Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven: Which is the Better Choice?
Suppose you want to spend your weekend with your family by having crispy fried mouth-watering snacks, but don’t comprise the nutrition. Then, you can choose an air fryer and toaster oven if you are searching for a modern cooking partner.
You may be worried to think, can an air fryer replace a toaster oven? Absolutely, you can use air fryers instead of a toaster oven as the air fryers are the better option for you.
Let’s jump to the topic to discuss how an air fryer can replace a toaster oven.
Can an Air Fryer Replace a Toaster Oven?
The answer is YES. An air fryer can replace the place of a toaster oven as both of them are cooking appliances, and their functions are almost the same. However, the air fryer cooks with the help of air convection heat, whereas the toaster oven requires radiant heat to cook.
But an air fryer is convenient for you as it delivers tasty food. However, the preference depends upon the people.
Differences Between Air Fryers And Toaster Ovens
Though air fryers and toaster ovens have similarities, these appliances also have some differences.
Taste
Air fryers can make your foods crispy and offer low fat in the cooking meal. The toaster oven can also give you crispy food, but it contains high fat and is not suitable for health. So, if you want healthier food, go for air fryers.
You can’t have the taste of deep-fried foods in air fryer meals as it doesn’t use oil while cooking. But if you don’t put oil in the toaster oven’s meal, it will dry, so you must use oil in the toaster oven’s food.
Temperature
Temperature is a significant factor as it influences the flavor and appearance of the food. You can control the temperature in versatile options while cooking in an air fryer. But toaster ovens have selected options.
Timer
You can cook your food in an air fryer by setting the time, but a toaster oven doesn’t have these options.
Heating process
In an air fryer, forest convection provides heat and creates hot air to cook the food evenly and make it crispy. On the other hand, the toaster doesn’t have a convection system and cooks with a radiant heating process.
Cooking time
An air fryer can quickly cook your food as it can set high temperatures, whereas a toasted oven needs more time as it does not set high temperatures.
An air fryer is more powerful as it has 1600 power units and a toaster oven has 1400 power units.
Safety and comfort
The surface of the air fryer remains cool while cooking, so it ensures its safety and is comfortable to use. On the contrary, the surface of a toaster oven remains hot, so it is flammable.
Space
The traditional bucket-style air fryer has less cooking space as it is smaller, portable, and not large. But you can find an air fryer in the form of an oven with a large capacity. Whereas a toaster oven is also portable but requires more space, so you need a large kitchen.
Cleaning
You may need to clean the basket of the air fryer, and many people don’t know about it and don’t clean it. If you don’t clean the basket of the air fryer, it will build molds for the crumbs of food. But cleaning the air fryer is not a challenging task.
On the other hand, to clean the toaster, you may need to wash the tray. But while cleaning, you have to avoid cleaning the electrical parts.
Cost
Air fryers are expensive compared to the toaster oven.
Watch the video to learn more about air fryers and toaster ovens.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=57UEFOCkcqY%3Ffeature%3Doembed
Is An Air Fryer Better Than A Toaster Oven?
Air fryers and toaster ovens are both kitchen appliances that can cook food. But, an air fryer is an excellent option for cooking your meal. Undoubtedly, you can use an air fryer in place of the toaster oven. But, compared to the toaster oven, the air fryer has better advantages. They are:
- The air fryer needs less space, so it is ideal for your cooking space.
- You can carry and keep the air fryer easily in any small kitchen as it is small in size.
- If you want to cook healthier food, go for air fryers as they contribute less fat and use hot air for cooking your meal.
- Using an air fryer, you can cook the food according to your preference, as you can set a wide range of temperatures and times to cook your food.
- The air fryer consists of a non-stick cooking rack.
- You can cook versatile meals in the air fryer.
- An air fryer requires half the time to cook compared to a toaster oven.
- It helps to dehydrate your food to store the meals properly.
- The air fryer is safe to use as it is not flammable.
- You can cook varieties of food in an air fryer.
You may consider a toaster oven a better option, and this preference depends upon you.
When Can’t You Replace the Air Fryer With The Toaster Oven?
Even though an air fryer has some advantages, you can’t use this appliance if you want to cook some specific meals. A toaster oven is required to cook this particular meal.
- You may need ample cooking space to fry your large turkey. So, choose the toaster oven as it occupies a large room.
- When you want to bake a cake, choose the toaster oven, as an air fryer is not manufactured to bake the cake.
Do You Need A Toaster Oven If You Have An Air Fryer?
The answer is no (for most cases). You don’t need a toaster oven if you have an air fryer. An air fryer can do almost every function of a toaster oven, such as roasting, broiling, defrosting, reheating, and toasting quickly by serving extra nutrition. Additionally, it cooks faster, healthy foods and can dehydrate your food.
Tips For Using The Air Fryer Instead of Toaster Oven
In a modern kitchen, an air fryer is a crucial device. But there are some tips to operate it wisely:
- Distribute the food evenly on the basket to cook the food evenly.
- Put adequate food in the basket of the air fryer.
- Coat the food with cooking spray before cooking the food in the air fryer. It will make your food crispy.
- Ensure to preheat your air fryer before starting to cook your meal
- Stay cautious when you remove the meal from the air fryer.
- Keep checking your food while cooking.
Conclusion
Can an air fryer replace a toaster oven if you are still confused? What differences and advantages? Then in this article, you should have learned the facts about how you can substitute a toaster oven with an air fryer:
- An air fryer can replace the place of a toaster oven as both of them are cooking appliances, and their functions are almost the same.
- The air fryer cooks with the help of air convection heat, whereas the toaster oven requires radiant heat to cook.
- But an air fryer is convenient for you as it delivers tasty food.
- However, the preference depends upon the people.
Finally, now you know the difference between these two appliances and why you can choose an air fryer instead of a toaster oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the disadvantages of an air fryer?
The disadvantages of an air fryer are-
The air fryer provides a high temperature that can burn your food, and you can’t cook many foods at once.
2. What do you cook first in an air fryer?
When you buy your air fryer, you can test this appliance by cooking french fries. The recipe for french fry is easy, and you can regularly cook it.
3. Can you put aluminum foil in the air fryer?
Yes, you can apply aluminum foil to the fryer. The hot air of the air fryer will not affect the aluminum foil.
4. Can you fry an egg in an air fryer?
Yes, you can fry one or two eggs in an air fryer. It depends on the number of the rack of the air fryer.
First, Use cooking spray to cook the eggs, then crack the eggs per pan. Set 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Where do you put the oil in an air fryer?
While cooking in the air fryer, mix the oil on the food instead of putting it in the basket.
