Will an air fryer change my life?

[Mlanket]

Pondering whether I should buy an air fryer, will I use it or will it take up space on the counter?

To anyone who wants a link to a bargain airfryer, you could try this. Add code 'GOODFOOD' for a further 20% off.
A dual basket airfryer for £55.99.

www.towerhousewares.co.uk/air-fryers/vortx-dual-basket-air-fryer-with-6-pre-set-functions-76-litre

Hope it helps!

As long as ypu buy one suitable for your needs then, yes, they are a great investment. Get the best you can afford though. We had a one drawer version (think it was a cheaper brand like tower) but upgraded to a two drawer (side by side) Ninja, and most of the things we previously used the oven for we now use the air fryer for. Both drawers can be set to different heats/times if needed, which is handy. Of course some things, eg. Ready made Pizza, don't fit whole but lots of stuff does. Ours has lots of different 'programmes' too. Definitely cheaper to use and easier to clean than an oven.

You didn't wash it after use?

That's not true.
An air fryer can be used for healthier stuff too - it doesn't force you to put beige food in it.🫣

Multicooker changed my life, airfryer changed the way we’re reheating leftover pizza and make nachos, that’s about it :)

No. It cooks some things quicker but that's about it. And some things IME don't do well in the air fryer.

You would be better suited to a multi cooker

I have the 15 in 1 - its a big beast of a thing so do look at all the models to see which is best suited for you. I only got the 15 because I got such a good deal, I dont use all 15 functions. I mostly use the steam roast and pressure cook, along with the steam bake ( makes good bread) yoghurt functions. I do also have a dual drawer air fryer

This week Ive used mine to make two different soups, a vat of yoghurt, a spag Bol - including the pasta, roast dinner with all the veg - steamed and roasted, fish and chips, jacket potatoes, and lots more

It takes a bit of getting used to and you do have to juggle a bit. I can cook a full roast dinner in mine using the different functions not a bother. I also love just thinking, mmm, a nice bacon roll would be lovely right now and ten mins later they are on the plate, part baked rolls stuffed with crispy bacon

What sort of thing would you put in for breakfast and lunch please?

And do you clean it throughout after every use? Or like a big oven do you just clean it every now and again?

I'm very confused about cleaning them. Do you clean the whole thing thoroughly each time or just the basket?

Whole thing or you get a collection of bits of old food and gunk in the bottom which has dropped through the basket.

They are a massively different overhyped thing

I'm asking questions because I bought a Ninja one about 2 years ago and have barely used it as it scares me 😂

A) It has a small thing on the side that collects water. Like a steam vent thing I guess. That makes me slightly nervous that it must gather steam and might go a bit horrible inside somewhere i can't clean. Do they end up a bit icky under and around the inside of the lid?

B) Also how do you know how long and high to cook things? The little booklet that came with it is too broad and generic.

C) The bought a huge ninja foodi. I think I should have bought a 2 compartment thing as there's no way I can do a whole roast. If I put chicken in then there is no space for potatoes/carrots etc so I'd have to use the big oven anyway. How do people do everything for a roast?

DH works away and DC are grown and gone so I use mine a lot and I home cook even for myself, so I can make a small pie and put it in there.

I did do a Sunday lunch for 6 last week and the double oven range came back into use whilst the air fryer had a day off. It certainly has its uses but I wouldn’t be without a proper gas hobbed double oven.

My favourite part of the air fryer is that it doesn’t need to be preheated like the oven. It’s ready to go when you press ON.

If your budget can stetch, get a multicooker. I got the Ninja Speedi. I probably use it 2-3 times a week.

One of the great features of the Speedi is the Speedi Meal feature https://ninjatestkitchen.eu/speedi-recipe-builder/ can get a chicken, pasta, pepper meal done in 12-17 mins.

I also use it for as an oven - when cooking something like a quiche, put it on the bake/roast for about 20c lower and 5-7 mins less on cooking instructions. Plus use it as a pan to cook spag bol

I once had a Higgidy pie and it had air fryer instructions on it which was 20c and 7mins lower than oven instructions. I have applied this with other pies - which I probably have 1 every 3 weeks. Beautiful crispy and golden brown.

How are people using it to cook things like bolognaise? Obviously you take the removable tray out, but do you brown onions in there, then add meat - or put it all in together? I can't see how it would work...

I've got one that looks like a mini oven rather than the drawer type. It's great. I only use my big oven when all the family are comung over for a roast. i think the oven type is more versatile. I use it like a faster, cheaper to run mini oven. I make lasagna, moussaka, tray bakes, mac and cheese, quiches, pies and baking in it. It also has a rotisserie.

My friend has the drawer type & would get an oven shape next time.

For cleaning I use liners in them, then wash the drawers once a week. It might depend what you cook, but I don't find it a huge faff, similar to I dont find washing a baking tray that has been in the oven a huge faff.

I bought a 2 drawer ninja. It OK as there's just 2 of us. Dh uses it to cook fish fingers for a wrap at lunchtime. We've done very good chips in it. But it is just a small oven. So whereas you could do a big tray of roasted veg with chicken thighs in the oven you'd be messing around swapping drawers around etc for anything more than 4 chicken thighs I think.

It's fine but I'm still not convinced it's worth the counter space unless you eat a lot of food from the freezer....

The tray type ones might be more versatile.

We use ours most days. Depends what type of food you eat I guess in how often you’d use it, but it saves putting the oven on for small things.

We do chicken wings in our combi, I put oil and herbs on them for about an hour before putting them in, I think I put them on quite a low temp, about 170-180, I think the first time I did them it was 160, but OH likes theskin very well done so I cook them low then either put them on the grill (ours has a grill function) or just cook them really high for the last 5 mins

I think it was about 20-25 mins from memory

Thanks for all the feedback, off to the shops to check them out.

Only use our oven a handful of times a year now. The benchtop air fryer oven gets used multiple times daily. We need the big one (30L) as most of the kids cook homemade pizza frequently so it needs to fit large pizza’s. It also does a really large chook or piece of meat on rotisserie function in addition to the option to the rotisserie basket which is great for ‘naughty’ stuff like chips, homemade chicken nuggets etc. Also fits 10 rotisserie skewers, done in no time. Takes up a truck tonne of bench space but so worth it.

I use mine but with a family of 5 I probably need two as I’ll often do some in there and other bits in the oven. I’ve hidden it in the utility room because I didn’t want clutter on the work surface. I’m keeping it as I think it’ll be handy for when dc are out more and it’s just dh and I but currently their teenage friends are always here so I’m cooking for 8 most nights. It’s just a mini oven. I don’t quite get the love.

Yes I admit I was one of these. My OH eats a beige diet so had been going on about this for ages but I didnt want something else cluttering up the worktops and resisted, Im trying to get rid of stuff not bring more stuff in!

But I eat a lot of roasted veg and proteins so this is what we have done so far, still getting to know the thing

Oven chips
Oven battered fish
Fresh chicken wings
Frozen burgers
Bacon
Spam
Fresh chicken thighs
Puff pastry treats, home made
Frozen croissants
Rice (ours has a rice function)
Smoked haddock
Kedgeree (ours has a fry function)
Roasted cauliflower with varying flavours
Roasted aubergine with varying flavours
Roasted brocolli
Roasted asparagus
Slow cooked Ottelenghis chickea dish but I used green beans instead
half baked baguettes, steam baked and normal baked
fresh noodles with veg and a sauce
roasted sweetcorn
toast
cheese on toast
stuffed bagels

Not all of the above are on the airfryer function but as I say, I wouldnt get one that is just an airfryer but most of the above you can just do on airfryer

This weekend we are going to roast beetroot to see how that comes out and Im going to be doing a cabbage and onion stew/mixture thing