In the dizzying merry-go-round that is marketing, it appears that new kitchen gadgets and small appliances arrive on the scene, seemingly out of nowhere, on a regular basis. As trends go, each new “must have” is heralded as the best thing since sliced bread, and other kitchen helpers fall unceremoniously by the wayside. However, the best and the most useful small appliances are prone to break this cycle. These heroes of the kitchen exhibit staying power and remain on countertops, while less valuable devices move to the basement, attic, or neighborhood yard sale.
One example of a small appliance taking the culinary world by storm is the Air Fryer. The Air Fryer not only earned a place on the countertops of cooks everywhere, but it also remains just as useful and relevant as it was when the first fryers hit store shelves in 2010.
It is no secret that most people juggle the need for healthy, delicious, and quick meals seven days a week. However, the fastest dinner options are frequently unhealthy and loaded with grease and salt. As our lives move at consistently higher speeds, many consumers struggle with keeping a balance between tasty, fast, and easy meals.
In 2010, as an answer to the dilemma, the Philips Electronics Company introduced the world to an appliance that is truly like no other: The Air Fryer. This innovative piece of equipment answered all areas of mealtime struggles.
The premise of the Air Fryer is simple and ingenious. Philips design engineers based the fryer on a scientific principle called the Maillard effect, hot air causes a chemical reaction that bonds amino acids. More specifically, this is the science behind delivering the one-of-a-kind taste and scent that makes fried foods so irresistible. An incredible feature to the Air Fryer is that it creates amazingly tasty meals without using little or no additional cooking oil. In fact, the Philips company reports that the Air Fryer reduces fat consumption by 80 percent. This point is paramount in setting apart the Air Fryer from other cooking methods. As the professionals at my fryer note, the technology behind the fryer spares consumers fat and calories that go along with the oil typically used to make fried foods. This process prevents cooking oil from coating their food as well as their arteries.
The Air Fryer relies on using very hot air (392°F 200°C) to cook the food quickly. The air circulates throughout the compact cooking chamber at a high rate of speed. This process is known as rapid air technology. Engineers achieve this by placing a heating element in the bottom of the chamber, so it is close to the food and putting a fan at the top of the cooking unit. The fan keeps the hot air moving very quickly over, under, and around whatever food is inside of the Air Fryer. This action both cooks the food internally and creates a crisp coating on the outside of the food.
Phillips engineers considered every detail when making this appliance. The cooking chamber has a removable tray, making the Air Fryer convenient for cooking and serving. It also means that cleanup is fast and not complicated. A valve on the top of the Air Fryer filters the air before permitting the air to pass through; this feature prevents odors from permeating your home. Additionally, you are protected from the fryer’s heat by a fan designed to control the internal temperature of the appliance.
Declaring that hot air is the new hot oil, Philips consistently works to upgrade the Air Fryer although, the original Air Fryer needed minimal tweaking and newer models are not profoundly different from the 2010 appliances. The engineers behind the Air Fryer allow consumer needs and reviews to help guide their evolution of the device. Most notable changes to the fryer included adjustments like improving motor strength, expanding the fryer capacity, and creating accessory packages tailored to cooking areas such as baking, grilling, and cooking multiple foods at the same time. In addition to the views of their customer base, the company also heeds advice from experts such as those at Business Insider who suggest that consumers favor durability, ease of use, flexibility, and large capacity in an Air Fryer.
The number of things that this appliance can cook is nearly endless. Aside from the foods you would expect to come from an appliance with the word fryer in the name, the Philips Air Fryer cooks steaks and chops, beautifully. It can prepare many of your breakfast favorites as well as side dishes provided that you use the specially designed dividing trays. The trays keep the individual flavors of the foods from blending and divide the cooking chamber so that each type of food will cook to perfection. Many consumers are surprised by the fact that the Air Fryer is an excellent appliance for baking. Muffins, cookies, and even cakes come out of the fryer moist and delicious.
The Philips Air Fryer was the first of its kind. However, it is not the only brand of its kind. An innovative product using a well-planned advertising campaign, while meeting or exceeding its claims is sure to grab the attention of other small appliance makers. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the original Phillips Air Fryer ought to be quite flattered. Very little time passed before other companies put their own individual marks on appliances that were very similar to the Air Fryer. Big-name manufacturers like Cuisinart, Black and Decker, and Kitchen aid all sell similar fryers. Celebrity chefs such as Emeril Lagasse lend their names to air fryers, and new smaller appliance manufacturers are popping up on a regular basis.
Although it is less than a decade old, the Air Fryer is already a mainstay in many homes. Because the fryer can cook many kinds of tasty meals, not just the types of foods that are traditionally prepared by frying, it can replace several other appliances in your kitchen. As an overall useful appliance, the Air Fryer makes an excellent addition to your kitchen.
