There are good chances you have heard of air fryers before. This kitchen appliance has existed for a while, and it’s making its prominence in every household. You can use it for making french fries, chicken nuggets, veg cutlets and Indian deep-fried starters such as samosas, vadas and kachoris with nearly no oil. It is also a great appliance to cook leftover food like chicken drumsticks, which usually get soggy when reheated in a microwave.
Not just deep-fried dishes, you can also use air fryers for baking cakes, donuts and bread. It offers the convenience and versatility of an OTG (Oven Toaster Griller) in a much smaller form factor. It cut downs on your calories intake and fats without taking away the crunchiness and taste that we all love. If you are considering buying one, it is easy to get confused because of the several options. We have put together a guide to choose the right air fryer for your kitchen.
How does an air fryer work?
Air fryers don’t fry food. They cook food using heat and dry hot air. The basket holding food has tiny holes, so the circulated heat can reach food even from the bottom. This allows the air fryer to cook uniformly, even if food is piled up. Because of the heating chamber’s compact nature, hot air takes less time to reach food, resulting in faster cooking times.
Food being cooking needs to be rotated or shaken to ensure even browning and crispness. Users have to manually pull out the air fryer’s drawer to complete this task. Some higher-end models have a timer feature that reminds the user to shake the food. If you want complete automation, look for paddle-type air fryers. Such models gently stir the food so you don’t need to. You pay a slight premium on these models though.
Things to consider while choosing an air fryer
Size and capacity
Size is an important factor, especially if you have a compact kitchen. A medium-size air fryer has a capacity that ranges between 3.7L to 4.1L. They are compact and so, should easily fit in most kitchens. However, there is a strong correlation between size and capacity. Going for a small or medium-sized fryer means you may have to cook food in batches, something you don’t want to, if you have a large family or host lots of parties. A larger air fryer can quickly cook food for a more people, but they tend to be bulkier, so choose wisely.
Controls
Most air fryers have dials for controlling the temperature and timer. If you want more precision, look for higher-end models with digital controls. They let you set customised temperatures and even have LED displays to show information. Such air fryers also have presets to make the cooking process easier. There is also a new emerging category of smart air fryers you should look for. They connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to set cooking modes straight from your phone.
Cleaning
It’s important to regularly clean your air fryer thoroughly. Luckily, cleaning an air fryer requires little work. Simply pull out its drawer and wash it under tap water. The inner basket is often removable, so you can thoroughly wash it with a dishwashing detergent. These baskets tend to have a non-stick coating that prevents the food from sticking. Some models also offer a dishwasher-friendly design.
Air fryers offer an easy way to cook healthy food without losing its taste. As it quickly cooks food, most chefs suggest reducing the cooking or baking time by 20 per cent. For example, if the original recipe suggests 30 minutes of cooking on conventional cooking methods, 24 minutes should be enough in an air fryer. Users also need to fiddle around with temperature settings to avoid overcooking. You can use free tools such as Oven to Air Fryer converter to get the right temperature and time for oven recipes. Chefs also suggest spraying or brushing some amount of oil halfway through cooking for better browning and crispiness.
Air fryers are a great introduction to the modern kitchen and with prices for entry-level models starting from as low as Rs. 4,199*, why wouldn’t you want one? To explore a wide range of air fryers, head on to www.reliancedigital.in. If you want to have a hands-on experience, feel free to visit your nearest Reliance Digital store.
Note – Prices are subject to change. Please refer to the product page for the latest prices, details and availability.
