Do Air Fryers Really Make Food Crispy?

People who come from the world of deep-fried foods often ask if they can expect the same results when cooking with an air fryer before purchasing one. Which is understandable, I mean… creating results similar to the deep fryer without oil? Really?

I guess the thought of eating fried food with less than half the calories of deep-fried food is enough to grab the attention of some, the rest, they want answers.

An air fryer will give food a crispy outer layer thanks to the way the air fryer operates. The circulation of heated air in combination with something known as “The Maillard Effect” makes it possible to create a crispy surface without the use of oil. The air fryer doesn’t create a crisp similar to that of the deep fryer but with a single teaspoon of oil, the crisp becomes even thicker.

Remember that the air fryer does all of this while cutting the fat content by up to 80%. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories, which is why air-fried food is much less calorie-dense than deep-fried food.

Do Air Fryers Actually Fry Food

Air fryers are basically small convection ovens that blast hot air at food to cook it. At first sight, I wasn’t really sure if the air fryer would be able to deliver on its promise, and I shared that initial skepticism with others.

That changed after using the air fryer for a while and lately, these machines have grown in popularity and can now be found in homes all over the world.

People often ask if air fryers actually fry food. The answer to that question is no, they don’t. The definition of frying food is cooking it in oil, which the air fryer does not.

However, it uses other methods that can achieve a much healthier variant of deep-fried foods. The method used to achieve that crispy outer layer is more like baking than frying, but it isn’t really baking either.

The texture of air-fried food might not resemble the texture of deep-fried food entirely, however, some manufacturers say that the air fryer can cut fat content by 75% which, in my mind, justifies the slight difference in texture.

The high amount of fat accumulated in deep-fried food means that anything coming out of a deep fryer is going to have way more calories than something that has been cooked in the air fryer.

Essentially, this means that you could eat air-fried food on a daily basis. As an avid, experimental cook, that doesn’t sound bad at all to me.

To many users, the terrific crispy exterior of air-fried food is preferred over the deep-fried texture. Not to worry though, you can expect to achieve that crispy exterior with an air fryer too once you learn how to handle it properly. There are tricks.

How To Make Food Crispy In An Air Fryer

Who doesn’t want to make their air-fried foods as crispy as possible? I’m with you entirely. It doesn’t matter if you’re making french fries, nuggets, or fish, the crisp can be important.

With the air fryer, you can get a crispy exterior but to take it to the next level, you may need to tweak things a little.

Mixing Oil

Oil does a much better job at transferring heat than air does, therefore, using oil gives the food a crispier texture than just air would. To keep the amount of oil used to a minimum, you should invest in a kitchen spray bottle for your oil, they’re very easy to use.

While there are oil sprays in stores, you should avoid those as they tend to host aerosol agents that can harm the air fryer’s components. Instead, buy a kitchen spray bottle and fill it yourself.

Experiment With The Settings:

It might take some time before you know how to get the most out of your air fryer.

Many air fryers are very easy to operate and offer programs made to cook specific foods, however, the size of the chicken breast or french fries may vary depending on which store or brand you’re using, the perfect cooking time and temperature will, therefore, also change.

If you’re trying to make the perfect chicken wings, use the same chicken wings until you get the wanted crisp.

Dip In Breadcrumbs

I started doing this when I was making chicken nuggets in the air fryer and they came out just perfectly. First, I cut a chicken breast into small bites, then I dip them in a cup of whisked eggs, I then proceed to dip them in a mixture of breadcrumbs and my favorite spices until the piece is covered entirely.

Lastly, I put the bites in the air fryer to cook. I don’t use oil and I still receive the crispy exterior that I like. Try using oil for an even better crisp.

Are Air Fryers As Good As Deep Fryers

The most suitable answer to this question would be both yes and no. Because it depends entirely on what you are looking for. The air fryer provides a solution for people who like crispy food but want to cut down on calories, which they do by a lot.

Because the air fryer doesn’t cook food in a bath of oil, the appearance, texture, and taste of the food will not be exactly the same as deep-fried food.

However, the air fryer can achieve some fantastic results with less than half the calories, making it an awesome tool for weight loss and health.

Do Air Fryers Cook Food Fast

The air fryer is very quick because it doesn’t take long before the heated air circulating the air fryer is hot. Opposite to a deep fryer that has to heat an entire bath of oil before it starts frying, once there though, it cooks the food in a matter of minutes.

The air fryer’s two main components are the heating coil and the fan blowing the heated air throughout the air fryer.

Heating air takes less time than heating liquid, the hot air circulating the air fryer can reach impressive temperatures very quickly, making the air fryer a quick cooker.

It takes about 20 minutes for a medium-sized chicken breast to go from raw to perfectly cooked. It may take more or less depending on the size of the chicken breast and the power of the air fryer but let’s say approximately 20 minutes to cook.

During these 20-minutes the air fryer takes care of the chicken breast without my assistance, which gives me time to prepare the rest of the food. In some cases, you may have to open the air fryer midway and shake or stir.

Which Air Fryer Makes the Crispiest Food?

I can’t speak for all air fryers on the market but any of the air fryers from some of the renowned brands are, without a doubt, capable of producing the kind of crisp you would expect from an air fryer.

The air fryer has to be able to reach relatively high temperatures. If the air fryer has a powerful fan, that’s a big plus. Then it’s all about preparation. Yes, making food crispy in the air fryer is primarily about how you prepare the food prior to cooking it in the air fryer.

But, nevertheless, which air fryer would I recommend to someone who’s looking for a top-grade air frying experience? If you ask me, there are two candidates that have produced great results over and over again.

The first one is the Philips Turbostar XXL, which is a more expensive and feature-rich model. The second one is the more affordable Cosori Max XL, which has grown to be a budget favorite that I think outperforms a bunch of top-tier units.

Why Is Food Not Crispy in My Air Fryer?

You may not have been able to produce the results that the commercials were promising you. While the air fryer is known as the oil-less air fryer, it won’t be able to create the same kind of crispiness that a deep fryer can produce.

Considering that these two devices operate very differently, the results they produce will also differ. By removing oil from the equation, the air fryer is missing one of the key components to creating godlike crispiness.

But that’s not always the problem. With the right approach, you should be able to create a decent crisp while reducing the calories immensely.

The reason why your air fryer isn’t making the food as crispy as you expected is most likely because you’re not using any oil at all or using oil the wrong way.

I’ve found that the ingredients need to be dried before adding the oil. Using excessive amounts of oil will not create a crisp either, so make sure to use a small amount and work from there.