All the flavour with air fryers
Air fryers (or convection ovens) have been around for years, but it’s only more recently that they’ve become a must-have kitchen gadget in homes across SA. The popularity of air fryers is easy to understand – they’re super-convenient, flexible and healthy. You can be sure they’re having a moment when you start seeing ‘suitable for air fryers’ stickers on ready meals in supermarkets.
Why choose an air fryer?
Air fryers offer the convenience of a microwave combined with the results you’d expect from a larger oven. Modern designs are compact enough to sit on your kitchen counter, while digital controls, preset cooking modes and LCD screens make them intuitively easy to use.
Unlike a microwave, air fryers don’t simply reheat or heat up your food. They recreate the golden-brown colour and crispy texture that adds so much enjoyment to foods like chicken wings and schnitzels. They can even be used to bake bread - as well as for roasting and grilling, thanks to their ability to reach higher temperatures than microwaves.
Oven or air fryer?
If you already have a gas or electric oven, you may be wondering if you really need an air fryer. The answer is simple: yes you do, because of the convenience! Air fryers are small enough that you can use them to efficiently cook a meal for one or two, and they’re much easier to clean afterwards.
You can remove the non-stick basket easily for washing up, and the fact that there’s no oil involved means no grease deposits to deal with. Some air fryers even have parts that you can put in the dishwasher for added convenience.
Air fryers cook faster than a conventional oven, which makes them perfect for when you’re in a rush, or late home from work and the kids are starving!
Yummy and healthy, yes you can have both!
The name 'air fryer' is a little misleading - they actually cook your food by using a fan to circulate hot air insider the air fryer, rather than by frying it. Because they use little or no oil, they are a great choice if you're trying to cut down on fat or calories without compromising on flavour. What's not to love - a sleek, stylish new gadget for your kitche that could even help you lose weight!
More reasons to love your air fryer
- Good for you, good for the planet – air fryers use less energy than many other cooking methods, plus there’s no used oil to dispose of.
- A new meal every day – air fryers are amazingly versatile, and can be used for everything from baking muffins for breakfast to making the perfect baked potato for a healthy dinner.
- Versatility is everything – look out for double basket air fryers that let you cook multiple dishes at the same time, as well as air fryer accessories (like cooking racks or baking trays) that give you more options.
If you still need convincing about the benefits of investing in an air fryer, get yourself an invite to a friend or family member who already has one, and take their air fryer for a taste test drive – we promise you won’t be disappointed!