Although it allows you to cook quickly and without grease, this appliance, which has been very fashionable for several years, has another significant advantage: it consumes less electricity than a conventional oven.
After bread machines, blenders and multi-function cookers such as Thermomix or Monsieur Cuisine, a new household appliance has been invading our kitchens for several years: the Airfyer, or “hot air fryer” in French. success is such that all the brands have gotten involved, including discounters like Lidl or Aldi, and we can now find them from around 40 euros.
It must be said that this device offers several advantages, starting with its versatility. In fact, its principle is based on the circulation of hot air at high speed around the food, which simulates traditional frying, but with healthier cooking, with little or no fat. And if it can make fries without oil, it can also be used to cook vegetables, meats, fish and even to make pies and desserts without the excessive grease associated with classic frying.
In addition, the Airfryer is simple and practical to use: simply place the food in its drawer – some models even have two compartments – and start cooking! Above all, everything is done very quickly, in a few minutes. So many advantages which have attracted many consumers, to the point that some now use it to cook almost everything, instead of other cooking appliances. Because, in addition to these qualities, manufacturers put forward a very important argument: low energy consumption. Philips, Moulinex and Ninja, the three heavyweights on the market, promise 65 to 75% energy savings compared to a conventional oven.
But is this really the case in practice? UFC-Que Choisir looked into the issue by carrying out a series of tests. The association compared the electricity consumption of different Airfryers and a mini-oven, the Optimo from Moulinex, a small volume model (19 liters) very popular with young people and solo travelers.
For making a little Lorraine quiche, the Airfryers won hands down, with consumption lower by 36% on average – and even a 67% reduction for one model! The same goes for baking rolls, with up to 73% electricity saved. The result was more mixed for chicken drumsticks, with some devices consuming more energy while others again allowed savings.
UFC-Que Choisir continued its tests by comparing the Airfryers with traditional large capacity ovens (40 and 73 l). Again, “air fryers” proved to be significantly more economical with electricity consumption divided by 3 for grilling pieces of chicken. A final verdict!
The result, however, needs to be qualified. Because if the Airfryer is faster and more economical than the oven for small quantities, this is not the case for large dishes, especially when you prepare several in a row. An oven offers more space and cooking modes, and when it is hot, it requires less energy to stay at temperature.
Little tips so that your Airfryer consumes even less. First, open the drawer as infrequently as possible during cooking to avoid losing heat. Next, do not overload the basket so that air circulates easily. Finally, cut your preparations into small pieces: they will cook faster than a single large piece.