Home LivingAppliancesKitchenAir Fryers6 things I wish I’d known before I bought an air fryerThe truth is out there about air fryersWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Home LivingAppliancesKitchenAir Fryers6 things I wish I’d known before I bought an air fryerThe truth is out there about air fryersWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The truth is out there about air fryers
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Tower)
(Image credit: Tower)
Now, I love air fryers as much as the next person – unless the next person is one of T3’s air fryer correspondents –Rob ClymoandMillie Fender, for instance. They have to bear the brunt of an onslaught of air fryers to review, air fryers to test air fried recipes in and as a result they have had to move out of their homes, because they are too full of air fryers for human habitation.
1. Air fryers do not fry
Deep fried foods:notlike air fried ones(Image credit: Pexels)
Deep fried foods:notlike air fried ones
Deep fried foods:notlike air fried ones
(Image credit: Pexels)
Do air fryers really fry?Hell no. I have no idea why they even got the name ‘air fryer’ in the first place. Air fryers bake and roast while blowing vapourised fat around with a fan. Exactly like a fan oven does, although the smaller cavity and more powerful fan does make it quicker and arguably more effective.
So while you can get delicious crispiness from an air fryer, you can’t ‘fry’ anything in any meaningful sense. On the plus side, as a result of this non-frying, most air fryer recipes are a lot healthier than theirdeep fat fryerequivalents
2. …But you do have to use oil with them
Other than when cooking chips, I usually use quite a lot of oil when air frying, despite what the instruction manuals say. Food just tastes nicer and cooks better with some fat involved.
Sprayed oil is better than poured when it comes to air frying. However, one thing to be aware of here is that a lot of shop-bought oil sprays contain lecithin. Bizarrely, this does not interact well with non-stick surfaces at high temperatures, and turns into a weird gunk that is hard to remove and, paradoxically, rather sticky.
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I find this hasn’t been a problem for me as I only spray the food, not the basket. However, I have heard some horror stories from people who are more liberal with their fatty spraying, so be aware. There’s always the option of buying a reusable spray and filling it with standard-issue cooking oil with no lecithin added, of course.
4. You can do a lot more than just chips
An air fryer, as we have now established, is essentially a small fan oven andnota deep fat fryer that cooks with magic instead of lard. The great news about that is that it means it’s a lot more versatile than many people think. You can bake, roast and reheat leftovers and whatever you do with it will be fast, energy-efficient and hopefully lip-smackingly delish
4. The air fryer parts you use most are easy to clean but the outer parts… not so much
Simply place the basket in your very small dishwasher(Image credit: Xiaomi)
Simply place the basket in your very small dishwasher
Simply place the basket in your very small dishwasher
(Image credit: Xiaomi)
The low price and compact size of most air fryers, compared to standard ovens, doesn’t fill me with huge optimism about their likely longevity. The fact that it’s hard to de-gunk some of the most important parts of them is another warning sign. Not a red light perhaps, but certainly nudging into amber.
5. There’s a war going on in the air fryer community!
The classic air fryer shape(Image credit: Tower)
The classic air fryer shape
The classic air fryer shape
(Image credit: Tower)
Most people think an air fryer looks like the above. Strictly speaking, that is exactly what most of themdolook like. However, there are a load of ‘air fryers’ that are actually multi-cookers which include an air frying function.Rob Clymoloves hisTefal Actifry Genius XL 2in1. I won’t be parted from the multi-function monster that is the 15-in-1Ninja Foodi SmartLid OL750UK. I think it’s great that in one device I can do air frying and Instant Pot-style pressure cooking, not to mention slow cooking, steam roasting and… 11 other things that I admittedly don’t really need to do.
However, on the other side of the divide, air fryer fundamentalistCarrie Marshallregrets buying a multi-function device to replace her old air fryer, and swears the results from the specialised fryers are more crispy. I haven’t askedMillie Fenderwhat she thinks, but most of her 47-or-so air fryers seem to be the compact, air fry-only type.
6. Air fryers can be quite large
As you can see, this one is considerably larger than its owner’s head(Image credit: Ninja)
As you can see, this one is considerably larger than its owner’s head
As you can see, this one is considerably larger than its owner’s head
(Image credit: Ninja)
This is particularly true of the multi-function type, but even the ‘just a frying basket in a box’ type will take up quite a significant amount of your precious worktop space. The good news is that many an air fryer buyer finds they use their new machine all the time, and don’t need to store it away, or resent the space it takes up. But if you think you’ll only use it once or twice a week, be aware that it’ll still be taking up quite a bit of your real estate on the days you’re not using it.
I’m lucky in that my kitchen is huge, anyway.
Today’s best deals on T3’s favourite air fryersPhilips Airfryer XXL$113.68ViewSee all pricesInstant Vortex Air Fryer$139.95ViewSee all pricesNinja Air Fryer AF100UK$89.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best deals on T3’s favourite air fryersPhilips Airfryer XXL$113.68ViewSee all pricesInstant Vortex Air Fryer$139.95ViewSee all pricesNinja Air Fryer AF100UK$89.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best deals on T3’s favourite air fryersPhilips Airfryer XXL$113.68ViewSee all pricesInstant Vortex Air Fryer$139.95ViewSee all pricesNinja Air Fryer AF100UK$89.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best deals on T3’s favourite air fryers
Philips Airfryer XXL$113.68ViewSee all pricesInstant Vortex Air Fryer$139.95ViewSee all pricesNinja Air Fryer AF100UK$89.99ViewSee all prices
Philips Airfryer XXL$113.68ViewSee all prices
Philips Airfryer XXL$113.68ViewSee all prices
Philips Airfryer XXL
Philips Airfryer XXL
$113.68View
$113.68
$113.68
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Instant Vortex Air Fryer$139.95ViewSee all prices
Instant Vortex Air Fryer$139.95ViewSee all prices
Instant Vortex Air Fryer
Instant Vortex Air Fryer
$139.95View
$139.95
$139.95
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Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK$89.99ViewSee all prices
Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK$89.99ViewSee all prices
Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK
Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK
$89.99View
$89.99
$89.99
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Emolife Store Multipurpose Silicone Mat$13.99ViewSee all pricesInstant Vortex Mini Air Fryer$59.99$48ViewSee all pricesDeal endsMon, Jan 20, 2025Dash DCAF150GBBK02 Compact Air Fryer$44.99ViewSee all pricesDash Compact Air Fryer$49.99ViewSee all pricesCosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501$99.99$79.91ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Jan 26, 2025Gourmia 4-Quart Digital Air Fryer with$49ViewSee all pricesInstant Pot Vortex 6-Quart 4-in-1 Air$119.99$79.99ViewSee all pricesExpiredChefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer$62.60ViewSee all pricesGoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air$62.53ViewSee all pricesDreo Air Fryer$89.99$67.45ViewSee all prices
Emolife Store Multipurpose Silicone Mat$13.99ViewSee all prices
Emolife Store Multipurpose Silicone Mat$13.99ViewSee all prices
Emolife Store Multipurpose Silicone Mat
Emolife Store Multipurpose Silicone Mat
$13.99View
$13.99
$13.99
See all prices
Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer$59.99$48ViewSee all pricesDeal endsMon, Jan 20, 2025
Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer$59.99$48ViewSee all prices
Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer
Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer
$59.99$48View
$59.99$48
$48
See all prices
Deal endsMon, Jan 20, 2025
Deal endsMon, Jan 20, 2025
Deal endsMon, Jan 20, 2025
Dash DCAF150GBBK02 Compact Air Fryer$44.99ViewSee all prices
Dash DCAF150GBBK02 Compact Air Fryer$44.99ViewSee all prices
Dash DCAF150GBBK02 Compact Air Fryer
Dash DCAF150GBBK02 Compact Air Fryer
$44.99View
$44.99
$44.99
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Dash Compact Air Fryer$49.99ViewSee all prices
Dash Compact Air Fryer$49.99ViewSee all prices
Dash Compact Air Fryer
Dash Compact Air Fryer
$49.99View
$49.99
$49.99
See all prices
Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501$99.99$79.91ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Jan 26, 2025
Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501$99.99$79.91ViewSee all prices
Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501
Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501
$99.99$79.91View
$99.99$79.91
$79.91
See all prices
Deal endsSun, Jan 26, 2025
Deal endsSun, Jan 26, 2025
Deal endsSun, Jan 26, 2025
Gourmia 4-Quart Digital Air Fryer with$49ViewSee all prices
Gourmia 4-Quart Digital Air Fryer with$49ViewSee all prices
Gourmia 4-Quart Digital Air Fryer with
Gourmia 4-Quart Digital Air Fryer with
$49View
$49
$49
See all prices
Instant Pot Vortex 6-Quart 4-in-1 Air$119.99$79.99ViewSee all pricesExpired
Instant Pot Vortex 6-Quart 4-in-1 Air$119.99$79.99ViewSee all prices
Instant Pot Vortex 6-Quart 4-in-1 Air
Instant Pot Vortex 6-Quart 4-in-1 Air
$119.99$79.99View
$119.99$79.99
$79.99
See all prices
Expired
Expired
Expired
Chefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer$62.60ViewSee all prices
Chefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer$62.60ViewSee all prices
Chefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer
Chefman Turbofry 3.5L Analog Air Fryer
$62.60View
$62.60
$62.60
See all prices
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air$62.53ViewSee all prices
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air$62.53ViewSee all prices
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air
$62.53View
$62.53
$62.53
See all prices
Dreo Air Fryer$89.99$67.45ViewSee all prices
Dreo Air Fryer$89.99$67.45ViewSee all prices
Dreo Air Fryer
Dreo Air Fryer
$89.99$67.45View
$89.99$67.45
$67.45
See all prices
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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