Air fryers are electronic cooking equipment that are used for baking, grilling, roasting, and deep frying food by consuming less oil than would ordinarily have been the case with other cooking equipment. They basically use convection (hot air) as the means for supplying heat to the food in the cooking basket. This hot air is mixed with some little cooking oil and then blown into the cooking basket. The mixture of hot air and oil is what provides the needed cooking power.
Air fryers come in diverse shapes, sizes, degrees of sophistication, and functionalities. Moreover, newer and better versions do get churned into the market every quite often. As such, a prospective user of these air fryers may often be at cross roads as regards which one specifically suits their liking, tastes or preference.
That’s why an expose of this nature is by all means vital. In the discussions that follow, you will get to know of the various factors to consider while choosing the perfect air fryer for your cooking needs.
HOW TO CHOOSE A PERFECT AIR FRYER
The following are the seven main factors to consider while looking for the perfect air fryer:
Capacity and Size
Capacity refers to the overall amount of food that the equipment may accommodate at any given time. It is expressed in pounds. It goes without saying that a high capacity means that the equipment may accommodate more food and vice versa. Size, on the other hand, refers to the overall dimensions of the equipment i.e. its length, width, and height/depth. Larger equipment calls for extra storage space and may often be cumbersome to handle. A balance should hence be struck between these two parameters to arrive at the most relevant choice.
Adaptability
Adaptability is the range of cooking tasks and purposes to which an air fryer may be put. The typical air fryer may be used to bake, roast, grill, dry, and deep fry food, among other purposes. The right air fryer should be one that is able to discharge all these purposes in one compact and comprehensive package. This is to avoid the inconveniences that naturally arise out of the need to switch from one set of equipment to another in pursuit of the desired cooking method. For an air fryer to be able to perform all these purposes at a go, it ought to be able to accommodate several accessories. These include the fish baskets, kebab trays, and rotisseries, among others.
Price and Manufacturer’s Warranty
It goes without saying that the price of the air fryer should be given utmost attention. That’s because each user naturally has his own budget space which determines the kinds of goods he may acquire for use. The ideal air fryer should be cheap, affordable, and well within the easy reach of the potential user who may desire it. It should, if possible, be accompanied by generous manufacturer’s warranty, hot discounts, and other after-sale-services to lessen any burdens that the users may have to bear after their purchase.
Controls or Programmability
Each air fryer is accompanied by several control features that are intended to determine the temperature, timing, and other pertinent aspects of a cooking session. These include the timers, LED display units, bells, and buttons. A good air fryer on the basis of this consideration should be that one which has the ability to be preset to handle all the cooking tasks alone without the input and direct intervention of the user throughout the entire cooking session. This is to aid in minimizing attention requirements and also guarantee only the highest quality outcomes at all times.
Power Consumption
Air fryers are primarily powered by mains electricity. They consume plenty of electrical energy by virtue of generating very high temperatures to prepare food. This also means that their use exerts some strain on the utility expenses of the users. It is, therefore, necessary for the power consumption of these appliances to be ascertained while making a purchase. This is to see to it that the utility bills are kept to the absolute possible minimum to spare the user of unusual hardships in settling these bills. A good air fryer ought to consume somewhere between 110V and 220V of electrical energy.
Cooking Methods
All air fryers primarily use convection technique to cook food. This entails the circulation of a mixture of hot air and oil onto the food to achieve the desired results or outcomes. Some air fryers though, are capable of utilizing other cooking methods to prepare foods. These include the use of Infra Red and Halogen Power. Such machines are not only capable of cooking food faster but are also able to handle different menus perfectly well. It, therefore, follows that they ought to be given a higher priority while making a purchase. This should be especially the case if speed is of the essence while preparing a menu.
Manufacturer or Brand
The field of the manufacture and sale of air fryers is awash with several players, brands, and manufacturers. The various manufacturers have their unique niches or areas of specialization. Some are famed for producing high-quality goods, others for producing more affordable goods, whereas others for producing goods that are easier to operate. All factors considered the following are the best brands or manufacturers of air fryers as of the year 2107: Philips, Gourmia, Ivation, and Avalon. They should hence be given the top most priority while buying the right air fryer at all times. This is because their products have the likelihood of delivering the desired outcomes and are also more durable.
CONCLUSION
There are indeed plenty of other factors to consider while shopping for the right air fryer. Owing to the limitations of time and space, not all of them could be effectively exhausted. As such, prospective buyers of these products are strongly urged to conduct further research and acquaint themselves with these other factors.
Owing to the sensitive and expensive nature of this cooking equipment, the intervention of professional experts is strongly recommended during a purchase. It is only then that the potential errors that naturally arise out of a wrong choice may be effectively minimized.