to consider an airfryer for teenage snacks

[babystep]

We're a family of five with a not-massive kitchen (it's not poky but surface and storage space pretty full). Have sometimes been tempted by an airfryer but felt that one big enough to feed us all would be too big for the kitchen.

Eldest is nearly 13, always after a snack especially after school and after sports on weekends (random timings so not always near a meal when he gets nack from a match). Middle is not far behind in age and a massive grazer anyway. Currently they resort to toast and cereal, plus toasties and somtimes yogurt but too often sweets too so am trying to give them healthier options (as well as stopping having too many sweet bits in house)

I've heard people talking positively about air fryers to quickly cook single chicken fillets, reheat leftovers, other quick but interesting snack options. I'm often WFH in this snacking time of day so I can be there to half supervise or to point them towards stuff, but ideally want them to be getting it on their own without me.

People with airfyers and teenagers, do you find they are useful for this sort of thing? I'm thinking we wouldn't need something massive if it was just for one or two snacks? Or should I just stop being swayed by trends and make them use the oven/microwave?

I have a ninja dual, the last time I used my oven was for turkey at Christmas. We do everything from snacks to proper dinners. This week we have had a moussaka, roasted pork chops, baked spuds, baked gnocchi with salmon, bacon and roasted cherry tomatoes.

They are great, I have a big one and a small one. The small one would be very easy to put away/bring out if you are short of worktop space. They also use much much less electricity than the oven.

Love mine. My DD16 can be difficult around food, the air fryer has given her a new interest, albeit in beige food but because she can be totally independent and it’s quick and easy she’s eating so much better. We also use it a lot, can’t remember when the oven last went on (we use the hob a lot too)

If they’re using it mostly unsupervised and not at the same time then you need to make sure they know to wash / wipe it out afterwards ready for the next person to use… even with the best of intentions it’s easy to forget if you’re in a rush and need to eat the food quickly, we are always forgetting to come back to clean it out once it’s cooled a bit . If the next person comes to use it and it’s dirty they just won’t bother (or they will and set the smoke alarm off depending on what was in it before …)

Just chipping in to give the same answer you’ve already had umpteen times 😂 We’ve got the Ninja double drawer one too (though now I’ve just seen the one with copper handles posted upthread and want that one!)

Ours gets loads of use. I did pasta on the hob tonight and put the garlic bread in the air fryer. The teens use it loads for beige freezer stuff or chicken wings, sausages etc. I often cook elements of family meals in it, eg roast potatoes, wedges, jkt spuds, veg (peppers, red onions etc), especially if I’m making the main part of the meal on the hob or in the slow cooker. It’s quicker and cheaper than the oven and easy to clean. As for risk of burning- it’s possible but I’d say it’s much lower risk than using an oven or grill. I’ve got a few scars on my forearms and wrists from being clumsy/rushing when taking things out of the oven over the years, but I’ve never burnt myself on the air fryer and have had it a few years now. It’s been a great addition to our kitchen and I wouldn’t want to be without it now!

The basket gets very warm. If you were to stick your hand on it, it would hurt but there isn't any need for that to happen. It's got a plastic handle. It's much safer than taking a baking tray out of the oven.

I would say to go for it.

HTH.

I can feel the heat from my air fryer oven when I reach around it to pull the plug out. I am careful to keep my arm away from it. I have a small Tower manual air fryer oven. I didn't get a big one in case I didn't like it plus we don't have that much counter space. I do use it a lot.

Can I ask a question?
If your oven was broken (which my cooker oven is), would you spend £££ on a new cooker, or just get a double-drawer air fryer?

I'm thinking what would I do without a hob. & can you do part-baked bread, frozen fish eg stuff you'd normally do in oven, in an air fryer? DCs grown n flown and I'm the only one who uses oven really.

But if I get rid of the cooker, what would I put in the space it leaves? I'm dithering 🤔

Replace the hob and leave the broken cooker in place so it doesn't look empty? Or you could put a fake drawer front and then full cupboard in there if they are built in ones.

Or buy the cheapest oven and an air fryer.

You can do part baked rolls and fish in them. The only thing we use the oven for is vvv occasional cakes/biscuits, full roast dinners, and frozen pizza.

Oh or if your hob works, keep the hob and get the air fryer.

There really is very little you couldn't do in an airfryer - things with wet batter on are not going to work (but they'd not work in an oven either).

It is a much smaller, more efficient convection oven, its not a 'fryer' at all, thats a silly name for them. Its just a smaller space with more efficient heating and fan so that air is circulated around and things cook quicker, which means they're far less likely to get dried out and you're not wasting a ton of power to heat only a small amount of food.

As I say, we have no oven at all - I used that space for a slimline dishwasher instead as thats far more use to me (can't really wash up!). We also have no hob, we have a portable one ring induction hob we can put away if we want more counter space.

It has not been a bother in the year we've had this set up!

I bought a small air fryer for exactly this reason. It gets used by them every single day!
Definitely a great idea.

I use mine every single day, multiple times. I only even use the big oven for pizza. It’s great too for quick supper snacks, takes no time at all. Get one!

Gosh I wasn't expecting to have quite such a positive response - was expecting more nay-sayers leading to more over-thinking from me. Sadly missed the Amazon deal but will keep an eye out for Black Friday offers.

@Attelina Crimpit definitely on my radar too - got some for my teen nephews at Christmas last year (plus wraps and selection of fillings) and was thinking of getting one for eldest son, maybe will do that while waiting for an airfryer deal

Yup, like everyone else, winner for teens although I am still working in getting ds into routine of it. Fish cakes, frozen battered fish, crumbed chickenN fish fingers etc all easy and quick. I also do things like individual spanakopita which I store uncooked in freezer and he can toss in the air fryer.

I havr once made him a sort of cheese toasties in a wrap which went down well. Need to remember what I did and teach him for future reference!!!

Also quick snack of oven chips etc.

I have a couple of individual portions of things in the freezer which I plan to try using air fryer for so he can in future because frankly, I don't trust him either the oven at this point.

My dad (73) wasn't convinced until he saw mine - I have one with shelves so it looks like a mini oven
He immediately bought one and hasn't turned his oven on since and is a lot more experimental with his than I am!

Living on my own it's great for side bits so garlic bread, a part baked roll, heating up cold pizza, some crispy potatoes - stuff I wouldn't have wanted to put the whole oven on for

Mum of two very hungry teenagers. I have a two drawer air fryer, it's absolutely fantastic. Bacon, sausage rolls and a full roast dinner are frequent items we all cook in the air fryer. Best bit of kit. I have a small combi oven for other stuff

Just get a cheap one- £30 from Aldi others available.

See if you like it, we did then gave kids that one and upgraded to a ninja.

But when cooking for 5+ we still use the oven

I'm similar to you with a small kitchen, limited workspace and 3 teens. I got a small one about a year ago and it's great. I use it for sides or where a meal has a small element that needs baking but the teens use it all the time. It's faster for them (including no preheating needed) and uses a lot less electricity. I have a range of stuff in the freezer or they make things themselves. Definitely worth it.

Just get an ordinary sized Ninja. They are excellent for teen snacks and also things like roast peppers, roast sweet potato wedges (had these tonight!) with soup.
The Beyond burgers are amazing in the Ninja, so juicy and almost like a real burger.

I hardly use my oven any more.

If you do get one, buy a couple of pairs of tongs, silicone ones so you don't scratch the non-stick surface.

Not rtft so sorry if repeating, I was sceptical about getting an airfryer, but it’s been a game changer. If you use oven or pan fry regularly then it’s a boon. I regularly cook for 5 or 6 adults & can easily do that in my ninja dual drawer. Ideal for both main meals and snacks. Most cooking is reduced by about 1/3 cooking time at least & ours is easy to clean too.
also another vote for the crimpit range they are brilliant xx

I caved and bought a Ninja Dual one (the smaller of the two models available) a couple of years back. Then realised how bloody simple it is to use, and how much quicker it cooks the food! My teen and my tween use it without issue. Often my youngest will be up early, so will put in frozen pain au chocolate for the rest of us. Takes 12 minutes! It’s safe for them to use, and I don’t have to worry about oven being left on etc. wouldn’t be without mine now (and bought the Ninja Foodi 15-in-1 too!).

Do it.
So flipping handy.
Get one that fits a full pizza.
Game changer for convenience.
Mine takes a 2.5 kilo chicken which i cook breast down in one hour.
Lob the steamed potatoes in while it rests for 25 minutes sprinkled with olive oil, salt and herbs.
I make gravy with frozen broccoli and frozen petite pois in it and it is the easiest roast dinner to serve up that everyone enjoys.
Baked potatoes come out perfection in 60 minutes.
Fish is minutes in a pappiotte.
Ready them earlier in the day and pop them in for 10 minutes as needed.

We use long handled tongs to retrieve items