Users should choose products with appropriate capacity, power, and reputable brands.
Air fryers use hot air and little or no oil to cook food. Good quality air fryers can produce high-quality French fries, while inferior models may not even cook food properly.
Therefore, to avoid the situation of “wasting money” by purchasing low-quality products, users can refer to the following tips for choosing an air fryer.
Types of Air Fryers
Basically, air fryers operate similarly. The air inside the fryer is heated and circulated in a manner similar to an oven. As a result, air fryers can be used to prepare a variety of dishes, from French fries to baked goods.
Drawer-type air fryers are favored by Vietnamese users.
Currently, there are two types of air fryers on the market: drawer-type air fryers and lid-type air fryers.
Drawer-type air fryers have a pull-out drawer for placing food inside. Users cannot check if the food is cooked unless they remove it. Lid-type air fryers have a lid that can be flipped open, made from clear glass or a transparent frame, allowing users to check the food without lifting the lid. However, lid-type fryers tend to have a bulkier design compared to drawer-type fryers.
What is the Price Range for Good Air Fryers?
In Vietnam, the price of air fryers ranges from 700,000 to 8,000,000 VND.
Typically, cheaper air fryers have a smaller capacity and do not deliver the expected quality of food. According to reviews on which.co.uk, fries cooked in lower-priced fryers can remain soggy and lack flavor.
Users should opt for products with a power rating of over 1,500 W. Higher wattage will help fry food evenly golden brown without the need to flip it. Additionally, the food will be crispier and tastier.
Key Features to Consider in an Air Fryer
All air fryers come equipped with a timer allowing users to set cooking times and display the remaining time.
Many air fryers also offer a roasting option instead of just air frying, allowing users to prepare new dishes made from meat or fish. Furthermore, users can bake various types of bread or reheat food.
Additionally, there are air fryers that can cook two different types of food simultaneously using a secondary cooking rack. This secondary rack can be an additional tier or a smaller frame that fits neatly inside the main cooking basket. Users can prepare both meat and fries without mixing them together. However, cooking two dishes at the same time may cause their flavors to intermingle.
After each use, the air fryer needs to be cleaned. Components like the cooking basket and lid are dishwasher safe and easy to clean.
The size of the air fryer needed by each family depends on the number of people and the space available for the appliance. The smallest air fryers can hold 800 grams of food (about 4 servings of fries).
Do’s and Don’ts When Using an Air Fryer
Do’s with an Air Fryer
Frozen foods turn out crispy and delicious in an air fryer: According to Stephanie Pixley, Deputy Editor for Food at America’s Test Kitchen, air fryers are excellent for cooking frozen foods. Pixley states that air fryers make dishes crispy thanks to convection. This feature allows hot air to circulate around the food, cooking it evenly and faster.
Brussels sprouts become crispy and beautifully cooked in an air fryer, even without added oil.
You can quickly make cookies in an air fryer: Pixley tells Insider: “I like to keep cookie dough balls in the freezer so I can take one (or a few) without having to make a whole batch. And I always bake cookies in the air fryer.” You don’t need to preheat the air fryer, so you can have homemade cookies ready in just 10 minutes.
An air fryer can help you avoid soggy zucchini. Zucchini releases a lot of moisture during cooking, so when fried or cooked in a traditional way, you will see a significant amount of water released. Instead, roasting zucchini in an air fryer avoids this issue.
Chicken breast also turns out very well when using an air fryer. The high temperature and continuous airflow ensure the meat is beautifully browned and appetizing. However, avoid applying too much seasoning, as it may drip down and create a mess in the air fryer.
Using an air fryer to cook bacon is the best way to achieve delicious and leaner meat.
Don’ts with an Air Fryer
While Brussels sprouts are well-suited for an air fryer, broccoli is not. If you place broccoli in the air fryer, it may dry out and burn before it is fully cooked.
Avoid placing large cuts of meat or whole chickens in the air fryer, as the food may not cook evenly. For example, the part of the meat closest to the heat source may burn and dry out before the part further away cooks through.
Do not place any food with wet batter in the air fryer, such as hot dogs or shrimp tempura. Wet batter (breaded coating) will not set unless it is fried; this means the fried food will not be as crispy as you expect. The batter may not only fall off the food during cooking but can also burn and stick to the bottom of the air fryer.
Fresh green vegetables should not be placed in an air fryer as they will become messy and not cook evenly. For example, if you want to make crispy kale chips, it’s better to use a conventional oven.
Do not place already cooked meat and vegetables into the air fryer, as this will cause the food to become even drier.
