How to Pick the Right Air Fryer for Gifting
The key to picking out a perfect gift? Forethought. So, before heading to make your purchase, think about the gift recipient’s kitchen setup and cooking skillset. Is the gift for an experienced home chef or a newbie? Do they have favorite go-to recipes and cuisines? What kind of kitchen tools do they already own?
Don’t worry if you can’t answer any of those questions – an air fryer will cover all the home-chef gift-giving bases. Both experienced and beginner home chefs find these multipurpose kitchen tools easy to use and uniquely versatile.
Why an Air Fryer?
Designed to sit on the kitchen countertop, air fryers make crispy meals and snacks without using extra oil. They are popular among cooks because they can be used to create a wide variety of delicious foods. A few examples? Golden, air-fried French fries, crab cakes, melt-in-your-mouth grilled cheese sandwiches, glazed lemon garlic salmon and chewy-in-the-middle, crunchy-on-the-outside chocolate chip cookies. Home-cooked air-fried chicken and air-fried pickles are other very popular recipes.
Cooking without oil has many advantages. Without the addition of extra oil, calorie consumption is drastically reduced, producing healthier food. Plus, cleanup is easier without hot oil splattering all over cooking surfaces. Prepping and cooking with an air fryer is quicker, too, especially when compared to conventional gas and electric ovens and grills.
How Air Fryers Work Without Oil
The air fryer is a conventional oven, oil-free fryer, grill and broiler all-in-one. The technology behind air fryers is relatively simple. The device directs hot air from top to bottom, evenly circulating it in all directions around fresh or frozen food. In just minutes, food is thoroughly cooked, with a brown and crunchy surface on all sides. Every dish can be a success. No preheating, no extra oil, no hot oil spills or burn accidents.
Choosing the Right Size Air Fryer
Air fryers are available in all sizes, from individual or two-person sizes to large enough for a family. Choosing the right size and features is essential to picking out an air fryer to gift. Air fryers are lovely gifts for home cooks to try new recipes and old favorites.Small
A two- to three-quart, compact-sized air fryer is just right for one or two people. It will also work well for small-apartment dwellers. This size fits easily on a small countertop and does not take up much storage space when not in use. These air fryers can be used for cooking smaller portions and heating leftovers, so they’re crispy once again. Soggy leftovers will become a thing of the past! Smaller air fryers can also save energy and lower energy bills as compared to conventional ovens.Medium to large
For larger batches and bigger families or households of up to five people, a four- to six-quart air fryer will meet the needs. Brands in this range are considered the most versatile because they hold a lot of food and often feature many settings. Some spacious air fryers can hold over four pounds (!) of food, including a whole chicken, and can include special settings for roasting, broiling, baking, grilling and even dehydrating. Many brands of this size will have a feature or setting to cook smaller portions, as well.Extra large
An extra-large air fryer, which holds six to ten quarts, can even roast a turkey for a group of people. Although they take up a lot of storage space, can overheat a room, and use more energy than smaller versions, a growing number of people find them useful, especially for entertaining.
