THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED WHILE BUYING AN AIR FRYER

Air fryer is a well-accepted trendy kitchen appliance that can be used to cook, bake, grill and fry your preferred food items by blowing hot air around the food. Since the appliance cooks food with hot air instead of fatty oil, it has become an essential kitchen appliance to be owned. This kitchen appliance is similar to an oven which roasts and bakes, whereas the major dissimilarity is its heating elements that located on top, and is constituted with a large, powerful fan, resulting super crispy tasty food in no time, with less oil than other deep-fried cooking ranges.

If you are considering almost all frying procedures, air frying is found to be the healthiest option than frying in oil. It can cut short calories by 70% to 80% and support you with less quantity of fat. It is said that air frying methods can also minimize some other injurious effects of frying in oil. According to many sources, food prepared using air fryers is the healthiest choice when compared to other fried foods. Since air fryers need only a fraction of the oil that is needed by deep fryers, you can enjoy a more healthful meal with similar quality and flavors. Thus, air fryers have had a recent rush in fame due to the increasing consciousness about healthy life, and ongoing demand for the well fried foods.

However, to buy a suitable air fryer is not as easy as we consider. If you want to buy an air fryer that suits you in all respects, you must have an overall awareness regarding that kitchen appliance. Here, we are providing some valuable guidance for helping you to find out the right air fryer of your choice.

Capacity

The capacity of small air fryers is usually around 1 liter to 2 liters, whereas the capacity of medium-sized air fryers is around 1.8 liters to 2.5 liters. Larger model air fryers can have the capacity up to 5 liters or more. If you want to roast or cook a whole chicken, it is better to go for these larger ones. For a small family which comprises four to five people, an air fryer having 2 liter capacity will be sufficient. For a big family consisting of seven to eight people or more, an air fryer having capacity between three and six liters can be recommended. It is desirable to opt for a larger air fryer if you want to serve more guests at a stretch. Air fryers with twin baskets are also available to enable you to prepare two different fried foods at the same time.

Wattage

You have to make sure that the watts consumption of your air fryer can be provided your kitchen outlet. Typically, a standard air fryer requires 800 watts to 1500 watts. If your air fryer has more watts, it will reach higher temperatures, and swiftly re-heats the oil if you have put in frozen foods like frozen peas or meat to the grease. Air fryers can also be purchased with respect to wattage levels, and they are available up to 1800 watts & more.

Power consumption

The maximum electricity consumption of an air fryer with 1500 wattage will not be more than 1 unit per day. If you are cooking for 30 minutes in an air fryer, the maximum electricity consumption of the device will be only half a unit. Air Fryer takes nearly 15 minutes to finish up the whole household cooking requirements. Most of the Air Fryers are arranged with a power rating facility which is less than 1500 watts, and hence the appliance consumes less than half unit of electricity per day.

Temperature control

The temperature settings of your air fryer can have a vital effect in producing the ultimate result you want to achieve. Generally, the air fryers start cooking food when the temperature reaches above 400 degrees. At higher temperatures the cooking takes place more rapidly. Baked foods and batter coatings won't suck up as much oil, if they are cooked at higher temperature for a shorter duration of time. This is possible only if the air fryer has been arranged with a proper control that assists you to cook food at the exact temperature. The integrated timer and indicator lights arranged with the cooking appliance will make the cooking process absolutely effortless.

Control types

Dial controls are perceptive to operate but ensures less accuracy. To arrange the time limit of the air fryer, you have to rotate a mechanical timer that rings when the time is just over. On the other hand, digital controls are little more advanced, and advantageous. They are precise and enable you to arrange a particular setting for cooking different types of food. Hence, you need not bother about at what temperature you have to stop cooking, or how long you have to proceed cooking.

Safety measures

While purchasing the air fryer of your choice, it is essential for you to make sure that the kitchen appliance is well-insulated, and featured with cool-touch hand grips. Because of this arrangement your hands won’t get burned when you have to pull out the basket. Secondly, the bottom side of the air fryers should have non-slip feet to support the appliance from slipping off. In addition, the air fryer should have been provided with a locking lid, and exterior basket control arrangement. While buying, you may also make sure that the air fryer is facilitated with an automatic shut-off to avert over-cooking of food materials.

Extra functions

Some air fryers are designed in such a way to perform double tasks like other kitchen appliances. This facility offers you more adaptability, and supports you to prevent taking up extra space from your kitchen by various kitchen appliances. However, you will have to pay extra for this additional innovative facility.

Durability issues

The most common durability issue you may come across is the flaking of the coating, or paint used. These issues generally occurred because of the regular heavy cleaning of the kitchen appliance with detergents. A gentle hand cleaning with some mild detergent is the desirable way of extenuating this difficulty. Next common issue is regarding the mesh basket or drawer which gets distorted or fragile due to the high temperature environments. In such conditions, the warped drawer will be difficult to insert or take away the basket. Sometimes, an unforeseen smoking of the model may stop all functions of the appliance altogether. These issues are often found with newer air fryer brands or economic models which lack the quality assurance from the manufacturers.

Cost of air fryers

Determine the cost of the air fryer that you are planning to purchase. Also, see whether the cost of the kitchen appliance matches with your pre-planned budget. So, it is better to consider those air fryers, the cost of which you can afford without any difficulty.

If you are health conscious, and want to avoid additional oil from your daily food, an air fryer is the best option. Even though ovens and deep fryers cannot be replaced by air fryers, they are the apt choice for your healthy lifestyle. Go through the aforesaid matters before going to purchase the air fryers. It will surely help you find the right air fryer of your choice.