Air fryers are something that leads to curiosity for many consumers. Because of its sophisticated style of cooking food that is completely different compared to a conventional oven. This curiosity leads to a question: how does an air fryer work?
As air fryers have been popularly used to deep fry foods that are crispy in nature. This is one of the major benefits of using an air fryer compared to a conventional oven.
If you look at the sales of air fryers, they are continuously trending. As many of them have self-assumed that these devices are the best way to cut excess fats from their dish. This is not true practically.
Let us understand in detail and clear the misconceptions of how the air fryer works?
How does an air fryer work?
The technology which is developed within the air fryers is almost related when we compare it to a convection oven. Below is the step-by-step process in which Air fryer Works.
1. Setting the food in the container
The air fryer machine has a basket that acts as a storage for cooking food items. This basket has multiple holes so that the excess heat gets passed out. The size of the basket of the air fryer usually depends on the type of model you take. You need to keep the food item within this basket and add a few drops of oil so that the food can be cooked nicely.
2. Initiation of heating process
When you place the food item within the basket, now it’s time to start the air fryer. There are some commands you need to program before initiation of the heating process. The functions basically are time and temperature which you need to regulate based on the kind of food you are placing in the basket.
3. Air fryer starts heating
The heating mechanism is initiated when you set the temperature and time. You can see a fan that is built within the air fryer which starts to blow hot air over the food items. Due to the extreme temperature, the food that is present within the basket gets heated up rapidly. Thanks to the metal basket which is storing the food, it helps to speed up the heating process.
4. The food item is prepared
You can see the difference in the colours as the food item starts to turn into brown colour. This proves that the dish is properly cooked. Sometimes you may need to overturn the food item so that it gets properly cooked from all the sides. The texture that is formed outside the food item is due to the extreme temperature of heat applied to the dish.
The technology behind the air fryer
As you now understand how an air fryer works, now let us get to know the technology behind it. The heat that is generated by the air fryers in the form of hot air has a temperature of around 250 degrees celsius. This amount of heat is enough to cook any kind of food that is present within the air fryer. The intensity is varied based on the type of air fryer model that you use.
The functionality of regulating temperature and timer makes the cooking process more convenient. The air fryer tends to generate less amount of heat because of its size when we compare it to a convection oven. Depending upon the type of air fryer model, you can see some of the brands introducing pizza pans, food grills, and other customizable features.
Frequently asked questions by the consumers
Here are some of the common queries regarding how does an air fryer work. If your query is missing from the list, you can drop down a comment below.
Are air fryers easy to use?
Absolutely. If you look at the working process of how an Air fryer works, you can easily cook the food without any technical knowledge. Ensure that you get a proper air fryer that has all the features which are fulfilling your requirement.
Depending upon the storage capacity of the basket, you need to make sure that you don’t overload it. Because when you dump it one over the other, the heating process is not so effective. So you need to place the food items which have enough gap between them.
How much time does Air fryer take to prepare food?
It completely depends on the type of food item that you place in the basket. And the temperature functionality that is permitted by the air fryer. Usually, it takes around 20 to 30 minutes on an average basis for preparing a food item.
What other activities can I use the Air fryer for?
You can use Air fryers to reheat any food item. The functionality seems to be similar to a microwave oven, but the air fryer also fulfills the goals. You can also roast and bake using the air fryers. Isn’t it wonderful? The Air fryers are a multi-purpose device that acts as an oven.
What are the food items that I can prepare in an air fryer?
Air fryers are best to cook hard-type food items. This even includes the frozen products that you get from departmental stores. You can’t use food items that are liquid-based. As the dough and batter keep on leaking from the perforated basket.
Is it mandatory to use oil for preparing food?
It is not mandatory to use oil for preparing food within the air fryer. Usually, the air fryer brands recommend consumers add a few drops of oil to the food so that you get a crispy-styled dish.
How is the taste of food that is prepared from an air fryer?
As the functionality is similar to a microwave oven, you can expect the same taste from the air fryer as well. It all depends on the type of dish that you place for preparing.
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