Page 8 | Air fryers…what’s the hype?

mummy203 · 2022-09-20T13:16:23+00:00

am I being unreasonable thinking air fryers are hype? Or am I just not getting it yet I’ve been bought a 4L tower one, not used yet because I’m not sure I’m going to keep it. At first I thought fab I will use instead of my oven, but all the tutorials seem to show everything cooked separately chips for 20mins, chicken for 20mins and so on. There’s not enough room to put everything in for a family meal to cook at the same time. I can’t see how this would work cooking a meal for even 2 people. If you have to put half the dinner in the oven anyway then why use the air fryer at all just put everything in the oven at the same time 🤷🏼♀️ What am I not getting?

LongLivedQueen · 21/09/2022 20:54

a 12l for 2 people? If you're high and have massive munchies maybe.

I have a 7l, its an XXL and easily cooks for six people

KingCharlespen · 21/09/2022 21:22

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 21/09/2022 17:05

@KingCharlespen
Now that's really interesting.

My mum came over from Eastern Europe in the mid sixties and she brought one over as her mum used one all the time.
Unfortunately, it wasn't compatible with UK electricity, so she didn't use it.

Whenever she reminisced about it I'd suggest getting an adapter but I think she felt it was old-fashioned and wouldn't bother.

It was really interesting to see it become a Lakeland bestseller a number of years ago, long before air-fryers became a thing.
I'd toyed with the idea but felt that it would just be another faddy gadget.

I'm clearly wrong and think I'll give one a go. It seems more versatile than an air fryer and with a larger capacity yet takes up less space.

Thank you for reminding me!

Check out the Lakeland shop on ebay, they regularly have remoskas at around half the normal price. Interesting that your mother would have had one and I think they originated from Bedsits and flats with shared kitchens. They're a very moist way of cooking vegetables and meat, the vegetables keep their shape in a way they never would on a hob.

Nolongera · 22/09/2022 09:04

GasPanic · 21/09/2022 16:03

@Nolongera

Yes.

I used to use my oven 2x per day for 1/2 hour. It averages about 2kw during that time (from meter), so total usage = 20.52=2kwh per day multiply by electricity unit price 0.35p per kwh produces a total cost of 70p per day.

Air fryer I use 2x per day for 20mins. It averages 0.9kw during that time (from meter) so total usage 0.90.332=0.6kwh per day multiply by electricity unit price 0.35p per kwh produces a total cost of 21p per day.

The unit cost £30 from HotUKdeals and from the above saves me 50p per day. So it pays for itself in 2 months.

Actually wish I had bought a better one now and paid out a bit more money, but not sure that that is entirely relevant.

It's really not that hard. And is the same principle as the heated throw vs. central heating. The heated throw keeps you warm by heating you rather than the whole house, allowing you to keep warm with less energy while not heating bits of the house you don't use. The air fryer is pretty much the same. It's not "magic" or breaking the laws of physics. It's simply offers a more appropriate amount of cooking capacity (and therefore energy consumption) for the task you wish to do.

Thank you.

Your air fryer uses the same amount of electricity in 40 minutes as my oven.

No idea how old my oven is, it came with the house, but ten years old wouldn't surprise me.

If you have a spectacularly inefficient oven and don't intend to replace it then an air fryer might make sense.

ScottishLavender · 22/09/2022 09:12

We've got a 2 drawer air fryer and an induction hob. Last night we had tarragon chicken with roast potatoes cooked in the air fryer, veggies steamed and tarragon sauce made on the hob. All served at the same time.

Much less energy used and usually a bit quicker cooking time.

Thelnebriati · 22/09/2022 09:33

I have a gas oven. It used to be the cheapest option but the price of gas is going to be astronomical over winter. I could buy an air fryer and a microwave for a fraction of the cost of replacing it with electric, and they've already paid for themselves.

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 22/09/2022 16:46

Thank you for that @KingCharlespen , I'll keep an eye out!

Yeahrepublic · 22/09/2022 17:05

MrsDThomas · 21/09/2022 19:03

its proving difficult finding a ninja 400. Out of stock in argos John Lewis currys and my local euronics shop. Im on email alert!

Keep checking the site as I found one available with Curry's but never had a back in stock email.

GasPanic · 22/09/2022 17:13

@MrsDThomas

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but these are going for silly money on Ebay at the moment which generally means they are hard to get hold of - I was considering getting a dual.

I think I'm going to have to wait.

Yeahrepublic · 22/09/2022 17:45

GasPanic · 22/09/2022 17:13

@MrsDThomas

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but these are going for silly money on Ebay at the moment which generally means they are hard to get hold of - I was considering getting a dual.

I think I'm going to have to wait.

You can still get them you just need to check all the usual suspects 937 times a day.

GasPanic · 22/09/2022 18:00

Ok Ta for that i will keep refreshing !

Adventurine · 22/09/2022 18:11

I love mine for sausages. Nicer in there than in the oven or the frying pan

Furries · 22/09/2022 19:23

Adventurine · 22/09/2022 18:11

I love mine for sausages. Nicer in there than in the oven or the frying pan

I agree! Am doing them tonight with beans and jacket potato - lovely.

OriginalUsername3 · 22/09/2022 19:40

Very handy for mine and DSs lunch instead of half a tray of food going in our full oven.

Mine can do a full chicken. So I do chicken mash and carrots, then chicken curry, then chicken wraps. Three days food using barely any power.

FlorianImogen · 22/09/2022 20:32

Following as I'm thinking it could be a useful addition in my motorhome

JangolinaPitt · 23/09/2022 06:18

Inspired by this thread am going to try a whole chicken this weekend

lugeforlife · 23/09/2022 08:15

We have a tower dual basket one - wanted the ninja but all out of stock. This was half the price.

Had it for a couple of weeks and so far ok. Only turned the oven on twice in that time.

I would say I'm not there 100% with it yet. Have tried whole chicken twice and both times not quite cooked. Chips were ok but not amazing. On the other hand, salmon, sausages, beige food all good. Dd is the master of reheated sausage rolls and other one loves her part bakes.

One reason we got it was ironically to steer away from beige though. Home made chips rather than frozen, chicken we'd made spicy from scratch rather than breaded stuff etc. I think I need to get some liners and spend a bit of time in you tube.....

Always4Brenner · 23/09/2022 09:08

Yes a chicken breast in a sauce even I could do that liners would keep it clean I’m really tempted now oven chips still though🤦‍♀️As can’t chop spuds anymore

ResinCoatedPaper · 23/09/2022 09:12

Watching with interest. Nothing to contribute yet as waiting for a Ninja multi.

tiger2691 · 23/09/2022 09:54

I have a Russell Hobbs SatisFry Air & Grill Multi Cooker, new model. Tricky thing, sausages cooked fine, as did a homemade family sized steak pie. Made some bread rolls, they were good. I also made 2 pasties, they exploded in the tray, and i realised halfway through eating some fish fingers that they were actually raw in the middle, I ate them all anyway.

Everything takes longer to cook than legend dictates, I'm still adjusting but right now it's a 4/10 from me.

QuietYou · 23/09/2022 09:59

I've read so many threads about them and I'm still none the wiser as to whether they'd be of use to us or not.
We don't regularly cook things like chips, hash browns, onion rings, fish fingers, breaded chicken, sausages, pies, pizza etc maybe three times a month.
Our 'quick' meals are something in the slow cooker with pasta/rice/potatoes cooked separately on the hob, stir fry, soup or something on toast.
The things we oven cook are mainly roasts, lasagne, enchiladas, tray bakes, cakes, crumbles, bread, mash topped pies, sides of salmon.
Burgers and sausages we cook on the gas barbecue (it's under cover)
Microwave is mostly used by older DC reheating food, microwave jacket potatoes or oat so simple or by me to defrost bread rolls for packed lunches.

GhostFromTheOtherSide · 23/09/2022 10:01

I have an instant pot duo crisp so pressure cooker as well as air frier.

I use the pressure cooker a lot, and while I do use the air frier function I couldn’t justify using up the kitchen space for just an air frier.

And I agree with PP, stuff doesn’t cook much quicker than the oven. Someone posted here recently that they cook sausages in 6 minutes, I’m assuming they have a liking for raw sausages, since the average cooking time is between 10/15 minutes depending on what kind of sausages they are. That isn’t any quicker than in the grill but it is easier.

But oven baked stuff e.g. fish fingers don’t cook any quicker in the air frier than in the oven, but the fact that it heats up quickly etc is what makes it efficient.

NotLactoseFree · 23/09/2022 10:34

QuietYou · 23/09/2022 09:59

I've read so many threads about them and I'm still none the wiser as to whether they'd be of use to us or not.
We don't regularly cook things like chips, hash browns, onion rings, fish fingers, breaded chicken, sausages, pies, pizza etc maybe three times a month.
Our 'quick' meals are something in the slow cooker with pasta/rice/potatoes cooked separately on the hob, stir fry, soup or something on toast.
The things we oven cook are mainly roasts, lasagne, enchiladas, tray bakes, cakes, crumbles, bread, mash topped pies, sides of salmon.
Burgers and sausages we cook on the gas barbecue (it's under cover)
Microwave is mostly used by older DC reheating food, microwave jacket potatoes or oat so simple or by me to defrost bread rolls for packed lunches.

Honestly, it doesn't sound to me like you will benefit that much. You'd need quite a big one if you wanted to replace what you're using your oven for and I don't really see how helpful that is. Most of the people who love them seem to want to be able to do small amounts, increase speed or reduce their deep frying. And you don't have any of those.

SpaceOP · 23/09/2022 10:38

GhostFromTheOtherSide · 23/09/2022 10:01

I have an instant pot duo crisp so pressure cooker as well as air frier.

I use the pressure cooker a lot, and while I do use the air frier function I couldn’t justify using up the kitchen space for just an air frier.

And I agree with PP, stuff doesn’t cook much quicker than the oven. Someone posted here recently that they cook sausages in 6 minutes, I’m assuming they have a liking for raw sausages, since the average cooking time is between 10/15 minutes depending on what kind of sausages they are. That isn’t any quicker than in the grill but it is easier.

But oven baked stuff e.g. fish fingers don’t cook any quicker in the air frier than in the oven, but the fact that it heats up quickly etc is what makes it efficient.

I think it depends on what you are making but in my experience, it definitely is quicker for many things: Waitrose breaded chicken breasts are 25 minutes in the oven. I did mine in the air fryer last week in 12. I can roast tomatoes in 15 minutes in the air fryer - it takes at least 40 minutes in the oven. I did jacket potatoes in 45 minutes vs well over an hour in the oven.

So yes, it is quicker for many things. Agree - sausages in air fryer vs frying pan not much different but definitely easier and less faff.

QuietYou · 23/09/2022 11:45

@NotLactoseFree

Thank you. I love a gadget so keep getting tempted, but I shall resist. Pleased really as they aren't pretty to look at are they!

FinallyHere · 23/09/2022 11:45

Agree, single portions of salmon or chicken which I would hesitate to use the full oven for, are quick and easy and tasty cooked in the air fryer.

This was originally the promise of the microwave which was not fulfilled

There are usually only the two of us for meals. If I were cooking for more, and coordinating different courses. I'd probably find the oven as convenient.