Air fryer - worth it?

[raeoflyte]

I have limited counter space and our microwave also works as a convection oven so we can make junk food items quickly that taste like they were baked in the oven without actually heating up the oven.

So that said, is an air fryer worth it? I'd really want it for veggies and hopefully quick meals that aren't junk food.

[daisylu]

We have a combo toaster oven, air fryer, oven, and a lot more. DH does toast every morning and this works for us.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

I don't think so. I've been using one the past few weeks to a month (DD had left it when she moved, and I wanted to really clean up before dedicating to GF use) and while it is useful, I am questioning the counterspace devoted to it. My understanding is that it is just a small convection oven? Which we have, but pretty large. Next kitchen remodel I think I'd like a double oven, one large and one pretty small that can function similarly to the air fryer, and then get some pans that will allow the under airflow/oil catch? do those exist? I would think.....

the two aspect to consider are the counterspace, and the cleaning. My other method was cooking in the big oven in glass casseroles, and I prefer that for clean up. But the air fryer is great because so small no preheating, gets right to work. and the air flow underneath helps too.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

We bought a Ninja Air Fryer from Costco.  In use, it takes up a good chunk of counter space.  But when we are done using it, I clean it up and it stands on its side.  It only takes up about 4” of counterspace at the back.  

I didn’t buy it because of this, but appreciate it because it really does help.

[chiver78]

I'm not sure for you, honestly. the things people cook in an air fryer, I always cooked nicely in the countertop convection oven mooch brought with him. if you're happy with the convection function on your microwave, you're probably all set.

I have an air fryer. I bought it when they first started being a thing. it's f'ing huge, and we were only using it for wings. it's been packed in a crate in the basement for easily 5y now. it's a PITA to clean, and I feel like when I get sick of moving it, I'll put a big FREE! sign on it.

[minnesotapaintlady]

I use mine a lot, but I don't eat the best either.

I'm all for quick on the go stuff, so frozen foods, french fries, etc.  Tossing them in the air fryer is quicker than the oven.   It makes the BEST pork chops and even steaks believe it or not.  I also use it for reheating things that would get mushy in the microwave, and it's the only way I make hard-boiled eggs anymore. 

It is massive, but I have a ton of counter space so that's not a problem.  My son got one just like it to take with him to college because he used it so much.

[billisonboard]

Sept 18, 2022 15:16:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

... hard-boiled eggs ...

MP LADY, please give cooking details I can share with my wife. She loves hard boiled eggs.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Sept 18, 2022 15:23:56 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Sept 18, 2022 15:16:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

... hard-boiled eggs ...

MP LADY, please give cooking details I can share with my wife. She loves hard boiled eggs.

Not much to it.  I just throw them in at 300 (pre-heated) for 15 minutes and then put in an ice bath in the sink right after.   Come out great.

eta:  They say you shouldn't let the eggs touch in the air fryer.  Not sure if it matters or not, but I keep them separated.

[haapai]

Sept 18, 2022 15:23:56 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Sept 18, 2022 15:16:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

... hard-boiled eggs ...

MP LADY, please give cooking details I can share with my wife. She loves hard boiled eggs.

I'm confused, Bill.  I was under the impression that you'd been here for dogs' ages'.  The poster that you are addressing is either mpl or MPL.  Addressing her as MP LADY just screws with my mind. 

Have you been binging on an unhealthy amount of BBC recently?   

I'll forgive you if you have.  I might have been doing the same. 

[billisonboard]

Sept 18, 2022 15:33:14 GMT -5 haapai said:

Sept 18, 2022 15:23:56 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

MP LADY, please give cooking details I can share with my wife. She loves hard boiled eggs.

I'm confused, Bill.  I was under the impression that you'd been here for dogs' ages'.  The poster that you are addressing is either mpl or MPL.  Addressing her as MP LADY just screws with my mind. 

Have you been binging on an unhealthy amount of BBC recently?   

I'll forgive you if you have.  I might have been doing the same. 

I don't pay much attention to things like how everyone else addresses others.

[CCL]

I have a small one I picked up at Sam's Club for 25 bucks. It works well when I'm cooking small amounts for just hubby and me. I keep it in a cabinet, not on the counter.

I also have an all-in-one toaster/convection oven which use a lot more. I dont like the air fryer function as well, so never use it for that.

[bookkeeper]

I bought one for Mom for her birthday.  She enjoys using it because it heats up so quickly and she is cooking small portions.  I bought her the basket type because it is easier to clean than the toaster oven style.  Hers will hold an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. 

[debthaven]

Thanks so much for starting this thread raeoflyte ! I've been wondering the same thing. After reading the comments, I've decided it's not worth it for us, but we no longer have kids at home FT, so your decision might be different. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Sept 18, 2022 16:37:28 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Thanks so much for starting this thread raeoflyte ! I've been wondering the same thing. After reading the comments, I've decided it's not worth it for us, but we no longer have kids at home FT, so you're decision might be different. 

We bought ours when we were doing a lot of takeout during Covid. It really did well to refresh food we brought home. TD loves French fries, and it does do a decent job of making fries with minimal oil.

[debthaven]

Ack that "you're" LOL

[daisylu]

Sept 18, 2022 16:43:23 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Sept 18, 2022 16:37:28 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Thanks so much for starting this thread raeoflyte ! I've been wondering the same thing. After reading the comments, I've decided it's not worth it for us, but we no longer have kids at home FT, so you're decision might be different. 

We bought ours when we were doing a lot of takeout during Covid. It really did well to refresh food we brought home. TD loves French fries, and it does do a decent job of making fries with minimal oil.

Yes! It reheats leftovers great!

Also as DH and I are becoming empty nesters it is much better than heating up the oven for a bit of of anything.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Sept 18, 2022 15:31:40 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Sept 18, 2022 15:23:56 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

MP LADY, please give cooking details I can share with my wife. She loves hard boiled eggs.

Not much to it.  I just throw them in at 300 (pre-heated) for 15 minutes and then put in an ice bath in the sink right after.   Come out great.

eta:  They say you shouldn't let the eggs touch in the air fryer.  Not sure if it matters or not, but I keep them separated.

My sister-in-law makes her “hardboiled” eggs in the oven. She uses a muffin pan to keep them separated.

[Deleted]

I bought Mister a Ninja Foodie or whatever, monstrosity that is an air fryer, pressure cooker, slow cooker, and probably some more stuff I’m not interested in figuring out. It seems way too complicated for me, I have enough trouble using a regular stove and oven correctly.

I was interested in the fact that you can cook meat in it without thawing it out first, which is often our first problem when trying to figure out what’s for dinner….. everything is frozen. 

The air fryer function has been hit or miss for us when I was interested, so I quickly lost even that little bit of interest. We tried steaks in it. Terrible. Maybe we just didn’t do it right. We did catfish filets in it, perfect. 

I think Mister uses it mostly now as either a slow cooker or pressure cooker. He cooked some smoked neckbones in it today. He’s also cooked greens and beans in it, and they were good. 

Weeks or months go by without him using it at all though. I don’t really have anywhere to store it because it’s so big, so it lives in a back corner on my countertop, where it’s not in the way.

It’s not hard to clean, the parts that you put the food in go in the dishwasher. 

I mostly forget it’s even an option for cooking, so we still have the same dilemmas about dinner when all the meat is frozen. I could do better with that, and I appreciate the reminder.

I’d prefer not to cook in the first place, and I have no idea how to work our *whatever it is* besides an air fryer, so I’m probably not the most reliable person as far as reviews go lol. I just wanted to share my thoughts anyway.

[Happy prose]

I want one that is a toaster oven/air fryer combo. Any recommendations? I love my toaster oven.

[countrygirl2]

I got a Ninja foodie from that renter. It was stuck in the garage, she might have used it once or twice. A couple of racks were missing so I ordered them. I use the pressure cooker a lot. Thaw things like stew beef and cook onions in with it to get it started. Then I transfer to a kettle. I have made bean soup in it, but I always transfer things like that to a big kettle and slow cook it on the stove. It is very useful to get started and getting the flavor going quickly in dishes. It will slow cook too, need to read up on it.

It like my other cooker makes great boiled eggs. Use the pressure part for 3 minutes and come out perfect, just put a bit of water in it. I also make my steel cut oats and cook up a weeks worth. I ordered a cookbook for it and printed out the how toos. I need to try all the other stuff it does.

Also, I do roasts in it; anything I want really tender I cook in it. Things like barbecue, roasts, any tough cuts of meat. 

The thing is huge, it sits on the small piece of countertop past the stove, a perfect place for it. There are times I don't want to heat the oven so this works.

Tonight, I didn't want meat, so filled up on green beans, carrots, and veggies. DD and hubs had the steak, but it was all very good.

Oh, rice is also good in it.

[CCL]

Sept 18, 2022 17:02:07 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Sept 18, 2022 16:43:23 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

We bought ours when we were doing a lot of takeout during Covid. It really did well to refresh food we brought home. TD loves French fries, and it does do a decent job of making fries with minimal oil.

Yes! It reheats leftovers great!

Also as DH and I are becoming empty nesters it is much better than heating up the oven for a bit of of anything.

Yes. That's the way we use ours, too.

[CCL]

Sept 18, 2022 18:57:52 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

I want one that is a toaster oven/air fryer combo. Any recommendations? I love my toaster oven.

I've got this one, but picked it up at Sam's Club for $120.

emerilairfryer360.com/

[minnesotapaintlady]

Sept 18, 2022 19:09:53 GMT -5 CCL said:

Sept 18, 2022 17:02:07 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Yes! It reheats leftovers great!

Also as DH and I are becoming empty nesters it is much better than heating up the oven for a bit of of anything.

Yes. That's the way we use ours, too.

Yep. Throw a couple chicken tenders in for myself and they're done in 10 minutes or so.

[andi9899]

I love my air fryer, but I don’t have a convection oven. If I did I probably wouldn't need the air fryer.

[tskeeter]

Sept 18, 2022 15:31:40 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Sept 18, 2022 15:23:56 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

MP LADY, please give cooking details I can share with my wife. She loves hard boiled eggs.

Not much to it.  I just throw them in at 300 (pre-heated) for 15 minutes and then put in an ice bath in the sink right after.   Come out great.

eta:  They say you shouldn't let the eggs touch in the air fryer.  Not sure if it matters or not, but I keep them separated.

Keeping food from touching in an air fryer makes sense to me.   An air fryer is basically a small convection oven.  If food is touching, the air can’t circulate completely around the food.  That means any food items in contact with each other can’t cook evenly.

[raeoflyte]

I was hoping the answers would be overwhelmingly worth it, but so far I'll hold off.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Eh I have one and it's all right but it's not the wunderkind I thought it would be.  My mom bought me it for Christmas.  

It is nice in the summer to not heat the oven as often.  Mine is a smaller one so the basket isn't very big.  It is annoying because I like to batch cook especially on days before we have dance.  What I can do with one large sheet or roasting pan it takes me 3-4 batches in the air fryer.  I'm doing twice as much work just for the sake of not heating the oven.

If I was going to buy one myself I might have gone for a Ninja which would have eliminated a couple other appliances like my slow cooker too.  Maybe at some point I will consider it.

[bean29]

www.bestbuy.com/site/ninja-foodi-6-in-1-8-qt-2-basket-air-fryer-with-dualzone-technology-dark-grey/6421833.p?skuId=6421833
This is the one I bought my Son for Christmas.  He lives alone, but he does have a SO.  They were talking with DD about it this weekend.  Apparently they use it a lot.  Sounded like my DD bought one too.

I will follow up with them and see what the verdict is. 

I bought the double basked version b/c they said you can cook 2 different dishes at the same time in it.

[laterbloomer]

Not worth it to me. It might be if it actually replaced other appliances. But in my case it would just add clutter.

[pooks]

I know my parents, stepson, and SIL use theirs a lot.  All have other appliances they don't use, but use the air fryer often. 

DH and I stayed at FIL's house while he was in the hospital.  He has an air fryer, but no microwave or pots for some reason.  We had to use the Air Fryer to reheat things.  Not sure if we will get one for ourselves.  I don't want anything on my counter, so thought about maybe getting the instant pot air fryer lid.