What is an air fryer? The air fryer is essentially an amped-up countertop convection oven-it doesn't fry your food. The air fryer mimics the results of deep-frying with nothing more than hot air and little or no oil. In the simplest of terms, an air-fryer is a compact cylindrical countertop convection oven. It's a kitchen appliance that uses superheated air to cook foods, giving results very similar to deep-frying or high-temperature...