How Do Air Fryers Work? Is It Healthy?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Air fryers have become very popular kitchen tools in recent years. Many people want to know how do air fryers work and why they create such crispy food. These small appliances promise to make fried food without using much oil.

You might have friends who love their air fryers and talk about them often. These machines can cook many different foods quickly and easily. They help people make healthier versions of their favorite fried dishes at home.

In this article, we will talk about how do air fryer work and its benefit. We will also talk if air frying food is really healthy and types of foods you can cook with this tool. We gathered the information from various sources, Monday (16/3/2026).

Air fryers work like mini-convection ovens that sit on your kitchen counter. They cook food by circulating hot air around it with a fan. This way, food is cooked by convection, which means it can become crispy like fried food while using far less oil.

Air fryers don't actually "fry" food despite their name. Instead, they use intense hot air that is ideal for roasting and cooking. The hot air creates the Maillard reaction, which causes food to turn brown and crispy. This reaction happens when you heat sugar and proteins in food.

Food sits in a perforated or wire basket in the air fryer. This ensures all sides of the food contact the hot circulating air. You still need a little oil because the air heats this oil to create the browning effect on food.

The heating elements are typically located on the top of the air fryer unit. They work together with a large fan that pushes heated air up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit around the food. The fan is located on the top of an air fryer, directly below the heating element.

Air fryer fans are large and operate faster than convection fans. The fan on air fryer settings is 30% faster than fans on convection ovens. This creates stronger air movement that cooks food faster.

Most air fryers have automatic timers and temperature controls. They also have automated shut-off features. You may need to flip your food halfway through cooking time or check on things as they approach doneness.

Air fryers and convection ovens both use fans to blow hot air around food to cook it faster and make it crispier. However, the way these appliances are designed is not the same.

Air fryers typically feature a large fan located on top of the appliance and cook from the top down. They rarely have any heating elements on the bottom. The heat comes from the top in an air fryer, while it comes from the top and bottom in a convection oven.

Convection ovens use a built-in heating mechanism to blow hot air around via a fan that's often located on the back or side of the oven. In a convection oven, the fan is located in the back of the oven, either in the center or on the side.

Air fryers are countertop appliances while convection settings are built into full-sized ovens and toaster ovens. The countertop size allows air fryers to heat quickly. It also positions the food closer to the heating elements, which encourages food to cook quickly.

The top-down heating method in air fryers makes the heat more concentrated and cooks food faster than convection ovens. Air frying is designed to be the most powerful cooking method compared to convection baking.

Air fryers are paired with many perforated accessories that allow for quick and even cooking. They include air fryer baskets, trays, and racks. These perforated accessories promote more air circulation for the crispiest results.

The primary benefit of air frying is reduced use of oil. This can help cook meals that are lower in fat and calories compared to traditional deep frying. Air fryers provide consistently crispy results without having to coat ingredients in batter or immerse them in oil.

Air fryers are ideal for busy people or for those nights when you don't want to turn the stove or oven on. Food also cooks faster in the air fryer thanks to the compact size and hot air circulation. They can crisp up chicken nuggets, hand pies, or roast carrots without embarking on a big cooking project.

The enclosed basket of an air fryer translates to a clean kitchen with no splattering oil or multiple dirty pots and pans. The baskets are simple to clean because most are nonstick and dishwasher safe.

Air fryers don't require heating a large appliance like your full-sized oven. Their perforated racks also allow fat to drip onto the drip pan so your food doesn't absorb excess oil. This minimizes calories and makes food crispier since it is drier.

Air fryers cook quicker than convection ovens and don't need constant babysitting since they are set to a timer, have regulated temperature, and have automated shut-off features. Some models have no-flip baskets that let you set it and forget it because you won't have to worry about flipping your food halfway through.

The downside of air fryers is they can't cook as much food at one time as you can in an oven. Food cooks better in an air fryer when it's in a single layer. Air fryers can also be loud, although many manufacturers consider this in development.

Air fryers can cook almost anything you would normally fry in oil. The best foods to air fry include proteins like chicken, chicken wings, fish, salmon, shrimp, steak, tofu, and hard-boiled eggs. Make sure that the skin of meat or fish is dry and then add a thin layer of oil to help the skin crisp up.

Firm vegetables work well in air fryers. These include cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini. Cut vegetables into smaller pieces like medallions or cubes to make it easier for the hot air to reach their complete surface area. Be sure to lightly coat vegetables in oil before adding to the air fryer.

Tubers like sweet potatoes and potatoes are perfect for air frying. You can make french fries, onion rings, and other similar foods. Some models also have toast and bake settings that allow you to bake brownies or roast a chicken.

Air fryers are great for reheating leftovers. Day-old pizzas or french fries become crispy again when reheated in an air fryer. You can also cook frozen foods like chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and other items that normally require deep frying.

You can use panko, shredded cheese, or bread crumbs rather than wet batter to encourage the right level of crispiness. Baked goods like cinnamon rolls, cookies, and cakes can also be made in air fryers.

Avoid foods dipped in wet batter because this process is not compatible with air fryers and could make it more difficult to clean. You should also avoid putting delicate, leafy greens like spinach into the air fryer because they will dry out. Don't try to cook anything that needs a lot of liquid to cook, such as uncooked rice.

By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. Using an air fryer instead of deep-frying lowers the calorie count of food and reduces fat intake, which can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Air frying might also cut down on some harmful effects of oil frying by reducing acrylamide formation by 90% in fried potatoes.

However, some things about air frying may not be better for you. Air frying of fish can raise cholesterol oxidation products, which studies connect to heart disease and cancer. Air frying also appears to reduce the omega-3 fatty acids in fish. You can add fresh parsley or chives when cooking fish to reduce these harmful substances.

You still get a crunch with air frying, but it doesn't create the exact look or mouth feel as oil frying. Air-fried food is similar to oil-fried food in color and moisture content, but has different textures and sensory qualities.