Airfryer Questions and Answers

The airfryer is becoming increasingly popular. There are already a lot of experienced users, and many more people that are new airfryer owners or are just learning about this technology.

In this article we discuss the six most commonly asked questions for beginners.

If you have another question, feel free to write a comment or send us an email!

Questions answered on this page:

  1. What can I prepare in the airfryer?
  2. How much food can I prepare per batch in an airfryer?
  3. Where can I buy the best airfryer?
  4. How does food prepared in an airfryer taste?
  5. What accessories do I need for the airfryer?
  6. Should I preheat my airfryer?

1. What can I prepare in the airfryer?

Almost anything can be prepared with an airfryer! The airfryer is used by many people to cook fries, meat, snacks, and much more. It is even possible to make small cakes, muffins, or cupcakes in the airfryer, or anything else you may want to bake.

In terms of vegetables, you can use the airfryer to prepare any vegetable that you would normally grill or bake. Consider zucchini, corn, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, and onions, to name a few. You can also use the airfryer to make kale chips, or other healthy veggie chips. Vegetables which should normally be boiled or steamed (such as carrots, beans, broccoli) are less suitable to prepare in an airfryer.

Many people use the airfryer to prepare frozen foods as well without a need to defrost. The most suitable are deep-frozen products which can also be prepared in the oven.

You can prepare anything with your airfryer that you can cook in your oven, only faster! If there is no preparation time available on the food packaging specifically for the airfryer, assume that the temperature you should use is the one for the oven minus 20 ° C (36 ° F), and a little more than half of the time. For example, should oven cooking normally require 200 ° C  (392 ° F) for 18 minutes, try to prepare your food at 180 ° C (356 ° F) for about 10 minutes in the airfryer.

In our overview of cooking times for the airfryer you can find products suitable for the airfryer with their respective cooking times and baking temperatures.

2. How much food can I prepare per batch in an airfryer?

The amount of food you can prepare at the same time varies per type of airfryer. Make sure that you’re never putting more than the recommended amount in the basket. In addition, the maximum amount is dependent on the type of food:

  • Potatoes or fries: For potato chips and fries, you can fill the basket to the brim. Keep in mind that large quantities may result in uneven frying because the air will circulate less. Therefore, make sure that you shake the cooking basket about 3 to 4 times while cooking to improve the end result. A full basket in the Philips Viva Airfryer can accommodate about 3-4 people, and a full basket in the Philips Avance Airfryer XL fits enough for about 4-5 people.
  • Snacks: Try to prepare snacks like croquettes with no more than 500 grams (18 oz) at once. Only cover the bottom of the basket for optimum results. Shake the basket well of flip the snacks halfway through the cooking time so that they are evenly prepared.
  • Stuffed vegetables, pastry snacks, or other delicate foods: With delicate foods it’s especially important that you can take them out easily after cooking. Allow sufficient space between the foods so you can get them out again.
  • Rising products: For these products it is more difficult to indicate what the maximum quantity is. Keep note that if the product starts to rise, it should not come onto the heating element. Should this happen, this could have negative consequences for your airfryer and food.

Ultimately, it is important for you to try out your airfryer for yourself to get a sense of how much it can cook in one batch. Make sure to read the user manual and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. You can always try a smaller batch to see how well it cooks, then add a little more the next time.

3. Where can I buy the best airfryer?

The best option is to buy a new airfryer, but you could go for a second hand one as well. Be careful when buying a second hand airfryer that you will not be scammed. Since the airfryer is becoming more popular, there are more and more imposters offering airfryers in fake ads.

Our pages on different airfryers provide product descriptions, multiple reviews of users, and a list of online shops that sell airfryers.

4. How does food prepared in an airfryer taste?

The best way to find out how air fried food tastes is to try it yourself. Airfryers are very suitable to give products a crispy outside, while keeping the inside soft. As a result, airfryers are very suitable for the preparation of french fries, snacks, and other fried treats.

The exterior of most food items will be slightly crisp after cooking. If you like a crispier result, you can enhance this effect of  your airfryer by applying a little oil on the food with a brush or spray.

Since little to no oil is needed to prepare the food, the taste of the product remains fresh and light.

5. What accessories do I need for the airfryer?

In short, you do not need any additional accessories. Most standard airfryers are delivered ready for preparing all kinds of products. If you still want to go one step further you could consider buying a grill pan designed for your airfryer. This ensures that the product is ready even faster and makes grilling meat, fish, and vegetables even easier.

In addition to the official accessories, there are also a number of other accessories which are often used in combination with the airfryer:

  • Baking dish: Some foods must be prepared in a casserole dish. In principle, any dish that fits can be used in the airfryer. To use a baking dish, place it in the airfryer basket. As a result, the air flow in the airfryer remains optimal.
  • Flame Distributor: The flame distributor can come in handy in the airfryer to cover the food. Using this accessory will prevent splashes of oil against the heating element, which is located above the basket. A commonly used flame distributor for the Philips Airfryer XL is the Handy flame distributor of Blokker. The flame divider is also suitable to prevent crumbs, pine nuts, or other small food items from blowing up against the heating element.
  • Grill Mat: Many people use a grill mat to keep the basket clean. A grill mat is often easier to clean than the basket of the airfryer. In addition, the grill mat can be used in the same way as the flame divider- to prevent splashing or light food items from touching the heating element. Please note that the grill mat should not touch the heating element.

6. Should I preheat my airfryer?

In principle, the airfryer does not need to preheat. Of course, when you do not preheat your airfryer, you might have to leave your meal in slightly longer. It can make it easier for you to evenly place your ingredients in the airfryer without preheating it. Some products are required to be placed in the airfryer before it is preheated. This allows the product to gradually come up to temperature with the airfryer basket.

The preheating of the airfryer takes about 2-3 minutes. With the Philips Viva Airfryer, the timer button lets you preheat the device by adjusting the timer to five minutes and waiting until  the warm-up light goes out. Fill the basket after that and turn the timer knob to the required cooking time. The Philips Airfryer XL will begin preheating if you set the temperature and press the start button. If the device has reached the configured temperature, you will hear a beep. After that you will only need to fill the basket and set the time.