December 10, 2022 MICHAEL IRWIN

Air Fryer Tips for Beginners: Ultimate Buyers' Guide

Air Fryers are becoming an increasingly popular and convenient method of cooking your food! Learn more about these appliances by reading on.

What is an Air Fryer?

An Air Fryer is the healthier alternative to a deep-fat fryer, using 90% less oil. When air-frying, you usually use no more than one tablespoon of oil! Similar to a convection oven, an Air Fryer circulates hot air around your food, creating a crispy and crunchy exterior. You get the same results of a deep fryer, with a fraction of the oil and grease.

While a healthier option to deep-frying, food cooked within an Air Fryer is still considered fried food and can be a danger in relation to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. BBC Good Food, 2021.

Types of Air Fryer

When it comes to the air fryers available, there are basically two main types – basket air fryers and air fryer ovens.

Basket Air Fryers - a removable basket that will hold the food you’re cooking. This allows hot air to circulate around the food, cooking it within minutes. In addition, the removable basket makes it a great choice if you’re looking for a no-fuss appliance as it’s easy to clean and user friendly.
Air Fryer Ovens - has a similar design to a toaster oven. This type of air fryer often offers several functions (broil, bake etc.) in comparison to basket fryers, making them a multi-purpose appliance.

Here at Irwin's, we primarily stock Basket Air Fryers, as these tend to take up less counter space and are more popular among customers.

Shop our selection of Air Fryers here.

What can I cook in the Air Fryer?

Cooking in an Air Fryer can be very versatile. You can cook foods you would usually deep-fry, as well as food normally cooked in ovens or microwaves! These include, but are not limited to; vegetables, meat, fish, appetisers, the main course and even dessert.

Recipes using Air Fryers are popping up daily, with many inventive dishes being posted online. If you would like recipe inspiration, check out this BBC Good Food list or search on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram or YouTube.

Are Air Fryers energy efficient?

While it depends on your cooking and eating habits, Air Fryers are usually a more energy efficient option than your oven. Usually standard ovens can take 15 to 20 minutes to preheat, where as, Air Fryers generally take less than 5 minutes, depending on the size of the appliance. This saves not only time, but can help you to cut down on those ever rising energy bills!

Benefits of Air Fryers

Air Fryers come with a lot of advantages, some of the top being;

Calories are reduced as a result of less oil needed for frying.
Lowers risks associated with consuming acrylamides (by-products of frying, which can be linked to some cancers)
Easy, convenient and safe option. Less mess, quicker cooking times and no chance or burning yourself off the stove or hot oil scalding you!

Which Air Fryer should I buy?

Choosing what Air Fryer is right for you can be tricky. Different people require different sizes and functionality. These following questions may be able to help you in your decision!

How many people will you be cooking for?

1/2 people : smaller capacity Air Fryer's will do the trick

Family of Four : medium capacity should work fine

Larger Families: larger capacity would be of more benefit.

Would you require a single or double drawer Air Fryer?

If you would like to cook two foods at the same time, with the option of having different temperatures, a dual drawer model may be the better option for you.

How will you use your Air Fryer?

Different Air Fryers come with different functionalities programmed in. If you would like specific pre-set options, be sure to have a look at the ones listed on each Air Fryer.

Will it fit in the kitchen or will you need to store it away?

Air Fryers come in all different shapes and sizes, so be sure to have a look and see if you have the counter-space to keep it out or if you could easily store the appliance under a counter when not in use.

Take a look at one of our models, the NEDIS 7.6L Dual Basket Air Fryer here