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Please talk to me about Air Fryers.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 12:12
Hello. Please talk to me about air fryers, I know I’m late to the game here.
We are vegi so no need to cook meat or fish. However I’m aware that I heat the oven to just cook a small amount as there is only two of us.
Are they worth it? How do they work? Is it better than the oven or just cheaper? Can I cook things that I might have in the freezer, like a pie, for example?
Thank you all.
Luredbyapomegranate · 26/08/2022 16:18
I like mine, but a microwave convection oven hybrid is bigger and thus more flexible although not much quicker than a normal oven. I’d go for that first. Either will save you on bills.
SoupDragon · 26/08/2022 16:31
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 16:14
See now this is where I get confused. I could do that in my oven in that time so why is the air fryer better?
7eleven · 26/08/2022 15:50
Prepare veg in the usual way, toss in olive oil, add slices of garlic and season.
Air fry for about 30 mins, shaking every so often. Add cherry tomatoes and air fry for a further 10 mins or so. Add chopped up feta and air fry for a minute or two. Yum yum yum.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 14:46
Oooh. Tell me more about that please. I do roast veg a lot. It’s just about the main thing I use my oven for!
7eleven · 26/08/2022 14:19
My ninja dual is the best thing I think I’ve ever bought for the kitchen. I’m a vegetarian and roasted Mediterranean veg with feta cheese is sublime. Rarely use the main oven now.
It depends what else you are cooking at the same time. The air fryer is smaller and therefore (I assume!) more energy efficient than a big oven.
Sparklingbrook · 26/08/2022 16:35
Also, no preheating an air fryer as you would an oven.
Sparklingbrook · 26/08/2022 16:39
It's also popular with the young adult when they are home, (for reheating things especially)and it just seems less effort than switching the oven on for them.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 16:56
SoupDragon · 26/08/2022 16:31
It depends what else you are cooking at the same time. The air fryer is smaller and therefore (I assume!) more energy efficient than a big oven.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 16:14
See now this is where I get confused. I could do that in my oven in that time so why is the air fryer better?
7eleven · 26/08/2022 15:50
Prepare veg in the usual way, toss in olive oil, add slices of garlic and season.
Air fry for about 30 mins, shaking every so often. Add cherry tomatoes and air fry for a further 10 mins or so. Add chopped up feta and air fry for a minute or two. Yum yum yum.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 14:46
Oooh. Tell me more about that please. I do roast veg a lot. It’s just about the main thing I use my oven for!
7eleven · 26/08/2022 14:19
My ninja dual is the best thing I think I’ve ever bought for the kitchen. I’m a vegetarian and roasted Mediterranean veg with feta cheese is sublime. Rarely use the main oven now.
Now this is the thing. As there is only two of us I’m sometimes putting the oven on for a small amount of things, say one pie, so I’m heating the whole oven for just that. But the ninja air fryer I’m looking at is 1550 w which is 1.55 kWh, and my oven is 0.95 kWh. So the air fryer costs more to run.
Cynderella · 26/08/2022 17:08
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 16:14
See now this is where I get confused. I could do that in my oven in that time so why is the air fryer better?
7eleven · 26/08/2022 15:50
Prepare veg in the usual way, toss in olive oil, add slices of garlic and season.
Air fry for about 30 mins, shaking every so often. Add cherry tomatoes and air fry for a further 10 mins or so. Add chopped up feta and air fry for a minute or two. Yum yum yum.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 14:46
Oooh. Tell me more about that please. I do roast veg a lot. It’s just about the main thing I use my oven for!
7eleven · 26/08/2022 14:19
My ninja dual is the best thing I think I’ve ever bought for the kitchen. I’m a vegetarian and roasted Mediterranean veg with feta cheese is sublime. Rarely use the main oven now.
I'm new to air fryers, but I made roasted veg with halloumi a couple of nights ago. It took 25 mins which is probably half the time it would take in my oven if you factor in preheating. If I'm reheating a lasagne I batch-cooked, it can take an hour in my oven including pre heating. Have yet to try in air fryer, but it promises to do it in half the time.
There are other conveniences, so far, I've found: warming croissants in a couple of mins, reheating leftover pizza in less than ten.
Lastqueenofscotland2 · 26/08/2022 17:11
I’m veggie, it’s great for crispy tofu and does hallumi nice too
Hugasauras · 26/08/2022 17:32
The air fryer cooks stuff in half to a third of the time though and no preheating, so energy costs are most likely less than an electric oven.
Madhairday · 26/08/2022 17:38
Thinkle · 26/08/2022 12:35
The basic ones without the bells and whistles are mini ovens that heat up much faster and cook things much faster and crispier. We have a ninja one with a family sized basket but I would still recommend that size for two people because you get more space to cook odd shaped things.
I make a lot of cheese toasties in mine and then use it for a lot of easy foods like quorn products and French fries. I know I don’t use it to its full potential so hopefully others will suggest better ideas.
Yes you could cook a pie
Wait you can make toasties in an air fryer? How do you do that? Excited now 😄
Abraxan · 26/08/2022 17:40
Can anyone recommend a smaller, less expensive version?
Are the cheaper models as efficient or good to use?
DD is a student. She has mentioned that she wants to get one and may ask grandparents for one at Christmas. As its her final year she would be able to use it when she moved into her first home too.
LubaLuca · 26/08/2022 17:49
I've had a Ninja one for about a year now, and it's used daily (more or less).
Things I've done in it this week:
roast vegetables for a lasagne
reheated lasagne
cheese toastie
part baked rolls
frozen croissants
whole chicken
Maybe other things too, but I can't remember. Obviously if I'd wanted to cook roast potatoes, stuffing etc with the chicken I'd have done it all in the oven, but we had new potatoes and salad so it was better to just use the air fryer.
PeloAddict · 26/08/2022 17:52
This is mine, everyone seems to have the basket type ones but mine is shelves!
https://www.very.co.uk/swan-11l-digital-air-fryer-oven/1600632774.prd
Ballsaque · 26/08/2022 17:54
I bought a bells an whistles one recently (the ninja 15-in 1) and it’s great.
it’s a beast,huge and cumbersome but it does everything…. Pressure cooker,yogurt maker,makes bread,dehydrates,slow cooks etc etc.
I have used my oven once in 2 months (to do a pizza)
I think it’s probably more efficient than the oven.
KittyCatsby · 26/08/2022 17:58
Dh and I are veggie . We've just bought the Ninja 15 in 1 about a week ago . I started off with wedges , then made a chocolate cake . Have made a chickpea & quorn curry in it. Yesterday did a whole meal ( sausages , saute potatoes , and a mix of baby sweetcorn and mange tout. Currently have a loaf of bread cooking in it.
It , airfry / steamfry/ roast / slowcook, pressure cook. rtf , I guess 15 things ! Lol
Sparklingbrook · 26/08/2022 18:25
I have not mastered doing pizza in it. We do use the normal oven for that still.
Madhairday · 26/08/2022 18:31
This is probably a stupid question but can you cook things like macaroni cheese, lasagne directly in the baskets? I know you can cook them in dishes that go in the baskets but they are that bit smaller and wouldnt be enough for the family but using the whole basket would be. Obviously taking the trivet out 🤣
savehannah · 26/08/2022 18:38
We got a shelf type one, DH thinks it's great and now gets cross when I use the oven... I'm yet to be convinced. It works ok but it seems to take much much longer than it says in recipes and I end up standing around putting it back on for another 10 minutes rather than just leaving it in the oven and coming back to it done.
Maybe I just haven't got the hang of it yet. It's good for cheese toasties and bacon....
Cynderella · 26/08/2022 18:55
Madhairday · 26/08/2022 18:31
This is probably a stupid question but can you cook things like macaroni cheese, lasagne directly in the baskets? I know you can cook them in dishes that go in the baskets but they are that bit smaller and wouldnt be enough for the family but using the whole basket would be. Obviously taking the trivet out 🤣
Yes, you can in mine. Not that I have yet, but have seen pictures of crumbles, lasagnes etc made in the baskets.
QforCucumber · 26/08/2022 18:59
We’ve had a Philips one for around 8 years now, it’s still amazing and used at least 3/4 times a week: I do find it much quicker than the oven and it’s definitely cheaper to run
Fajhitas take 15 mins with a shake or 2
mac and cheese 12 mins to bubble and brown
pitta pizzas around 7 mins
Mangledrake · 26/08/2022 19:05
I have a cheap one. It's brilliant. Just experiment with timings - it's only a matter of pulling the drawer out to look. But mine takes less than half the time on the packet to do frozen veggie burgers, Quorn things, anything battered etc.
user1471518104 · 26/08/2022 19:07
I have the foodi and I love it. My cooker has never been on for months
I have a probe with mine so it cooks the meat perfectly. I can cook roasted veg in 30 mins and they are the best potatoes I have ever had
HidingFromDD · 26/08/2022 19:17
Question for those who do roasted veg in the ninja foodi (I’ve got the 11 in 1). How do you do them? I’ve tried just putting them in the main pan but they come out a bit soggy. Any tips?
aside from that I love it and oven hasn’t been on for two months and probably only use the hob 3 times a week max (mainly for pasta, can’t get my head around how you’d cook it in the pasta sauce)
AdaColeman · 26/08/2022 19:38
I've got a Philips basket style AF, I do all sorts of things in it. Pizza, cauliflower cheese, mozzarella fingers, vegetable patties, part baked bread, sausages, pies, samosas, falafel, Chinese snacks, all work well in it.
Cheese toasties I do in the toaster with a toaster bag.
They do take up a lot of space as they need space around them so you can pull out the basket safely. I think they would be good for teenagers to cook snacks, chips etc.
Eeksteek · 26/08/2022 20:11
Cynderella · 26/08/2022 18:55
Yes, you can in mine. Not that I have yet, but have seen pictures of crumbles, lasagnes etc made in the baskets.
Madhairday · 26/08/2022 18:31
This is probably a stupid question but can you cook things like macaroni cheese, lasagne directly in the baskets? I know you can cook them in dishes that go in the baskets but they are that bit smaller and wouldnt be enough for the family but using the whole basket would be. Obviously taking the trivet out 🤣
More importantly, can you then put the basket in the dishwasher……
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