How do air fryers work? Why air frying may be your next greatest kitchen hack.

Taking hours to prepare a wonderful dinner can be difficult for those without proper cooking expertise, recipes, tools or time. That is where air fryers come in. They can make cooking easier while still allowing for healthy and tasty recipes -- even including vegan, as seen on veggiebalance.com.

Air fryers are quick, easy to use and relatively cheap, ranging from $36 to $200 on Target.com, to purchase. Higher-end models will cost more. Still, given they cost less than a full-fledged conventional oven and require less upkeep, over 25 million were sold from January 2020 to December 2021, according to The NDP Group.

How does an air fryer work?

Now to the good stuff. After plugging in the device, locate the basket or tray inside the air fryer; it will carry your food as it is air fried. The food inside the machine will be engulfed in hot air, created by the inside heating element and fan, to cook quickly, all while avoiding the dangers of deep frying, says mrappliance.ca. Select your desired time and temperature for your food to be fried, then let it do its work.

While air fryers don't need as much oil as deep fryers, “1 or 2 teaspoons of oil,” depending on what you're making, is often necessary to make the food crisp, according to tasteofhome.com.

The cooking time is a convenience as well, with times ranging from 5 to 45 minutes, as listed on tasteofhome.com. Apreparedkitchen.com says air fryers cook faster than toaster ovens.

Cleanup, despite not being completely eliminated, is minimal. Dissecting the device after unplugging it, then proceeding to clean each individual part, while being sure to keep the main unit dry, will result in a working and sanitary air fryer. Be sure to let the device cool down before touching the inner workings. Tasteofhome.com’s site provides a cleaning guide.

Tip top shape: Use these hacks to clean your air fryer

What can you use an air fryer for?

An air fryer is only as good as the ingredients you are planning to use. Breakfasts, lunches, desserts, snacks and frozen foods are potential options with further examples on tasteofhome.com.

Not everything should be put into an air fryer, though. Foodnetwork.com says leafy greens, cheese and bacon should be kept away. Other foods that are better cooked outside of an air fryer are also listed on foodnetwork.com

Even if you’re not looking to make a complete meal, your personal air fryer can be used to reheat food for leftovers, says tasteofhome.com.

Air fryer it up: The perfect recipe for that steak you're afraid to cook

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "What is the healthiest bread" to "Are birds mammals?" to "What is fracking?", we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How does an air fryer work? Function, purpose and meal options.