An air fryer works like a mini convection oven. A heating element heats the cooking compartment while the fan circulates hot air, surrounding the food on all sides with even heat. If you think about it, the method of cooking in an air fryer is very similar to a deep fryer; an even heat source cooks the food from all sides but allows you to cook without immersing your food in oil. Since the air fryer surrounds the food with heat, they cook evenly in half the time as other cooking methods. Because the cooking area is so compact, an air fryer is able to get up to temperature quickly and efficiently maintain that temperature without much heat loss. The cooking basket of an air fryer is made with a non-stick coating which makes clean up a relatively simple process. You can usually clean your air fryer with a damp paper towel. Don’t put the cooking basket in the dishwasher.