Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate my air fryer

179 replies

Champagneforeveryone · 02/04/2023 04:14

Ugly great bastarding thing that it is, taking up counter space and taunting me with its wasted potential 🧐

We bought a Ninja because everyone said they were the best. A man even accosted DH in John Lewis while we were carrying it out like our first born child to tell him how amazing it was.

Except it's not...

We don't eat a lot of freezer food so that's not been a benefit. I've tried things like chicken breasts but they just came out pale with a tough outer skin. I'm too scared to try bacon in case it's a similar travesty. Sausages were ok, but truthfully not any different to cooking them in the oven. I'm a little disillusioned, but perhaps I'm doing something wrong? Why is the feckless contraption supposed to be so much better than, you know... an actual oven?

OP posts:
SherbetDips · 02/04/2023 07:47

Ioved mine, you have to play around with it. I recommend the “bored of lunch air fryer book” it’s got good recipes.

i don’t use frozen food in mine as I don’t buy or eat frozen food.

Ricco12 · 02/04/2023 07:48

So I use mine a lot. I eat a lot of roasted veg in wraps and sandwiches so it's very quick to roast all my veg etc.

Chips are ok in it, no different to oven chips and obviously not like fried chips which are tasty but unhealthy

oohyoudevilyou · 02/04/2023 07:51

DH insists on "treating me" to whatever gadget is the latest kitchen craze. So I have an air fryer that I've used a handful of times to produce hard chicken pieces, a slow cooker that makes watery stew and makes the house stink for hours, a spiraliser that just takes up cupboard space and a hot water tap that is messy, awkward to use and makes crap tea. Fucking hate gadgets!

JustDanceAddict · 02/04/2023 07:51

I have a basic ninja which air fries, roasts, reheats and dehydrates.

we use it a lot - chicken is amazing in it as is fish. Comes out v moist. Also do chips from scratch which we never do normally and sometimes cook frozen breaded fish/chips etc. dh heated up hot x buns yesterday. Dh has even bought one for his office (he owns his own company) so he can cook at work - he did an omlette in it the other day.

NamechangeAprilFool · 02/04/2023 07:52

I read something that said if you’ve got a combi microwave/oven that you would be wasting your cash on an air fryer so I’ve resisted as if I need something cooking quicker I cook it on a combi setting.

gogohmm · 02/04/2023 07:53

I'm with you op. I have an air fryer setting on my multi cooker and gave it a go - far inferior to my oven for roasted veggies and couldn't do everything at once. It's gone back to bring used to cook brown rice! I love my oven and I'm usually cooking for 3/4, I can cook everything in it often so it is good value use

Passthecake30 · 02/04/2023 07:54

I love my 15 in 1 ninja. I pressure cook potatoes for mash in there (7 mins on high), grill hot x buns and cheese on toast, air fry chips, bake salmon and sweet potatoes, roast chickens, make bread, bologanaise, etc etc. If I’ve only got to put the oven on for one shelf - I try and use the ninja, as it must be cheaper to heat a smaller space.

Skodacool · 02/04/2023 07:54

They will be all over Facebook marketplace in a couple of years
Mine won’t. It costs a fraction of the cost of the oven to run.

MoneyMinimiser · 02/04/2023 07:55

I’m less of a foodie and more of a busie - and it works for me.

Three major pros:
> Quicker
> Kids are safe and confident using it
> I can set it off on a timer

If that doesn’t apply to you - at least you can cook something at a different temp for Christmas dinner?

Blueuggboots · 02/04/2023 07:57

Is it a ninja multicooker? I use mine every day and have not experienced what you're talking about??

rookiemere · 02/04/2023 07:58

I have a cheapie one, and whilst I'm not in love with it, we do use it.
Definitely use it for bacon. I like mine very crispy and the air fryer is perfect for reaching that stage without splattering everything like it would with a pan or grill.
A lady at work uses hers to make roast chickpeas, but I've not tried that yet.
It's also good for baked potatoes- 4 minutes in the microwave, then 10 in the air fryer to crisp the skin.

magicthree · 02/04/2023 08:01

rookiemere · 02/04/2023 07:58

I have a cheapie one, and whilst I'm not in love with it, we do use it.
Definitely use it for bacon. I like mine very crispy and the air fryer is perfect for reaching that stage without splattering everything like it would with a pan or grill.
A lady at work uses hers to make roast chickpeas, but I've not tried that yet.
It's also good for baked potatoes- 4 minutes in the microwave, then 10 in the air fryer to crisp the skin.

I cook my bacon in the oven - there is nothing to splatter.

BadNomad · 02/04/2023 08:18

Between my air fryer and my instant pot, I haven't needed to use the oven for years. You just need to work out what temperature to use because it runs a lot hotter than a standard oven. Lasagna, baked potato, quiché, roasted salmon, toast. It does everything.

summerisnearlyhere · 02/04/2023 08:22

I hate mine too, but thankfully was given it so no money wasted.

It's huge but the actual bit you can cook in is tiny, only the size of say a chicken breast. You have to almost stand over it so you can keep opening the drawer to give the chips a shuffle or they burn on one side, I want to be able to pop something in and leave it.

Just don't get it at all 🤷🏻‍♀️

SpringIntoChaos · 02/04/2023 08:25

I've had mine since last August...and I genuinely haven't switched on my oven since!

If your meat/chicken breasts are coming out hard...you're doing it wrong OP!! Wrap it in foil ffs!

Bacon is absolutely perfect done in the AF...much better than frying/grilling.

Roast potatoes are brilliant...chop up, add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic salt and a bit of sage or thyme to a big bowl, swirl your potatoes round in the mix, then air fry. Perfect!!

OldTinHat · 02/04/2023 08:31

I bought my Ninja 4yrs ago, love it and haven't used the oven since. I even make toasted sandwiches in it! Best thing ever.

KnittingNeedles · 02/04/2023 08:32

I think the people who "hate" air fryers are people who fell for the hype and thought they were buying this item which would completely transform their cooking - make things tastier, juicier, just better. And that's not what the air fryer is really about - as others have said, it's just a mini oven which heats up more quickly.

Anything you can put in the oven, you can put in an air fryer, size permitting of course. It's a lot cheaper to run as it uses a lot less energy which matters to many people. You are not heating the whole oven space to cook one steak bake - looking at you, teenage son.

I've made scones and cake in mine, came out fine.

ShiteInNiningArmour · 02/04/2023 08:35

What’s made the difference for me is switching from a Tefal Acrifry to the Ninja. I found the Tefal quite dull and it was really only used for frozen chips.
The ninja I use most days and don’t often use the oven now so I think brand absolutely makes a difference.

Shekissedagirlandshelikedit · 02/04/2023 08:43

Some of my favourite things in the air fryer. I use it most days.

Part baked rolls cooked for 4 minutes, then cut open and fill with ham & cheese then put back in for 2 minutes. Or cut open and add passata, cheese etc to make mini pizzas.

Chicken breasts cook at 180 for 12 minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Brush on a tiny bit of oil and season with salt and pepper or something like Season all. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Baked potatoes 5 minutes in microwave 5 minutes in air fryer. Perfect.

Potato wedges - layer them with the skin side down, sprinkle a bit of oil and seasoning and cook for 12 minutes (depending how chunky).

Sausages - the thin 'Heck type ones take 10 minutes but do need a bit of shaking/turning.

Frozen cookie dough takes 7-8 minutes at 180 depending on how thick you cut them. Layer them on foil or greaseproof.

Shekissedagirlandshelikedit · 02/04/2023 08:44

Potato wedges are from raw potatoes I should add (hate the frozen ones)

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 02/04/2023 08:46

I totally understand the benefits. Especially if a major driver is cost vs that of a traditional oven. No doubt it's cheaper.

I do think they take some of the joy and experimentation out of cooking though.

But yes great kit for budget cooking

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 02/04/2023 08:47

Tomkirkman · 02/04/2023 06:52

Oh and I grow loads of herbs so at the end of the summer I use it to dry out my herbs to store for winter. Loads better than having them hang all over the house.

Oooh now that's a great idea

TottyKnickers · 02/04/2023 08:49

Caspianberg · 02/04/2023 06:41

Boiled eggs take 7.5 mins? That’s not any quicker than a pan. Water in pan on induction hob boost will be boiling in 1 min, add eggs for 4-5 mins. Done.

I don’t get them. New ovens don’t really need preheating either now. Our oven is only a year old, it takes maybe 5 mins to heat to 220c ( quicker to lower temp), but there’s also a fast boost option if you really want it ready quicker.

But your kitchen doesn't get steamy and damp

pottydimley · 02/04/2023 08:49

Champagneforeveryone · 02/04/2023 04:14

Ugly great bastarding thing that it is, taking up counter space and taunting me with its wasted potential 🧐

We bought a Ninja because everyone said they were the best. A man even accosted DH in John Lewis while we were carrying it out like our first born child to tell him how amazing it was.

Except it's not...

We don't eat a lot of freezer food so that's not been a benefit. I've tried things like chicken breasts but they just came out pale with a tough outer skin. I'm too scared to try bacon in case it's a similar travesty. Sausages were ok, but truthfully not any different to cooking them in the oven. I'm a little disillusioned, but perhaps I'm doing something wrong? Why is the feckless contraption supposed to be so much better than, you know... an actual oven?

It took me ages to get into using it but now I love it. Family favourites include home made sausage rolls and bacon and cheese wraps, baked potatoes, and roasted tomato soup. If I do use it for frozen foods, I cook on the fan oven temperature and reduce time by 20%. I have the Instant Pot with two lids, and there are loads of functions I haven't used yet, like sous vide- any advice would be welcome on what foods cook best in SV without paying out for loads of new accessories.

TottyKnickers · 02/04/2023 08:50

GoodChat · 02/04/2023 06:45

OP roast a chicken in it. I promise you'll be impressed.

Do you need to cover with foil though?