The use of air fryer is increasingly popular: it is a hot air fryer that works like a small oven and allows you to cook various foods, healthier and in less time. But is it always preferable to use this appliance for cooking compared to a traditional oven? Azul spoke to several experts and the answer is not just “yes” or “no”.
Let’s do it by steps. One of the points in favor of air fryer is that cooked food is healthier, as it is not necessary to add fat (or only in very little quantity) to cook the food. It’s a healthier option than regular fryers that heat olive oil and oil to high temperatures.
These appliances take less time to cook compared to conventional ovens, as they have less volume of air to heat and therefore consume less energy. Furthermore, they can be the best option when the objective is to cook a small meal that would involve using the oven. A air fryer It is also more practical to use and clean than the oven, due to its size and configuration.
Despite all these advantages, it may not be the most suitable choice when it is necessary to prepare a meal for a large number of people, as it will not be possible to accommodate enough portions to cook at the same time.
In this case, the preferable solution will be the oven, both on a practical and economic level. According to data provided by DECO PROteste, a quantity of 500 grams of chicken can take 22 minutes to cook in a air fryer and 32 minutes in an electric oven. While in air fryer The energy expenditure corresponds to 0.330 kilowatt-hours (kWh), in an oven it is 0.773 kWh.
For 320g of fries, which corresponds to between two and three portions, it takes 23 minutes to cook. airfryer and 33 in the case of the oven. As for energy, the air fryer it uses 0.287 kWh and the oven consumes 0.863 kWh. The price to pay also varies, with compressed air equipment spending 5.74 cents and an electric oven 17.26 cents.
PFAS
Susana Fonseca, vice-president of the environmental association Zero, expresses concern regarding the materials that make up the air fryer and which may come into contact with prepared food, in addition to electrical consumption.
“Some of this equipment is non-stick inside and, normally, this non-stick is provided by the use of PFAS which, although they represent a risk when there is degradation of the surface that is in contact with food. Both the entire manufacturing process and the end of life imply that we have equipment with a dangerous substance,” he says.
Furthermore, the vice-president of Zero explains that, as air fryer It is a smaller instrument and may be used regularly, there will always be degradation of the material, which can become harmful to food. However, remember that there are ceramic and stainless steel alternatives. Then, this problem no longer exists.
Airfryer: save only with efficient use
The vice-president of the environmental association Zero explains that the air fryer it can be more efficient “if we are using one of these pieces of equipment that is enough for the number of people we want to feed”. “For larger households it may no longer be as efficient, because as you have to cook more than once the gains may be more dubious”, considers Susana Fonseca. If you need to use a air fryer two or three times for cooking, the gain may be smaller.
DECO’s tests “show that the air fryers can really save money, but only if they are used effectively, considering the preparation capacity and the number of people you will be cooking for”, explains Elsa Agante, specialist in the area of sustainability and energy from DECO PROteste, in a response sent by email to the PUBLIC.
To the air fryers They vary in size and it is important to choose one according to what you intend to prepare there. For example, “the cooking time to prepare French fries ranges from 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the models and depending on the capacity of the basket. There is air fryers which, in 25 minutes, fry 500g of potatoes and others, in the same period, manage to fry 1100g”, explains Elsa Agante.
Nelson Garrido
The energy expert states that, “in general, small families that cook single doses will benefit most [pela air fryer]. There are clear benefits to the alternative of using the traditional oven to prepare a meal for two.”
Even so, Elsa Agante maintains that “if you are cooking for several people or want to prepare some different foods at the same time, the traditional oven has more space and can be cheaper than cooking in several stages in the oven. air fryer”.
