Tell me why I should get an air fryer please!

[FeltCarrot]

Nothing I want for Christmas but family are pushing for ideas so I’m wondering about an air fryer. Anyone got one? How easy are they to use? I’m imagining juicy steak and salmon, oh and are the chips as good as they look on the telly?

I don't have one myself and have been wondering the same.

I know two people who have them who absolutely love them.
They cook more quickly and they save a lot of energy. I am told you can cook all sorts of things in there.

However, I know very little so perhaps this will just bump you of unanswered threads.

I love mine because it is quicker to cook stuff. This morning I stuck sausages it it and pottered off to get kids ready for school.... if I used pan I'd have burnt them.

Part baked rolls cooked in a few mins, no pre heating oven, so probably a 15 min time saver (my oven takes ages to heat up).

Full chicken time saving of about 30 mins.

Chips cooked move evenly than oven. I use both frozen and homemade. Again it's faster.

I like browning meatballs in them as the oil drips down to the bottom of the pan, so has to be healthier, and then I pop them into the sauce.

Goujans and fish fingers crisper and ready in jig time.

Haven't tried salmon or fresh fish.

I now only really use my oven when I'm cooking pizzas as I cook 3 at a time.

I'm boring with mine and mostly do beige freezer food, part baked rolls and potato! Live alone so it's handy if I think I want say some chips with an omelette or a roll with soup and I don't want to put the oven on just for that

My dad on the other hand is doing salmon, eggy bread with brioche, almost everything in his. I talked him into getting one and he uses it more than me

I never realised part baked rolls were so popular.

What do people do with them?!

Part baked rolls are a winner (for kids lunch boxes)

I wouldn’t do a steak in the air fryer but it’s absolutely brilliant for freezer food, roast chicken (whole) and salmon etc

deffo recommend!!!

I only really use mine because I don’t have the space for an oven. They are quicker and it works out cheaper though which is a plus. I wouldn’t say chips are any better than in an oven and I definitely wouldn’t cook a steak in it.

I bought one earlier this year, then gave it to my son when he moved out. I miss it almost every day. It is so useful especially as its now just dh and I at home.

We are shortly moving house, otherwise I'd have definitely bought another one by now.

Stew in 30 mins
chicken in 40 mins
Roast potatoes are brilliant
toasties
sear meat
steam veg

Sling it in set the timer and leave it to cook

Currently have a pulled pork cooking so I can shred and add the BBQ sauce - no effort required.

You shouldn't get one. I've read the reviews.

My air fryer is quicker and less faff than my oven. It has a timer and several useful settings. I have the Ninja XL, I would like the one with 2 drawers eventually. Life changing!

I fell for the instapot and shark vacuum hype, I am not falling for the air fryer! (yet)

Because 4 minutes on the reheat function makes a dominos pizza slice taste like it’s just been delivered to your door. Doesn’t dry it out like the oven does (plus no pre-heating of the oven).

Sorry, just thought I’d add a different viewpoint to the mix!

On a serious note, I love mine. Medium chicken done in 50 minutes, blooming lovely. Steak has been great. Sausages in 8 minutes - no fat spitting everywhere. Salmon fillet quick and tasty.

Ive got a dual drawer, so meat or fish in one and potatoes in the other. Sync the drawers so they both finish cooking at the same time.

Those of you saying you’d never cook a steak in one are missing out!

I wouldn't get an airfryer for Christmas. That's like asking for an oven or a microwave. Christmas presents should me something for you unless it's a joint one with the family.

I'm also wanting one for Christmas ! Can anyone recommend a good one?

Shark vacuums ate s*e, aren't they? So disappointing!

Are airfryers very noisy? I'm really tempted to get one as it's depressing turning the oven on to cook wedges and seeing the smart meter going up!

Yes I agree, not exactly the type of thing you would have as a present, bit like getting a vacuum cleaner

We have a ninja foodi. We probably use the pressure cooker function most of all, followed by the combo steam mode which steams food then finishes it off on air fryer mode.

Stand alone air fryers are great for freezer food, chicken/meat joints, potatoes, veg, and things like bacon. Overall quicker than using the oven, so saves on electricity.

We use our foodi most days, and I don't think a stand alone air fryer would be used as much, but I think people mostly have to consider how often the will use it and if that's worth the cost/space it takes in the kitchen.

Thank you for the replies! The overwhelming opinion seems to be favourable. I understand the feeling that an air fryer is similar to getting a hoover but I really don’t want/need anything. I have books on my kindle, bubble bath, and socks galore. My DS has just started a well paying job and is desperate to buy bigger presents this year and an air fryer was the only thing I could think of!

Are airfryers very noisy?

No more noisy than an oven.

My favourite thing about ours is that crispy things actually come out crispy, it is fab at jacket potatoes, and it doesn't involve any time waiting for it to heat up - waiting for our small oven to heat just to cook chicken Nuggets for the kids tea was my pet hate!

I'm thinking about getting one, but I do most of my cooking from scratch.
I don't use frozen ready meals but do a lot of batch cooking for freezer.
Do they suit people like me?

Yes. I cook most of my food from scratch, and use the air fryer nearly everyday. If I have taken a meal from the freezer i empty it into a glass, or metal pie dish, and reheat.

They're just quicker. No warming oven up just shove stuff in and switch on. So very convenient if perhaps not for culinary masterpieces they are good for bogstandard quick food, jacket spuds chicken pies etc.

Thank you @LadyKenya