Less oil, fewer calories, and a real reduction in one specific health concern — but an air fryer can't turn a bag of frozen nuggets into a health food. Here's what genuinely changes and what doesn't.
The short version
- Yes, in the ways that matter most. Air frying uses a fraction of the oil of deep frying, which cuts fat and calories substantially.
- It also reduces acrylamide formation compared with deep frying, though it doesn't eliminate it — the same "go for gold, not brown" advice still applies.
- The ingredients still decide the outcome. Air-frying a breaded, high-sodium frozen product doesn't make it a health food — it just makes a fried version of it slightly less bad.
- Texture is genuinely different, not just marginally so. Lighter and drier rather than the heavy crispness oil gives.
How each method actually cooks food
Air frying works by circulating rapidly heated air around the food — a heating element generates heat, a fan moves it continuously, and that fast-moving hot air crisps the surface much the way oil does, using only a light coating of oil or none at all. It's closer to a compact, faster convection oven than to frying in the traditional sense, which is part of why the air fryer's texture ends up slightly different.
Deep frying fully submerges food in oil, typically between 170–190°C, and the food absorbs a meaningful amount of that oil as it cooks. That absorbed oil is where most of the added fat and calories come from, and it's also where problems arise if the oil is reused repeatedly or overheated, which can generate additional compounds you don't want in your food.
Air fryer vs deep fryer, side by side
| Air fryer | Deep fryer | |
|---|---|---|
| Oil used | Little to none | Food fully submerged |
| Fat added to food | Often 70–80% less than deep frying | Significant — oil is absorbed during cooking |
| Texture | Light, dry crunch | Heavier, oil-carried crispness |
| Cleanup | Wipe-down, no oil disposal | Oil to cool, strain, and store or dispose of |
| Safety while cooking | No large volume of hot oil to handle | Splashing and burn risk from hot oil |
| Best for | Everyday cooking, weight-conscious meals | Occasional use where traditional texture matters most |
The real health impact
The fat reduction is the headline, and it's a genuine one. Because so little oil is used, air frying can cut the added fat in a dish substantially compared with deep frying — often by a wide margin, though the exact figure depends on the food and recipe. For anyone managing weight, cholesterol or general fat intake, that's not a marginal difference.
Frequent consumption of deep-fried food has been associated with higher rates of obesity, unfavourable cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease in population studies — which is about a pattern of regular eating, not a single meal, but it's part of why the British Heart Foundation's guidance on saturated fat flags fried food as one of several sources worth moderating, and why air frying gets recommended as a swap rather than dismissed as a fad.
Acrylamide, explained properly
Acrylamide is a chemical that forms naturally in starchy foods — potatoes, bread, and similar — when they're cooked at high temperatures, whether that's frying, baking, roasting, or toasting. It isn't specific to deep frying, but longer cooking times at high heat generally produce more of it, and deep-fried starchy foods are a significant source in a typical diet.
Air frying tends to produce less acrylamide than deep frying for the same food, largely because less oil at the surface means the browning reaction runs slightly differently. It doesn't eliminate acrylamide — nothing that browns starchy food at high heat does — and the UK government's official advice applies regardless of which appliance you're using: aim for a golden yellow colour rather than deep brown when frying, baking or roasting starchy foods, and follow the cooking instructions on packaged products like chips and roast potatoes.
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Taste and texture
This is the honest trade-off, and it's worth naming rather than glossing over. Oil does real work in deep frying beyond crisping the surface — it carries flavour and produces a particular heavy, glossy mouthfeel that a lot of people genuinely prefer. Air-fried food crisps up well, but the result is a lighter, drier crunch rather than that same oil-carried texture.
For most everyday cooking, most people find the difference minor enough not to matter, especially once you factor in the health and convenience trade-off. If you're chasing an exact deep-fried texture for a specific dish or occasion, air frying gets close but doesn't fully replicate it — which is why plenty of people keep both options rather than treating it as all-or-nothing.
Where air frying doesn't help
The appliance doesn't fix the ingredients
Air frying a highly processed, breaded, high-sodium frozen product doesn't make that product healthy — it just makes a fried version of it with less added fat. If the goal is genuinely healthier eating rather than just lower-fat frying, what you put in the basket matters more than the appliance itself. Fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and whole ingredients see the biggest benefit from switching to an air fryer; ultra-processed snacks see a smaller one.
A lower-oil option we stock
We don't currently stock a dedicated basket-style air fryer. What we do carry is a multi-function convection oven that uses the same underlying principle — a fan-assisted heating element that crisps and browns food with far less oil than deep frying, alongside baking, grilling and rotisserie functions in one appliance.
Multi-function convection oven
For the mechanics of how air frying specifically works, see our companion piece on how an air fryer works.
This article gives general information about cooking methods and food safety, not medical or dietary advice. Prices and stock change — check the product page for current details.
Frequently asked questions
Is air frying healthier than deep frying?
Yes, in the ways that matter most for everyday health: substantially less added fat and fewer calories, and somewhat reduced acrylamide formation compared with deep frying the same food. It doesn't make unhealthy ingredients healthy, but for a given recipe it's a genuine improvement over submerging food in oil.
How much less oil does an air fryer use than deep frying?
Often 70–80% less, though the exact figure depends on the food and recipe. Where deep frying submerges food fully in oil, air frying typically needs only a light coating or none at all.
Does air frying reduce acrylamide?
It tends to produce somewhat less than deep frying for the same food, but it doesn't eliminate it. Acrylamide forms in starchy foods cooked at high temperatures by any method, so the official UK advice — aim for golden rather than deep brown when frying, baking, toasting or roasting — applies to air frying too.
Can you make unhealthy food healthy in an air fryer?
Not really. Air frying a processed, breaded or high-sodium product reduces the added fat from cooking, but the rest of the nutritional profile stays the same. The biggest health benefit comes from air-frying fresh vegetables and lean proteins rather than swapping the cooking method for ultra-processed food.
Does air-fried food taste the same as deep-fried food?
Close, but not identical. Air frying produces a lighter, drier crunch rather than the heavier, oil-carried crispness of deep frying. Most people find the difference minor for everyday meals, though it's noticeable if you're chasing an exact deep-fried texture.
Do you deliver kitchen appliances across the UK?
Yes — we ship UK-wide, with free delivery once your order passes £50. Full details are on our shipping policy page.
Cook with less oil, not less flavour
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