This Appliance Is The Secret To Cutting Down The Summer Heat In Your Kitchen

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When temperatures are scorching outside, the last thing you want to be doing is firing up your standard oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or standing over a hot stovetop for a prolonged period of time. While ordering delivery might sound optimal, those prices can add up quickly, not to mention having to give up control of what exactly goes into your food. The easiest pivot for summer cooking that won't heat up your kitchen too much is to lean on your air fryer.

Cooking in a standard oven can increase the ambient temperature of a small kitchen by up to 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the size of your kitchen and the oven temperature, as well as how long the oven is preheating and cooking. On hot days that can mean things get way too hot and sticky. Due to the compact size of the air fryer, it needs far less time to preheat and cook, meaning that the appliance is producing heat for a shorter amount of time overall. The result is that it gives off a lot less heat, and your kitchen stays cooler. Additionally, the energy required to use an air fryer is less than that of powering a full-sized oven, saving money on your energy bill, which is very welcome if you're powering an air conditioner, too.

An air fryer is essentially a smaller version of a convection oven, so you can cook almost anything in an air fryer that you could in an oven (size permitting). It's not just for foods that you want to crisp up and mimic frying. It does require a bit of math, but it's easy to convert oven cooking times for an air fryer, as well as the cooking temperature. The general rule is to reduce the heat by about 25 degrees Fahrenheit and to cut down the cooking time by about 20%. Just make sure you're using your air fryer to its fullest potential with our essential air fryer cooking tips.

For those who don't own an air fryer, the decent-sized versions start from around $80 – but you could also turn to a toaster oven. You can use the same temperature settings as your regular oven, but it should take less time to heat up and is more efficient as it's smaller. 

If it's so hot that even an air fryer feels like too much work, there are all kinds of no-cook dishes that are perfect for the summer heat. Whether it's bright and bold ceviche, a big, crisp salad, or a cold noodle dish, there are some great tricks to take no-cook dinners to the next level. And of course, if you have a flexible schedule, you could also switch up your summer cooking schedule to avoid being in the kitchen during the hottest times of the day.