Hot air fryer check: The big fryer comparison

Deep fryer without fat? Can we now chow down without regret? What's the catch? We have created the hot air fryer check and take a look at what the fryers can really do.

Who can resist freshly fried snacks like crispy fries or wedges? Just thinking about them makes your mouth water. If it weren't for the guilty conscience and the voice in the back of our heads that spoil the fun.

"Think of the calories", "Fried food makes you fat" or "Honestly, do you really want to eat that now? Thanks to the bikini figure!" Such and similar thoughts buzz through our heads.

The solution to this dilemma is supposed to be hot air fryers. Have you ever heard of hot air fryers? They are also called fatless fryers or fat-free fryers. But behind them is one and the same device.

Sometimes brand names like Airfryer from Philips are used.

From the outside, they look a bit like bread makers. Inside, however, there is a lot of technology that distinguishes them from the normal deep fryer. Before we get to the Hot Air Fryer Check first some basic information about the fritters.

What is a hot air fryer?

A hot air fryer has little to do with a conventional deep fryer as we know it. The name hot air fryer can be a little misleading.

In classic deep-frying, vegetables, meat and the like are fried in lots of fat until golden and crispy. They swim in the fat and soak up plenty of it.

It is different with devices that work with hot air. The fryer needs very little fat. Its power comes from the hot air, which is combined with the grill function.

Deep-frying without fat works like an oven with convection function - only in mini format.

When the heat is generated, it is swirled by rotation in the container chamber. This makes the food crispy on all sides.

The principle behind hot air frying is quite simple. It uses a technology that provides circulation of hot air in the cooking chamber with a ring heater or several fans.

Well, if that's the case, why not just keep making fries in the oven? That also works, of course. But in the fritter it's much faster, it uses less energy and it gets crispier.

Better than bought: Make crispy fries yourself

7 wonderful hot air fryer advantages

A deep fryer without fat brings a lot of positive features. All hot air fryer advantages, we reveal here. Not all points apply to every device, a fryer comparison is worthwhile! Because each model has different properties. However, we have tried to keep it as general as possible.

• You save calories and fat

  With a conventional deep-fat fryer, French fries, meat and the like float in fat. They soak up the oil, so it remains in the food. We consume the oil and the unnecessary calories while eating. Frying with hot air is completely different. Since it only needs 1-2 tablespoons of fat, the fries are cooked with hot air cooked. The Saves calories and unnecessary fat.

• The hot air fryer is quickly ready for use

  Since the fryer without fat has a small cooking chamber, it is much quicker ready for use than an oven. Within few minutes you're ready to go. You can only dream of that with the oven.

• You save electricity with the air fritter

  Because it takes a long time to heat up the oven, you also use up Lots of power. The transferred heat output of the hot air fryer is better than that of the oven. This ensures that the food becomes crispy and fryer-like conditions prevail in the device.
  Let's stay with the temperature. Above a certain temperature, oil and grease form carcinogenic substances. Acrylamide can form from as low as 120° Celsius. Since the fryer uses little fat, it is not harmful. Many devices offer the possibility to control the temperature with pinpoint accuracy.

• You do not have to dispose of fat

  But the very biggest advantage is that you can save yourself the many hot fat saves. If you want really crispy fries quickly, you usually have to heat up lots of oil. And then dispose of it in a cumbersome way - because you can't just pour it down the drain! Hot oil can cause burns, splash out, and cause the food to get soaked up. You can save all that with the hot air fryer.

• No annoying smell

  Anyone who has ever fried at home knows how the clothes, hair and the whole apartment smell afterwards. Really disgusting. This is due to the large amount of oil. With the hot air fryer you have no odor nuisance.

• You do not have to turn the fries

  Unlike the oven, where the fries must be turned by hand, devices such as the Tefal YV9601 Actifry that all by itself. They have a stirring arm that moves and the fries.

• The low cleaning effort

  A special bonus point is awarded for the cleaning effort. This is very low. :) You simply wipe the hot air fryer with a paper towel. Many devices such as the Airfryer Philips HD9240/30 can be completely disassembled. You can then simply put individual parts in the dishwasher.

Hot air fryer check: Fritter in comparison

Since it is easy to lose track of the many models, we have created our hot air fryer check. Here you can find the best fryers in comparison.

We made a hot air fryer check, there are some points to consider. Our most important factors are: Capacity, price, features, performance.

Our top 5 fritter in comparison

Hot air fryer: yes or no?

We give it a resounding yes. You can find out whether this also applies to you in our hot air fryer pros and cons table.

Hot air fryer advantages	Hot air fryer disadvantages
Up to 80% less fat	Does not work with every frozen food
Saves calories	Some foods become dry with hot air
You don't have to worry about disposing of frying oil	Cooking takes longer than frying
The frying does not leave an unpleasant smell	It does not always get crispy
Delicious and good results with many foods
Is quickly ready for use
Saves electricity compared to the oven
Low cleaning effort compared to normal fryers

 

For one or the other is probably interesting that one many hot air devices have different programs. Thus, in some hot air fryers can also be baked rolls.

Models like the Philips Airfryer HD9240/30 can also use, for example, the grill function separately. This makes hot air fryers interesting for those who have little space in the kitchen or office.

Hot air fryer or normal fryer - which tastes better?

Because it sounds almost too good to be true, we took a closer look. And one thing you need to know before buying the hot air fryer: Even if the advertising promises it. It doesn't taste quite the same.

The reason for this is that fat is a flavor carrier. French fries baked in fresh fat will always taste different than those from the hot air fryer.

But this is also difficult to say in general. Of course, it makes a big difference whether you buy a low-priced product or pay attention to the quality of the hot air fryer.

But since the list of benefits is so endless, it's still worth making the switch. And if you do have a hankering for fries or schnitzel from a regular fritter, just treat yourself to them when you go out.

Delicious: sweet potato fries

What to consider when buying a hot air fryer?

In order to enjoy the low-calorie pleasure for longer, you should take a look at a few purchase criteria. Just because a device is expensive doesn't necessarily mean it's of the highest quality.

The capacity of the hot air fryer

The sizes of hot air fryers are very different. Those who have a larger family or like to prepare a large amount, go for a model with a higher capacity.

The size of the hot air fryer ranges from one to nine liters capacity.

Hot air fryer for one person

As a single, a small fryer without fat is enough. Models with 0.5-1.2 liters are perfect for you. The best model in our opinion is the Philips Airfryer HD9220 with 800 gram capacity.

Hot air fryer for couples or small families

This category includes most of those who are interested in an air fritter. With models from 1.5 liters capacity you can prepare dishes for several people.

The device that performs best in the hot air fryer check according to reviews is the Philips HD9240. It can accommodate a whole chicken. Steaks, pizza, cakes or breakfast rolls can also be prepared in it.

Fryer for large families:

And then, of course, there are models for 4 or more people. However, you should only use them if you cook for a lot of people very often. These models have a capacity of up to 9 liters.

For large families we recommend the Philips HD9630 with 3.5 liters capacity for 4-5 persons.

The more capacity, the larger the device. If you have a small kitchen, you should think carefully about whether it really has to be the largest fryer.

Not everything has to be ready at the same time. French fries also taste good when you prepare them in several courses :)

Really large devices can prepare different dishes in parallel on two levels.

Good hot air fryers are easy to clean

Quite a mess is made when cleaning regular deep fryers. There are oil splashes and stains everywhere.

High quality hot air fryers can be disassembled into their individual parts and cleaned in the dishwasher.

The frying compartment is simply wiped out with a kitchen towel and then washed in the dishwasher.

The viewing window of the fritter

Very many fryers without fat have a viewing window. This helps not to fry "blindly". You always have fries, fish and meat in view. This saves having to open the lid - which of course lowers the heat in the device again. As a result, frying takes longer.

You will also be spared from accidental splashes on clothing or the countertop thanks to the viewing window.

Hot air fryer accessories

As with all kitchen appliances, there are lots of accessories for the hot air fryer. Many of them are very helpful:

The measuring spoon

It helps you to find the right amount of oil easily. You don't need an extra tablespoon or a measuring cup.

The stakes

There are multifunctional hot air fryers. They can not only make fries and co. crispy, but also bake rolls. They have a grill function - i.e. a grill insert - and can be used as a steamer.

The recipe books

Anyone who wants to buy a hot air fryer often already gets recipe ideas included. Cookbooks for hot air fryers are included, especially for more expensive devices. Not bad at all, if you have no idea what to cook.

Cool Touch handles

Just like a tray in the oven, the inserts of the hot air fryer get really hot. Many devices like the MD17769 Deep fryer from Medion therefore have Cool Touch handles. You can take them out without burning yourself.

What are the types of hot air fryers?

Lots of them. It starts with the capacity, continues with the shape, color and functions, and finally ends with the price.

However, the basic mode of operation is the same for all devices: hot air instead of lots of fat.

There are many different models of hot air fryers. More expensive devices often have a rotating element that turns fries and co. This makes them equally crispy and brown on all sides. In the case of inexpensive deep fryers without fat, manual work is required. The food is turned with a fork or kitchen spatula, as in the oven.

For more delicate foods such as fish, deep fryers with rotating elements are more suitable. For others, such as fries or wedges, you simply reach for the spatula.

Recipe: Crispy Kübisspalten

What oil for the hot air fryer?

Not all oil is the same. Because not every oil can and may be heated to the same temperature.

Most vegetable oils are suitable for the hot air fryer. So olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, Grape seed oil* and also peanut oil.

You can always play it safe by buying special frying oil. This usually consists of sunflower seeds or rapeseed. It can be heated to a particularly high temperature without forming harmful substances.

But there are also special oils that bring a little flavor. For the hot air fryer you can also use Almond oil*, Avocado oil* or use sesame oil.

Once you have found the right oil, it's a matter of the right quantity. This depends on the capacity of the fritter. For most fryers, you only need 1-2 tablespoons of oil.

Are foods from the hot air fryer healthy?

Although you can save a lot of fat with a hot air fryer, the food from it does not make it healthy. Because here, too, it is important to eat a varied diet.

So whether the hot air fryer is healthy, you decide for yourself. If you prepare 1 kg of meat in it and eat a very unbalanced diet, you will not lose weight or do anything good for your body. In short: A hot air fryer is not a free pass for an unhealthy diet.

However, if you pay attention to a balanced mix, you can definitely save yourself calories.

With any deep fryer it is important that the Oil temperature does not rise above 175°. At high temperatures, the substance acrylamide is formed, which is said to be carcinogenic. A hot air fryer does not exceed this value. Many hot air fryers only heat up to 150 degrees Celsius.

How do fries from the hot air fryer taste?

Yummy fries :) By the way, the crispy potato sticks are the most common reason for buying a hot air fryer.

The taste of the fries from the hot air fryer is not exactly the same as from the fat fryer. The fries become a little drier, are a little fluffier and are not as heavy in the stomach. Nevertheless, they become crispy.

However, unlike fries from the deep fryer, they are less greasy. Often, the potato sticks are dabbed with kitchen paper after frying. They are simply much too oily.

PS: goes well with crispy fries DIY ketchup.

This step is omitted with the hot air fryer. The fries move from the fryer into the bowl. What's missing is a little salt and you can enjoy crispy fries.

How long fries take in a hot air fryer depends on whether you make them yourself or use frozen fries.

Tip: Frozen fries are deep-fried before freezing. If you want to really save calories and fat, just cut from potatoes.

But of course, the duration also depends on the device. There are hot air fryers with high power such that have less power.

What are the hot air fryer recipes?

We have not yet come across any special recipes. Anything that would normally end up in a conventional fryer can be deep-fried.

The range extends from classics such as fries, wedges or vegetables to meat and fish - in other words, really everything. If you like it sweet, you can also put bananas in batter and prepare them in the hot air fritter.

But of course, the Internet is already full of recipes for the fryer. Therefore, here are a few YouTube videos with delicious recipe ideas for the hot air fryer. From schnitzel, fries to pizza, everything succeeds in the hot air fryer.

Our conclusion

If you like it crispy, it's worth buying a deep fryer. But just because the fryer doesn't use any fat - at least almost - that's not a free pass for unhealthy eating.

Our Hot Air Fryer Check shows that there are many different models but certainly something suitable for everyone.

To browse further:

• Potato tower: Is it worth it? My experience report!
• Make your own wild herb salt: this is the best method!
• Make your own willow bark tincture: so simple and so effective!

* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more