We all love fried foods. Having a fryer at home is perfect for a fast food lover. However, with the recent technological advancement, we have so many new options for fryers. You have the traditional grease fryer and an air fryer which uses barely any oil to fry food. Both these options fry food but considering the overall benefits, which one would win the air fryer vs. grease fryer debate? Let’s find out!
What’s the difference between an Air fryer and a Grease fryer?
The main difference between an air fryer and a grease fryer is that an air fryer requires barely a tablespoon or no oil to fry food, whereas a grease fryer fully submerges food in oil to cook it.
Even though both an air fryer and a grease fryer fry food, their cooking method varies quite a lot. Moreover, the result of both the options is similar, but there are a few differences in that too.
What is an Air fryer? How does it work?
An air fryer is a small oven-like appliance that is designed to fry food through hot air instead of submerging it into the oil. There is a fan and heating mechanism at its top and a fryer-style basket inside it. When you turn it on, the hot air rushes down and circulates around the food that fries the food.
What is a Grease fryer? How does it work?
A grease fryer is a deep fryer. You can fill the bottom with oil and put your food in the fryer basket, completely submerging it in oil. You can set the temperature depending on the kind of deep fryer you have. The usual temperature is 400°F.
What are the differences between an Air fryer and a Grease fryer?
To better understand which appliance to go for, one must be aware of the differences between the two. Below, we have compiled all the main differences between an air fryer and a grease fryer.
| Air fryer | Grease fryer | |
| Working mechanism | Uses a coil to heat the air, which is then circulated by a fan | Heats up the oil to cook food |
| Use of oil | Uses little to no oil | Uses a large amount of oil to submerge food |
| Cooking time | Slow cooking time | Fast cooking time |
| Safety | Safer to use because food is covered with a lid | A safe distance from the grease fryer is good, so the hot oil doesn’t spill on you |
| Uses | Has multiple uses, such as broiling, baking, sautéing and roasting | Only used for deep frying |
| Caloric count | Low caloric count | High caloric count |
| Cleaning | Easy to clean as the basket and tray are dishwasher safe, and the machine itself just needs to be wiped | Difficult to clean due to all the grease and the structure of the fryer |
| Resulting food crust | Thin yet crispy crust | Thick and crispy crust |
Air fryer vs Grease fryer: Which one to choose?
An air fryer and grease fryer have their own pros and cons, but what factors should a buyer keep in mind while purchasing one of the two? We’ve compiled the main points below!
Health
Air fryers use little to no oil, which cuts down on calories and keeps your heart health good as well. On the other hand,grease fryers use 80% more oil than air fryers but result in a tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside fried food.
Taste
Grease fryers allow oil to penetrate the food resulting in tender food.The crust of the food (the main selling point of frying) is also crispy and thick. Air fryers sometimes dry up food with a thin crust due to using air and little to no oil.
Price factor
Air fryers and their variety cost a lot more than grease fryers.
Versatility
Air fryers have a bunch of uses, such as baking, grilling, roasting, etc., while grease fryers are solely dedicated to deep frying.
Cooking time
Air fryers take longer to cook food because of low oil and their heat circulation method. Grease fryers allow you to directly submerge food in oil at 400°F resulting in quick cooking.
Safety aspect
Air fryers are safe as there is a lid on the food, whereas you must keep a safe distance from a grease fryer so that the oil doesn’t spill on you.
Maintenance and ease of use
Air fryers are much easier to clean as compared to deep fryers. This makes maintaining an air fryer automatically easier.
Final consensus on Air fryer vs Grease fryer
It completely depends on the user to choose the winner in the air fryer vs. grease fryer battle. However, an air fryer is a clear winner when it comes to convenience, versatility, and health. Some people, however, cannot compromise on the tenderness and crunchiness a grease fryer gives. Keeping that in mind, it completely depends on your priorities and uses.