Health & Wellness, Kitchen & Dining

Air fryer or deep fryer? This debate has been on the rise in recent times, as most people are switching to using Air fryers to fry chips, chicken, while others choose to stick to the traditional means of using deep fryers. So, how do the two compare?

What is an Air Fryer

An air fryer is a countertop electrical device with adjustable temperature and time controls that uses convection to circulate hot air around food in order to cook it.

How Does An Air Fryer Work?

Air fryers have a compartment that holds the food that is being cooked.  The device relies on a mechanism called rapid air technology, in which a heating element within the top of the machine radiates heat downward, while a fan rapidly circulates air around the food inside to heat it evenly from all angles. The air-tight, compact design of air fryers ensures that all air is contained in the chamber and actively flows around the food, promoting the intensity and efficiency of cooking.

This mode of heat transfer is also known as convection, in which energy is distributed through the movement of a gaseous medium. Meanwhile, excess fat and residues typically drain into a compartment below the food to be discarded, greatly reducing the amount of fat ultimately consumed by the user.

What is a Deep Fryer?

A deep fryer is a type of a kitchen appliance designed to heat cooking oil  to high temperatures, used for deep frying foods such as Potato chips, french fries etc.

They can be built for home use and commercial use, the difference typically being size and features.

Comparisons between Air Fryers and Deep Fryers

Air Fryers	Deep Fryers
1.   Other than frying food, it can be used to bake, dehydrate, and roast food, among other uses.	Only used for Deep frying food
2.    Achieves frying by hot air circulation	Achieves frying by full immersion of food into liquid hot oil.
3.   Uses very little to no oil	Uses a lot of oil, so that food can be submerged in the oil.
4.   Easy clean up, as they use little to no oil	Disposing large amounts of oil can be a hassle sometimes

By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. Heart Diseases, type 2 Diabetes, Cancer, Obesity among other health complications have been linked to deep frying food in oil.

Air frying might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying. There is a chemical component called Acrylamide that is caused when you fry potatoes or any starchy food. This component has been linked by researchers to greater chances of getting cancer. Air frying has been shown by various studies to reduce the amount of Acrylamide in fried potatoes by 90%.

When preparing your fish using the air fryer, a substance called “Cholesterol oxidation products” (COPs) is formed. COPs form when the cholesterol in meat or fish breaks down during cooking. One way to lower the amount of COPs when you air fry fish, the study shows, is to add fresh parsley, chives, or a mixture of the two. Research shows these herbs act as antioxidants to reduce the COPs in air-fried foods.

Did you know Air frying also appears to curb the omega-3 fatty acids in fish? These are the “good fats” that can help lower blood pressure and raise “good” HDL cholesterol levels, and they may help protect the heart.

Versatility, Energy efficiency, Cooking oil free, are some of the benefits that have been highlighted for using an air fryer, as compared to other modes of cooking like deep frying. So, what are the benefits of an Air fryer over other traditional modes of cooking.

• Cooking With Air Fryers Promotes Weight Loss

Switching from deep-fried foods to air-fried foods and reducing regular intake of unhealthy oils can promote weight loss.

Intake of fried foods has direct links with higher obesity risk. This is because deep Fried foods contain more calories than their non-fried counterparts, so eating a lot of them can significantly increase your calorie intake. It’s not that you can’t eat fat—nutritionists recommend fat to make up 20-35% of your diet. But eating too many fried foods is an easy way to overdo it on fat, and in turn, calories.

Furthermore, studies indicate that the trans fats in fried foods may play a significant role in weight gain, as they can affect the hormones that regulate appetite and fat storage.

In fact, an observational study that reviewed the diets of 41,518 women over eight years found that increasing trans fat intake by 1% resulted in a weight gain of 1.2 pounds (0.54 kg) in normal-weight women.

Regardless of whether it’s because fried food is high in calories or trans fat, multiple observational studies have shown a positive association between its intake and obesity.

• Air fryers are safer to use compared to Deep fryers

Deep-frying foods involves heating a large container full of scalding oil. This can pose a safety risk. They pose the risk of spilling over, overheating which may cause fires and even severe burns. While air fryers do get hot, there is no risk of spilling, splashing, or accidentally touching hot oil. People should use frying machines carefully and follow instructions to ensure safety.

• Air fryers reduce the risk of Acrylamide Formation

Frying food in oil can cause dangerous compounds to develop, such as acrylamide. Acrylamide is caused when you fry potatoes or any starchy food. This component has been linked by researchers to greater chances of getting some cancers, including endometrial, ovarian, pancreatic, breast, and esophageal cancer. Air frying has been shown by various studies to reduce the amount of Acrylamide in fried potatoes by 90%.

Research has also suggested a link between dietary acrylamide and kidney, endometrial, or ovarian cancers, though the results are uncertain

By switching to air frying, people can reduce the risk of having acrylamide in their food.

Sayona Air Fryer/Pressure Cooker 6 ltrs capacity

What are the pros and cons of an Air fryer

Air fryers promise deep fried flavor without oil, they are easy to use, easy to clean, highly versatile and associated with healthy living. This explains their fame over the recent years.

But, like any product, they have downsides. They’re bulky, difficult to clean, and have limited cooking capacity. Here are some explained pros and cons of the Air fryers.

Pros of using an Air Fryer

1. Crispy food

The convection-style heating surrounds food in a perforated basket or on a rack, increasing its contact with super-hot air on all sides.

Using just a touch of oil, not more than a teaspoon, will help your food crisp up. This is especially true with fried and breaded items that you’re heating up or cooking in your fryer — the oil on the outside of the food will get heated by the air, helping to cook the breaded items to a crispy golden brown.

 

A video of Sayona Air Fryer Crispy Potato Chips cooking

 

 

Factors To Consider To Achieve Crispy Food Effect In An Air Fryer

• Ensure your air fryer is not too full. Air fryers need the air to circulate freely to cook the food evenly. If the air is restricted because the basket is too full, you food will be unevenly cooked and not as crispy as you want. So consider the amount being cooked.
• Make sure the temperature being used to cook the food is correct. The temperature chart of the Air Fryer for specific recipes can help you select the right temperature. Cooking the food at too low a heat will not crisp your food.
• The dryer the food, the crispier the results. Essentially, ‘dry’ foods deliver better results. These include foods like French fries, meats, vegetables, breaded items and frozen items.

• Adjust the cooking to be correct. Depending on the food you are cooking, each food will require different time, so it may well be that you need to cook the items a little longer, or a little less. Again, there is a time chart to help you achieve this.

 

2. Healthier meals

You can cook delicious meals in an air fryer with little to no oil. When you use oil, you only use 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil which is negligible. Once the heat runs over the oil, creates a layer over your food and any excess oil drips off the food while it cooks, collecting in the bottom of the basket. This will definitely ensure less consumption of calories and Trans fats.

There is a chemical component called Acrylamide that is caused when you fry potatoes or any starchy food. This component has been linked by researchers to greater chances of getting cancer. Air frying has been shown by various studies to reduce the amount of Acrylamide in fried potatoes by 90%.

3. Reheats food and cooks faster

Air frying is a faster cooking method that shortens both the pre-heating time and cooking time of many foods with its rapid air circulation technology.

Compared to conventional ovens or toaster ovens, an air fryer preheats and cooks food in a fraction of the time.

Most air fryers can preheat to 400°F in five minutes or less. Compared to gas cookers and electric ovens that can take an average of 15 minutes to reach the same temperature, definitely the air fryer is serious with the time saving business.

The Air fryers are replacing ovens in this manner. If you take the Oven recipe of any food, you will be able to cook it in an air fryer at 20% less time if you reduce the temperatures by 25°F . This is the power of Air Fryers.

4. Less clean up required compared to deep fryers

Deep fryers requires a lot of clean up. After using a deep fryer, you end up with a lot of dirty pans, grimy utensils, and a greasy coating on everything around the fryer, hence deep frying is very messy. Air fryers, on the other hand, are relatively clean. The cooking basket is completely enclosed, which eliminates splattering and all the fat, grease, and oil in your food drips down into the oil pan below. Considering you use very little oil, and air fryer baskets are made with PTFE non-stick coating or a ceramic non-stick coating to aid in easier cleanup, cleaning is almost effortless.

Cleaning an air fryer:

• Remove the Air fryer basket.
• Soak the air frying basket in soapy water for at least 10 minutes to dislodge oil and food scraps.
• Use a soft bristle brush, dish washing soap to wash the basket, to avoid scratches. Allow it to air dry.
• Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the heating element of the air fryer if any food is stuck. This place is sensitive and contains electric components, so avoid using water.
• Use a soft cloth to dry the air frying pot.
• When fully dry, put the basket and air fryer pan back into place.

5. Easy to handle and use

One of the best advantages of using an Air Fryer is that it comes with a time chart, temperature chart for various recipes that are recommended to be cooked via an Air fryer. The Sayona Air fryers actually particularly provide a digital display.

For the most part, all you need to know are the temperatures and cook times for what you intend to cook.

6. Safe to Use Compared to Deep Fryers

Deep fryers rely on using several cupful of oil, to deep the food content. This poses a risk of oil spills, burns and even causing fires, which has happened in several occasions.

Since Air fryers use minimum oil to achieve the frying effect, the danger posed is less. The all food components are fully enclosed and this reduces the risk further.

Safety tips when Using An Air fryer

• Do not attempt to clean the air fryer until it has cooled.
• Keep the power cord away from excess heat.
• Read the manual before starting to operate the air fryer.
• Never wash the air fryer lid using water, because it contains the electricity components.
• Clean after Every use. Oil remains and food residuals can turn into carcinogens over time.

7. Versatility

Want to cook a Main course, a dessert, a side dish or even an appetizer, the Air fryer will help you. Unlike a deep fryer, an Air fryer is an appliance for more than just air frying. Its versatility, including the Sauté function in which you can even boil your cassavas, or cook Ugali is an advantage that cannot be overlooked.

Apart from Air frying, the Air fryer can roast, bake, given that other accessories can be fitted like cake and pizza pans, for various recipes..

Here are a few examples of what you can cook in an air fryer:

• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Cookies
• Egg rolls
• French fries
• Frozen, breaded, or battered foods
• Lava cakes
• Homemade chips
• Hard-cooked eggs
• Chicken breasts or parts
• Burgers and Patties.

The video below shows a Sayona Air fryer being used to cook Chicken

 

Sayona Air Fryer/Pressure Cooker Recipe Chart

function	Default time	Manual Time Setting	Default Temperature	Default Setting
chips	15 mins	1 to 60 mins	200	80 to 200
Fish	15 mins	1 to 60 mins	160	80 to 200
Hamburger	13 mins	1 to 60 mins	185	80 to 200
Pizza	15 mins	1 to 60 mins	185	80 to 200
Beef Steak	25 mins	1 to 60 mins	175	80 to 200
Chicken Leg	22 mins	1 to 60 mins	200	80 to 200
Bake	30 mins	1 to 60 mins	160	80 to 200
Chicken	40 mins	1 to 60 mins	180	80 to 200
Dehydrate	2 hours	1 to 12 hrs	80	40 to 90
Broil	10 mins	1 to 30 mins	160	N/A
Corn	15 mins	1 to 60 mins	180	80 to 200
Defrost	5 mins	1 to 60 mins	50	N/A

8. Doesn’t take up much space

The air fryers are fairly small to medium size, and even the biggest will still not dominate your kitchen space. Most air fryers are only the size of a small oven or a coffee machine. This is an essential feature considering a kitchen should be as open and spacious as possible, to avoid accidents and other complications.

Cons of using Air Fryers

1. Difficult to store under cabinets and small spaces.

This is majorly because most of them are tall, especially when including the air frying top. But this should only be a problem to a person who plans to use the air fryer once in a while. For most people, thanks to its versatility, you can leave the Air Fryer on the Counter top as you can regularly use it to cook various foods. It does not occupy much space of your counter.

2. Too small for large families 

Air fryers are relatively small, but not as small as you would dim concerning. You can find air fryers that can cook a meal of one person up to a meal of 6 or 7 people, which is a whole household. I would recommend the Sayona Air fryer/pressure cooker, which has a considerable capacity to cook for several people.

Sayona Air fryer pot has a diameter of 9 inches, and a capacity of 6 Liters, considerable for a good amount of food.

3. Wasted food

The versatility of the Air Fryer gives you a chance to try out different kinds of food recipes not even included in the recipe menu. In this manner, as you try out the different menus, it is always a trial and error, until you get it right. Once in a while you experience very dry food, overcooked or sometimes burnt food until you are able to completely get it. This is normal.

4. Short power cable

Most power cables from many Air fryers will require your Air fryer to be close enough to the power source. Again they are not as short to the point of concern. For instance I have tested the Sayona Air fryer, and the Power cord is long enough for convenient cooking, over one meter long.

 

Air Fryers vs Deep Fryers Time

Most air fryers can preheat to 200 degrees in five minutes or less. Compared to gas cookers and electric ovens that can take an average of 15 minutes to reach the same temperature, definitely the air fryer is serious with the time saving business.

The Air fryers are replacing ovens in this manner. If you take the Oven recipe of any food, you will be able to cook it in an air fryer at 20% less time if you reduce the temperatures by 25°F. This is the power of Air Fryers.

The cooking time for the deep fryer is however a bit more faster compared to air fryer. This is expected as when food is dipped directly in hot oil, the oil will penetrate faster compared to the air fryer that depends on penetration of the hot air. The difference is however negligible, and not one to raise a concern. The following is a time chart for various Sayona Air Fryer recipes.

Sayona Air Fryer Cooking Time Chart

Function	Default Time
chips	15 mins
Fish	15 mins
Hamburger	13 mins
Pizza	15 mins
Beef Steak	25 mins
Chicken Leg	22 mins
Bake	30 mins
Chicken	40 mins
Dehydrate	2 hours
Broil	10 mins
Corn	15 mins
Defrost	5 mins

 

 Air Fryers and Power Consumption

Does the air fryer consume a lot of electricity? The answer is a clear no. We did a case study using the Sayona Air Fryer in collaboration with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company, from the study, if you cooked for an average of 32 mins, the air fryer/Pressure cooker will consume 0.32Kwh of power which translates to ksh. 6 according to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) rates.

A full meal made via pressure cooker used 0.42 kWh which cost 10 ksh. cooking for 1hr for more than 1 meal

 

 

Air Fryers and Radiation

Unlike Microwaves, Air fryers do not produce radiations, but only uses radiated heat, which is different from radiation. Even with microwaves that produce electromotive force radiation (EMF), neither of the two is a radioactive kind of radiation, hence not harmful to your food.

Air fryers only rely on circulating hot air over the food in its chambers as quickly as possible. This process causes the outside of the food to dry out extremely quick and creates a crispy coating.

Hence, Air fryers have not been associated with causing cancer and are completely safe to cook with.

 

Air Fryers Vs Deep Fryers Taste

The most amazing thing about the taste of the Air fryer is the ability to bring out the crispiness and crunchiness that is so unique cannot be compared.

Deep fryers also give their unique taste that is so unique because of being dipped in oil. Hence each of them has their unique manner.

While they didn’t have that deep-fried crisp, the fries were still very crunchy when finished cooking in the air fryer.

 

CONCLUSION

In a world where health has become a big concern, scientists, nutritionists and product developers have spent countless hours of research to develop the best strategies to cub this. Consumption of deep fried food has been associated with heart diseases, diabetes and obesity among other problems. The air fryer allows you to cook oil free, avoiding all the risk.

If your highest priority in your food intake is just good taste, regardless, then you would prefer to buy a deep fryer.

If you are concerned with both taste, health benefits, and also a device that can do more than just fry food, you can consider buying an Air Fryer.

I would recommend the sayonapps Air fryer/Pressure cooker which I have personally tested and proven.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is better an air fryer or a deep fryer?

Air fryers are much better especially when it comes to health matters. They cook with very little oil, one or two teaspoons, compared to deep fryers that immerse.

Can an air fryer replace a deep fryer?

Not 100%, the two devices have a unique outcome. The taste of deep fried food and the crispiness of air fried food are unique in their own way.

Does air frying taste as good as air frying

The Air Fried food has the taste of crispy oven food, which is good and unique. It is hence not comparable to the deep fried food.

Is Air fryer cancerous

No. cancer is mostly caused by radioactive radiations used when cooking food, which the Air fryer does not use. The Air fryer relies on heated air that is circulated quickly over the food.

Are air fryers overrated

No. The Air fryers have over the time been replacing the deep fryers for health benefits, and also its versatility makes it to be loved by many.

Do air fried French fries taste good

Yes. The taste is delicious. The chips get the crispy taste out of the hot air creating a layer on the chips with the sprayed oil on them.

Can you air fry an egg

Yes. The temperature of the hot air should be set at 132 degrees for 17 minutes is a sufficient time for the egg(s) to be fully cooked.

Can aluminum foil go in an air fryer?

Yes. Unlike Microwaves, you can wrap food will aluminum foils and cook in an air fryer, just make sure you poke holes on it. Avoid also wrapping acidic food as acidic food react with aluminum in hot temperatures, like tomatoes or citrus.

How long do chips take in an Air Fryer?

When cooking at a temperature of 200 degrees, the time 15 to 17 minutes and they will be well cooked.

 

Sayona Air Fryer/Pressure Cooker Recipe Chart

function	Default time	Manual Time Setting	Default Temperature	Default Setting
chips	15 mins	1 to 60 mins	200	80 to 200

 

Why do you soak potatoes in water before air frying?

To achieve the crispy crust on the chips, the water in the potato should not evaporate in totality. To achieve this, even when evaporation occurs due to air frying, still water is left in the potatoes hence achieving the crispy effect.

What should you not cook in an air fryer

Any food with wet batter, broccoli, any delicate greens, raw rice, popcorns, burgers and cheese are some of the popular foods you should never cook in an air fryer.