So to clear this question, we have covered this article for you where there are tons of best oil for air fryer options available, but still, we have curated the best ones that work much better for you than others.
On an important note, you have to consider what foods you are preparing and, what temperature you are cooking at, lastly, the smoking point of the oil you are using. Scroll down below to come across the healthiest oil for air fryer to make your air-fried foods successful and delicious.
Why do you require oil in an air fryer?
At this point, your mind will pop up a question of why to use oil if you are air frying? But the thing is, you are not going to use oil in the same way you will be while deep frying foods; during air frying, using a little oil in most of the recipes will cause no harm as it will give a great taste and texture like deep-fried foods. Moreover, it may also help keep the food moist during cooking time.
But putting the information realistically, we state that phones with little to no fat like lean chicken breast, tofu, and unprocessed potatoes get dried out and stick to the surface of the cooking pan at high temperatures. Air fryer spray oil comes to the rescue, as bringing them to the food items and the cooking basket with oil before placing the ingredients in the air fryer will help reduce these problems.
However, frozen foods like french fries, pizza, roll, tater tots, and nuggets may not require oil because they are packed with oil, so they won’t suffer from those issues and can be cooked in the air fryer without adding oil.
Healthiest & Best Oil for Air fryers:
Extra light olive oil:
The extra light olive oil is our first possible best choice, with the smoking point at around 470 degrees Fahrenheit. The good thing about this extra light olive oil is that it gives a more neutral taste than avocado oil, making it quite popular.
Avocado oil:
Avocado oil has always been the best of best in the cooking oil list because it comprises the highest smoking point at over 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of this, you can ignore the slight grassy and avocado flavor but at times primarily neutral. Because of its neutrality, it is a quick replacement for olive oil and the go-to option.
Peanut oil:
If you want to spray oil for air fryers, consider using peanut oil as this is a favorite option. On top of that, it has a smoking point that sits around 450 degrees Fahrenheit. But ensure to buy a great quality oil because the taste and experience differ slightly depending on the quality.
Vegetable oil:
If you are looking for a classic air fryer oil, then vegetable oil must be in your left out there. It does not seem to comprise plenty of nutritional value, but there are no adverse issues either. The smoking point of this oil comes to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is popularly known for its neutral tasting.
Grapeseed oil:
Our last and great choice is grapeseed spray oil for air fryers; it is good at high heat and has plenty of health benefits. Like other air fryer oil given above works just fine similarly, this oil is also a go-to option with a high smoke point of 390 degrees Fahrenheit that stands as a good option for most people.
Best oil sprayer for air fryer:
1 – Chefvantage olive oil mister
This Chefvantage olive oil mister for air fryer is our first choice as it works amazingly and doesn’t clog up over time like many other brands. Moreover, it has the most stylish appearance and does not hold much oil. But ensure to complete before spraying. You will surely love this oil spray for air fryer as it will look excellent on your kitchen countertop for those who adore the great design.
2 – Evo oil sprayer
Our second choice is Evo oil sprayers. The design is also prettiest as its function and spritz oil greatly. Just like our former sprayer choice also does not clog up like cheap ones. There are multiple bottle types accessible, and they all seem to have the same great head. Overall it offers a good dispersed spray, and you may soon like it after frequent use as it works amazingly for grilling too.
3 – Misto oil sprayer
The misto oil sprayer is another choice without including any potentially harmful fuels, i.e., completely BPA-free. The best thing about this accessory is it deposit the exact fine droplets into your food so that it may get an even and consistent coating of oil in every possible way. Moreover, it is straightforward to use with the pump-style cap; it takes two steps to complete the operation. You have to pump the mister and then press the valves on the pressurized sprayer that will release the mist.
Precautious:
The next thing is precaution while purchasing an oil sprayer. Some specific sprayers and misters might be purchased from good reputed kitchen stores and might seem good initially. Later on, after a few use, it might start to clog up even you use them with proper maintenance. It is why we shared the exceptional oil sprayer brands above that may work best for regular use and offers excellent performance for at least a couple of years.
And the last thing you have to consider is the splattery of the spray. Some brands work amazingly for barbecue and are too heavy to spray for Air frying. On the other hand, the other will be too good or need too much pumping for too little oil.
Is it OK to use a spray bottle for the oil?
In short – Yes, Indeed a great idea
Of course, the oil you choose to use can be included in a spray mister or bottle. The process will be easy for using an oil sprayer or oil mister for air fryer specifically. Overall, using a mister or bottle will offer you the best experience at low price as it is a more economical option to buy. It lets you pour it into the bottle or mister from a large jar of oil.
As we all know, cooking oil sprays generally cost more than the actual bottle or jar of oil. So as per our above discussion, it is crucial to choose the best oil sprays to go perfectly for an air fryer, i.e., the best cooking spray for Air fryer, by making sure after considering the smoke point.
How to use less oil when air frying?
We will recommend our two favorite techniques to help you use less oil when air frying.
- 1. Oil misters
- 2. Parchment paper liners
Parchment paper liners are our first and favorite suggestion for air fryers. These paper liners are affordable and will help prevent food from sticking to the air fryer’s basket, automatically makes the cleaning process easy peasy. When cooking low-fat foods, foods like potatoes, chicken breast, tofu. In this case, it is always an ideal option to use parchment paper liners for the Air fryer.
The second option is oil mister for air fryer, i.e., as we have mentioned about Chefvantage mister. By using this oil mister, individuals will have complete control over the content and not like what they do with the nonstick cooking spray. As it is in complete control, the individual will properly use oil mister and carefully disperse it evenly on the food while cooking. It helps to let them use only what is needed and controls the amount of grease or fat they are adding.
Utilize higher-quality oils:
Of course, higher quality oils are expensive, but they are more flavourful with plenty of health benefits and require lesser quantities. Moreover, one of the prime benefits of having an air fryer is that you can use much higher quality and expensive oil than you would when using deep frying. On top of the hefty price tag, it is also a cost-effective option to use just a tablespoon of oil without excess oil anywhere using a deep fryer with the stuff.
So with my own experience and preference, I highly recommend using a high-quality extra light olive oil in most cases as it is easily accessible on Amzn and comprises many health benefits that make the air-fried food tasty, light with a crispy texture. On an important note, while using an air fryer at a high temperature, make sure not to use extra or usual virgin olive oil as it comes with a much lower smoking point compared to extra light olive oil. However, you can also opt for avocado oil as a second option for many reasons, like a neutral taste and benefits.
How much oil is appropriate to reduce when air frying foods?
We understand that every recipe is different, and oil usage solely depends on it. However, using enough oil for a light coating and texture makes it better. For instance, if you are breading chicken, spread the chicken with oil every time while flipping it to ensure it is coated well and does not leave any dry spots. And to acquire the best results, we recommend using a small oil mister for air fryer to lightly spray the food items if required for cooking because most coated recipes need a light spray of oil from time to time. If you are reheating frozen foods, you do not have to spray them with any oil.
Tips for concluding which oil spray for air fryer is best:
Stay away from:
The first step you must consider is to avoid pressurized propellant, or conventional canned oil sprays oil pump spray having propellants because these oil sprays and propellants comprise chemical which is not so good for your health. Moreover, propellant oil has a common complaint that it peels off the lining of the basket when cooked at high temperatures.
What to choose:
Choosing a good pump spray or oil mister for air fryer with your favorite high flash point oil is a good thing to do and it’s cost-efficient and ideal for your environment and health. You can refill it and use it for all the cooking, not just for air fryer cooking.
Smoking points of crucial when using an air fryer:
Commonly, air fryers work more efficiently at high temperatures, i.e., between 350 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. So it is crucial to select an air fryer oil that will preserve its health properties at elevated temperatures while also adding great flavors to your air-fried foods.
So now the question is why smoking points are crucial when using oils. Typically a smoking point for oil is the temperature at which it will smoke or burn. So if you are using olive oil, which has lower smoking points, i.e., 380 degrees, it will already lose many of these significant nutritional benefits when cooked at high temperatures. So to resolve this problem, we have brought the best oil for air fryer so you can still enjoy your favorite foods using favorite oils is in the air fryer like extra light olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, and peanut oil.
Frequently Asked Question
What is the healthiest oil for air fryer?
From the above discussion, we conclude that extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest oil for Air fryers because it is unprocessed, unrefined, and unlike other oil options. On top of that, it also comprises plenty of natural benefits. Next is coconut oil, which is also a healthier option, but it is more debated than extra virgin olive oil regarding health benefits.
Whether it is OK to use PAM in an air fryer?
Most of them find PAM so convenient, and it made them wonder whether they can use those in an air fryer. But a majority of the manufacturers and individuals using air fryers agree that one must not use them because the formula of those sprays can ultimately damage the air fryer.
How much oil can you put in your air fryer?
It completely depends on what food you are cooking. But the thing is, the oil should not be used in the same amount while cooking in an air fryer as a deep or traditional air fryer. Individuals use tons of oil on the appliance’s surface in the conventional air fryer. But with an air fryer, applying oil straightly onto the food you are cooking is recommended.
The Bottom line:
So from the above discussion, it is very crucial to choose the best oil for air fryer depending on the smoking point temperature and health benefits. On top of that, while selecting an oil mister for air fryer, make sure it is easy to use and completely free from harmful components. So we hope the recommendations are helpful. And if it is, click on the products; it will direct you to the Amazon page to easily avail them.