Are Air Fryers Really ‘Frying’ Your Food? Here’s What They Actually Do

I still remember my first time using an air fryer. I made sweet potato fries, and they were actually good. Now, as I strive evermore for a healthier diet, my air fryer has become an indispensable tool, helping me create crispy food without all the grease. But in order to use it properly, it’s helpful to understand a bit about what an air fryer does to your food.

“Although social media seems to make air fryers out to be miracle ovens, I would avoid cooking certain foods in them,” says chef Maricel Gentile.

Indeed, while air fryers are great for some tasks, like heating up cold pizza, they are not a total replacement for other kitchen appliances like microwaves and convection ovens. Here’s what to know about how an air fryer cooks your food and a rundown of the kinds of foods you should never put in them.

What Is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a countertop kitchen appliance that cooks food using air circulation and convection heating. It’s basically a compact convection oven, which can make certain foods crispy without frying them in oil.

“Despite its name, an air fryer is not actually a fryer, says Gentile. “It is a super-hot convection oven that rapidly circulates hot air. It mimics the frying of food, thus the name.”

What Does an Air Fryer Do to Your Food?

It makes food crispy by using a high-powered fan that circulates hot air around the food at high speeds. This dehydrates the surface of the food, creating a crispy exterior.

“Bakers have done this for hundreds of years before air fryers by putting a light layer of water on their breads,” says Gentile. “When they put their breads into the hot oven, the water quickly evaporates, pulling the surface water of the dough out and making the exterior crispy.”

Scientifically, this process is called a Maillard reaction, where amino acids and sugars on the surface of the food create a browning of the exterior.

What Makes an Air Fryer Different?

Air Fryer vs. Microwave: What’s the difference?

Microwaves use electromagnetic waves to vibrate water molecules in the food, which heats it from the inside out. Air fryers rely on convection heat to crisp and cook food from the outside in.

“This means air fryers can brown and crisp foods, whereas microwaves primarily reheat and soften them, which is why many foods become soggy after microwaving,” says Sarah Hill, a food blogger and creator of Real Food With Sarah.

For example, think of cooking bacon in the microwave, where it comes out rubbery and grey, versus cooking bacon in a pan, where it gets crispy and golden, says Gentile. “Microwaves are great for heating up liquids and soft foods, while an air fryer is great for crisping up foods,” she says.

Air Fryer vs. Convection Oven: What’s the Difference?

Size, speed and heat. Convection ovens are larger and can achieve high heat, but they generally have slower air movement inside. This makes them good for heating food without overcooking it. Air fryers, on the other hand, deliver faster cooking times. They’re also more efficient due to their smaller size and sealed cooking environment, says Gentile.

“Now, there are double-duty ovens, which are generally smaller than a traditional convection oven, but larger than small air fryers,” says Gentile. “But some people, myself included, would argue that they do neither well.”

FAQ

Is air-fried food healthier?

It depends on what you’re cooking. “Air-frying vegetables is a great healthier option, but air-frying processed foods or high-fat meats won’t necessarily make them healthier,” says Hill.

Similarly, Gentile points out that pre-made chicken nuggets are going to be unhealthy no matter how you cook them. But, if you fry with oil, your choice of oil and the temperature are key to making food less unhealthy. “With frying, I see a lot of people put food in the oil before the oil is hot enough,” she says. “Cold oil will end up soaking into your food more, while hot oil will quickly crisp up the surface and lock out oil and lock in moisture. So I would say, yes, air fryers are healthier because they are more foolproof for the everyday cook at home.”

Can an air fryer replace a microwave?

No, an air fryer can’t replace a microwave, at least not entirely. “Air fryers are great for reheating foods like pizza, potatoes and proteins, as they restore crispiness better than a microwave,” says Hill. “However, they aren’t ideal for tasks like making popcorn, re-heating your coffee or warming up foods like soups or sauces.”

Are there any foods you shouldn’t cook in an air fryer?

Yes. “I would avoid battered foods, cheese, rice, pasta, grains, whole roasts or large cuts of meat,” says Gentile. “Air fryers, like oil frying, put a lot of heat on the surface of the food, and large proteins need to cook through.”

To this list, Hill adds leafy greens like spinach and kale, since they will fly around with the fan. Also, “Whole meat roasts, braised meats and anything else that needs slow, low cooking won’t develop the right texture in the air fryer,” she says.

About the Experts

• Sarah Hill is a food blogger, recipe developer and food photographer at Real Food with Sarah. She specializes in making home cooking more approachable, including using air-fryer recipes.
• Maricel Gentile is a chef, cookbook author, TV personality and owner of Maricel’s Kitchen in New Jersey. She also teaches cooking classes and is a chef ambassador for K-Seafood USA.

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