Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer: Which is better for who?

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Deep-fried food is delicious, but it’s also bad for your health because it uses a tremendous amount of oil. So, what are your options if you want to enjoy fried food without an unhealthy amount of fat?

Enters: Air fryers.

Air fryers are becoming more popular as people realize that deep-fried foods aren’t the healthiest option.

However, many people still don’t know enough about these appliances to make an informed decision about which one is better for them.

This article will help you understand the differences between air fryers and deep fryers, their advantages and disadvantages, so you can choose the best cooking tool for your needs.

So, what’s the difference between an air fryer vs deep fryer? Which one is better for you?

How Do They Work?

A deep-fryer heats the oil to high temperatures and submerges food entirely into the hot liquid for quick, crispy results. Air fryers, on the other hand, use hot air for cooking the food and giving you a crisp result.

Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer: The Differences

Deep fryers and air fryers have a lot of similarities, but they also have their differences. Let’s look at how they compare in terms of calories, oil usage, and other factors.

Oil Usage

Both types of fryers can use oil to produce fried food, but they differ in how much oil is used.

Deep-fryers are filled with oil and submerge food, cooking them entirely inside the oil. Even small home deep fryers require over 1 liter of oil.

Air fryers use hot circulated air for cooking the food, so there isn’t a need for much oil. It also has an exhaust system to filter and remove steam and smoke from the cooking chamber, which helps allow the food to stay crispy. 

Most air fryer recipes call for approximately 1tbsp of oil, while most deep fryer recipes call for about 1 liter of oil.

Winner: Air Fryer 

Calories

If you’re conscious about your health and nutrition, then this will be important for you.

Recipes cooked in a deep-fryer absorb a vast amount of oil, adding a lot of additional calories. While air fryers use hot air and little to no oil, they don’t add many extra calories when cooking.

For example, french fries: A single 200 gram serving contains approximately 471 calories if cooked in a deep-fryer. Then if you cooked the same 200 gram serving in an air fryer, it would have about 176 calories.

Winner: Air Fryer

Preheating Time

This can vary from recipe to recipe, but in general, both air fryers and deep fryers need preheating.

To cook in deep fryers, you need to heat the oil. Most recipes call for your deep fryers to be between 380 to 400 Fahrenheit. This usually takes up to 30 minutes in a non-commercial deep fryer.

Air fryers do not require much preheating; like an oven, they just need to heat the heating element to get up to a specific temperature. A medium-size air fryer will usually take 5 minutes to heat up.

If you need more information on preheating, have a look at our how-to preheat an air fryer guide.

Winner: Air Fryer

Cooking Time

The cooking time also depends on the volume and type of food being cooked, so this difference can vary from one food to another.

On average, deep-fried food takes around 3-5 minutes to cook, while an air fryer dish takes 10-15 minutes.

This difference in cooking time is because of the hot oil used in deep-frying and the hot air circulation in an air fryer. Oil is denser than air, meaning it will heat the food faster. 

Although air fryers are slower than deep fryers, they are still faster than many other methods of cooking because of their small size and powerful heating elements.

Winner: Deep Fryer

Cooking Capacity

One of the major differences between deep fryers and air fryers is their cooking capacity.

Deep-fryers generally have a large cooking capacity and can cook enough food for family gatherings or parties, whereas most home air fryers can only cook for 2-3 people at once.

This is because deep fryers have a larger capacity and cook faster, making them excellent for larger gatherings.

Air fryers are generally compact with a longer cooking time, so they are excellent for smaller families and gatherings. 

Winner: Deep Fryer

Versatility

Deep fryers are more limited than air fryers in terms of the types of meals they can prepare.

A deep fryer may only be used to cook food by frying or confiting, whereas many modern air fryers can cook in more ways than one. Some features include roasting, baking, and broiling food. 

Winner: Air Fryer

Taste

For most people, deep-fried food tastes better than air fryer food and there’s no denying that.

The oil creates a richer distinctive taste, and the texture is usually crispy. The richness of the oil is one reason why people crave fried foods. 

The air fryer can nearly replicate the crispiness of the air fryer but doesn’t deliver the same richness because of the lack of oil. 

Winner: Deep Fryer

Maintenance

Deep fryers can get a lot of built-up grease and bits of food in the oil. Fryers also tend to get a little messy while going, so they benefit from a good wipe down after every use. You will need to change the oil every now and then, depending on how much you have used your deep-fryer. 

It can be a bit of a nuisance throwing out large amounts of oil because oil shouldn’t be drained in your sink!

Air fryers are pretty easy to maintain, and they need a wipe after every use, and the basket needs cleaning. Because there is no oil build-up wiping between uses is a lot easier! If you put tin foil in the air fryer, then this will be even easier!

Winner: Air Fryer

Price

Air fryers are still relatively new to the market, and a lot of them have become multi-use models, meaning you get a lot of different features in your air fryer. 

An entry-level air fryer can cost $50 and go up to $200 or more for premium models, whereas deep fryers cost less than $30 for entry-level models.

A deep fryer will cost more in the long run because of the amount of oil used. So if you are planning on frying a lot, an air fryer will be cheaper, but if you only plan on frying food once or twice a year, a deep-fryer would be more affordable.

Winner: Draw

Benefits of Using an Air Fryer

Fewer Calories

Air fryers can cook delicious food without the need for too much oil. Most air fryer recipes call for less than two tablespoons of oil or none at all.

This means that you can cook your favorite dishes and snacks without adding too many calories to them. You can then eat healthily, cut down on fat, and enjoy the crispiness of fried foods.

Reduced Formation of Harmful Compounds

Acrylamide is a chemical compound that forms in starchy foods when fried or baked at high temperatures. It’s potentially carcinogenic and harmful to the human body, according to research done by FDA.

One study found that cooking with an air fryer reduces acrylamide formation by up to 90% compared to deep fryers.

Less Fat

With less oil needed for cooking, your food will be healthier and lower in fat content when cooked in air fryers.

No Greasy Odor

The oil used in deep fryers helps to cook your food and leaves behind a greasy odor when it makes contact with moisture.

Fortunately, air fryers do not leave behind greasy odors because they do not rely on heavy oils. 

Also Read: Air Fryer vs Microwave

FAQ

Can an Air Fryer Replace a Deep Fryer?

Yes, an air fryer can replace a deep fryer if you are looking for a healthier way to cook your food. You can fry almost every meal in an air fryer that you can in a deep fryer by adding a few tablespoons of oil or none at all.

Do Air Fryers Reduce Calories?

Yes, an air fryer reduces calories by reducing the amount of oil used to fry food. Air frying requires a lot less oil than deep-frying because it circulates heat from all angles.

Does an Air Fryer make Food Crispy?

Yes, the air heavily circulates the food with dry heat pressure while the steam from the food leaves through an exhaust system. That results in the food becoming crispy.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for health-conscious, low maintenance, and a more versatile option, the air fryer is the best way to go. 

If you’re looking for pure flavor and texture, a deep-fryer is probably the way to go.

If possible, I would suggest getting both, I see both these kitchen appliances having slightly different purposes and both being better at specific recipes.

If you want to purchase a commercial air fryer for your home, refer to this guide where we’ve handpicked the top 10 air fryers.