You might think that a pressure cooker in an air fryer doesn’t have much difference between them when it comes to cooking but it surely does.
By the end of the article, you might have a clear picture in your mind of what a pressure cooker and an air fryer are and how they are different from each other.
Air fryers and pressure cookers have their differences and similarities so I will try to discuss how they are different or the same before you go for purchase.
What Is A Pressure Cooker?
Contents
In a pressure cooker, the heat is converted into steam which helps in cooking the food inside it. The help of liquid brought inside the food helps the cooking.
It produces steam which does not escape so through steam release & whistle the food is cooked and we wait for the steam to get released and that’s how we know food is cooked.
As the steam is of very high temperature it can go up to 250 ° F. You need to take special care while cooking with a steam cooker.
Air pressure does not release from the pot so the steam helps the food to get cooked in a short time, you just need to be cautious while working on a steam cooker.
Reasons To Like A Pressure Cooker
Diverse Utility
Diverse in nature so they can be utilized in different ways not only limited to one way of cooking, so remember to use a pressure cooker if you are up for cooking in different ways.
Big Capacity
As pressure cookers are known for being big in size & capacity, they’re ideal for a big household, where a lot of food is needed to be cooked at once.
Highly Effective
They are highly effective as compared to a pot, half of the cooking time is wasted. The efficient pressure cooker just reduces the time by half and this is highly effective to use in a kitchen.
Retains the Nutrition
When You are cooking in a pressure cooker, you have nutritious food even after it’s cooked, so you must use a pressure cooker for saving all the goodness in your food.
Energy Saver
As the cooking time is reduced there is less use of energy in the process of cooking, so you have more energy savings, this will make a lot of difference in your monthly bills.
Reasons To Re-Consider Before Buying A Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker makes food with high pressure and sometimes the starchy food items could lead to health issues when used for a longer time-
Bit Expensive
Cookers are a bit expensive as compared to other kitchen utensils so it’s not budget friendly and optimal for someone who is looking for a cheaper kitchen utensil.
Big Size
The size of a cooker is not easily carried by everyone as they are big, and requires a lot of space when it’s to be installed in your kitchen, so it’s not easily blended in everyone’s kitchen space.
Difficult To Clean
To clean a pressure cooker you need to work on it and put a lot more extra than usual so it’s not advisable to use a pressure cooker if you are someone who is not up for cleaning utensils.
The Food Cannot Be Checked While Being Cooked
Food when cooked in a pressure cooker often leads to it being overcooked if not followed the right instructions as you cannot see through a pressure cooker until it’s done so the monitoring of cooking is not possible and this is a drawback when it comes to cooking in a pressure cooker.
What Is An Air Fryer?
Airfryer is not as old as pressure cookers, they are a new technology that was introduced recently into the market. It is simply used to cook food without too much oil.
Out of the varieties of Air fryers, you can always opt for the best one which suits your preference. Air fryers have “fryer” in their names but it doesn’t fry food or dishes.
Convection ovens employ hot air and have a circular fanning system that may allow users to cook without using a lot of oil, which may also be a healthier option.
Additionally, it might help you cook your meal properly, relieving you of the stress that it won’t be burned or overcooked.
Reasons To Like An Air Fryer
Ergonomics
To use an air fryer, it’s not a big deal and it’s super convenient to use for the public to use, as they have preloaded functions to run on and it does have a specific temperature set for specific dishes like fish, and meats and it is super convenient to clean.
Healthy Cooking
When cooking in an air fryer, you need not worry about the calories you take, which are much higher when cooked other than this. You will have healthy and tasty food.
Time efficiency And Cost Efficiency
When you’re cooking on an air fryer you need not worry about waiting for the
Food to cook with lots of monotonous hours, you get a lot of work done in no time, you have a great deal of efficiency and no time, and you save a lot of Money.
Energy Saver
As we know, cooking on an air-fryer requires the least amount of time, so lesser the less time cooking, the more energy will be saved. So, an Air Fryer is your perfect companion for cooking.
Drawbacks Of Using An Air Fryer
Small Size
Air Fryers are varied in nature and come in different designs but they are made small and they are not fit for a lot of people at once in a family.
If the size of the members of the family is less then it is okay, but if the number increases, then there is a problem.
Not That Lip-smacking Taste
When cooking in an air fryer, you have to compromise with the taste of your food, as there is zero to no, involvement of oil while cooking.
There is not much taste you could experience in an air fryer, it usually results in overcooking of food or sometimes it just dries out and becomes tasteless.
Comparison Between A Pressure Cooker And And Air Fryer
Down below I have tried and discussed the similarities and differences between a pressure cooker and Air Fryer, it’s up to you to decide which one suits you the best
Similarities Between A Pressure Cooker And An Air Fryer
Need for liquid
In an air fryer, you need to have just a spoon of oil and that’s about it. In a pressure cooker, you will need at least a cup of water with other things to cook your food. With the help of water, the food is cooked nicely.
Make the food super Crispy
In an air fryer, you will make your food super Crispy but when it comes to cooking in a pressure cooker, you need to look for a pressure cooker that does have a function for frying oil, most pressure cookers don’t have a function like that.
Nutrient value
If you are someone who cooks in a pressure cooker, your food will be cooked with most of its nutrient value attached to it and when you’ll cook in an air fryer then you will be zero worries about the fat intake, as an air fryer works ideally well without even using oil in the process of cooking.
Difference Between A Pressure Cooker And An Air Fryer
The following are the basic differences between an air fryer and a pressure cooker-
- Differences Based On Features
Food
Both of them are used in the cooking process and both require high temperatures for cooking, pressure cooker aid in cooking by working on high pressure.
Whereas, an air fryer works on taking the pressure levels down and cooking on hot air circulation that helps in even cooking of food.
Function
- Pressure cooker – good for tender food, mostly moist ( rice, meats, oatmeal)
- Air Fryer – good for crispy, crunchy foods like fried potatoes, meats, and fritters
Price
- Pressure cooker – A lot more expensive
- Air Fryer – affordable to buy
Size
- Pressure cooker – Size can go up to
35- 40 quartz - Air Fryer – Small in size, can go max to 3-4 quartz
Cooking
- Pressure cooker – Better than the old methods
- Air Fryer – Tends to cook Faster than a pressure cooker.
Electricity
- Pressure cooker – consumes a lot less power.
- Air Fryer – The consumption Rate is higher than a pressure cooker.
Health
- Pressure cooker – Maintenance of nutrients is high, so there is a higher chance of high cholesterol and fats in the food as the nutrients remain in the food.
- Air Fryer -If you don’t use oil at all, then you’ll have zero consumption of fats in your food.
Safety
- Pressure cooker – It’s a safe kitchen utensil to use
- Air fryer – overall safe to be running in your kitchen.
Cleanliness and Maintenance
- Pressure cooker – It’s difficult to clean a pressure cooker.
- Air Fryer- it’s much more convenient to clean an Air Fryer.
- Difference Based On Functioning
When a pressure cooker runs it runs on steam and we add water to generate steam, where foods like oatmeal or meats are cooked you can combine other kinds of stuff to make a whole meal for yourself, in one pot with much less time.
On the other hand, when you use an Air Fryer you convert hot air into a circular heat system which makes your food crispy and crunchy, with no oil at all, which is great for those who are trying to lose weight. It’s good for baking and fried foods.
When food is cooked in a pressure cooker, it’s moist and tender to consume as compared to Air Fryer, where the food is super crispy in texture.
- Expensive On Not?
The price differs from brand to brand for different types of pressure cookers and air fryers, the price also alters a lot, and it all goes to the quality and brand of the product.
Air fryers might be lesser expensive than pressure cookers as they could be bought by anyone who lives remotely or has a small family, as they could come in handy for cooking smaller meals.
Pressure cookers are usually present in bigger households as they are required for cooking food in bigger quantities and both of them are required for cooking different dishes.
Conclusion
If you want yummy fried meals without adding oil and calories, get an air fryer and it could surely do the job well. But, if you want your meals to be nutritious, calorie dense, and tastier, you might try a pressure cooker.
You can also combine the two of them because they both offer quick and easy ways to cook. You can easily make up your mind.
According to your preference, you can always look for it and get yourself a good pressure cooker or an air fryer, whatever suits you the most.