What is the difference between an air grill and an electric grill and which one is better?

The formula of the most beloved human pleasure has long been unraveled: to cook simply and quickly, so that later you can eat tasty and varied.

Range kitchen appliances, which should help us with the first part of this formula, is amazing.

But making the right choice with a huge number of options is very difficult.

This the article will help you understand the functionality of the air grill and electric grill, understand the difference between the devices. Once you get the information, you can decide what is right for you.

What is an airfryer?

It contains a heater and a fan. The heater makes the air hot, and the fan distributes it in different directions, which allows dishes to cook evenly.

Technical features and capabilities

How are aerogrills different?

As a heater in air grill can act:

• heating element – tubular electric heater;
• Halogen lamps.

Air grills with heating elements have a longer service life, on average 8-10 years, while halogen heaters - 3 years.

The heating temperature of such an element is much higher than that of halogen lamps.

By type of management aerogrills are divided into:

• Mechanical;
• Electronic.

The air grill with mechanical control has only one mode set by the manufacturer. Electronic control adds to this device of possibilities.

It can adjust the heating and air speed, you can use the timer, the function of maintaining the temperature and self-cleaning. Mechanically controlled devices are cheaper.

bowl volume air grill can also be different: minimum 2 liters, maximum 12.

Functionality and price to a large extent depend on the volume of the bowl - the larger it is, the more functional, but the price is correspondingly higher.

The cover of the aerogoril can be stationary and removable.

There may also be a grid-shaped stand for steaming and deep-frying and a metal ring to increase the volume of the bowl.

What can be cooked?

If we are talking about a device in which the heating temperature is regulated (as a rule, its range varies from +60 to +260 degrees), then you can cook there, without exaggeration, everything without the use of vegetable oil.

You can cook first courses, stew, fry until golden brown and deep-fried, bake.

He also easily cook cereals and pastries, cook jam, dry mushrooms and fruits.

And also you can make yogurt, steam, and even smoke. Defrost and reheat an air fryer can too.

In fact, this appliance can replace several other kitchen appliances: a microwave oven, an oven, a slow cooker, a barbecue, a dryer, a double boiler, etc.

Cons of the device

• The larger glass bowl, the more possibilities the device has, but the more it takes up space and has an impressive weight.
  Wash this bowl due to size uncomfortable.
  And even if you don’t wash it, since the device has a self-cleaning function, you still need to remove food and fat residues from it, and with a large volume, this is not so easy to do.
• Heated lid and bowl.
  If the lid is stationary, you need to be careful when tilting so as not to get burned.
  And if the lid is removable, then it needs to be attached somewhere when opening.
  And what it can be put on must be heat-resistant.
  When taking out food, you can burn yourself on the bowl, and on various devices such as grates and nets.
  If dishes are cooked in several tiers at the same time, then getting them is problematic: you need to take out the previous level to get to the next one.
• The hot glass bowl must not be exposed to water. - she can burst.

What is an electric grill?

electric grill - this is appliance for frying and baking.

Technical features and capabilities

How are electric grills different? All these devices are divided into:

• Stationary.
  Such models are used in cafes and restaurants.
  This appliance has an impressive size and power, you can cook several dishes at the same time.
• Portable.
  Portable electric grills are designed for home use.

Electric grills are also divided into:

• Contact.
  Contact electric grills are a surface in the form of a grid or a continuous coating, under which a heating element is placed.
  Food is placed on a surface whose temperature is controlled.
• Contactless.
  Such devices are similar to ovens.
  The food in them is mounted on skewers or skewers and rotates around the heating element.
  Grilled chicken in supermarkets is cooked in such devices.

Contact electric grills subdivided into:

• Unilateral;
• Double-sided;
• Combined.

One-sided can be covered with a lid, and may be without it. Without a lid, the fat from frying will splatter around and you need to be prepared for this.

The surface may be solid or grid-like. The grate can be metal, cast iron, with or without a non-stick coating.

In double-sided, food is cooked from two sides at once, clamped by them, like a press.

The surfaces in such electric grills are solid panels with a non-stick coating.

Combined electric grills can be used for frying from two sides at once, and can also be laid out in one large surface.

The more complex the device, the higher its price, which is quite natural.

It is necessary to clean both the grate, and the heating element, and the lid, if any.

most popular among buyers use contact double-sided electric grills.

In them, the distance between the panels is adjustable, which means that you can bake both thin pieces of vegetables and thick pieces of meat.

Non-stick panels are easy to clean (the main thing is not to damage the coating), and cooking fat flows into a special compartment due to the inclination of the panels.

The top panel not only allows you to cook faster, as food is fried on both sides at once, but also acts as a lid, which prevents grease from splattering.

Additional features can be:

• Timer;
• Automatic shutdown;
• Residual heat indicator;
• Smoking function.

What can be cooked?

Roasting degree can be adjusted. Can be defrosted and reheated.

Minuses

• Limited functionality: cooking soups and baking on it will not work;
• This device is energy-intensive and very sensitive to voltage drops;
• Do not leave dishes unattended, even with a timer and automatic shutdown.
  It is better to check the degree of readiness yourself, otherwise the dish may burn or not be fried.
• Electric grill indoors is best used under the hood.

Benefits Comparison Table

Useful video

This video shows how to use the airfryer:

conclusions

Summarizing the above, several points can be noted:

• If you already have various types of kitchen appliances multicookers, steamers, barbecues etc., air grill will duplicate their functions.
  In this case, the device will take up a lot of space, and therefore, you do not need it;
• If a same you are a young family, which only equips his life, the air grill will become your indispensable assistant.
  Only the volume of the bowl must be at least 7 liters in order for the functionality to be complete;
• If you want to fry at home like on a barbecue, choose an electric grill with cast iron grid with non-stick coating, which has a lid.
  Such models are cheaper, food needs to be turned over, but you can’t leave it unattended in a double-sided device.
• If you want to save time on both cooking and cleaning, then double-sided contact grills are for you. But they are way more expensive.