Air fryer- this is a transparent container made of heat-resistant glass with a volume of 6-15 liters with a lid with a diameter of 30 to 45 cm. Inside, like in a familiar oven, a baking sheet or wire rack is inserted, and food is placed on top. They can be placed on a plate or pre-wrapped in foil.
The lid is a separate element of the air fryer. It has a built-in fan and heating element. The inside is heated to temperatures from +60 to +260 degrees. The fan ensures uniform blowing of hot air according to the principle of convection. The lid also contains the device control panel.
Video: Experiment: which is better - a slow cooker or an air fryer?
The main functions of the device and the advantages of cooking in it
The debate about negative impact microwave ovens on the body, because their harm is scientifically proven. Still, many people still use such devices. This is understandable - modern people live at a frantic pace, so we have to look for ways to quickly prepare food or heat up semi-finished products. As a result, many alternatives to a conventional stove have emerged - electric ovens, egg cookers, toasters, bread makers, deep fryers. A significant disadvantage of these appliances is that it is difficult to place them all in a standard kitchen, which differs small in size. And washing devices after each use is a rather labor-intensive and time-consuming process. So soon new technology goes into the closet and just gathers dust there.
The convenience of an air fryer lies in its versatility. It combines the functions of different kitchen appliances, therefore significantly saving storage space. Its installation is possible on any dry surface - the main thing is that the wire is long enough. There are even models with automatic self-cleaning, which makes cleaning your equipment easier. What is important is that an air fryer consumes several times less electricity than a kettle or iron.
With this technique it is possible to cook food using any method. Cooking, frying without oil, smoking, stewing, baking, drying are available. In an air fryer you can also cook grilled meat, make hot sandwiches, homemade barbecue, steamed cutlets, and pies. The device also replaces a microwave, allowing you to quickly and easily heat up dinner at the right time (there is a timer for this) or defrost food from the freezer. You can use it to sterilize jars for home canning and raise dough. Models with electronic control allow you to prepare even natural yoghurts.
Initially, the air fryer was conceived as a device for cooking grilled meat at home. Now its functionality has expanded significantly:
- Products can be placed into the bowl directly from freezer using it for defrosting.
- Meat and poultry in an air fryer are cooked not only in portioned pieces, but also in large ones - it copes with this task better than electric stove or oven. Cutlets, chops, steaks, chicken wings and even whole chicken comes out with a delicious golden crust. They come out tender and juicy even without the use of oil. The fact is that hot air streams are evenly distributed over the entire surface of a piece of meat, and it already releases its own fat. Its volume is sufficient to prepare the product and form a golden brown crust.
- The fish is perfectly prepared both whole and in the form of steaks, rolls, cutlets, and fillets. If the device does not have a function for adjusting the blowing speed, to avoid overdrying it is enough to wrap the product in foil. Vegetables are baked in the same way using a minimal amount of oil.
- Smoked fish, shish kebab, yoghurt, baked milk - these are dishes that cannot be prepared in any kitchen appliance other than an air fryer. It is also used for drying mushrooms and herbs for the winter, for making crispy crackers and dried fruits.
- When using an air fryer, odors do not spread throughout the kitchen. By taking several pans, you can cook different dishes at the same time - their flavors will not mix. This makes it easy to feed a family of several people a delicious dinner.
- When using an air fryer, no radiation harmful to humans is emitted, which distinguishes it from the same microwave oven, which is very popular.
Housewives will love the ease of use of the air fryer. All you need to do is put the food in the container and set the desired mode and cooking time. Typically, a dish cooks faster in an air fryer than on the stove. And there is no need to stir or make sure that nothing burns. While lunch or dinner is being prepared, you can go about your business.
How is the food prepared?
In an air fryer, food is cooked using the convection principle. Hot air rotates around the product, as a result of which it warms up slowly and evenly. Cooking grilled chicken, which is popular in our country, takes about 40 minutes. The fish is baked at a temperature of 180 degrees for half an hour.
Before turning on the air fryer, do not forget to make sure that the loaded products are 1 cm away from the walls of the container. This is necessary to ensure free circulation of hot air inside the bowl.
The air fryer is often used as home smokehouse. In this case, you should pour liquid smoke or fall asleep sawdust. Cherry and alder are best suited. Then the products need to be placed on the grill - it is usually included in the basic kit.
Useful properties of food cooked in an air fryer
The air fryer is included in the list of the healthiest cooking appliances. This is due to the fact that the air used to process the products is clean and hot. You can cook food in an air fryer without using oil or fat - this method is the most useful. This is the most suitable option for people who lead healthy image life, take care of their figure, health, and also for patients with cardiovascular diseases who need to control the level of cholesterol in the blood. Since the device is environmentally friendly, people prone to allergic reactions can safely use it.
An undeniable advantage of using an air fryer is its safety for health. Food cooked in it turns out healthy, wholesome and nutritious. It preserves vitamins and minerals to the maximum. Also, such food has a reduced calorie content, because it is not necessary to use oil and fat for cooking. Even in this case, the dish will still not burn. The main thing is that it will not contain carcinogens hazardous to health, which are formed when heating creamy and vegetable oils. All the fat released from the food flows into a special compartment, so the dish turns out to be dietary. Many people claim that air fryer food has an amazing taste that cannot be achieved with standard way preparations.
Can such food harm the body?
There are practically no negative qualities of the air fryer and the food that is cooked in it. However, it must be taken into account that some products may initially have negative properties that appear when heated, regardless of the cooking method. The research results also confirm that the design of the air fryer does not use technologies that pose a danger to human health.
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Today, everyone can feel like a real chef thanks to the many options kitchen appliances: To do this, you just need to purchase one or another model. In our review, we will compare a relatively new device - the air fryer - with other kitchen assistants. Let's try to figure out which version of the technology is optimal for everyday use, and what are their main differences.
First of all, it’s worth saying that both devices do an excellent job with their main task - preparing a wide range of dishes. There are design differences between the two types of devices, but their functionality is quite extensive in both cases. When choosing which is better, an air grill or an electric grill, let’s consider the capabilities of both devices.
Electric grill capabilities
There are two types of electric grills: contact and non-contact. The first differs from the second in the presence of an open spiral. The advantage of such a device is that dishes cooked on a contactless grill will taste as if they were cooked over a fire.
Of course, contactless grill There are also disadvantages. One of them is the smoke that is released during cooking. Of course, this complicates the operation of the device at home, especially if the size of the kitchen is limited to several square meters. True, if you have a good hood, you can cook at home using such a grill.
It is best to use such a device outside the city. At the same time, do not forget that for frequent frying of meat, it is best to choose a device made of copper or cast iron. If you plan to cook healthy food (vegetables, steamed fish), then the optimal solution would be non-stick coating.
Contact grill Most of all, it resembles a frying pan with a “steaming” function; the difference is that it can be either double-sided or single-sided. Convenience of a contact grill without smoke. This means that it can be used without problems even in a small kitchen.
Double-sided models have the ability to prepare an omelet, a sandwich, and you can also use this device to make baked goods.
Contact electric grill Tefal Ultra Compact Health Grill Comfort
At the same time, contact models lack the “zest” of contactless models. Food cooked on them does not have the smell of a fire, which is achieved due to the release of smoke. This disadvantage is partly compensated by the ease and simplicity of cooking. A one-sided contact grill is best suited for cooking meat (including chicken) and vegetable dishes.
The benefits of an electric grill are as follows:
- food can be defrosted;
- it is also easy to reheat food without losing its taste;
- convenient to cook various types of porridge;
- saving time when preparing food for the whole family, because several different dishes are heated in several containers at the same time.
Disadvantages of an electric grill:
- You can’t boil vegetables or stew them;
- the capabilities of this type of device are not enough to replace all types of kitchen appliances;
- often fails due to power surges.
Advantages and disadvantages of an air fryer
In the case of an air fryer, it can be considered a device with a slightly improved cooking model. Firstly, the release and further distribution of heat occurs more evenly due to the focused supply of hot air. Secondly, hot air circulates over the entire area of the bowl, due to which volumetric heating of the dish is achieved, and not just thorough baking of the lower part.
The air fryer has a number of advantages.
At the same time, the air fryer is not without its drawbacks.
- Steamed dishes turn out poorly. However, the primary purpose of the device is frying. If you need to cook or steam vegetables, it is better to use another type of device.
- The device represents some danger to children, because how during the cooking process its top lid and flask can heat up to high temperatures.
- Heats food slowly, for quick heating it is better to use other types of devices.
- Increased power. Running the appliance for several hours a day can result in high energy bills.
What to choose
As you can see, there are differences between an air grill and an electric grill both in design and in areas of application. Essentially, these appliances cook different types of food. Even the same dishes prepared in different devices will differ significantly in taste and beneficial properties.
Supporters of meat and fried foods will appreciate the full range of dishes prepared on an electric grill, and those who prefer healthy and “light” food are more likely to choose an air grill. True, there are a number of restrictions that you will have to put up with during operation. One of these functional limitations of air fryers is the difficulty of cooking vegetables. And during operation, an electric grill emits odors that can remain in the kitchen for a long time.
Taking into account all the design features of the devices, the most optimal choice Between the two grill options there will still be an air fryer.
Air fryer vs other kitchen appliances
The modern home appliance market offers many options. Among them, there are both auxiliary devices and direct competitors of the air fryer, ready to compete with it for the title optimal solution for everyday cooking. Let's take a closer look at each of the options.
Microwave
This is one of the main competitors among connoisseurs of “fast food”.
It should be noted that in terms of cooking speed, the convection oven is noticeably inferior to microwave ovens.
Microwaves cope much better with several types of work at once:
- defrosting food;
- heating prepared food;
- baking semi-finished products (popcorn, etc.).
This advantage is achieved due to rapid rise to high temperature. This microwave oven takes just seconds. However, if you are not in a hurry, you can give preference to the air fryer. Compared to a microwave oven, it also has a number of advantages:
- you can cook almost anything;
- food retains its beneficial properties;
- uniform heating;
- natural heating for food (hot air against microwaves in the microwave).
When choosing an air fryer or a microwave oven, you should start from your needs. To heat up ready-made food, you should choose a microwave, and to prepare healthy food, you should choose an air fryer.
Double boiler
Another competitor to the air fryer. Unlike a microwave, a steamer is designed to cook healthier food. In addition, if a microwave oven can be considered more like an auxiliary device, then a double boiler is positioned as a full-fledged tool for preparing a wide range of dishes.
Steaming allows you to save a lot of beneficial properties products. For example, the entire vitamin complex of vegetables is preserved during steam treatment, while some of them may be lost when exposed to hot air. But the steamer is not without design flaws. It does not cope well with heating; food does not cook on it as quickly as circumstances often require. So, regarding the speed of cooking, the advantage will remain with the air fryer.
The capabilities of the devices are almost equal, but in the case of an air fryer, the list of dishes that can be cooked on it will be much wider. Therefore, when choosing an air fryer or a double boiler, it is better to choose the first option. In addition, the steamer has a more fragile design and can be easily damaged (even accidentally).
Oven
The oven is an integral part of almost any kitchen. Today, the technical equipment of these devices has grown significantly, as has the list of dishes that can be prepared in them. True, the oven, like the microwave oven, remains only an auxiliary device, which is most often considered by the consumer as a second or third device for cooking. This feature grows due to limited functionality, which does not allow them to become truly universal devices, such as an air fryer or multicooker.
What the oven is good at is baking - this is where its advantage is most obvious. Any baked goods - pies, homemade bread, cookies, etc. - they turn out much tastier in the oven. This effect is achieved due to more accurate heating and a larger area of the device itself, in which in some cases it turns out “ rustic stove effect».
The oven will cook faster because... works with very high temperatures, but its capabilities are unlikely to satisfy the daily needs of the average family. Meat and pies are not cooked every day, but porridge and soups are cooked much more often.
Can an air fryer replace all its competitors?
An air fryer is a fairly versatile tool, and with the necessary skill it can cook almost any dish. Of course, a number design features impose on him certain restrictions, which cannot be bypassed. It is in these cases that the use of additional devices will be preferable.
For example, some dishes cooked in a double boiler will be healthier, and a pie baked in the oven will be richer. A microwave will help you quickly reheat or defrost food, as well as warm food when necessary, but it will not be able to prepare a full meal, unlike a grill. An electric grill leaves odors and often breaks down; its use is justified in the case of country barbecues and all kinds of smoking, but everyday food should be not only tasty, but also healthy. Numerous reviews from users of convection ovens indicate that the device may well replace most of the equipment reviewed, but with some reservations.
It’s best if you have a grill, a steamer, a microwave, and an oven on hand so that you can use them for their intended purpose when the need arises.
Conclusion
The air fryer has a number of advantages compared to the equipment discussed above. In addition, it should be noted that none of the options considered can claim the title universal kitchen appliance to the same extent as an air fryer. All representatives have reservations and functional limitations. Of course, the air fryer is not without them, but these restrictions do not play a decisive role.
And they buy newfangled devices that, according to the statement, can make them easier homework. But over time the kitchen becomes full various devices which are used once a year. This problem is especially relevant for small spaces. It would be a shame to throw away the device, but it makes no sense to use it, since the next new product has replaced half technical devices in the kitchen. A similar situation occurred with the advent of air grills, which include steam cooking in their functionality. But can air fryers seriously compete with a double boiler? Let's figure out together what it is, what is better to spend money on, Which is better: a steamer or a convection oven??
All the best air fryers are available for order on Ozone!
An air fryer, unlike a double boiler, has only one bowl, which is characterized by a large volume. It is made of impact-resistant glass. In the kitchen, a steamer will definitely take up less space than an air fryer. The compact bowls of steamers can be folded and the device can be placed in a cabinet if it is not really needed. at the moment. A large-volume air fryer is difficult to hide anywhere. The glass bowl takes up a significant amount of space; in fact, it can take the place of your old microwave. In terms of functions, it is far ahead of it, so it can easily take a place in the kitchen.
The difference between a steamer and an air fryer
... noticeable even from the external design. One air fryer bowl allows you to cook one dish. can process different products at the same time. At the same time, the volumes of the bowls are different for convection ovens and steamers. The large bowl of the air fryer allows you to cook a meal for a family of 5 people.
The control method of devices may vary depending on the model. You can choose mechanical or electronic method machine control. At the same time, the convection oven and steamer have built-in programs. Naturally, there are more of them in an air fryer, since the capabilities of the device are wider.
If we consider an air fryer as a convection oven, then difference between a steamer and an air fryer consists in the presence of a heating element and a fan in the latest device. Food is cooked in vortex air currents, the intensity of which can vary.
Only the best steamers are sold here!
No matter what ends up in your kitchen, air fryer or steamer, but cooking can take place without fat and oil. Compared to cooking in a frying pan, which can produce carcinogens, processing food in an air fryer and steamer allows you to serve healthy food. dietary dish. But some foods take longer to cook in an air fryer than on a traditional stovetop.
Air fryer or steamer?
It depends on what you are going to cook in the kitchen. Food for small children, people with gastrointestinal disorders, adherents healthy eating can be prepared in both devices. But the main difference between a double boiler and an air fryer is that the air fryer is capable of baking, drying vegetables and fruits, frying, sterilizing preparations, grilling, heating, and also smoking at home.
Owners of kitchen ovens claim that the air fryer will become a backup oven in most cases. Therefore, you can choose as an option a double boiler and a good oven, which the vast majority of housewives in our country have not yet abandoned. At the same time, steaming in an air fryer differs from cooking in a double boiler. place the main emphasis on the steam cooking function, so no device can compare with a double boiler in processing food using steam. If you are attracted to multifunctional devices, then of course you need an air fryer or a multicooker.
Not every housewife can afford to fork out for an air fryer. Although, when it comes to your own peace of mind and saving time for your loved one, then women have no equal in this matter. In terms of price, an air fryer will cost the same as an expensive double boiler. Lovers of healthy and wholesome steamed food can purchase and
To date modern man It is already difficult to surprise with any miracle of technology. Scientific and technological progress has accelerated hundreds of times over the past decades, so the next invention of scientists that will make human life easier is no longer surprising. By the way, its results are quite actively used not only in research institutes or large production workshops, but also in ordinary kitchens by the simplest housewives. Another miracle of technology was the air fryer.
What is an air fryer
Nowadays it is very difficult to imagine that just a few years ago the oven was an indispensable item in the kitchen. Any baking or frying became impossible without this important piece of kitchen equipment. An air fryer is what allows modern housewives to diversify their dishes, make them even tastier and healthier.
An air fryer is a transparent container with a lid, made of thermal glass, the diameter of which is 30-45 cm. A baking sheet or wire rack is inserted into this container, as in a conventional oven, and food is placed on top, which can be pre-wrapped in foil or placed on a plate. The air fryer lid is a separate element, which is equipped with a fan and heating device inside. The fan serves to evenly blow air according to the convection principle, which is heated inside the pan to 60-260 degrees, using a heating element in the lid. There is also a control panel for the air fryer on the lid. Typically, the kit, along with the main container and lid, includes a nozzle for cooking chicken, additional racks, skewers, a grip for hot parts, a multi-level baking tray for cooking several dishes at the same time and, of course, a brochure with recipes for dishes that can be cooked in an air fryer.
Air fryer dishes - harm or benefit
Disagreements about the impact on human body microwave ovens, since their harm has been unconditionally proven. But, oddly enough, there are very few people left who have not yet acquired them. This is how man is designed that the modern rhythm of life forces him to look for an alternative to a conventional stove. So, it was gradually replaced by electric ovens, deep fryers, egg cookers, toasters, etc. The only inconvenient thing is that it’s difficult to place all these household appliances The kitchen is quite difficult, and cleaning after each use is labor-intensive. As a result, a new household appliances, which seems to have been purchased to make life easier and save time, is put away in the closet after three uses. An air grill is a universal cooking device that combines the functions of many household appliances.
Another undeniable advantage of the air fryer is its absolute safety for human health. Cooking in an air fryer does not require the use of vegetable or butter, as a result of which the finished food is completely devoid of carcinogens. In addition, the air fryer has a special compartment into which the fat contained in the products flows.
The list of dishes that can be prepared using an air fryer is much more extensive than what any other household appliance can handle. These include first courses, various pastries, porridge, smoked products, berries or mushrooms, and even yoghurts and preparations for the winter.
As you can see, the convection oven has all the qualities to soon displace conventional stoves from everyday use.
In a fragile woman modern world There are so many things to do and responsibilities that she often simply does not have time to prepare a full meal. So we rush on the way from work, past the children. kindergarten and school, to the nearest store for sausages, dumplings and frozen pancakes. But I want to feed my household healthy food and not feel like a cornered horse :)
And so the engineers-inventors finally came up with electrical appliances, who themselves prepare delicious and healthy food for us, spending a minimum number of minutes: air fryers and multicookers. And now we are asking the question, which is better - an air fryer or a slow cooker? After all, buying both is not always realistic and financially feasible, and not every kitchen will fit both of these rather bulky appliances.
The number of amazing dishes that can be cooked in an air fryer is actually quite large. This miracle machine can fry, bake, stew, smoke, grill and barbecue, and in addition, it can also sterilize jars and defrost food directly from the freezer. But practice shows that most often the air fryer is used for frying or baking meat and fish. At the same time, taste and appearance Dishes cooked in an air fryer will be very appetizing, and the fact that no oil is used in their preparation puts such food on par with the list of foods that are beneficial for the human body.
The products in this kitchen appliance are processed by hot air streams, and the heating element itself is located in the lid, which makes the air fryer similar in operating principle to a modern electric oven. But compared to a conventional oven, this unit cooks food several times faster and saves a significant amount of electricity.
Multicooker: pros
A multicooker will be a very good purchase for a young mother, because its range of functions includes the preparation of such wonderful dishes as milk porridge, yoghurt, various soups, steamed meat and vegetables, stews, jellied meat and other dishes that require long-term simmering. In addition, the multicooker is excellent at making ready-made baked goods. All of these dishes are great for feeding children. younger age, and, of course, adults. In addition, the cooking process in a multicooker is carried out to the utmost low temperatures, which allows you to preserve maximum vitamins and nutrients in products.
In addition, such a device can completely relieve the hostess and prepare food even without her presence. This is possible thanks to automatic settings and timers. You simply load the products into the bowl and set the desired mode and time, and you can go for a walk (work, shopping, go to bed). By your arrival delicious lunch(dinner, breakfast) will be ready.
Appliance care
When choosing a kitchen assistant to answer the question of which is better, an air fryer or a multicooker, an important factor will be the care and cleaning of the internal surfaces of the appliances after use. And in this sense, the air fryer loses to the multicooker. It is twice as heavy, and therefore more inconvenient; moreover, the heating element located in the lid requires care when caring for the convection oven. Practice shows that even those models that have a self-cleaning function are not able to completely remove residual grease and soot, and they have to be additionally cleaned manually.
The multicooker bowl weighs about three kilograms and can be easily taken out to wash. In addition, it has a non-stick coating, which allows you to easily remove food debris from the walls. And if you don’t want to clean the bowl at all, you can put it in dishwasher, where it will also acquire its original purity and shine.
So after all: convection oven or multicooker?
It is still very difficult to unequivocally answer the question of which is better: an air fryer or a multicooker. These are two different devices with different principles of operation, and different dishes obtained at the output. For adherents of a healthy diet, it is preferable to choose a multicooker. It will replace both a double boiler and a saucepan, preserving vitamins and nutrients during the cooking process. A complete absence oil and fat will rid the human body of many diseases that arise from the unlimited intake of these components of dishes, standardly cooked in a frying pan.
The air fryer is suitable for lovers of hearty food who are accustomed to a variety of taste sensations. When choosing this device, it is worth considering that it is not convenient to use on small kitchens, so it makes sense to purchase it for a small apartment only if you don’t have, and don’t expect to buy, an oven at home.
In general, it all depends on personal food preferences. Healthy and tasty food can be obtained in any of the presented devices; the main thing is to determine the approach to preparing dishes, and, of course, not to get carried away with their excessive consumption.
I still chose a multicooker based on many parameters, from size and difficulty of cleaning to culinary capabilities. And yet it’s healthier to cook in it! At least the family is happy :)
Cook with pleasure!