a basket that you can use to lift the food out of the oil but that does not prevent the oil from being absorbed. It does, however, stop the food from getting soaked.
• Top-quality deep fryers come with a ventilation system that counters the bad odor smell.
• Most deep fryers cook with trans oil. To cut the cost of deep-frying, hydrogenated oil is used along with cooking oil.
• Deep fryers also come with oil filters that prolong the life of the usable oil.
• Deep fryers have temperature control to increase or reduce heat. This helps to prevent foods from burning.

Cons

• A higher cost of cooking as a lot of oil is required.
• The hydrogenated oil used by most deep fryers leads to increased cholesterol and is bad for the heart.
• The grease stains and oil stains are really difficult to clean out.
• Oil splashes are always dangerous hence there’s a constant safety concern with deep fryers.

What is the Difference Between Air Fryer and Deep Fryer?

1. An air fryer requires little to no oil but a deep fryer needs a lot of oil to fry food in.
2. It takes a deep fryer approximately 10 mins to cook meals compared to an air fryer that needs 20 to 25 mins.
3. Air fryer is dishwasher compatible and easy to clean but a deep fryer is more difficult to clean due to all the oil and grease.
4. Air fryers have less capacity due to their small size versus deep fryers that can fry more food due to its greater capacity.
5. Most air fryers do not have an automatic off switch and therefore can burn or overcook your meals if you do not check on it. Deep fryers, however, can be easily managed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Do both fryers produce the same tasty meals?

There is not a big difference in the meals. Both fryers cook crispy delicious recipes. The only difference is that the deep fryer uses oil as compared to the air fryer which uses hot air and water.

Q2. Which of the fryers cook faster?

Deep fryers cook faster than air fryers. Heated oil only needs about 10-15 minutes to cook or fry your food while the air fryer would require 20-25 minutes for the same food.

Q3. Is an air fryer healthier than a deep fryer?

The air fryer uses less oil (or no oil at all) as compared to a deep fryer therefore, it is healthier. Check out important steps to consider before buying an air fryer.

Final Thoughts, Air Fryer or Deep Fryer?

The air fryer vs deep fryer debate has a winner at the end, the air fryer. The air fryer is a new innovative and alternative way of frying food more healthily. The deep fryer is cheaper but it uses a lot of oil which increases the maintenance cost and decreases health benefits. Invest in your health and transition into a healthier lifestyle while enjoying all the perks of eating fried food. Checkout Amazon coupon code to avail the best discounts buying an air fryer.