Hi Choice community, I am sold on the air fryer concept - delicious home made chips in minutes with less fat and convenience etc. However most I have looked at have non stick coatings on rather thin aluminium. Given that I have invested in stainless steel cookware to avoid potential health hazards of non stick coatings, I feel disappointed that there are not many alternatives to nonstick. Manufacturers are not at all transparent about what their non stick coating is made out of. I note that the state of California in the US is banning PFAS containing products with legislation after finding the waterways are polluted with PFAS - called the forever chemical because it does not break down. Many US products are required to have a warning if the product contains PFAS e.g. outdoor wear. Locally, there are two industries that have caused PFAS pollution with high blood levels in people and animals as well as contaminated agricultural lands. [https://cleanwater.org/tackling-californias-pfas-problem#:~:text=State%20regulation%20on%20PFAS%20in,plan%20to%20find%20a%20safer].
I’d like a little less hype about kitchen appliances that are non-stick and maybe a column in the reviews for does this product contain PFAS?
If you have a fan forced oven you can get the same result and use your stainless steel cookware.
I have not considered an air-fryer on the basis that my oven does the same job and it is one less appliance to clutter up the bench. I am not a fan of “another appliance”.
It is worth reading the Commonwealth’s government website on PFAS:
and particular the section titled: What’s Teflon made of? What’s the link between Teflon and PFOA?
It states:
The link between PFOA and Teflon is that PFOA is used to help make Teflon. However, it is important to emphasise that PFOA is not an ingredient in Teflon—it is simply added to the reaction vessel to help make Teflon, and is removed at the end of the process. Therefore, Teflon should not contain PFOA. There are strict standards in place to help ensure that Teflon does not contain PFOA.
The reference cited is not about risks or exposure in Australia. It references specific issues in the USA state of California and water contamination. If there are concerns more relevant to our local environment NSW Health offered the following re PFOS and PFAS.
Should consumers be concerned non stick surfaces used in air fryers represent any new or additional risks?
Air Fryers and non stick coated products are not mentioned in the NSW Govt Health recommendations or the California State assessments as a potential source of human exposure to PFAS. Other sources such as contaminated ground water and food products produced using contaminated ground water are mentioned.
Thanks for the reply mark_m. Yes the concerns do seem mainly about environmental pollution of ground water and food grown using contaminated water in PFAS affected areas more so than consumer products. I had a read of the link to NSW fact sheet thank you. Locally here at home there are two sites affected by PFAS due to fire-fighting foams with a vegetable farm near one of them. I have a family member and another friend with high blood levels but that is more due to occupational hazards. I liked how California’s new law "California Safer Food Packaging and Cookware Act of 2021 (AB 1200)” requires manufacturers of cookware to disclose any hazardous chemicals including PFAS and BPA as well as banning food packaging containing PFAS. [California Safer Food Packaging and Cookware Act (AB 1200) - Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP)] Less is more might be a good thing?
Don’t breathe in overheated Teflon fumes though - Polymer Fume Fever - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
Don’t totally agree because the capacity of an oven is considerably larger than the capacity of an air-fryer, therefore the oven would take longer to heat up and use more energy.
Quite right. If you look at it from an either/or point of view, provided the airfryer does what you want, it is less energy intensive to use and takes less material to make.
The equation is not that simple though if you already have the oven installed, then the cost of materials and energy to make and supply a second device instead of just using the one you have comes into it.
OTOH if the fryer doesn’t do all you want having just the oven may be more useful and (staying on the topic) more readily avoid non stick coatings if that disturbs you.
We have used several air fryers and got sick of trying to keep them clean, all those holes and crevices. We now use premade drop in waxed paper inserts. No mess to clean up and no concerns about non stick coatings.
There is more than one type of non stick coating product used for air fryers and non-stick cookware.
Reputable brands will provide details of the type of coating selected.
Eg Sunbeam.
The risk as a consumer of not asking and checking is one may exclude a suitable and safe product.
On occasion good intentions seem to be overtaken by irrational emotive thinking.
Choice has reviewed non-stick fryans and offered the following guidance.
And no hot air circulating through those holes put there for the purpose.
OT but to consider if the paper appeals.
We tried this recently. Oven fried fish with a bread crumb coating. It sort of worked although the oils that leaked out pooled on the paper before doing the obvious. IE running down the holes to the bottom tray. Turning the fish over it was difficult to avoid the cooked side resting in the excess oil.
I’d not try it with chips or baking vegetables. I think one needs that underside to heat through circulation to cook the food more evenly. Otherwise it’s more like grilling on a flat tray.
To note the metal sides of the frying basket are also coated. These see closer and more direct radiant heat from the electric coil above. (Than the mesh insert). No noticeable change in the coating or cleaning issues for our Fryer.
Yes, I know what you mean, but after trying them out and having no problems with cooking times, results etc, we will continue using them. Plenty of holes in the sides.
I had exactly the same concern, so I opted to buy an airfryer with a glass basket. It is awesome, as you can watch the food cooking and is easy to clean.
