The Truth About Air Fryers: What You Need to Know

Air fryers are a popular kitchen appliance that has been gaining attention in recent years. But do they really live up to their claims? In this article, we'll delve into the world of air fryers and explore what makes them tick.

How Air Fryers Work

Contrary to its name, an air fryer doesn't actually fry food. Instead, it works by circulating hot air around the food that's been placed in a basket. This can be done with or without oil or breading. The fan in the air fryer circulates the hot air, which helps to cook the food more quickly and uniformly. However, this means that your food won't have the deep fried flavor that comes from being immersed in oil.

The Benefits of Air Fryers

One of the biggest benefits of air fryers is that they're a lot healthier than traditional deep frying methods. Because the air fryer doesn't use oil, it's a much more nutritious option for cooking your favorite foods. Additionally, air fryers are quick and easy to use - just place your food in the basket, set the temperature, and let the machine do the rest.

Picking the Right Air Fryer

So, how do you pick the right air fryer for your needs? Consumer Reports designed our testing around three important features: convenience, controls, and noise. One big difference between models is basket size. Some are so small that they require you to cook in batches, which can be a challenge if you're cooking for a whole family. Our tests saw models with capacities ranging from just two quarts to almost six quarts, but some claimed to be much bigger than they actually were.

It's also important to check the basket size before buying an air fryer. If it's too small, you'll need to cook in batches, which can be inconvenient. We used 1 pound of chicken nuggets and fries in each fryer for our testing, and it was clear that a large basket was essential for cooking whole meals.

What Can You Make with an Air Fryer?

Air fryers are incredibly versatile kitchen appliances. They're not just limited to cooking traditional fried foods like chicken wings, popcorn shrimp, and french fries. In fact, 8 Consumer Reports staffers who took an air fryer home for a week turned out loads of different foods that aren't considered fried. You can make delicious foods like Brussels sprouts, fish, pizza, and even banana bread.

Tips for Cooking with an Air Fryer

If you have a lot of food in the basket, it's a good idea to pause and turn the food occasionally to ensure that the hot air can reach all surfaces to brown them. Our testers also found that some baskets require more elbow grease to clean than others. The holes that allow air to circulate and heat up the food can become clogged with fried bits of food, making cleaning a challenge.

When shopping for an air fryer, it's also worth considering the controls. Some models have simple dials, while others have digital touch pads with arrow adjustments and bright readouts. If you appreciate shortcuts, look for an air fryer with pre-programmed items like meat, fish, or baked goods. Additionally, some air fryers display both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures, which can be convenient for cooks who need to convert between units.

The Noise Level of Air Fryers

Finally, it's worth considering the noise level of your air fryer. Some models are very loud, while others are surprisingly quiet. Our testers used delicate sound-measuring instruments to determine which air fryers were quieter and which ones were louder. It's definitely worth paying attention to this feature if you plan on using your air fryer frequently.

Warranty and Maintenance

Most air fryers come with a warranty that covers the machine for a year or two. However, some warranties are shorter than others - we saw one that covered the machine for just 60 days. When shopping for an air fryer, be sure to check the warranty before making a purchase.

Conclusion

Air fryers are a convenient and healthy way to cook your favorite foods. With their ability to circulate hot air around food, they're a great alternative to traditional deep frying methods. By considering factors like basket size, controls, noise level, and warranty, you can choose the right air fryer for your needs. Whether you're a busy professional or a home cook, an air fryer is definitely worth considering as part of your kitchen arsenal.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enairfryer's don't actually fry they work by circulating hot air around food that's been placed in a basket either tossed in a bit of oil or covered with breading that contains oil they're essentially a counter top version of a full-sized convection oven which has a fan that circulates the hot air and can help food cook more quickly and uniformly your food won't have the deep fried flavor that comes from being immersed in oil but air fryers turn out tasty food that's a lot healthier you can spend anywhere from 55 to around $300 on an air fryer this model scored highly in our tests and cost just seventy dollars for the most part air fryers look similar so how do you pick Consumer Reports designed our testing around three important features convenience controls and noise one big difference between models is basket size some are so small they require you to cook in batches which is a challenge if you're cooking for a whole family in our air fire tests we saw models with a capacity of just two quarts and some that could hold almost six quarts but some claimed to be a lot bigger than they are our testers measured several that were over a full quart smaller than the manufacturer claimed on the box some stores have air fryers out of their boxes so check out the basket to ensure it will hold enough for your family we used 1 pound of chicken nuggets and fries in each fryer for our testing you can see how a pound about 25 nuggets fits in a large basket versus a small one what can you make it an air fryer certainly foods that are traditionally fried chicken wings popcorn shrimp french fries onion rings but in an informal exercise 8 CR staffers who took a fryer home for a week turned out loads of different foods for their families that aren't considered fried you're good like Brussels sprouts fish pizza and banana bread if you have a lot of food in the basket it's a good idea to pause and turn the food occasionally to ensure that the hot air can reach all the surfaces to brown them see our testers also determine whether a fryer is easy to clean the holes that allow air to circulate and heat up the food can become Kate with fried bits of food the baskets should be easy to clean with hot water and dish detergent see our testers found some that require more elbow grease too many nooks and crannies take a close look at the air fryer you're considering and you'll see a big difference in controls there are models with a pair of simple dials making it easy to adjust the temperature in time others have digital touch pads with arrow adjustments and bright readouts if you appreciate shortcuts some fires have little icons so you can simply choose a pre-programmed item like meat fish or baked goods this fryer displays both Fahrenheit and Celsius see the numbers on this dial well see our testers couldn't either watch for unreadable information on the fire and then we take a look actually a listen to how loud the fryer is testers use delicate sound measuring instruments to determine which are quiet and which ones can turn dinner conversation into dining din and when you shop take a close look at the warranty most have a warranty that covers the machine for a year or two but we saw warranties as short as 60 days for more information and a full list of our air fryer ratings check out CR org we pay for all the products we test we're a non-profit and we accept no advertising thanks for your supportairfryer's don't actually fry they work by circulating hot air around food that's been placed in a basket either tossed in a bit of oil or covered with breading that contains oil they're essentially a counter top version of a full-sized convection oven which has a fan that circulates the hot air and can help food cook more quickly and uniformly your food won't have the deep fried flavor that comes from being immersed in oil but air fryers turn out tasty food that's a lot healthier you can spend anywhere from 55 to around $300 on an air fryer this model scored highly in our tests and cost just seventy dollars for the most part air fryers look similar so how do you pick Consumer Reports designed our testing around three important features convenience controls and noise one big difference between models is basket size some are so small they require you to cook in batches which is a challenge if you're cooking for a whole family in our air fire tests we saw models with a capacity of just two quarts and some that could hold almost six quarts but some claimed to be a lot bigger than they are our testers measured several that were over a full quart smaller than the manufacturer claimed on the box some stores have air fryers out of their boxes so check out the basket to ensure it will hold enough for your family we used 1 pound of chicken nuggets and fries in each fryer for our testing you can see how a pound about 25 nuggets fits in a large basket versus a small one what can you make it an air fryer certainly foods that are traditionally fried chicken wings popcorn shrimp french fries onion rings but in an informal exercise 8 CR staffers who took a fryer home for a week turned out loads of different foods for their families that aren't considered fried you're good like Brussels sprouts fish pizza and banana bread if you have a lot of food in the basket it's a good idea to pause and turn the food occasionally to ensure that the hot air can reach all the surfaces to brown them see our testers also determine whether a fryer is easy to clean the holes that allow air to circulate and heat up the food can become Kate with fried bits of food the baskets should be easy to clean with hot water and dish detergent see our testers found some that require more elbow grease too many nooks and crannies take a close look at the air fryer you're considering and you'll see a big difference in controls there are models with a pair of simple dials making it easy to adjust the temperature in time others have digital touch pads with arrow adjustments and bright readouts if you appreciate shortcuts some fires have little icons so you can simply choose a pre-programmed item like meat fish or baked goods this fryer displays both Fahrenheit and Celsius see the numbers on this dial well see our testers couldn't either watch for unreadable information on the fire and then we take a look actually a listen to how loud the fryer is testers use delicate sound measuring instruments to determine which are quiet and which ones can turn dinner conversation into dining din and when you shop take a close look at the warranty most have a warranty that covers the machine for a year or two but we saw warranties as short as 60 days for more information and a full list of our air fryer ratings check out CR org we pay for all the products we test we're a non-profit and we accept no advertising thanks for your support\n"