Is the air fryer and turbo broiler the same? The answer is NO. It may be hard to believe, but the air fryer vs turbo broiler has many differences. They have the same purpose but achieve it differently.
Understanding the distinctions between the two is critical because each has advantages and downsides that might alter your culinary experience. Please continue reading to discover what makes them unique and how each gadget may benefit you in the kitchen.
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a new cooking device that uses hot air to cook food. It’s not exactly like an oven, but it’s close. In short, an air fryer is like a convection oven that uses hot air instead of dry heat.
Air fryers can make many foods, from french fries to chicken wings, steak, crispy lechon kawali, and even desserts.
The operation of an air fryer is straightforward: you place your meal in the basket and then position the basket under some heating coils. Hot air flows through the coils and around your food when the coils heat up. This process allows moisture in your food to evaporate, allowing it to brown and taste.
What is a Turbo Broiler?
A turbo broiler also uses hot air to cook food. The air circulates the food, allowing it to cook more evenly and rapidly. A turbo broiler is an excellent alternative to traditional ovens.
The turbo broiler often includes a plastic dome cover and a glass outer shell that allows you to watch the food cook. The temperature control and timer allow you to tailor the cooking time and temperature to your requirements.
Because it uses convection heating, the turbo broiler cooks food faster and more evenly—and therefore uses less energy—than a conventional oven. It is also smaller than a traditional oven, making it more convenient and saving room in your kitchen.
The turbo broiler is a handy cooking utensil. You can cook various foods, including meats, veggies, and baked goods, and it’s ideal for reheating leftovers because the heat from this gadget won’t dry them out like in other ways.
Anyone who wants to cook food quickly and effectively will appreciate the turbo broiler. It’s simple to use and clean, allowing you to prepare excellent dishes promptly!
Air Fryers vs Turbo Broilers: Key Differences
Choosing the best air fryer or turbo broiler for your family can be difficult if this is your first time purchasing one. What you need to know about how they compare is as follows:
Cooking Performance
Air fryers and turbo broilers are a type of convection oven that has been gaining popularity in recent years. Both appliances operate similarly in the kitchen and can be used interchangeably.
However, there are particular distinctions between the two that you should consider when determining which to purchase.
Cooking Capacity
Turbo broilers typically have at least a 10-liter cooking capacity. On the other hand, air fryers usually have a cooking capacity of 5 liters. There are just a few air fryer devices with 10 liters or greater capacities.
That means you may use a turbo broiler for cooking more food at once without affecting the quality of your dishes.
In short, a turbo broiler has a bigger capacity. It is better suited for larger dishes like a whole chicken or a slab of pork. At the same time, air fryers are smaller, easier to use, and take up less room.
Cooking Speed
I’ve used an air fryer as well as a turbo broiler. In my experience, when preparing the same amount of food, the cooking speeds of both cooking appliances are similar.
Temperature Range
An air fryer is distinguished from a turbo broiler by its temperature range.
The temperature range of the turbo broiler is 140°F to 480°F (60°C to 250°C), making it appropriate for cooking any meal without affecting its texture or flavor (provided you don’t overcook it).
On the other hand, air fryers only reach 400°F (200°C), which means you won’t be able to cook some meals, such as steaks or baked potatoes, without them turning to mush.
Energy Efficiency
The air fryer is relatively new in the food sector, although the turbo broiler has existed for decades. Both devices prepare food differently but need electricity to operate the heat-generating motor.
The electricity usage of an air fryer ranges from 1300W to 2000W, depending on capacity, and may vary between models and manufacturers.
While turbo broilers typically consume more electricity due to having more elements used to generate heat and greater pot size. As a result, employing an air fryer instead of a turbo broiler is more environmentally beneficial.
Features
Standard air fryers merely allow you to change the cooking temperature and time, just like the turbo broiler.
With constant advancement, the air fryer is far more modern in features than the turbo broiler. You can select one of the presets and forget about time and temperature concerns.
Safety
Materials
The air fryer and the turbo broiler are safe cooking appliances, with slight differences.
The air fryer’s outside shell is often made of plastic or superior insulation. As a result, the pot shell usually only warms minimally during operation.
Meanwhile, the turbo broiler’s glass pot gets pretty hot when cooking. Although the thick glass covering keeps the pot from becoming too hot for adults, little children may be injured if it is accidentally touched.
Auto shut-off mode
In this regard, the turbo broiler outperforms the air fryer. Because of the turbo broiler’s design, the power will instantly switch off when you lift the dome handle.
In the case of the air fryer, the auto-stop feature when removing the frying basket is only present in newer and more recent models. When you remove the frying basket from older models, the heating element continues to operate, which can cause you to become heated.
Cleaning
Although the two products have different technical features, they are both equipped with a removable pan and can be cleaned easily.
However, I prefer the air fryer over the turbo broiler regarding cleaning. The frying basket is lightweight, nonstick, and easy to clean. Cleaning is much easier with high-end models with a dishwashing-safe basket.
Meanwhile, the turbo broiler’s huge glass pot makes me wary about washing it. The pot can weigh up to 2kg and is quite large; just thinking about it makes you tired.
Price
The price of a qualitative air fryer is usually between ₱2,500 and ₱7,000, depending on the model and features. Some more expensive models cost over ₱15,000.
The turbo broiler is typically less expensive than the air fryer. On average, a turbo broiler costs between ₱1,500 and ₱2,000; however, some models cost more than ₱5,000.
The main reason for the price difference between these two appliances is due to technological differences. However, compare the pricing of air fryers and turbo broilers and examine how they may differ based on the model and features.
Air Fryer vs Turbo Broiler: Which is better?
While our comparison of air fryer vs turbo broiler shows that each device can effectively alternate deep frying, it’s up to you to determine which is best for your needs. Here is my verdict based on my personal experience:
- An air fryer may be the most fantastic option for the everyday cook who wants to spend less time producing handy snacks and frying meat and fish in small quantities.
- A turbo broiler may be appropriate for those who want a more versatile cooking device and frequently need to prepare more food, such as roasting a whole chicken or grilling a huge rib.
Finally, these two cooking devices are viable solutions for your home kitchen and will significantly improve your cooking experience.
What’s your take? Let us know your take in the comment section. And meanwhile, remember to read Hometoppicks’ reviews of the best air fryers and turbo broilers in the Philippines.
Karyn is an IIN Health Coach certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition since 2021, with a passion for cooking and exercise, especially yoga. She brings her expertise in Nutrition and Fitness to Hometoppicks, leading both the Kitchen and Home Gym sections to provide credible product recommendations. Karyn is committed to guiding readers on their healthy living journey with her expert tips and trusted product suggestions. You can find more about her here.
