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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Husband unreasonable air fryer demands

223 replies

Anotherdayanotherairfryer · 17/08/2023 20:41

So. Can anyone solve an argument …
husband is demanding a ‘ ninja foodie flex drawer’ becuase he thinks it will be a good investment. on the other hand I think it’s a waste of money….. I mean we can afford it … but it feels extreme, we have an oven already ! Any one say it’s a life changer … if not I’m not interested !

OP posts:
Haffiana · 17/08/2023 22:33

I personally prefer the layout of the Ninja Foodi/Foodi Max Health Grills to the ones with drawers because of ease of use.

Anyone who thinks they are only for nuggets & chips clearly hasn't actually got one. We do whole trout, roast veggies, baked feta & spinach omelette, lamb chops, halloumi, kale crisps, corn on the cob, grilled asparagus etc etc... My model will even make dehydrated stuff like apple slices.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 17/08/2023 22:33

Snugglemonkey · 17/08/2023 22:24

Seems terribly wasteful. Could you not put it on freecycle and find it a new home?

Show quote history

As I said on another post I don't really want the hassle of people coming to my house, deciding a few weeks later it doesn't work etc (bad EBay experiences!). I should have said recycling centre rather than dump as they have a shop there that sell items for charity. It's been known as the dump for years despite the council's best efforts to make it sound posh!

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 17/08/2023 22:34

I have to say I'm very envious of people who have a big enough kitchen to have an air fryer out all the time!

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 17/08/2023 22:40

Since the issue is not financial. Why an argument? He wants one he just buys one. Life is to short to sweat the small stuff.

VinEtFromage · 17/08/2023 22:40

Wenfy · 17/08/2023 20:45

Depends what you eat already. If you eat a lot of meat, processed food, or fried food then get it as it will definitely save you time and money. If, however, you mostly bake from scratch then it’s not really a decent subsitute.

@Wenfy

if you mean 'bake' as in cakes then I don't know as I no longer bake, but I think id probably agree.

However, I disagree about cooking meals. I'm a low carb, vegetarian. So I don't eat meat, highly processed or fried food. I eat plant based, low carb, food & the air fryer is brilliant.

@Anotherdayanotherairfryer I don't 'do' gadgets and 'trends' make me rebel!!

i also have a small kitchen & didn't want to spend £££on something that takes up a massive amount of worktop space.

then I saw my neighbours & it seemed like a bit of a tarsus! & not ££££ so I went and got one the same. Sur La Table at Costco. £80 plus vat. I have had it since April & have had the oven on once since then.

im not convinced the ninja is worth the difference in price.

i love that I'm. It putting on a full sized oven for some roasted veg or vegetarian sausages. You don't need to pre heat and things take half the time to cook. Cooking from frozen is easy. It'll definitely come into its own in winter!!

blackheartsgirl · 17/08/2023 22:42

I made yoghurt in my ninja foodie the other day, was amazing!

I’ve had the ninja foodie for 2 years now and honestly it’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought. I love it so much that now I’ve got two! My mum hated hers so I took it off her hands 😀

LizzieSiddal · 17/08/2023 22:45

Absolutely love mine and I cook almost everyday from scratch, including my own bread! That gets made in the air fryer too, it’s brilliant!

C8H10N4O2 · 17/08/2023 22:46

justasking111 · 17/08/2023 21:48

Thanks I will tell my husband that tomorrow. We cook from scratch and I really don't want another bloody thing on the worktops

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I don't eat meat, rarely fry anything and and even more rarely buy ready meals/food. I was a massive sceptic of the gadget until one of the DC bought one and I used theirs.

I use it pretty much daily, particularly for roasting veg, baking fruit, dehydrating fruit and veg, toasting nuts and seed, felafel, samosas, tortillas, stuffed veg, veg fritters, asparagus, baked cheeses, cauliflower steaks etc and making whole meals such as parmagiana, curries, burritos.

The size of the drawers is also good for baking muffins or cake or roasting veg and fruit in smaller quantities than would justify using the big ovens for one or two people.

I've never found the drawers difficult to clean out - they are non stick and I just fill them with warm soapy water after cooking and leave them for a bit then a soft sponge does the job. Silicon liners are useful if you want to make something which would bake in a serving dish or is a bit liquid.

Theroom · 17/08/2023 22:48

I wouldn't want one cluttering up the counter either OP.

I don't see the attraction. I like my oven. We have a microwave which has a convection oven setting which we've used once in 10 years. I can't see what an air fryer would do that the oven/microwave can't.

Maybe I'm just scarred by kitchen gadgets though because I bought a slow cooker, thought it was awful and gave it away.

RitzyMcFitzy · 17/08/2023 22:50

Slow cookers are pants.

Threenow · 17/08/2023 22:55

Theroom · 17/08/2023 22:48

I wouldn't want one cluttering up the counter either OP.

I don't see the attraction. I like my oven. We have a microwave which has a convection oven setting which we've used once in 10 years. I can't see what an air fryer would do that the oven/microwave can't.

Maybe I'm just scarred by kitchen gadgets though because I bought a slow cooker, thought it was awful and gave it away.

I feel the same. I have very little bench space, and the toaster has to live in a cupboard, there is definitely no room for an air fryer. I don't find the oven uses a lot of electricity and I don't need things to cook quickly so I'm happy just to use my oven. I don't even use the microwave much, just to make porridge and heat the odd thing.

HollieHobbie · 17/08/2023 22:57

I use our air fryer for most things! We've had it since October 2022 and we've used our main oven about 6/7 times since then.

I've cooked chicken, pork chops, lamb joints, beef joints, steak, burgers, fish, ribs, sausages, chips, potato wedges, jacket potatoes, the best roast potatoes, apple turnovers, pasties, choc chip muffins, scones... reheated homemade frozen dishes, dried tomatoes, orange and apple slices for Christmas wreaths - so many uses!

KingOfThieves · 17/08/2023 22:59

Just get it. I use mine every day. much quicker and cheaper than the oven. Even my 11 year old uses it as there are no issues with anything being left on as it turns itself off.

MaryJanesonabreak · 17/08/2023 23:06

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 17/08/2023 21:34

We've got a Ninja and it's a complete waste of money and I regret buying it. Our kitchen is too small to have it out all the time and the stupid thing is too heavy to lug in and out of the cupboard each time so it never gets used. I think it'll be going to the dump next time DH goes.

Please don’t throw it away. Put it on Gumtree for a nominal amount and let someone else enjoy it. It also delays it going to landfill.

Cherrysoup · 17/08/2023 23:08

Just bought an Instant air fryer (reduced to £60 from £200 because something at the back was broken off, my DH glued it back together in 5 minutes) He has used it a lot, lots less oil than usual and very quick.

Ellenanora7 · 17/08/2023 23:10

I have a dual tower air fryer, I was never going to get one but my friend was getting rid of her small one and I said I'd try it, I bloody loved it but it wasn't that big so I bought the bigger one, use it everyday, I still haven't tried eggs in it though, not sure why but keep putting it off for some reason 🤷

Ellenanora7 · 17/08/2023 23:16

Sorry back to your question, yes let him get one, it's a life changer for me as it's much quicker to use, much cheaper to run, no pre heating required, it's a win win for me.

chillin12 · 17/08/2023 23:18

Anotherdayanotherairfryer · 17/08/2023 20:41

So. Can anyone solve an argument …
husband is demanding a ‘ ninja foodie flex drawer’ becuase he thinks it will be a good investment. on the other hand I think it’s a waste of money….. I mean we can afford it … but it feels extreme, we have an oven already ! Any one say it’s a life changer … if not I’m not interested !

100% air fryers are worth it. Very quick and simpler to use. I lived off ours for a period 😅😅

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 17/08/2023 23:19

MaryJanesonabreak · 17/08/2023 23:06

Please don’t throw it away. Put it on Gumtree for a nominal amount and let someone else enjoy it. It also delays it going to landfill.

Show quote history

It won't go to landfill, if it works it'll go to the shop at the dump. I'd rather that than have to deal with people on selling sites!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 17/08/2023 23:22

Wenfy · 17/08/2023 20:45

Depends what you eat already. If you eat a lot of meat, processed food, or fried food then get it as it will definitely save you time and money. If, however, you mostly bake from scratch then it’s not really a decent subsitute.

Why do people always say this? It's just not true - it's a mini oven that is extremely economical for such things as roasted veg, roasted garlic, cooking enough for one meal (four portions is perfectly possible), salmon fillets, chicken thighs, bread, vegetable crisps... It's as logical as saying a full size oven is only worthwhile to people who live on suckling pig and home raised geese.

JustAnotherCheeseburger · 17/08/2023 23:24

@Anotherdayanotherairfryer you will be cooking sausage rolls in it at midnight Grin

... speaking from experience there!!

Shantayyoustaysashayaway · 17/08/2023 23:25

A few years ago we bought my daughter an all singing all dancing thing for xmas, air fryer, slow cooker, cake basket etc. For a while she used it loads, now it's sitting in a cupboard collecting dust.
When my DH saw it he wanted one so got a halogen one from Aldi. Didn't see any benefit from it so gave it to dd2.
When everyone started banging on about them in the past year he stayed going on about getting (a non halogen) one again due to all "all the money it would save"
Like OP I disagree. For a decent one your between £150-£200. The only space to put it would be on top of the cooker. We have a microwave, an electric streamer & a slow cooker which I use a lot in the winter. I have ra, cfs & fibro so a slow cooker is ideal for me as can prep everything & chuck everything in the sc as by the evening I'm too tired & in to much pain to stand up cooking.

Mamanyt · 17/08/2023 23:29

I do not have one, and that is a huge regret for me. Just can't afford it. I have a good many friends who DO have them, and every one of them is over the moon about it, once they reaIIy get the hang of them. They save SO much time, fried foods are crisp, not greasy, and everything takes SO IittIe time! Now, if you fIat adore cooking, every singIe part of it, incIuding waiting times, it wouId not be your priority, but if your time is more vaIuabIe, but you don't want to sacrifice quaIity, GET ONE!

Accountdetailss · 17/08/2023 23:31

Silvered · 17/08/2023 20:56

I was very sceptical about the hype but DH talked me into it. We only use our oven for when we have pizza - and that's only because pizza won't fit in the air fryer!!

It's so much quicker.

The same! oven is for pizza now.

Our oven has only been on 2/3 times is as many months since owning the airfryer.