To think that an air fryer is only useful if you don't already cook much?

[MyOldCaravan]

Everyone seems to have one and raves about them. But I honestly can't see the benefit, other than cooking things a bit quicker

I already have a microwave/combi oven, gas hob, slow cooker.

For things that need heating and crisping, eg croissants there's a setting on the combi oven that does that. All veg cooked in a steamer on the hob.

Don't tend to eat chicken nuggets/oven chips etc much.

So why would I need one?

As well as a cost saver, it makes things easier because you don't have to watch it like you do a grill or frying pan, you can just put the timer on and leave it running.

At the end of the set time, it turns the heat off so keeps things warm until you go back to it.

Our oven broke just before Christmas. We still had the hob, microwave, slow cooker and air fryer. If it wasn't for my obsession with pizza we could probably have lived without the oven. But then again with an oven we could live without the air fryer. My husband is the cook and it's his gadget - I probably wouldn't have got one myself.
But we got the oven fixed and in the last couple of weeks I have eaten far to much pizza 🤣

That is the reason I DON'T have one
They are massive and use up to much workspace

Well of course you don’t need one because you have bought another gadget that does the same job.

we cook from scratch every night (it seems important to you that I prove my cooking credentials before I comment) and we use it a lot. It’s quicker, cheaper and more convenient than heating up a big oven. I hope that clears that up for you.

I got rid of ours as it just wasn't right for us. We rarely have oven tapas now and when we do I found it didn't make enough so I suspect they come into their own when cooking for 1-2 people. I tend to use my oven and fill it so that's another consideration. I'm also a massive slow cook fan and would rather spend more pennies on that than a quick freezer meal. We eat a lot of fish but usually fried so again I don't think we make the most of it in terms of what we like to eat. I would go through an airfryer FB page and list how many things from there you are likely to cook then make a cost/benefit analysis. I wish I had before I bought the blooming thing! Also check out second hand ones before you buy I f unsure as our local fb marketplace is full of them for the last month so you could try at a cheaper price before committing.

We cook from scratch pretty much all the time, and are good at it (even if I do say so myself😳). I spent a long time thinking it would be an unused gadget sitting gathering dust in the side, but I was wrong. I love it.

Cooks wings far better than they cook in the oven. Meats (especially chicken or sausages) come out far juicier with a good crisp skin than they do from the oven. I use it to cook fajitas, shawarma, tray bakes. It grills meat or vegetables fantastically (far faster than my oven or grill can). It makes perfect crispy kale. It’s good for dehydrating meat snacks for the dog, and tomatoes for us. Makes a perfect roast (as it has a temperature probe). I’m sure there are many other things we use it for, but my brain has gone blank.

we use it far more than we use the oven, grill or microwave. It’s also great for quickly reheating left overs, and does it in a much more uniform way than the microwave does.

We don’t eat chicken nuggets or chips, as we eat low carb, so it’s really not the case that that’s all they are good for.

Tye underlying “ airfriers are only for people who don’t cook, only cook nuggets and chips or who don’t know how to cook” smug tone is really grating.

I’ve made loads of things in mine, funnily enough I cook from scratch 90% of the
time, I just have an old and energy inefficient oven so it’s faster and more cost effective to use an air frier. It’s large so I can cook family meals in it, and stuff like lasagne or “wet” food goes into trays and into the air frier fine. I don’t understand why you think they’re only for a lazy who eat processed food?

People used to say the same about your little microwave too, but you’ve got one of those.

I don’t know why anyone wants a slow cooker. 🙄 I tried one and hated it but I love my air fryer.

Just done 'boiled' eggs in mine with soldiers.

We had fish and roasted veg from it last night and then mozzarella sticks and a cheese dip for happy valley time

I love it. Haven't used my oven since we got it

I recently had to replace my gas cooker and decided to get a 9in1 type air fryer instead.
It's basically an oven isn't it?

We have a gas aga and the air fryer is a blessing - no need to heat up a whole oven and hob just to boil pasta. In the summer when it's off all the time we can get 90% of our cooking done in the air fryer and it saves a fortune. Hate the aga, love the air fryer!

You've got to love a casserole to get the best out of a slow cooker. We didn't have one for years because the DDs hated anything "saucy".

@Groutyonehereagain my husband and mother in law use their slow cookers to do things like casseroles or curries. I don't know if it makes a difference to how the food tastes (I don't like food like casseroles/curries) but they both seem happy and use their slow cookers loads.

I hate slow cookers too
I keep trying stuff in them and never enjoy them
I never learn though and 2 months later I'm like oh! that sounds nice.

I just wish it wasn't called an "air fryer" - I spent years envisaging a giant chip-pan when it's just a small efficient fan oven.

There's just me and toddler DS. So the amount of food I'd put in the oven fits in the air fryer. Saves time and energy and means the heat is high up out of DSs reach. I use the hob mostly for curries and stir frys but I only use the oven if making a few days worth of shepherd pie.

I only use it for things like fish fingers and chips but it can roast potatoes as well. I wouldn’t be without it though as it’s so easy and quick to use but I haven’t done any ‘proper’ cooking in it.

I keep thinking about getting one. Busy house with teens so half the week, everyone needs something quick at different times.
Daft question, can you open it and add to it to make a full meal? Eg could I do something like a chicken breast, roast potatoes and roast veg, which all have different cooking times?

We got one as we were undergoing building work and without a kitchen for several months. We got by with an airfryer and a microwave. It was a lifesaver.

Moving forward, we will still use it, as it's better/quicker/more convenient for some things.

It's useful if cooking sides (e.g garlic bread/samosas/spring rolls/part baked baguettes) to pop them in the airfryer without having to waste time and energy pre-heating a whole big oven just for a side.

It cooks a whole roast chicken (and is super succulent) in about 50 minutes. Not really worthwhile if you're cooking a full roast for a family as you'd have the oven on anyway, but if you just want roast chicken with new pots and salad, it's quicker, cheaper and easier.

It's great when a teenager just wants to make themselves a single portion of oven chips/nuggets/chicken kiev/fishfingers.

Bacon cooks in 8 minutes and is delicious and cripsy - perfect for an easy bacon sandwich for breakfast. Sausages cook in about 10 minutes. Much quicker, less messy (no fat splattering) and superior results to grilling.

I don't think there's much that it cooks that couldn't be done another way, but the results are often better and quicker than conventional cooking.

It's amazing how many things we've managed to cook in an airfryer - fajitas, kebabs, boursin stuffed bacon wrapped chicken breasts, roast dinners, chillis, curries. It's not just for breaded food and oven chips! Obviously it'll suit some families lifestyles more than others, but I'm glad I've got it!

Claim that it's just for people who don't cook much or are learning is bit... Showing lack of imagination. Soz.

I cook a lot, international cuisine (mixed nationalities at home), I use it instead of oven a lot now. They cost pennies to run and preheat well faster than oven.

I have oven, slowcooker, microwave etc. Still find good use for this.

I do loads in mine. Soup, salmon, stew, roast potatoes are lovely in it, roast chicken it’s got so many functions and my oven isn’t great so it’s really handy. Clearly if you think it’s for cooking nuggets and chips you’ve no idea what one is.

I only got mine initially as I was in temp accommodation and the oven broke so was something to cook with and I’ve used it loads ever since, rattly for nuggets or fish fingers I might add

Yes you can open and add.

I cook, lots, and very well and have done for very many years.

My air fryer is tremendous. If the oven and air fryer packed up at the same time, I'd replace the air fryer.

I can cook a full roast dinner for 4 in an hour and a half, Sunday morning bacon sandwiches done in 7 minutes, roast veg in half the time, I could go on.

My electricity consumption is down 15% since I started using one. I use my oven maybe once or twice a month now, it's essentially a very expensive cupboard.

Question for those that have one - which is best, one with drawers or one with shelves?

Seen both on sale and tried to find a compare and contrast review but can’t find anything

I cook but I don't have a microwave and I have teenagers. Ours get used a lot.