Convenience is one of the most important things in today’s fast-paced world and a kitchen is a place where convenience currently reigns supreme.
The microwave, coffee machine, blender, and toaster are just some of the gadgets that make cooking so much easier.
Understanding the key differences between an air fryer and an oven could give you a clearer idea of how you would want your cooking style to be.
If you talk about convenience in the kitchen, it could be said that an air fryer and an oven may have similar uses but it all comes down to their efficiency and a few other aspects.
What Is An Air Fryer?
Contents
An air fryer is an appliance that uses hot air circulation and convection heat to cook food like French fries, chicken nuggets, or roasted vegetables.
The frying process cooks the outsides of the food quickly while using much less oil than pan frying.
It’s also easier than deep frying because it doesn’t require you to use very much oil and there’s no need for any flipping or turning of food.
Compared to a regular oven, air fryers use less energy and heat up faster, which means it’s better for the environment.
When purchasing an air fryer, you should choose one that’s large enough to cook a large quantity of food without overheating.
You don’t want to overheat the unit or get scalded in the process. Most models these days come with several pre-set cooking options such as chicken wings, meatballs, French fries, and more.
They even come with digital displays on top that show you what temperature is being used inside so you can keep an eye on things and make sure it doesn’t get too hot.
You can also use the air fryer as a convection oven and cook different foods at different temperatures.
If you have a large family, you should invest in an appliance that can cook several things at once so everyone can enjoy the meal.
Aside from looking cool, it’s also something you can use to impress your friends with at parties or dinners with your family.
Pros And Cons Of An Air Fryer
Pros
- An air fryer is a smaller and more compact than most appliances.
- The fan and the heat inside the appliance circulate the hot air so food takes longer to cook, but it cooks more evenly.
- The convection cooking method allows food to cook much faster compared to other methods like baking and roasting.
- Air frying has a lot of health benefits because it uses less oil and requires less energy to cook food.
- It’s very versatile because it can be used as an oven for baking as well as an air fryer/convection oven for cooking other types of food.
Cons
- Air fryers are more expensive than most appliances
- An air fryer is a bit larger than a toaster so it may be a bit difficult to store in some kitchens unless you have plenty of room to spare
- Because you don’t need oil, the outside won’t get dirty from splatters the way it would if you were frying something in oil
- You need to make sure the heat inside of an air fryer is turned off when you’re not using it
- The size of an air fryer is about the same as a toaster oven, but an air fryer is much smaller than most appliances
What Is A Toaster Oven?
An electric toaster oven is a smaller version of an oven that’s designed for toasting bread or bagels. It uses lower heat and causes the heater coils to toast your food instead of cooking it on its own.
The food takes longer to cook, and the heating coils don’t get hot enough to cook food quickly. A toaster oven is also a less energy-efficient and more expensive method of cooking than a regular oven.
It uses a lot of energy and it is difficult to monitor the heat inside a toaster oven because you can’t tell what temperature it’s at without opening up the door or looking at the digital display.
You also have to make sure you don’t overheat your food while cooking as well because it may not finish cooking in time before turning brown.
Pros And Cons Of A Toaster Oven
Pros
- A toaster oven cooks food faster than most regular ovens or air fryers
- A toaster oven is cheaper to run as it runs on a comparatively smaller amount of energy
- A toaster oven can be used on top of a countertop as it is convenient and compact
- A toaster oven is known to be healthier than other appliances like a regular oven because it uses less oil
Cons
- A toaster over lacks versatility
- Even though it’s smaller than an oven, it’s still a bit too large to be stored in the kitchen
- A toaster oven won’t fit on top of a countertop and might require more space
Detailed Differences Between An Air Fryer And A Toaster Oven
The following are the major differences between an air fryer and a toaster oven-
Size: An air fryer is about the size of a regular microwave, while a toaster oven is about the size of a large toaster.
Heat: An air fryer circulates heat using only hot air, while a toaster oven uses both heat and electricity.
Efficiency: Because an air fryer cooks with hot air, it’s more efficient than an electric toaster oven.
Energy: Air fryers use far less energy than an electric toaster oven because they don’t use any electricity at all.
Productivity: Air fryers are very productive when used in large groups because they can cook several things at once and can work as convection ovens too.
Cleaning: Air fryers are much easier to clean than an electric toaster ovens because there’s no oil or grease to worry about.
Which Is Better?
A toaster oven and an air fryer are the perfect pair for your kitchen. Each has different properties that complement each other and allow you to enjoy more healthy dishes in your home.
Toaster ovens are great for cooking meat, fish, frozen dinner, or preheating while air fryers do a fantastic job with baking and roasting foods without worrying about splatters like other utensils and can be easily cleaned after use.
More and more people are opting for air fryers instead of ovens because they cost less and use little amounts of oil to cook meals.
Conclusion
Air fryers and toaster ovens are meant to complement each other and provide you with the same amount of versatility without sacrificing efficiency.
You can use one or both depending on your needs, and they’re both a safe way to cook food without risking over- or undercooking them.
Each has different methods of cooking that work together so you can achieve the same results with less effort. I hope this article helps you decide which appliance is best for your family’s needs.