Countertop Appliances: Air Fryer

         Sometimes, kitchen appliances don't receive enough love from us. Many times, we take them for granted until, well, we can no longer use them. Sounds like many things in life, eh? One of my favorite appliances is the air fryer. I have mentioned about this device in one of my previous posts. It appeared that few people knew of this appliance.

         In short, it's a smaller version of the large convection ovens you may find at the deli section of a grocery store. What's the difference between convection ovens and your traditional kitchen ones? Well, the answer is circulating hot air.

         This is where the "fryer" part of the name comes in. The hot air results in a crispy layer that mimics deep frying in oil. So, the obvious difference in the taste of food is the oil. I would imagine some people find the less oil alternative more attractive. The air also, in theory, cooks the food with greater efficiency. Most of the food items I have cooked do not take more than 10-20 minutes to make. You can read more about it here.

         The air fryer I own is the GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart 7-in-1 Programmable Air Fryer. It comes with a recipe book and has several programmable functions that I have yet to explore.

         This particular fryer is more suited for 1 or 2 person-sized portions. If you would like to make a meal for your family, I would recommend a much larger air fryer. The purchase of this item also comes with a recipe book, which can be useful for first time cooks with this device. In general, you don't want to cook food saturated with liquid or use batters that runs off. You may wonder if it is possible to cook eggs with an air fryer. The answer is yes. I followed one of the "egg in a hole" recipes in the book and it turned out okay.

         For the record, I bought my air fryer for $66.33.

         From the picture above, it might seem concerning that the fryer is so close to other items on the side table. In reality, I have been able to use it as is without any trouble. The machine is well-built and the Arcadia wood cutting board is only there in case of a fallout.

         One of my most favorite things to make is fried chicken. I tell myself the air fryer version is much healthier. The truth is, the chicken drips a lot of its own fat after cooking. It does put things into perspective when comparing to deep frying. Fried chicken is easy to make, and I have yet to perfect the batter that goes with it. Remember, we are trying to avoid runny batter. I usually cook the chicken pieces for 10 minutes on one side at 390 ° F (~199 ° C) and then flip them over for 8 minutes at 300 ° F (~149 ° C).

         Taking out the preparation time, you can cook the food in under 20 minutes. I often use my fryer during my week on of work when I have little time to do much else on top of family obligations. The air fryer is a great time saver and a way for me to indulge on some delicious chicken at a moment's notice.

         Cleaning the fryer is also super easy. The basket which you put food in is simple to remove. You can pretty much clean it like your normal pots and pans by hand. If you want less mess to deal with, you could also line the basket with aluminum foil when frying. In fact, I do that to avoid some potential drippings from the food.

Summary

         It's easy to use. Easy to clean. Good for foods that can clog your arteries with awesome, but at a slower rate.