Kitchen appliances are becoming more advanced. People are always looking for appliances that have a variety of functions. The same can be said for cookware. So, today we will break down the pressure cooker vs air fryer debate and study their versatility.
Pressure cookers have been in the market for a long time now. On the other hand, air fryers have recently created a lot of hype. Both are similar yet different ways of cooking. So you will have questions like – will an air fryer be healthier? Can it replace a pressure cooker?
If you have such questions, keep reading to see what it means to buy an air fryer or pressure cooker.
Pressure Cooker vs Air Fryer
We have created this guide to end the pressure cooker vs air fryer debate once and for all. Let’s take a look at how your cooking may or may not benefit from them.
Pros and Cons Of A Pressure Cooker
Pros
- It is a healthy way to preserve nutrients. The steaming helps retain the nutrients compared to other cooking methods like frying.
- The pressure can cook large quantities at once. You can add as many ingredients as you want to speed up the cooking process. It can cook in 1/3 the time taken by any other appliance.
- Since it can hold all ingredients in one go, you also save energy. The quicker you cook, the lower is your electricity bill.
- Pressure cookers do not require supervision. As a result, it is simple to use. You can just put it on the gas and wait for the pressure to release automatically.
Cons
- While it is easy to use, monitoring the food can be difficult. The container has to be sealed to keep the steam. So, you cannot check how the food is cooking. If you did not measure and add the ingredients, you would have to start from scratch.
- Pressure cookers come in the expensive category.
- If a pressure cooker has a malfunction like a broken sealing gasket, it can be very dangerous. The hot steam and the high pressure can harm people standing around the cooker.
Pros and Cons Of An Air Fryer
Pros
- It is easy to store due to the compact design.
- It comes in affordable ranges.
- In just a tablespoon of oil, air fryers can make your food crispy. Lesser oil also means reducing the amount of sodium and cholesterol in fried foods.
- The rapid fanning technology quickly cooks your food. So it saves time in reheating and cooking.
- Like the pressure cooker, the air fryer is efficient too. Its rapid mechanism cooks in record time and saves your money on bills.
Cons
- An affordable air fryer will be small in size. The holding capacity may not be enough for making meals for your family.
- The air fryer cooks your food at 300-400 Fahrenheit. So you will have to watch it constantly during the cooking process. If you do not understand the settings, you can risk burning your food.
- Lesser oil can affect the taste of the food. Cooking it for too long can also make the food taste dry. Since we are used to the deep fryer, a few tries to get used to the taste.
The Key Differences Between A Pressure Cooker and An AirFryer
By now, you have a basic idea of how each can benefit you. To better understand the pressure cooker vs air fryer debate, we also need to distinguish the key differences.
Cooking Method
Both appliances cook your food at a high temperature. The way they reach this high temperature is what makes them different.
Only foods that have a foundation of liquid can be cooked in a pressure cooker. Other than oil, the liquid can be water or broth. Once the cooker is on the gas, the liquid starts boiling.
The steam from the boil stays sealed in this container to build up pressure. The pressure is released, and this high pressure is what cooks the food.
An air fryer comes with an internal fanning technology. The internal fan gives out rapid and dry air. When the food is exposed to the heat from this air, it starts cooking. You only require a tablespoon of oil to bring the flavor out.
Capacity
There is a wide variety of sizes available for the pressure cooker and air fryer.
Starting from 1 quart, pressure cookers can go as high as 35-40 quarts. That means a holding capacity of 22 liters.
An air fryer’s capacity can range anywhere from 1-16 quarts—the standard size measures at 3-5 quarts can hold 2-4 liters. Larger air fryers can big enough to fry an entire chicken. But it does not come close to the larger than life capacity of a pressure cooker.
Food
The capacity and method explain a lot about the kind of food they cook.
Pressure cookers rely on steam. They require at least one or two cups of water to cook. So anything with water like rice, stews, and beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker.
As the name suggests, an air fryer is for cooking fried foods. It uses dry heat and oil to make the food crispier. This includes french fries, chicken nuggets, drumsticks, and so on.
Final Verdict
The final verdict of the pressure cooker vs air fryer debate is that neither can replace the other. Both come with their own sets of advantages. So choosing one will depend on what your needs are.
If you are looking for a healthier alternative for frying foods, an air fryer is a way to go. Whereas, if you want nutritional home-cooked meals, then a pressure cooker is the better option.
Both appliances provide effective ways of cooking your meals. You can combine both instead of choosing one. This way, your meals will taste all the more delicious.
