Nowadays people are more into having a home appliance for fast food. But there are so many options available in the market that people get confused about which one to buy. If you are also the one looking for such appliances, then you are at the right place.
So first of all one needs to decide among the types of fryers. For this, you have two fundamental options:
- Deep Fryer
- Air Fryer
These two have some basic dissimilarities which make them slightly opposite to each other. Air fryers are undoubtedly winning the battle nowadays because of their health considerations and ease of maintenance.
Let’s discover how an air fryer is different from a deep fryer in this comparison guide.
Deep Fryer
Deep fryers are basically of two types;
- Electric deep fryers
- Gas/propane deep fryers
Normally, electric deep fryers are considered better for home use. Gas or propane deep fryers are typically used for commercial purposes (restaurants, cafes).
In Deep fryers, the food is fully submerged in oil at high temperatures.
Normally the temperature is between 350 degrees F to 375 degrees F in Electric deep fryers and 375 to 400 degrees F in Gas deep fryers. One can adjust the temperature accordingly through the temperature control dial.
Deep fryers usually come along with a frying basket/baskets in which the food is placed safely in the oil with the help of attached/detachable handles.
Deep fryers also comprise a viewing window whether small or large, to monitor the progress of your food without having the need of removing the cover/lid again and again.
It also prevents you from heat of the steam or oil splatters.
Some new models of deep fryers also have a built-in timer. The timer basically alerts us (i.e; it beeps continuously) when the food is done frying.
Overall, deep-fried foods are always juicy on the inside and crunchy or tender on the outside.
Air Fryer
Air fryers are basically of four types;
- Cylindrical
- Oven
- Basket
- Paddle
The food is cooked through the heating air in a fan located in the cooking chamber of the air fryer. It circulates the hot air on and around the food which is somehow similar to a convection oven.
The air fryer can sometimes come along with a basket like that of a deep fryer, or a tray similar to that of an oven or a pot-type basket as shown in the picture (depending upon the model/brand).
One drawback is that you can’t fill the frying basket/pot entirely with food because the air circulation can not cook plenty of food at once, else the food will be uneven and raw.
An air fryer does not have a viewing window, so it can be difficult to see the progress of food anytime.
One of the major advantages of an air fryer is that these fryers use very little to no oil. The resulting food is still crispy and tender but not like that of deep-fried food.
Comparing Air Fryer with Deep Fryer on Various Factors
Let’s now compare the Air fryers and Deep fryers on the basis of some important factors.
| AIR FRYER | DEEP FRYER | |
|---|---|---|
| OIL USAGE | Little to no oil used | High oil usage |
| PRICE | Comparatively Expensive | Usually affordable |
| CALORIES | Low amount of calories | High amount of calories |
To differentiate more easily between an air fryer and a deep fryer, we’ve divided the points into 8 categories. Both of them have some advantages and disadvantages but it depends on your needs which one is right for you and your kitchen.
It also depends upon the brand. Some brands manufacture high quality deep or air fryers that tend to be durable and are better in terms of functionality and performance.
Now, by going through the following points, you can decide which one of these suits you the most.
Oil Usage
The foremost difference between a deep fryer and an air fryer is the usage of oil. Deep fryers require large amounts of oil to fry the food.
For electric deep fryers, 4 to 12 or 6 to 19 cups of oil are mandated. Gas deep fryers, as they are quite huge, require gallons of oil.
On the other hand, Air frying, the name itself denotes that the food is fried through the air. They require little to no oil.
If you want to add some crunchy texture to your food you’ll simply need to add some oil on the food itself, rather than filling the whole fryer like that in a deep fryer.
Time
If you use a deep fryer for cooking, it will take hardly 4-5 minutes (or little more, depending upon what you are frying) to cook the food after the oil has reached the desired temperature and is hot enough. Whereas air frying will take at least 10-20 minutes to cook your food.
All in all a deep fryer cooks faster than an air fryer. Besides this, for deep frying, you have to consider the time which is needed for the marination of the food.
Also, you have to keep a constant check on the food so that the hot oil may not splash or burn the food whereas in air frying you just have to place the food into it and select the right temperature, rest will be done by the air fryer itself.
Taste
It depends on you whether you like the taste of deep-fried food or air-fried food. Deep fryers are best for batter-dipped, crispy, juicy food and air fryers are good for dry foods.
Although air fryers also offer crispy food similar to deep-fried food, the taste still varies.
Overall, in terms of taste, a deep fryer is a win.
Better health-wise
Air frying needs only hot air and one or two tablespoons of oil to cook the food while in deep frying four to six cups of oil (or more) are required.
Too much oil is definitely dangerous to our health which means air-fried food is much healthier than deep fried.
In deep frying, the excess of oil adds extra calories to the food, while in air frying the level of calories is low which makes the food healthy.
Therefore, air-fried foods are always a better choice in terms of health.
Versatility
Deep fryers and air fryers both are good at frying food but air fryers are more versatile than deep fryers. It is because besides frying, an air fryer also offers other options such as:
- Baking the food
- Roast
- Broil
- Rotisserie
- Grill the food
Deep fryer is purely about deep frying the food but a few models of deep fryer also offer the option of rotisserie and steaming.
Safety
As far as safety is concerned, air fryers are the win.
It is because deep fryers are filled with oil at high temperatures and it may splatter when the food is added, especially when the food contains any water particles.
Air fryers use no oil so they are safer as compared to deep fryers. However, both are electrical appliances, so it is important to have some knowledge about the safety measures before using one.
For example, to prevent any electrical shock, be sure not to let the fryer (cords, switches) be in contact with any kind of liquid.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Deep fryers contain oil and leftover particles of the fried food. So cleaning a Deep fryer can be hard sometimes. Other than the deep fryer, the walls or countertops of the kitchen also have the chance to have oil splashes which you may need to clean afterward.
Deep fryers require a daily (or after two days) cleanup to avoid getting stuck on oily grease. If cleaned regularly after use, the cleanup will be easy and less messy.
However, disposing of the oil can be problematic because one can not pour it directly into the sink or a garbage bin, firstly it needs to be poured into a container/can and then thrown away.
While air fryers are small, they do not use oil and have non-stick baskets/pots which makes them much easier to maintain and clean.
Price
As far as price is concerned, air fryers are more expensive than deep fryers. It is because they are new to the market and offer many options other than frying.
However, it is noticed that air fryers are on sale more often than the deep fryers, so if it is out of your budget, it’s good to occupy the one when on sale.
Price also depends upon the model or size of the fryer because some deep fryers are also way too expensive, depending upon their brand and number of functions they offer.
FAQs
Is an air fryer the same as a convection oven?
The major difference between an air fryer and a convection oven is the “size”. Comparatively air fryers are smaller in size but they heat up and cook food more quickly than a convection oven.
Does an air fryer use a lot of electricity?
It totally depends upon the model, size, and the amount of time the fryer is used. Normally, an air fryer uses 1.4 to 1.8 Kilowatts of energy per hour (kWh).
How much oil can you use in an air fryer?
Although air fryers do not require using oil, still you can add one or two tablespoons of oil to keep your food a little moist. Other than that, you can simply use a brush to oil the food.
Conclusion
Air fryers and deep fryers both are good in their respective places. If you love fried food but in a healthier way, then air fryers are the go to. And if you love to fry large batches of food with less time consumption and better taste wise, then definitely deep fryers are the win.
Air fryers are easy to maintain and are more versatile than deep fryers. On the other hand deep fryers are best for what they do i.e; deep frying. They add flavors, crispiness and tenderness to your food while air fryers lack these things.
Now it’s your preference what best suits you and what you choose for yourself!!
What more differences do you want to share with us regarding air fryer Vs deep fryer?
