What are some things to consider when buying an air fryer?
- Size and Capacity
- Wattage
- Energy Consumption
- Temperature Settings
- Safety
- Budget
- Additional features
The most recent addition to every kitchen’s arsenal, the air fryer, has made its name in the market. Its promise of frying food using only air makes it an attractive purchase for many. As with any kitchen appliance, you have to be aware of the things to consider when buying an air fryer. How do you know which air fryer would be best for you? Which air fryer would be worth your time and money?
In the following list, we have compiled six things for you to think about when choosing an air fryer. These things should all be a part of your checklist when buying an air fryer. Read on to learn more!
Size and Capacity
Air fryers have different sizes. Before buying an air fryer, you should already know where to put it in the kitchen. These machines take up some counter space, so clearing a place for them would be best. Always keep in mind that air fryers run on electricity, and they should be placed near an outlet for them to work.
The air fryer’s capacity is based on how many liters it can handle. They come in a range of small fryers (around 1-2 liters), medium fryers (around 1.8-2.5 liters), to large fryers (around 5 liters and above). If you don’t plan on frying entire chickens or cooking whole meals in the air fryer alone, then maybe you don’t need to get a large one.
If you want a larger one, we have a large Hanabishi air fryer that can hold 23 liters!
Wattage
Knowing the wattage of your air fryer would help you with both safety and the cooking itself. Usually, the higher wattage of air fryers can come at 1800 watts or more. The typical kitchen outlet range between 800 - 1500 watts. This is enough for the air fryer, but the more watts it has, the hotter it can get. If you want an air fryer that can go high temperature quickly, check its wattage.
Energy Consumption
As mentioned earlier, air fryers are plugged into outlets and use electricity. This means that having an air fryer can affect your power bill. A typical 1500-wattage air fryer would not consume more than 1 unit a day. They can cook at an average of 15 minutes for most foods, and 30 minutes of cooking time only use up half a unit of electricity. But most air fryers have lower than 1500 wattages.
Although they don’t waste much energy, keep in mind how much power your air fryer consumes.
Temperature Settings
Air fryers have temperature settings depending on what you intend to cook. Some foods need higher temperatures to cook than others. The bigger meals like steak and meatballs need around 204°C (400°F) to cook well. For foods like pasta and potato chips, a temperature of 176°C (350°F) to cook for 8 minutes. But an air fryer with a range of around 100 - 200°C should be enough to cook a wide range of foods that you might need.
Make sure that you know what temperature settings you need for the foods you plan to cook before you buy an air fryer. Also, remember that these temperatures will still vary for each air fryer and how fast you want to cook your food.
Safety
Air fryers can get really hot, and it would be dangerous to have them in the reach of children. Keep them out of their reach as they’re potentially both burn and electricity hazards. Buying an air fryer with an insulated exterior should help lessen this threat. An ait fryer shouldn’t be prone to slipping, so check its feet or base if it’s rubberized or non-slip. The lid needs to have a locking feature. It is also best to have an air fryer that automatically shuts off when cooking is done.
Budget
The price tag of an air fryer can be up there compared to gas stoves because of the convenience they provide. You wouldn’t need any gas to cook, and sometimes you won’t even need oil. In the Philippines, the range goes from around ₱2,500 to over almost ₱9,000. Depending on your needs, make sure your budget fits!
Additional features
Some air fryers boast additional features. There are air fryers with dehydrators for those who like dehydrated foods like beef jerky. If this fits your bill, then an air fryer dehydrator would be perfect for you. Air fryers sometimes have a toaster oven feature and even a rotisserie function. These would be perfect if you also like to toast bread or cook rotisserie chicken.
Check out this air fryer from Hanabishi that has both those features and has a capacity of over 30 liters!
Key takeaway
The presence of an air fryer in your kitchen is more often a good thing than not. But without these things to consider when buying an air fryer, you might not be satisfied with its performance. Keep in mind the size and capacity, wattage, energy consumption, temperature settings, safety, budget, and additional features to get the most of your air fryer.
Looking for a good air fryer? Check out our selection of air fryers and other kitchen appliances here!
