Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that air-fryers are just a passing fad?

322 replies

EeesandWhizz · 06/12/2023 11:26

I know that they are everywhere do everything right now, but I'm sure that they'll soon join the steamers, breadmakers and George Foreman grills living in the back of the kitchen cupboard. The slow-cookers can stay on the worktop.

I bought a second hand Ninja Foodie, and to be honest I don't really get it. Do many people that cook from scratch really use them instead of the oven and hob? Or is it more like Pampered Chef that produced a lot of things for people that are not confident cooks that they didn't really need?

I am going to try cooking a 40 minute meringue in it later today though, so that might make me change my mind - I usually leave mine overnight in the oven for maximum crispy gooeyness, but an almost instant pavlova sounds fab!

OP posts:
Coffeeismyfriend1 · 07/12/2023 19:57

We use ours several times a week. We’ve had one for years, we got a tefal actifry 10 years ago and got another air fryer when that died, we’ve just upgraded to a dual one. We’ve cooked gammon and pork joints in it, a whole chicken, I did some cakes in it recently too. It’s so much more energy efficient than turning the oven on and heating all that air up if something fits in the air fryer. A gammon or pork joint that takes nearly 2 hours in the oven cooks in less than an hour in the air fryer.

User2856948 · 07/12/2023 20:04

I use mine occasionally, mainly for sausages, I prefer to have the oven on in the winter as it warms the kitchen more, the kitchen radiator is quite small and the oven warms the room up a bit so I don't need the electric radiator on.

tokesqueen · 07/12/2023 20:09

Our oven packed up a couple of months ago. Haven't replaced it. Don't miss it.
Use the air fryer every single day.

Battyfumworts · 07/12/2023 20:25

gotomomo · 06/12/2023 11:32

Another fad, for those living alone they make sense but for everyone else they don't because who wants to cook multiple batches, just like microwaves cooking 4 meals one after another. If you are watching the cost of cooking the hob is your best bet

What are you on about, we do a Sunday roast for 3 in ours, every week

Meowandthen · 07/12/2023 20:31

This year’s Thermomix but more affordable.

I hope they’re a fad, or we hear less about them soon, as it’s boring me shitless. Not everyone has one. Not everyone wants one. Not everyone wants to see articles and posts about them every day.

(I’ll await the stroppy comments from avid air fryer users that are also boringly predictable if you dare to disagree with certain narratives. )

madaboutmad · 07/12/2023 20:43

Meowandthen · 07/12/2023 20:31

This year’s Thermomix but more affordable.

I hope they’re a fad, or we hear less about them soon, as it’s boring me shitless. Not everyone has one. Not everyone wants one. Not everyone wants to see articles and posts about them every day.

(I’ll await the stroppy comments from avid air fryer users that are also boringly predictable if you dare to disagree with certain narratives. )

Whereas I do have a Thermie and it’s used every day 😂

WiddlinDiddlin · 07/12/2023 20:55

I have to admit part of the reason we got ours is I want a more accessible oven, where I am less at risk of burning myself because I can't hop out of the way quickly, can't bend etc etc.

I do eggs in ours, because it removes the possibility of tipping a pan of boiling water in my lap. The time doesn't matter at all.

I think one of the downsides is that as yet, not every product/recipe/etc comes with air fryer instructions AND you may well need to replace a lot of cooking dishes, and get used to cooking slightly differently... and humans don't like change (particularly me, ugh!)

LolaLola1980 · 07/12/2023 21:02

I have had mine since 2018 and it gets used almost every day, the oven in my house broke in late 2018 and it’s not been replaced….i use a combination of my slow cooker, pressure cooker and air fryer….i do also have a bread maker and a soup maker that get used on a weekly basis….i can’t imagine having a oven again, although never say never…have also not used the hob since then, just got out of the habit and the hob now has candles on it 😂 each to their own but I couldn’t imagine life without mine 😀

Kwazikitten · 07/12/2023 21:21

I’ve had mine a year. The only time the oven goes on is for a roast dinner or a pizza that’s too big for the air fryer.

celticprincess · 07/12/2023 21:22

CranfordScones · 06/12/2023 11:34

I don't have one. Very few appliances survive the passing-fad-test. Microwaves did because they added something new and useful.

I suspect that air-fryers will be around for a long time. Many people do rave about them in ways they never did for health grills and steamers and spiralisers(!!) and other solutions looking for a problem.

I do wonder if some people like them a little too much so it's easy to go for the fried option instead of something more healthy.

They don’t actually dry your food though. They don’t require any oil. They’re basically a little oven that heats up really quickly and can take less time. You can cook as healthy as you want to in it. Not sure what they ever named them an air fryer

TheBerry · 07/12/2023 21:25

Sausagenbacon · 06/12/2023 11:32

Not so long ago steam cleaners were the big thing on my. Then it was heated clothes racks. Shortly it will be airfryers.

Bit heated clothes racks are actually incredibly useful

celticprincess · 07/12/2023 21:33

My heated clothes rack is useless. Takes days to dry. The same amount of days as a non heated rack. I didn’t get one with a cover though which I believe is key.

Sjh15 · 07/12/2023 21:39

I’ve only just got one. I think it’ll be here to stay. It’s so so handy. It’s an oven, but smaller, and quicker, and we have a double air fryer so multiple things and diff temps etc.
a little meal for my son is done in literally 15 minutes. Hes a bit fussy because he’s 2, so today me and dp had sausage casserole and I did him sausage and chips in the air fryer just no fuss and super quick. I love it

i also forgot to mention I got it on Black Friday, so a huge sale, and I cant wait to eat dinner in the summer without burning out because I hate putting the oven on because it makes our open plan living room/kitchen unbareable

MassageForLife · 07/12/2023 21:43

I live alone. I don't use my oven any more - I use my air fryer for everything that I would normally use the oven for. It's quicker, cheaper and the results are just as good. And the biggest plus is - it's much easier to clean!

saraclara · 07/12/2023 21:44

I'm dithering between two different dual basket air fryers at the moment, so I'd love to hear which ones people like/regret. Like do I want two equal sized baskets or one large, one small?

GellerYeller · 07/12/2023 21:46

I was totally anti-air fryer when DH wanted one last year and they were all sold out to the rising electric costs.
He bought one a few months ago and other than it being an ugly big black box on the counter, I’m a complete convert.
The oven goes on only for an occasional pizza or a large roast, otherwise it gets cooked in the Ninja.

MassageForLife · 07/12/2023 21:48

saraclara · 07/12/2023 21:44

I'm dithering between two different dual basket air fryers at the moment, so I'd love to hear which ones people like/regret. Like do I want two equal sized baskets or one large, one small?

I have the versazone. It's great because it can be one big basket (it can do a whole chicken), or two half size cooking different things at different temperatures with different timings.

Lolly8301 · 07/12/2023 22:10

We are a large family and I have bought the ninja with 2 drawers and also have a larger one I can cook a whole chicken in! We use them daily and honestly, they make it so much easier to cook healthily from scratch. Chicken cooks so much nicer in the air fryer than oven. Lovely roast potatoes. We’ve even baked cakes in ours! I won’t go back to the oven (unless for pizzas!).

Onabench · 07/12/2023 22:14

I use mine almost every day. But we also use our bread machine monthly…

my ten year old can use the air fryer alone

great for grilled veg, halloumi, fries, frozen fish/nuggets and an so much

mrsbyers · 07/12/2023 22:18

We’ve had one for about a decade now and use it most days , but there’s only two of us - I think for a family it will swing back to conventional methods once fuel prices drop

Isitsixoclockalready · 07/12/2023 22:22

Love them.

OneFrenchEgg · 07/12/2023 22:23

Relegated:

Bread maker
Spiraliser
Slush puppy machine Blush
Blender

Amazing:

Panini maker
Air fryer

Use it for six of us when I have to do a quick veggie sausage sandwich/ chips/ nuggets etc , worked out how to do part baked bread and tofu this week.

Titsywoo · 07/12/2023 22:28

I use it a lot. I didn't think I would to be honest but it is very useful. The kids use it a lot for snacks too as it is quicker and uses less energy than the oven. The things I use it for mostly are bacon (cooks quicker and better than the grill or a pan), frozen stuff like chips/chicken tenders/meatballs etc, when I just need to cook one salmon fillet or similar. Since the kids are older teens and DH has a funny diet we usually all just cook for ourselves so it is convenient for us.

Savedpassword · 07/12/2023 22:31

Love an airfryer and my only regret is not buying a bigger one. Things like chicken breast cut into strips, toss in a bowl with sliced peppers/mushrooms eyc. Season well, coat with a few teaspoons of red pesto, dash of soy sauce, garlic, paprika and olive oil. Chop some chorizo. Air fry for 20 minutes. Throw in some creme fraiche or cream. Stir through. Serve with flat breads or wraps ( 2 minutes to heat them through in the airfryer)
It’s a godsend for quick dinners for hungry teens.

Believeitornot · 07/12/2023 22:40

Savedpassword · 07/12/2023 22:31

Love an airfryer and my only regret is not buying a bigger one. Things like chicken breast cut into strips, toss in a bowl with sliced peppers/mushrooms eyc. Season well, coat with a few teaspoons of red pesto, dash of soy sauce, garlic, paprika and olive oil. Chop some chorizo. Air fry for 20 minutes. Throw in some creme fraiche or cream. Stir through. Serve with flat breads or wraps ( 2 minutes to heat them through in the airfryer)
It’s a godsend for quick dinners for hungry teens.

Definitely trying this