It seems like air fryers are all the rage these days. Everyone is talking about them, especially within the cooking niche, and as a result, many people are very curious as to which air fryers are the best. But more importantly, many people are very curious to learn what an air fryer, well, is.
For as popular as they are, it seems as though many people aren’t entirely sure what an air fryer is, and what it does. Nor are they aware of the distinct advantages and benefits that an air fryer offers.
Today, we’re going to talk all about air fryers. You’re going to learn what an air fryer is, what it does, why it’s such a great device to have, and you’re also going to learn a little bit about the history of the device itself. More importantly though, we’re going to take you through a guide where you will learn all about how to find the best air fryer for frying chicken, fish, and french fries.
However, this guide and the contents of the guide itself aren’t just about finding an air fryer that is great for frying those things. You can also use the information we’ve provided to find the perfect air fryer for yourself, that fits your lifestyle, rather than being restricted to the previously mentioned foods and the types of air fryers specifically designed for cooking those foods in the best possible manner.
With that being said, we’re going to start by defining what an air fryer is, and why, exactly, it has become so prevalent and so popular.
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What Is An Air Fryer?
Back in the year 2010, the very first air fryer was released. Now, the concept, and the workings, of an air fryer have been patented by the Philips Electronics Company. This is the same company that produces all kinds of different products and tools, such as washing machines, television sets, ovens, and air conditioners. This was one of their most notable products at the time, and while it was somewhat well-known, it wasn’t all that popular just yet. Instead, it was just another product that Philips had released.
As time passed, other companies began to make air fryers. Since Philips was no longer the only producer of air fryers, this opened up the market considerably. Now, several companies were taking the air fryer concept, and putting their own spin on things, creating some innovative devices that made the process of deep frying significantly easier and a more pleasant experience, all while improving on the overall design that Philips had initially put together.
However, this doesn’t talk about what an air fryer is, exactly. To answer that question, we have to look at the main idea that defines an air fryer.
An air fryer is a countertop oven. In many ways, it is quite similar to a convection oven that you would place on your countertop. However, most air fryers are a bit smaller and more compact than many convection countertop ovens. This gives them a bit more versatility, and makes it easier to move them around and to store them, especially if your countertops aren’t particularly wide. Along with that, the smaller space means that the frying process is at the very least, a little faster than the frying process of a convection countertop oven.
On the top of an air fryer, there is a small fan, as well as a mechanism that is used to heat the food you are frying. Underneath this fan and the heating mechanism, there is a space where food is stored. Usually, it’s a small basket, similar to that of a fryer basket – which is partly why they call these devices “air fryers”. Due to the fan, and the heating mechanism, as well as the small size of the device, air is quickly circulated, and the food is heated up quickly and efficiently, making the food nice and crispy, and frying it well.
The purpose of an air fryer is to make the process of deep frying much easier and much more simple and to allow you to do that with only a little bit of oil, and the air that is circulated around the air fryer.
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What Are The Benefits Of Owning An Air Fryer?
Air fryers come with many distinct benefits, and overall, they do make life a little more convenient, and the frying process significantly quicker.
First off, deep frying can be a long and somewhat tedious process. But, with an air fryer, that process is much shorter, and this is especially useful if you enjoy deep frying things regularly. Things like fish, french fries, or chicken, and really anything else. Air fryers make that entire process a lot shorter, and a lot easier.
Due to the speed of the frying process, air fryers offer a significant amount of convenience. But, they also do this by only requiring a little bit of oil, instead of a lot. You don’t need to use a bunch of oil to fry your food. Instead, a little bit of oil is more than enough, and that’s another great benefit of owning an air fryer.
Usually, frying is a process that takes time, and it takes space, as well. You need to have everything set up, and by the end of it, it isn’t uncommon for your kitchen to look rather messy and distraught. But with an air fryer, the process is not only simple and easy, it’s also a process that doesn’t take up that much space. While air fryers are larger than most toaster ovens, they can still easily fit on a countertop.
Ultimately, the main advantage of owning an air fryer is convenience. Just plain old convenience, because air fryers are some of the most convenient frying devices around.
When Searching For A Good Air Fryer That I Can Use To Fry Chicken, Fish, And French Fries, What Do I Need To Consider?
When you’re searching for a good air fryer, there are some key elements that you need to think about and consider, or else your experience with the air fryer may not be as good as it could be.
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How Big Is The Air Fryer, And Where Will You Put It?
Let’s start with a very surface-level consideration. As mentioned earlier, air fryers are smaller, but not as small as toaster ovens. Because of this, to use your air fryer, you’re going to need to find a good space on your countertop for it. This space needs to be big enough for the air fryer to sit, without being surrounded by random objects, which might obstruct the airflow and its circulation.
With that being said though, air fryers do vary in size. Some air fryers are small, which has its advantages and disadvantages, and some air fryers are big, too.
When you’re using a smaller air fryer, you can’t fry as much chicken or as many french fries – or fish, for that matter – at one time, but you’ll have an easier time storing the air fryer and using it.
When you’re using a bigger air fryer, you will be able to fry more food at one time, but it’s going to be harder to actually store the air fryer and to find a good space for it, where it can get the airflow that it needs, especially if you live in a smaller home, where there isn’t a lot of countertop space in the first place. Along with that, bigger air fryers aren’t as quick when it comes to frying foods, as smaller air fryers, since they are larger, and it takes a bit more time for the air to circulate properly.
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How Much Food Can You Fry At Any One Time?
Finding this information isn’t always the easiest, since a lot of air fryers don’t display this information on the store page. Fortunately, most air fryer store pages have a link to the PDF of the manual, and this manual should, more often than not, display this information.
Usually, most air fryers have frying baskets of around two-pounds or more. Sometimes less, but this is rare.
While this isn’t as big of a concern, it is important to know how much food you will be able to fry at once, and if you can, it’s best to find one that can fry at least two-pounds, but more is better.
What Kinds Of Frying Settings Does The Air Fryer Offer?
As per the nature of this guide, it’s important that the air fryer you purchase allows you to fry chicken, fish, and french fries. More importantly, it’s important that the air fryer has frying presets to allow for this type of frying, without you having to manually fiddle with settings, trying to find the right setting to fry those foods properly.
However, there are two other considerations, as well. The first of which is simply the other frying presets that are available. You need to think about the foods that you enjoy frying and the foods that you want to fry, and you also need to think about and consider the different frying presets that the air fryer you are looking at offers. Ideally, it will offer frying presets for fish, chicken, and french fries, as well as other foods.
The other thing to consider is the temperature settings you have access to. Having access to these temperature settings is certainly ideal since it makes it easier to fry other types of foods that require specific frying temperatures, rather than being restricted to the foods that are a part of the air fryers preset choices.
Make sure you know what you intend to fry, and the types of options you have, when it comes to the foods that you can fry.
Is The Air Fryer Dishwasher Safe?
Washing an air fryer isn’t necessarily a difficult or time-consuming process, but with that being said, having the option to wash it in the dishwasher is, obviously, a much nicer option. Many air fryers do not have this option, but fortunately, there are also many air fryers that are dishwasher safe.
More specifically though, you’re not going to be washing the whole air fryer. You’re going to be washing the fryer basket, as well as the drawer that holds the basket. Washing these things isn’t that hard, but it can be a little annoying, especially with all of the built-up oils and general grime that often comes with the frying process.
So, if you don’t want to have to wash the air fryer basket and drawer by hand, make sure you find an air fryer that is dishwasher friendly. And, if you don’t care, then any air fryer should work just fine.
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How Much Does The Air Fryer Cost?
In the end, it does come down to this. When searching for a good air fryer that you can use to fry chicken, fish, and french fries, you need to consider just how much the air fryer you are looking at costs, and just how much you can afford to spend.
Most air fryers, in comparison to one another, tend to vary a lot in price. Some air fryers are only sixty-dollars, and others are three-hundred-dollars. Because of this, you have a lot of choices, so make sure that you know your budget, and you know what you need because chances are, no matter what your budget is, you’ll be able to find something really good for yourself.
Conclusion
Air fryers are fantastic contraptions! They do make life a lot easier, and a lot simpler. If you are someone that enjoys frying things like chicken, french fries, fish, and other types of foods, regularly, then a good air fryer is a fantastic investment. By reading this guide, and considering the things we’ve mentioned, you will now know how to find the best air fryer for you!