The boom in air fryers in recent times is, in large part, a reflection of the success of a great global marketing campaign that, although it does not lie, does not quite tell the truth either. Because while it is true that these devices allow you to cook numerous dishes quickly, effectively and very easily with hardly any oil, it is also true that "they do not have any function that significantly differentiates them from an oven or even a microwave", he explains. Luis Rovira, chef and cooking teacher at the Hofmann School in Barcelona.
An air fryer is still a small-sized convection oven that cooks food through the circulation of hot air, something that "other electrical appliances have been doing for a long time," recalls Rovira. "When a fat is applied to a food and it is introduced into hot air, the result is a light caramelization, a crunchy layer that can be reminiscent of fried foods," explains the chef, who points out, however, that "if you take some potatoes , paint them with a little oil and put them in the microwave, the result will be the same”. However, it is likely that one of the secrets to the success of air-fryers was none other than their glamour: "They are small, pretty, they usually look good in kitchens and they also allow us to forget about cooking: you press on and you have the food ready in a few minutes”, continues Rovira.
However, simplicity and accessibility are not the only attributes of these devices which, according to Rovira, also have an infallible naming: "Actually, we are calling something that is not technically a fryer a fryer, but which promises similar results." To these implicit promises of palatability already in its own name, another attribute must be added that is very much in line with current trends in nutrition: it allows cooking healthy dishes that are low in fat, but capable of maintaining some of the organoleptic properties of fried foods. This statement, on the other hand, is not entirely accurate either, since although fryers allow very good results to be achieved, they cannot be compared in any case to those obtained by submerging croquettes, nuggets or potatoes directly in oil, as occurs in the case of conventional fryers.
Despite the fact that the functions of air fryers are not that far from those of an oven or a microwave (although their consumption is lower), one of the reasons why many users prefer them is the simplicity in handling. “Today's ovens are very feature-rich, and all of them can do what an air fryer can do, and even more. The problem is that they require certain knowledge and their usability is not so simple, in such a way that many people prefer the simplicity of an air-fryer”, explains the professor from the Hofmann School. Thus, the nonsense is served: we invest in multifunction ovens that we do not end up taking advantage of because we prefer the simplicity of these devices.
There are many people who have incorporated this appliance into their day to day. Air-fryers timidly began to be marketed a decade ago in the United States and today they are already present throughout the world. The data speaks for itself: in 2017 sales began to take off in the United States and by 2020, 36% of homes in this country had one.
Rovira recalls that "it should not be used to make popcorn, because the machine breaks", nor for foods that require liquids to cook, such as pasta, legumes or rice. But beyond these dishes the possibilities are endless. A good example of this is the large number of recipes that we find on social networks, especially on TikTok, as well as groups, forums and Internet pages that show that this appliance goes far beyond the classic potatoes without oil that simulate the texture of fries. These are some of its uses:
