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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.
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 20:17
For things like macaroni cheese how do you do that? With a regular oven I would put it in an oven proof dish and into the oven, how would I do that in the air fryer?
Eeksteek · 26/08/2022 20:26
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 couldn’t, but it’s not just about the wattage, is it? It’s about how long the element thingummy is on for. In the halogen oven it wasn’t on for all of the time, and was definitely cheaper. Things like sausages and chips took ages longer to do in the oven, because they were sort of part grilled, part baked in the halogen oven, and that cooked them much quicker than just baking in the regular oven. It also has to keep a much bigger volume up to temperature, which must take more energy, surely?
RoobarbandCustud · 26/08/2022 20:32
I use Instant Pot Duo Crisp - air fryer, pressure cooker, slow cooker (and more that I don't use) in one. I can cook chips for 4 in the airfryer, roast spuds, roast veg etc, a family sized pie, a roast chicken or small/medium joint, a sponge pudding, 1 layer cake. Unlike the ninja duo I can really only cook one thing at a time, if I put pies or burgers on the top shelf over eg chips latter don't cook well below. It's really economical as it's got a tiny heating element compared to a huge oven.
SwedishEdith · 26/08/2022 20:52
I presume you couldn't do a whole roast dinner for a family of 4 in one? You could do the meat or the roast potatoes but not both?
krazipan · 26/08/2022 20:52
@PriamFarrl @Madhairday we had macaroni cheese that I cooked directly in the air fryer drawer tonight.
Cynderella · 26/08/2022 21:05
PriamFarrl · 26/08/2022 20:17
For things like macaroni cheese how do you do that? With a regular oven I would put it in an oven proof dish and into the oven, how would I do that in the air fryer?
Make it on the hob, put in an oven proof dish, or directly into the fryer basket. Add topping and cook.
I see this as something I'll do - I often make a batch of mac n cheese, cauli cheese, lasagne or whatever. I think the airfryer will be ideal for cooking just one for a late dinner for one person. I freeze them in ovenproof dishes anyway.
You can put it all in dishwasher - I'm going to be washing mine up by hand though.
Madhairday · 26/08/2022 23:23
krazipan · 26/08/2022 20:52
@PriamFarrl @Madhairday we had macaroni cheese that I cooked directly in the air fryer drawer tonight.
Oh wow thanks for this - going to try this tomorrow :) how long did you cook it for? Did you cook the macaroni on the hob first?
W0tnow · 27/08/2022 04:34
I think you probably could. I haven’t done it yet but I’d cook the chicken, then wrap it in foil to keep hot. The veg wouldn’t take long. Mine is big, but not big enough to accommodate all the food for 5 of us.
GhostFromTheOtherSide · 27/08/2022 04:56
Instant pot duo crisp here. I have barely used my oven since I’ve had it but tbh that’s because I use the pressure cooker function a lot although I wouldn’t say pressure cooking is more energy efficient.
i would say a stand alone air friar is good if you eat predominantly baked or fried food but it’s a one trip pony, and you’d be better off with one of the multi cookers.
LemonTeacake · 27/08/2022 05:16
We use ours to death!!!
make roasties and chips no par boiling needed
throw everything else in including pork which crisps up great and easier to clean up after
best bit, no preheating!
annabell22 · 27/08/2022 05:21
Cathy at Fabulessly Frugal on YouTube has a fantastic Air fryer series. Some ingredients a bit American but still tons of ideas.
EspressoPatronum · 27/08/2022 08:02
MrsLargeEmbodied · 27/08/2022 07:48
so how much cheaper are they?
I saw this. Obviously there’s the initial outlay as well though.
PriamFarrl · 27/08/2022 08:27
EspressoPatronum · 27/08/2022 08:02
I saw this. Obviously there’s the initial outlay as well though.
MrsLargeEmbodied · 27/08/2022 07:48
so how much cheaper are they?
The thing with that chart is it doesn’t say what power the cooker is or how long it’s on for.
blackheartsgirl · 27/08/2022 08:29
I’ve got the ninja foodie and it’s the best thing I’ve ever bought.
ive cooked macaroni cheese, lasagne, fish pie, roast chicken, roast potatoes and done things like frozen pies, fish, chips and so on.
im not keen on the slow cooker function, think it’s a bit rubbish, so I use my normal slow cooker but I use most other things with it.
I still use my hob but I’ve not had the oven on for months, it cooks quicker and better than my oven but my oven is crap however
abovedecknotbelow · 27/08/2022 08:40
Photosymphysis · 26/08/2022 13:42
We've got a combo-wave. A combi oven, microwave and air fryer in one (replacing the microwave).
We hardly use the big oven at all now.
The combiwave is cheaper to run (though I purposely haven't looked at how much DH spent on it). Good air fried fried food. We cooked pie in it last night. Cooks things quicker than normal since it'll, for example, microwave your jacket potatoes and then crisp them up.
It gets used multiple times a day.
This is interesting, if I could get rid of the never used microwave I'd have space for this it a ninja. Can you share the brand you have if you'd recommend please?
PriamFarrl · 27/08/2022 13:22
krazipan · 26/08/2022 20:52
@PriamFarrl @Madhairday we had macaroni cheese that I cooked directly in the air fryer drawer tonight.
Thanks for sharing that. How about washing up. Can you put the whole tray in the dishwasher?
SoupDragon · 27/08/2022 13:37
Personally I prefer to handwash the drawers. I find a dishwasher is harsh on non stick surfaces. They clean up really easily though.
Eeksteek · 27/08/2022 19:01
There a few of the double drawer ones on marketplace near me. You can just use one half, right? I don’t suppose I’ll use both very often, but I prefer the square shape to the round, and I have space.
krazipan · 27/08/2022 19:12
@Madhairday I made the sauce on the hob and boiled the pasta on the hob. I then baked it in the air fryer for 15 mins.
krazipan · 27/08/2022 19:13
@PriamFarrl I put the whole drawer in the dishwasher. It's not fallen apart on me...yet! 😬
Plastichanger · 27/08/2022 19:21
I know we are all about trying to save money with air fryers but I get a virtuous glow from cooking food and seeing the little puddles of oil below the basket. For example, when we get a takeaway, I pop any deep fried starters in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes and they come out extra crispy and just a bit healthier as s9me of the fat is left in the air fryer instead of the food itself.
Slices of part baked bread spread with butter and a bit of garlic and then cooked in the air fryer makes the best garlic bread I have ever tasted.
if you have Asian shops nearby then you can buy things like frozen samosas, kachories, spring rolls etc and they cook quickly and taste great from the air fryer.
I also like batch cooking marinated tofu in the air fryer and then freezing it to use as and when in stir fries, Thai curries etc.
ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 27/08/2022 20:48
Plastichanger · 27/08/2022 19:21
I know we are all about trying to save money with air fryers but I get a virtuous glow from cooking food and seeing the little puddles of oil below the basket. For example, when we get a takeaway, I pop any deep fried starters in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes and they come out extra crispy and just a bit healthier as s9me of the fat is left in the air fryer instead of the food itself.
Slices of part baked bread spread with butter and a bit of garlic and then cooked in the air fryer makes the best garlic bread I have ever tasted.
if you have Asian shops nearby then you can buy things like frozen samosas, kachories, spring rolls etc and they cook quickly and taste great from the air fryer.
I also like batch cooking marinated tofu in the air fryer and then freezing it to use as and when in stir fries, Thai curries etc.
This is a very helpful post. Thank you.
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