Maintaining a healthy diet isn't easy if you also enjoy snack foods. And it's unfortunate that most of our favourite foods also happen to be unhealthy choices. Think hot chips and other fried treats, which are generally high in saturated fats. So wouldn't it be great if there was a way of cooking our most-loved foods without having to worry about all that grease and oil?
Step forward, the humble air fryer. It's not a miracle appliance that suddenly makes all those fatty foods good for you. But it will help you eat healthier versions of your favourite guilty pleasures. Or better yet, make your own healthy alternatives!
Read on for a breakdown of everything you need to know about air fryers, as well as some of the best models available in NZ.
What is an air fryer?
An air fryer is a benchtop kitchen appliance that cooks food by circulating hot air around it. If that sounds the same as when you turn your oven on to fan bake, that's because it is. Despite the clever marketing, an air fryer is essentially a small, benchtop fan oven.
But even so, as we'll get to below, air fryers do have benefits over conventional ovens.
Air fryers are best known for cooking foods that would commonly be deep-fried, as air fryers can replicate deep-frying's great crispy textures, only without soaking everything in hot oil. This means you can enjoy crispy chicken nuggets, hot chips, and jalapeno poppers using little to no oil.
But an air fryer can also be used to cook any food you'd prepare in a conventional oven, for example roast chicken, veges, salmon, grilled cheese toast, etc.
How do air fryers work?
Air fryers use circulating hot air to cook food. However, the main difference between an air fryer and an oven is that:
- An air fryer uses rapid air technology, circulating hot air more quickly than a conventional oven
- The smaller size of an air fryer means food is typically closer to the heating element
As a result, an air fryer can achieve excellent crispy results in little time, and doesn't need pre-heating like a conventional oven.
So an air fryer doesn't fry?
No. That’s just clever marketing. After all, an air baker doesn't have quite the same ring to it.
The reason it's called an air fryer is that instead of going for the nice slow bake of a regular oven, an air fryer aims to cook your food fast in a much more intensely hot environment. This lends itself to the crisper crunchier cook that is commonly associated with frying.
Is an air fryer healthier than other cooking methods?
Yes and no. Air fryers are often marketed as healthy alternatives because they require less oil than other cooking methods. Deep frying is obviously the main one, but even pan frying will likely need more oil.
But again, as an air fryer is essentially just oven baking your food, it isn't really any healthier than a regular oven.
It's also important to note that cooking your chicken nuggets in less oil is good but, at the end of the day, frozen, processed foods aren't healthy. And items such as chicken nuggets are usually pre-fried in oil before they are frozen anyway.
However, an air fryer may be a good way to encourage healthier alternatives. For example, homemade kūmara chips don't always hit the spot when done in an oven. But an air fryer may provide that crunch you've been missing.
How much does an air fryer cost?
Air fryers are significantly cheaper than ovens, which is unsurprising given they are a smaller bench-top appliance. Compared to an 80l+ oven, an air fryer typically has a capacity between 1.2l and 12l. Although there are larger air fryers that offer more oven-type functionality.
An air fryer can cost between $80-$800, and typical models range between $150-$300.
What can you cook in an air fryer?
Frozen foods
Pretty much any frozen food that you would put in an oven can be cooked in the hot air of an air fryer. Cooking times vary depending on the foods, but a lot of frozen foods, such as chicken nuggets and hot chips, can be cooked and crispy in less than 10 minutes.
Raw meats
Some air fryers come with accessories, such as a baking cage or grill pan, which enable you to prepare meat in your air fryer. A whole roast chicken can be done in about 30 minutes, while roast pork chops and ribs can be ready in as little as 10 minutes.
Other popular meats that can be cooked in an air fryer include burger patties, steaks and lamb chops.
Vegetables
You can also roast vegetables in an air fryer, if they are the kind you would normally bake or grill, such as capsicum or cauliflower. Some models come with a round ceramic bowl with a stirring paddle, which allows you to fry green vegetables just like you would in a wok.
Other veggies you can cook in an air fryer include kumara, corn, zucchini, kale and asparagus.
Baked foods
You can put non-stick baking trays in your air fryer, which can be very useful for baking small items, like cupcakes, bread, muffins and lasagnas. Though a full-sized cake may not yield the best results. Remember, an air fryer only has a top element, so you might find the top of your cake is burnt while the bottom is still soggy.
You can also cook anything in an air fryer that comes with a liquid or sauce, such as a casserole or curry.
Nuts
If you're a nut kind of person, then you'll be glad to know that roasting peanuts, almonds and any other type of nut can be done very easily with your air fryer. Peanuts and almonds can be done in 10 minutes, whereas walnuts will be ready to go in less than eight minutes.
What to consider when buying an air fryer
- Capacity – is it just for you or a whole family? Do you want to cook chicken nuggets or a whole chicken?
- Design – does it look stylish on your benchtop or is it an eye sore? Furthermore, some air fryers feature bulky designs that make them larger than necessary. A large capacity doesn't have to mean a large design.
- Stirring/shaking method – food cooked in an air fryer needs to be stirred. Some models require you to remove the draw and flip/shake food mid-cook. Others include an automatic stirrer that ensures even cooking.
- Controls and features – is there just one cooking mode or several? Does it come with any add-ons and accessories?
- Viewable window – can you monitor your food cooking without opening and letting out heat?
- Energy efficiency – despite the smaller size, some air fryers suck up more energy than the larger oven you already have. Ensure switching to an air fryer won't lead to higher power bills.
- Price – if you'll be using it every day, you may want something that is going to last a bit longer and has more premium features and better design. If it's only for occasional snacks a cheaper model might be okay
Best air fryers in New Zealand
Below we've gone over some popular air fryers you can find in New Zealand, to suit different needs.
Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer ($292*)
This dual air fryer features two independent 3.8l capacity buckets. Not only does this provide plenty of cooking capacity, but it allows you to cook multiple foods separately.
Both baskets can be cooked simultaneously on different settings, and can be programmed to finish at the same time, so there's no waiting around. It has six customisable settings and can reach a top temp of 240C for excellent crunch.
Kmart 5.3l Air Fryer ($89*)
If you're on a budget, you can always rely on Kmart. While it doesn't come with many fancy accessories, functions, or a revolutionary design, it offers crunchy crispy food in little time. Which is what air fryers are all about.
Breville Air Fryer Chef ($249*)
Breville's premier air fryer lives up to its chef title, with 11 different pre-set cooking options, including options for family favourites like chicken and frozen chips. With a 5l/3kg cooking basket, you can fit almost anything inside.
This air fryer features a variable temperature control, up to 200C and an adjustable cooking timer with an auto-off. The ten minute pre-set button makes adding extra crisping time easy.
Sunbeam Copper Infused DuraCeramic Air Fryer ($179*)
This air fryer is a bit of a one-trick pony, but a good one. The 3l capacity isn't the biggest, and you won't be cooking any elaborate meals, but if you want crispy frozen snacks, or a couple of drumsticks, you'll get great results. Its biggest feature is the unique copper-infused DuraCeramic coating, which improves heat conduction and lasts up to 10x longer (without flaking or peeling) than a standard non-stick coating.
Living & Co 11l Digital Air Fryer ($149*)
This Living & Co air fryer is one of the biggest on the market, at a whopping 11l. It comes with three shelves plus three air flow racks, so you can cook for the entire extended family in one go. Not to mention, there's a rotisserie function, which can be used to cook meat with the rotisserie fork or basket.
To ensure crispy perfection, this air fryer has a large viewing window and internal light, so you can get your food just the way you like it.
Most of these air fryers fall into the mid-range price category, so the best option really comes down to personal preference. If you want to cook multiple foods at once then the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone could be your best bet. Or, if you just want a budget-friendly air fryer without any of the bells and whistles, then the Kmart 5.3l air fryer might be your ideal choice.
*Prices taken from retailer websites and are correct at the time of writing.
