Air frying is much more similar to baking in an oven than deep frying. And although most air fryers say you can cook without any oil at all, we found the best results with a tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil. Air fryers are great for using hot air to cook food and limit the excess use of oil. However, air fried foods do not give you the same taste as that of a deep fryer. For a more detailed breakdown, check out our guide comparing deep fryers vs. air fryers.