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Air fryers are growing in popularity, and it is easy to see why. They can create healthier versions of your favourite fried food and use less energy, helping you to save money on your electricity bill. This is especially important for alot of us at the moment with the cost of living crisis.
There are so many types of air fryers out there though that it can be a bit overwhelming to know which one would be best for you.
There are four popular types of air fryers on the market today, these are:
Basket-style
Air fryers with a paddle
Oven-style
Rotisserie air fryers
These air fryers are all very different from each other so it pays to know the features of an air fryer, including the pros and cons for each type of air fryer, so it’s easier to pick the perfect one for you and your kitchen.
Basket-style air fryers
Basket-style air fryers are one of the most popular types of air fryers on the market, and they are what most people think of when they picture an air fryer.
These are usually tall, slim air fryers that come with heating elements and fans.The basket slides out of the air fryer and is where you place your ingredients to cook. The bottom of the basket has holes in it to allow airflow and your oil to drain away.
You can get models of the basket-style air fryers that come with dual baskets, so that you can cook separate parts of your meal at the same time, using different settings. For example, cooking fish in one basket and your chips in the other basket.
The advantages of basket-style air fryers are plenty. They are easy to use by just placing your ingredients, oil and any seasoning into one basket to cook. They are also easy to clean and most air fryer baskets are dishwasher safe.
The disadvantages of basket-style air fryers include having to regularly stop the cooking to shake the basket or baskets of food to ensure even cooking. Sometimes this will reset the cooking timer, meaning that you need to know how much longer to cook your food for.
We currently have the *Tower T17021 family sized air fryer which is great for us although I'm tempted to go for a dual one in the future.
Air fryers with a paddle
If you want an air fryer you can just leave to do it's work then the air fryers with a paddle might be for you.These models have an interior paddle that keeps the food moving using a stirring motion.
This not only means that you don’t need to shake the food that is cooking, but you can also create meals that have liquid ingredients since the liquids don’t drain away like when using basket-style air fryers. You can therefore cook sauces, casseroles and even rice dishes in an air fryer with a paddle.
Many models are also easy to clean because they have removable pots that can usually be placed into the dishwasher.
Oven-style air fryers
Oven-style air fryers are becoming more popular because of the amazing added features they can come with.
These look like a regular oven but on a much smaller scale, and allow you to cook your food on a number of trays inside the main compartment.
Like an oven, they rely on convection or fan technology to cook the food. This means that your food is often nice and crispy when cooked.
Another fantastic advantage of using an oven-style air fryer is that you can cook a variety of food at the same time on different trays - however, you cannot change the temperature for one tray like you can with a dual cooking basket-style air fryer.
They often come with extra features such as a rotisserie function, and the trays are easy to clean once used.
Rotisserie air fryers
Rotisserie air fryers are made especially for cooking evenly browned and moist chickens - much like you will find in a supermarket.
A rotisserie chicken tastes so different to a roasted chicken and goes well with a variety of meals whether you want a hot meal or a cold meal.
You can also cook other items in rotisserie air fryers, such as chips.
The downside to a rotisserie air fryer is that they aren’t as versatile as the other options out there, and an oven-style air fryer with a rotisserie function might prove better for your circumstances.
