With the rise of social media platforms including TikTok, Generation Z fixates on new trends and fascinations on what appears as a weekly basis. Almost every TikTok filmed last year in teen bedrooms featured LED strand lights surrounding the perimeter of teen’s ceilings. Due to the ubiquity of this trend, home improvement stores including Lowes and Home Depot continue to scramble to keep LED lights on their shelves. TikTok’s newest fascination revolves around an unlikely kitchen appliance: air fryers.

America embraced the advent of air fryers in 2010. While Americans have displayed air fryers in kitchens across the country for over a decade, the appliance recently made an overwhelming comeback. TikTok and Generation Z played a pivotal role in increased air fryer sales.

Air fryers combine fan-favorite qualities of convection ovens and deep fat fryers to create one easy appliance that perfectly roasts and fries America’s favorite dishes. Thanks to their unmatched ability to cook a range of vegetables, meats, and desserts at rapid speed, air fryers continue to gain popularity.

Air fryers ditch large amounts of oil typically associated with deep fat fryers and decrease calorie intake by between 70 and 80 percent. The loss of these extra calories becomes possible with the strategic cooking technique found in air fryers. Instead of submerging foods in fattening oil and grease, food placed in air fryers lie on trays coated in thin layers of oil. The rest of the work depends on circulation created in fans built into air fryers.

“I am obsessed with air fryers; I currently have two. I use at least one for every meal,” NC history department teacher Tamara Rakenburg said.

Air fryers provide chefs with copious menu options to experiment with. Whether you boast a sweet tooth or manage a vegan diet, air fryers easily adapt to your dietary needs and give you a faster cooking experience producing delicious outcomes.

Air-fried desserts including donuts, fried Oreos, monkey bread, and cookies continue to leave air fryer fanatics speechless. The convenience and irreplaceable delicacy of air-fried desserts speak volumes still unachievable when cooking with an oven or deep fat fryer. If you’re looking to prepare chicken wings for Sunday night’s football game or hoping to cook steak for Wednesday’s family dinner, air fryers present the perfect solution. Air fryers perfectly roast a variety of meats including beef, chicken, and pork. Desserts and fatty meats do not constitute the only air friable foods; many healthier options exist. Air can also possess the ability to quickly dethaw and cook frozen vegetables in a matter of minutes.

Air fryers have already revolutionized the diets of college students. Cooking with air fryers requires little to no expertise. This practicality opens up a variety of menu options for starving students. Popping frozen foods in an air fryer quickly creates a meal without using ovens that many dorm rooms lack.

Air Fryers continue to dazzle Americans while simultaneously cutting meal preparation times in half across the nation. Whether you’re craving a quick snack, delicious dessert, or a fulfilling meal, air fryers present a tasty, efficient solution while eliminating exasperated wait times and extra calories.

“My mom has had an air fryer for a while but I did not find out about it until recently, now I use it all the time. I love being able to quickly cook my favorite snacks like chicken nuggets,” Ilyana Bonfoh said.