Have you been wondering which is a better choice between air fryers and deep fryers? Read on to get your answer!
Air fryer vs. deep fryer, which is better? The truth is that both the deep fryer and air fryer are in separate classes of their own. They have peculiar uses and give quite different outcomes. Whether you choose a deep fryer or air fryer is dependent on what you want from your food.
Before we begin to compare the air fryer and the deep fryer, let’s look at how each of them works.
Deep Fryer Working Principle
Deep fryers cook food by using hot oil. The food is submerged in hot oil and allowed to cook evenly. The oil conducts heat and covers up the food so you won’t have to turn to let another side cook.
A deep fryer produces something called the Maillard effect when it comes in contact with protein and sugars. The sugars and protein are broken down to create the golden brown color we see when foods are fried. This is how the deep fryer works, let’s now look at the air fryer’s principle.
Air Fryer Working Principle
The air fryer makes use of the convection principle to circulate hot air around the food. This convention principle involves hot air rising while cold air sinks. With this circulation mode, the food is placed in a basket, and the heat does the rest. The air fryer also produces the Maillard effect that makes fried food golden brown.
The Difference between Deep Fryer and Air Fryer
If both of these appliances are so similar, how are they different?
First, their principles of cooking food are different. One makes use of convection air while another uses submergence in hot oil. These, in effect, produce different results.
Another difference is in their oil use. The deep fryer uses a lot of oil during cooking. The air fryer, on the other hand, does not need more than one or two spoonfuls of oil to cook food.
Air fryers are also rated more versatile than deep fryers. The deep fryer can only fry your food. But air fryers can do more. Frying, grilling, roasting and even baking are functions that the air fryer can perform. This makes your choice more expanded with the air fryer as you can use it for cooking a variety of foods. Deep fryers don’t do much apart from frying by submerging in hot oil.
There’s also a difference in the outcome of the food. Air-dried food, since they aren’t placed in the oil, turn out drier than your regular deep-fried food. This is also a notable difference.
Which is Better- Deep Fryer or Air Fryer?
The question of which one is a better choice can only be answered by reviewing both appliances neutrally.
There are advantages to buying a deep fryer rather than an air fryer and vice versa. Consider these factors before making your final decision.
Taste: The taste of deep-fried food is crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. You’ll enjoy having foods like fried chicken melt on your tongue. You also have the advantage of frying with oil, which adds some extra taste to the food. For air fried foods, you’ll get this same result but often not as intense because, during air frying, less oil is used. The food may end up being drier than you really want it, and that may lessen how well you enjoy it.
Air fried potato chips, for example, will not have that oily appeal that you want. So, if what you’re looking for is crunchy-brown and deeply fried, go for the deep fryer. But if you want less oil while still achieving the brown look, you should go for an air fryer.
Calories: Calories have been a significant concern since the time frying became a thing. Fish, chicken, and others have their natural fats in them. Adding extra oil will surely raise the fat content of the food, and you may not want that. If you’re not bothered about your diet giving you some extra yum calories, then the deep fryer is for you.
You can, in fact, also reduce the amount of oil that your deep-fried foods contain. Straining your food after frying will help remove some of the oil. Also, removing the food from the oil immediately will prevent you from taking in more oil than necessary.
So, in essence, both the deep fryer and the air fryer can help you eat fewer calories, but the air fryer does it ten times better.
Health and Safety: When it comes to health and safety, both appliances win here. The deep fryer is safe to use, and so is the air fryer. If we look at it in terms of calories, though, it’s better to go with an air fryer if you’re trying to lose weight or beat an illness that gets worse upon oil consumption.
There are no health hazards associated with both of them, but one does you more good health wise than the other. So, go for an air fryer if you’re bothered about your weight.
Versatility: In terms of versatility, the air fryer also wins. A deep fryer is confined to performing only the functions of frying foods in hot oil. An air fryer has far more interesting uses. You can use your air fryer to roast and grill foods like chicken. You can even bake brownies and pies utilizing the air fryer. Some air fryers come with rotisseries, giving you bigger thrills. For versatility, go with the air fryer.
Ease of Cleaning: The ease of cleaning the air fryer is usually higher than that of the deep fryer. All you need do is to wipe the insides of the air fryer. The removable parts are often dishwasher-safe, so you can just load them in. A deep fryer is challenging to clean because you have to turn out the oil and then clean. Sometimes, you will deal with stubborn stains that’ll require extra cleaning.
Cost of buying and operating: An air fryer costs a lot more than a deep fryer, but it’s cheaper to operate and maintain. A deep fryer looks cheaper upon purchase, but it’s more expensive to maintain.
Can You Recommend a Deep Fryer and Air Fryer for Me?
With all pleasure! You’ll find this air fryer a fantastic choice for you and your loved ones. Click here to see its full details.
If it’s a deep fryer you want, then you’ll love this one.
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
Air Fryer vs. Deep Fryer – What will you choose? That’s entirely up to you. An air fryer is a brilliant improvement from the deep fryer, but that doesn’t mean the deep fryer has lost its appeals. Our tongues love deep-fried foods, but maybe our health will prefer air-fried ones. Either way, we’re right behind you, whatever you choose!
