In the world of fried foods, there are air fryers on one hand, and deep fryers on the other hand, but they're not the same thing! We've rounded up all you need to know about air fryers vs deep fryers calories, health, cooking time, taste and even price. By comparing these types of fryers side by side, you can make an informed decision on whether to choose the best air fryer over a deep fryer.

What are Air Fryers?

Air fryers are convection ovens that use Rapid Air Technology to blow hot air around your food, which gives it a crispy exterior and tender interior. The great thing about these appliances is their ability to cook food with very little or no oil. Some air fryers like the Kalorik air fryer oven can cook with as low as 70% less oil compared to traditional fryers - It makes them the goto solution for anyone looking to eat fried foods without guilt. Also, check out the pros and cons of air fryers, and how healthy are air fryers.

What are Deep Fryers?

Deep fryers are kitchen appliances that submerge your food in hot oil to make it crispy. It's worth noting that deep-fried foods may taste better than air-fried ones due to their total submersion in oil. Nonetheless, deep-fried foods have more calories, which makes them less ideal for people who tend to eat more fried foods or are looking to lose weight.

Differences Between Air Fryers and Deep Fryers

So, what is the difference between an air fryer and deep fryer? Read on to find out!

1. Calories:

When it comes to the air fryer vs deep fryer calories, your best bet would be on air fryers since they cook with 70 to 80% less oil. Therefore, air fried foods are healthier. A real-life scenario is where a serving size of 100g air-fried French fries contains 226 calories whereas the same quantity of deep fryer french fries may contain up to 312 calories.

Now if you love eating fried chicken wings, chips, turkey, or french fries, it'll be better to resort to an alternative to deep frying that adds fewer calories to your meals. It reduces your potential for obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

2. Versatility:

Even the best small air fryers come with cooking presets that enable you to air fry, bake, roast, grill, preheat, and carry out several operations. Cake, pizza, chicken, taquitos, sausages, pork chops, etc. are some of the foods that can be prepared with an air fryer.

You can also narrow it down to choose the best air fryer for pizza rolls or French fries. The big idea is, there are several things you can make with an air fryer, unlike a deep fryer that limits you to only submerging your food in oil to fry.

Top recommendations:

The Dash Compact Air Fryer

The Philips TurboStar Technology Airfryer

3. Taste:

It is also important to take a look at the air fryer vs deep fryer taste. Air fryers can give you crunchy crispy food that your taste buds will come to love and appreciate. However, the traditional method of deep frying does a better job since the foods they produce have a more crispy deep-fried finish. Therefore, if you're craving for that savoring crispy taste, a deep fryer would be a better option.

4. Cooking Time:

Comparing the air fryer vs deep fryer cooking time, the air fryer may be faster than an oven, but it cooks slower than a deep fryer. This is because total or partial immersion in hot oil compared to the circulation of hot air cooks food faster.

As such, a serving of deep-fried foods may take 3 to 5 minutes to be ready, while air-fried ones may take as long as 10 to 20 minutes. But don't forget, there is temperature control on an air fryer to tone things down when the heat is getting too much.

5. Maintenance:

Some air fryers have dishwasher safe parts that make them easier to clean. They also have a stainless steel interior and non-stick basket and it helps in their maintenance. They do not also leave an odor behind which could change the smell of new foods cooked in it.

Alternatively, you'll need to take the extra time to wash your deep fryer thoroughly given the excess oil that may be left behind the appliance. Oil spills on the countertop may be an eyesore if you dislike cleaning in the first place.

6. Price:

There are cheap air fryers under $100 as well as deep fryers within the same price range. You're also bound to find expensive ones. Nonetheless, an air fryer is more pricey given that it may cost over $100 to get a durable one that will serve you well for a long time. In contrast, you can find good deep fryers around $50 to $250, which is more affordable than buying an air fryer.

It is, however, worth pointing out that an air fryer is cheaper to operate in the long run since it cooks with less oil. You do not have to buy gallons after gallons of oil as you would with a deep fryer.

More recommendations:

The GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air Fryer

The BLACK+DECKER Purify 2-Liter Air Fryer

The NutriChef Air Fryer

Top choice:

Conclusion

Now that you know the differences between air fryers vs deep fryers, you may be faced with the hard decision on which to select. Nonetheless, it is based on what you prioritize. Is it eating healthily or having more crispier foods? In the first scenario, an air fryer is ideal since it cooks with less oil. But then, you still have to eat fried foods in moderation because healthier meals is not a license to go overboard.