Deep fryers and air fryers are two of the most convenient kitchen gadgets. When it comes to fried food, you might not deny the craving for it. But the question is how much the fried food is healthy. That’s why air fryers came that don’t use excess oil to fry foods.
But you might be confused between a deep fryer and an air fryer. You might be confused about whether they are the same or not. So, let’s see about their functions and usefulness.
Is a deep fryer the same as an air fryer?
A deep fryer and an air fryer are two completely different gadgets. Though they both fry food, their work functions are also different. Generally, deep fryers fry foods by dipping them into the hot oil. But air fryers don’t use oil to fry foods. Air fryers fry food by hot air circulation.
When it comes to deep-frying anything, you need to dip it into the oil. But deep frying in the pan is pretty unhealthy since it can keep excess oil in the food. But deep fryers have baskets that allow the food to dip into the hot oil but also removes excess oil from the food.
But air fryers don’t work like it. Air fryers circulate hot air in the food and make it fried without using excess oil. This frying process is completely different from deep fryers.
Deep fryers and air fryers have different shapes and designs but their works are different. In a deep fryer, you can cook both small and large foods. You can even fry a whole turkey if the deep fryer has according to size.
Deep fryers are also time-effective. When you put food in the deep fryer, the food will get enough heat from all sides.
So, the cooking time will also be less. While frying in the deep fryer, water content is removed from the outer layer of the food and the food’s outer layer becomes crispy.
In the air fryer, while cooking, hot air is produced by a fan at the top of the fryer. This hot air passes through the food and reaches around the food. So, the outer layer of the food removes water content and becomes crispy.
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Are air fryers as good as deep fryers? Are air fryers better?
If you are more concerned about the real taste of fried food, air fryers are not as good as deep fryers. Generally, deep fryers work by dipping the food into the hot oil. So, you will get the actual fried taste of food. Deep frying will make the food crispier.
Moreover, you can deep fry a lot of different types of foods in the deep fryers. But you can’t fry anything in the air fryer. Some foods might need the oil obviously to cook.
But air fryers don’t allow the oil in the food. Excess oil might make a mess in the air fryer. In these aspects, deep fryers are better.
But if you are conscious about health, air fryers are better. When you deep fry anything, some extra fat remains in the food.
You might know that extra fat from fried food is not healthy at all. But air fryers don’t have to use oil to fry the food. They pass the hot air into the food and the food is fried by the hot air circulation.
So, there is no chance to make the food unhealthy with excess oil. Moreover, air fryers can fry a lot of different foods with a little amount of oil. So, if you are a health-conscious person, an air fryer is a better option for you.
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What is the difference between a deep fryer and an air fryer? Air fryer vs deep fryer
A deep fryer and an air fryer have many differences between them. These differences can help you with choosing the best option for you. So, let’s see some differences between a deep fryer and an air fryer.
Use of oil:
Generally, deep fryers use a whole container of oil in the fryer to cook or fry the food. The food is mainly dipped into the hot oil for frying. But in the air fryer, no excess oil is used. Air fryers use the minimum amount of oil for cooking or frying the food.
Crust:
Deep fryers fry foods with a larger amount of oil. So, oil goes through the food deeper and makes the crispy crust thicker. But air fryers use hot air circulation that makes the crispy crust thin.
Versatility:
While using a deep fryer, you can only fry the food. You can’t control the food to roast or bake. But in the air fryer, you can roast, fry, grill, and bake foods. You can even make cookies in an air fryer. So, air fryers are more versatile than deep fryers.
Health benefits:
You might know that excess oil contains excess fat in the food. So, when you fry any food in the deep fryer, the food will contain more fat. This is pretty unhealthy.
Contrarily, an air fryer cooks food without any excess oil. You might have to add a minimum amount of oil to cook the food that is a healthy option.
Cleaning:
When you clean the deep fryer, you need to clean frequently with comparatively more effort. Extra oil makes the fryer more greasy and dirty.
But when you cook in the air fryer, you don’t have to give so much effort. Air fryers use less oil and make the fryer less dirty.
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Can an air fryer replace a deep fryer?
No, an air fryer can’t replace a deep fryer. Deep fryers fry foods from all sides and the oil in a deep fryer penetrates deeper into the food. So, the deep-fried crust is crispy and thick.
But when you fry food in an air fryer, there is no excess oil that can penetrate the food deeper. So, the crispy crust is not that thick like the deep-fried one.
So, the taste of the food fried in the air fryer is not the same as the deep-fried one. You can’t get the exact deep-fried taste in the food fried in an air dryer. So, an air fryer can’t exactly replace a deep fryer.
Does an air fryer taste the same as a deep fat fryer?
No, an air fryer doesn’t taste the same as a deep fat fryer. Generally, air fryers are a healthy alternative for deep frying. In an air fryer, the food is fried by the hot air circulation on the food. This hot air goes around the food and makes the food fried and crispy.
But the taste is not the same as a deep fat fryer. In a deep fat fryer, the food is fully dipped into the hot oil. So, the food has a thicker crust and a crispy outer layer. So, the food fried in a deep fat fryer will always taste more delicious and crispy.
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Can you air fry anything you can deep fry?
You can airfryer many things that you can deep fry but not all. Though the frying quality and taste might differ, you can fry many foods in an air fryer.
For example, chicken fries are generally deep-fried. But you can make excellent chicken fries in the air fryer too. Air fryers don’t use much oil. But they can perfectly fry the food.
Moreover, when you air fry anything, the water content will release from the food. So, the food will be crispy enough to eat.
If you want to fry anything in a healthier way, you can try frying in an air fryer.
What tastes better deep fried or air fried?
Deep fried foods taste better than air fried foods. Though air fryers also make a crispy layer on the food, the taste is always better in a deep fried food.
If you want to enjoy a thick crispy crust over the food, you have to choose the deep fried food. Moreover, deep fried foods have a better consistency than air fried foods. Besides, air fried foods are drier than deep fried foods sometimes. So, deep fried foods taste better.
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Is air frying faster than deep frying?
No, deep frying is faster than air frying. Generally, deep fryers use a lot of oil to fry the food. So, the heat from the hot oil makes it faster to fry the food.
But the air fryer takes comparatively more time to fry the food. Hot air in the air fryer takes much more time than the deep fryer. For example, you can deep fry food in 5 minutes that the air fryer will take up to 10 to 20 minutes.
Final Thoughts:
A deep fryer and an air fryer are two different products for frying foods. But air fryers can grill, cook, roast, and bake foods that the deep fryers can’t do. Moreover, the working processes of these two gadgets are different. They also cook foods with different tastes and health benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can You Reuse Oil In a Deep Fryer?
Can You Use Crisco Shortening in a Deep Fryer?