When Sam Milner first spotted an advert for an air fryer back in September 2012, she didn’t realise it would change the way she – and millions of others – would approach cooking forever. It promised to deliver the crispy joy of homemade chips with a fraction of the oil and calories of a deep fat fryer, and for Milner, that was enough to drag her husband Dom into an electronics store to make a purchase. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward 12 years, and Milner, affectionately dubbed the “Queen of the Air Fryer”, has built an empire around this kitchen gadget. Her new book with Dom, Air Fryer Easy Everyday , is a follow-up to their Sunday Times bestselling The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook , and it continues their mission to prove that the air fryer isn’t just a convenient tool – it’s a pathway to healthier eating. But is it really as healthy as they claim? Let’s start with the facts.
“The air fryer is a very much healthier way to cook,” Milner says. Why? It’s all about the oil, or rather, the lack of it. “You use a lot less oil when you are cooking in the air fryer.
For instance, for the average serving size for dinner in the air fryer, you will need just a quarter tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil,” she explains. Compare that to the hefty slicks of oil that typically accompany frying or roasting in a traditional oven, and the difference becomes clear. And while many people are still using oils and fats to slather meat or vegetables befo.