Air fryers are all the rage, aren’t they, not least because they save us the cost of putting the big oven on for smaller meals? They can also cook much faster (partly because they are smaller and take less time to warm up) and we tend to use less fat to cook with. Some of them look great on the countertop, too. I think of them as mini fan ovens, really.
But, I haven’t bought one yet.
Why? Well, partly because my current rental kitchen is teeny-tiny, but more because most of the nicer-looking ones are Teflon or non-stick lined and I try to avoid that. They’re fine to start with, but once the lining gets a few scratches, they can leach so-called ‘forever chemicals’ into your food. No thanks.
Truth be told, Teflon is a lot less toxic than it used to be:
“There has been some concern about whether air fryers can release toxic chemicals when heated. While it’s true that some air fryers may produce harmful compounds when heated to high temperatures, it’s important to note that not all air fryers are created equal.
“Some air fryers are made with materials that are more likely to release harmful chemicals when heated, while others are made with safer materials such as stainless steel or ceramic. Additionally, the type of food being cooked and the temperature at which it’s cooked can also affect the formation of harmful compounds.” says Jim.
“Research on the safety of air fryers is ongoing, and while there have been some studies that have raised concerns about the potential health risks associated with the use of air fryers, the overall consensus is that air fryers are generally safe to use.”Tech Radar
I note there that most should be OK, but it would seem sensible to me that us sensitive peeps make sure that any air fryer we buy comes from a reputable source or brand, and that it be made, preferably, from stainless steel, glass or ceramic.
So, of course, I went on a hunt for some for us.
I found a small ceramic one here, which I thought was quite cute for the kitchen.
A 20 litre size stainless steel one from Russel Hobbs here.
Or, how about a rather space-agey glass halogen one?
There are others available, of course, but I thought those might start you off. As always, remember to ‘off gas’ them. Heat them up and let them air in a different, well-ventilated room or outside until the ‘new’ smell dissipates.
Do share how you get on and any air frying tips as I’ve not tried it yet. Enjoy x
How about this for an alternative air fryer? It’s a lid that fits on to any casserole pot, dish or pressure cooker! I’ve got a slightly different one myself that fits onto my 8 litre InstantPot, but this lid is even better, goes onto any heat resistant dish really, and avoids the teflon issue all together. https://amzn.eu/d/1f9XnER
Plus InstantPot do an airfryer version of their pressure cooker, the DuoCrisp https://amzn.eu/d/2HKR97F
Bit more expensive but you get so many functions in one appliance it might be worth the investment. Only thing I’m not certain of is whether it comes with the standard stainless steel inner pot that the other models come with, or if it has a non stick inner pot. But you can buy the stainless steel ones quite cheaply so problem solved. Hope that helps!
Excellent – thanks for sharing, V. I didn’t know about those.
Very interesting, thanks. I was considering getting one to cut down my microwave use but hadn’t thought of what the insides are made of! I know you can put silicone trays inside the drawers. What is your opinion of cooking on/in silicone Micki?
I think the jury is still out, Mog. I personally have a couple of silicone spatulas, but I would never cook in high temperatures with it – it doesn’t feel as safe to me as stainless steel or glass, you know? I did have a quick search: https://www.nontoxicforhealth.com/is-silicone-cookware-safe.html and https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/is-silicone-toxic. Er, not for me, thanks!
Interesting articles, thank you. Silicone does seem pretty synthetic right enough, bit of an unknown quantity. I think I’ll go for one of the glass air fryers now. I had no idea they existed, so thanks very much for bringing them to my attention!
Pleasure. Let me know how you get on/if you recommend the one you get x