Air fryers are the new-ish kitchen gadgets that seem to polarise Australians.
People either love them or hate them, and while many vow never to get one, just as many declare they can’t live without them.
I have gradually come around to being the latter after previously being in the former. I didn’t see the point, and then I started making smaller and smaller meals after the kids grew up and were hardly ever home and it seemed a waste to be cranking up my oven for a meal for two people.
My advice, take that marketing guff about them being healthier with a pinch of salt. The hard truth is they are really just a small, on-bench oven. If that sounds like a waste when you already have an oven, then consider my comments above. You can still easily make a meal for two, they reheat just as well as a microwave, but don’t make things soggy, and save you money by not having to use a large oven.
If you are still keen on buying, that’s great, but after a quick bit of research, you will discover there are loads different products on the market. You can get them with multiple drawers, fancy gold trimmings, all manner of buttons and ‘smart’ devices. So which one is best?
Thankfully, the ever-reliable CHOICE has done some of the hard yards to help you make up your mind.
Bench press
Let’s begin at the beginning. Will it fit?
Air fryers take up a lot of real estate on your benchtop, so it’s a good idea to check if you have the space, or what space you would be willing to sacrifice to accommodate a unit.
And before you think, ‘we can just whack it in the pantry’, well no, they must be used in a well-ventilated area, so pantries and cupboards are out.
You can store it away when it’s not in use, but it must be in the open for operation.
“Keep in mind that some of these appliances are very tall, heavy and bulky, and would be tricky to fit in the cupboard. Many are designed to live permanently on your kitchen bench,” says CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair.
“The extra-large models are also very awkward and tricky to clean in a standard kitchen sink, which really affects how convenient they are to use.”
What are your options?
There is now a raft of air fryers out there, just to make things more confusing. Your nifty little on-bench oven can also be a steamer, griller and even dehydrator.
Maybe make a list of what you would like in an air fryer and what you would not like, to cut down on the choice.
“Air fryers have changed a lot since we first started reviewing them, and these days we’re seeing more models that include multiple cooking functions in addition to air frying, such as grilling, roasting and steaming, and even dehydrating, pressure cooking, rice cooking and slow cooking,” Mair says.
“Instead of buying a small and basic single-function air fryer, it’s worth making the most of your kitchen bench space and looking at either a multi-functional air fryer or a multicooker with an air fryer function.
“Choose one that has features you’ll actually use and, preferably, could replace some appliances you already own, like a slow cooker or pressure cooker. This is a great way to save space and broaden your cooking repertoire,” she says.
However, CHOICE found that many models weren’t good ‘all-rounders’.
For example, some models turned out perfect fries and crumbed chicken, but fell down when it came to cooking marinated chicken wings.
“This can be due to the element position and the shape and size of the basket in the air fryer,” says Fiona.
“For foods that require longer cooking times, if the element is too close to the food, you can end up with a dish that’s unevenly cooked and dry.”
The full details of CHOICE’s reviews can be found here, but fair warning, they are behind a paywall.
Do you want functions with that?
Like microwaves, air fryers come with a bunch of programming and optional accessories.
Have a good hard think about if you will need them.
Personally, I never use the pre-programmed cooking times on my microwave and get by with just the standard basket for my air fryer and that’s the way I like it. I just want things to work simply and not have to think too hard about it or find kitchen space for accessories I’m probably only going to use once or twice a year.
However, some like all the bells and whistles, and if you are using it regularly, it can make it more convenient and a time saver.
If it helps, you can buy some accessories separately.
Do you have an air fryer? What do you use it for? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Eleven air fryer mistakes you are making
