Even the most skilled and veteran campers often find their campground meals to become dull or repetitive. Using an air fryer while camping has gained much popularity among campers to add more variety to cooking meals beyond boiling, frying, and BBQing.
Air fryers offer a smaller version of a convectional oven that is often appealing to people camping in smaller spaces. This standout appliance has become popular because of the variety of foods you can cook in a short amount of time. Air fryers cook food quickly by moving hot air around whichever food you are cooking. The high-speed cooking process results in a delicious outcome with a crunch that you’d expect from deep fried food at your favorite local bar.
The health benefits are also a contributing factor to the air fryer’s rise in popularity. Since your food is cooked using air instead of oil, many people have chosen the air fryer as a lower calorie, lower fat option to cook their favorite foods without losing the decadence or flavor in their favorite recipes.
Another perk besides the health benefits is the easy clean up that is offered by using an air fryer. With no oil or deep frying, most people can simply rinse or wipe out the basket of their air fryer. There are no gross oily bits once you are done cooking. If there’s anything an outdoors person loves, it’s quick clean up after a meal so they can enjoy the outdoors!
Deciding to incorporate an air fryer into your regular camping routine is simple because they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Considering the cook time, cleanup, and health benefits, it’s easy to see why this appliance is making a splash in the campground!
How Much Power Is Required For An Air Fryer In My RV?
The power for each style and size of air fryer varies. A typical air fryer uses about 1500 watts. The greater the wattage, the quicker and faster the heating process is for your air fryer. Wattage will impact your cook time as well as quantity of what you can cook in your air fryer at one time.
I found that 1000-watt air fryers work well, but when going lower than that I was not satisfied with cook time and quantity of food per batch in the air fryer. It just lacked the power necessary to cook the food.
One of the benefits of using an air fryer is that it consumes significantly less energy than your typical traditional oven or microwave. It’s important to first understand how much wattage your personal camper, RV, caravan, or generator can hold before searching for your appliances.
With air fryers being a hot ticket item in the market, you can easily find a style with the amount of power that suits your camping needs. Now just be sure you get the correct size for your camping group!
What Is The Ideal Size For An Air Fryer For Camping?
Most people say that a larger sized air fryer is ideal for camping where you are feeding 4-5 people, something in the 6 to 7 quarts. People who only cook for 2-3 people on their camping trips typically opt for a smaller size, 3 to 4 quarts, to meet their cooking needs. The beauty of the popularity of air fryers is that there are many different sizes to suit a variety of camping needs.
Watts and size go hand in hand when purchasing this appliance. A small air fryer (1-2 quarts) can range from 800-1000 watts. A medium air fryer (3-4) quarts and ranges from 1200-1500 watts. The medium size air fryer is the most typical size available on the market. A large air fryer (7-8 quarts) uses about 1700 watts.
It’s important to keep in mind that just because you have a lower wattage and smaller fryer, does not diminish the cooking quality of your fryer. Be sure to consider the space you have available in your camper, RV, or caravan before purchasing. It’s important to assess where your air fryer will be stored before diving into your search.
Even though variety can be nice, sometimes too many choices can be overwhelming, keep reading below to find out the best type of air fryer to use while camping!
What Is The Best Type Of Air Fryers For Camping?
All air fryers circulate hot air to cook your food to crispy perfection! There are three main types of air fryers on the market:
- a basket type air fryer requires you to turn the food or shake the basket partway through the cooking process and has the smallest footprint, most avid campers choose this type.
- a paddle type air fryer turns or rotates your food for you
- a countertop convection oven is the most versatile option that can dehydrate, broil, roast, steam, or air fry.
The basket style is the most popular style on the market and has the most variety in size and wattage. It is typically the lowest priced option and requires less cleaning since you apply your oil to your food before placing it in your cooking basket.
Countertop convection ovens are a good option if you’d like an appliance that goes well beyond simply air fryer, but the multifunction features of a countertop convection oven are going to be the most expensive option. Paddle type air fryers are the least sought option for campers since they tend to take up more space and aren’t as cost efficient.
Consider your options and choose the type that will best fit the needs for your camping lifestyle. Once you choose the best type of air fryer for your needs, you’ll need to consider if you want the high teach option or the manual!
Which Air Fryers Are Better For Camping – Digital Or Manual Dial?
I prefer the digital air fryer to a manual dial style, I found that it was easier to set the power and know that it was set at the exact temperature. As were with the manual dial you had to have a closer look to make sure it was cooking at the set temperature. The digital also counts down the time remaining in the cooking time typically.
The air fryer efficiency does not change when choosing manual vs. digital, but the control panels are what you will need to assess based on your preferences. When using a manual dial, you will simply set your cook temperature and time yourself. A digital air fryer will offer preset cook temperatures and times based on certain foods you are cooking such as fries, shrimp, chicken, etc.
The digital models also look more upscale, the LED display shows an easy-to-read status of your cook time and temperature, they have preset cooking modes for specific foods, and they are equipped with a touchscreen. If you are someone who prefers high tech options, you’ll want to purchase a digital air fryer.
Some digital air fryers have a Bluetooth app to control the function and monitor the cooking remotely as well as connect to Google Assistant and Alexa. If you want to connect your smart speaker to your RV you can have a look at this article on this.
Now that you know what size, type, and style of air fryer that will fit your needs while camping, be sure to consider what recipes you’ll create while camping!
What Kinds Of Camping Meals Are Best Made With An Air Fryer?
They say that variety is the spice of life and there is no limit to the variety of meals you can make in your air fryer! The best camping meals to make in your new air fryer is whatever meals you feel like eating! Air fryers give you the ability to cook virtually anything!
Avid campers rave about the simplicity of cooking foil packets in the air fryer opposed to grill or coals of your campfire. Simply add your meat, veggie, and potato options with your oil and spices of choice and pop in the air fryer! It’s a full, quick, easy, and delicious option when in the campground and will leave everyone satisfied!
Throw some whole eggs in your air fryer for a quick and perfectly cooked hard-boiled egg. Put a marshmallow and piece of chocolate between two graham crackers, throw it in the air fryer, in minutes you’ll have the perfect smore! You want a steak, cook it in the air fryer! Caught a fish on the river, throw it in the air fryer!
The options for savory recipes for your air fryer are literally limitless. There is nothing the air fryer can’t cook!
