To not understand the fuss about air fryers?

[whatthen]

People keep raving about them and I got one as a present and I used it a couple of times and gave up on it. It doesn’t cook food any quicker than a normal cooker.

I’ve tried again today and I’ve now been waiting an hour for a baked potato to cook. Would’ve been done by now in the oven. What is the point? What am I missing?

OP won't admit that really, the issue is that she has a very cheap, small air fryer which clearly is faulty if it's taking 45 minutes to cook something which should take 10, tops.

It's fine to say you don't like air fryers and prefer the oven. But it is factually wrong to say that a (decent, correctly functioning) air fryer is slower than the oven.

No. Yours is crap. Mine is great and works properly. Hence fish fingers in 8 to 10 mins rather than 45!!

@whatthen I can do sausages from frozen in 15 minutes, fish fingers in 8 to 10 minutes, roast potatoes in 20 minutes. I use it all the time, mine is way faster than my normal oven.

As @LaliqueSaltGrinder said though, and air fryer is essentially just a small oven and so is more energy efficient.

I have a good air fryer, and possibly a shit oven, so my results may be skewed. I think the only thing I've cooked in the oven since getting the air fryer is a meringue that was too big for the air fryer.

Why do you think Ninja air fryers are crap?

I also don’t see the attraction, but my over heats up in a few mins, and is excellent. They are just small ovens and have been rebranded, they used to be sold to people who couldn’t afford or have ovens, like students etc.they called em air fryers and everyone went a bit nuts.

Ive got a double ninja and it is definitely faster than both the top of the range miele integrated oven i had in my last house, and the rangemaster I have in my current house.

I think they’re great for couples maybe but as a family of 5 eating adult portions mine isn’t great. I do sausages in it and jacket potatoes but only because I feel I should use it. I’m good at planning so shoving a chicken in the oven for a Sunday roast isn’t an issue and if the chicken is in the air fryer then the oven is in for potatoes. I have 2 multi purpose AA ovens so I’m not convinced I need it at all. I believed the hype but wouldn’t replace it. It’s in the utility room but I’d not keep it if it was on the kitchen counter making the place look messy.

It’s quicker
its healthier
it’s cheaper
it tastes better

45 mins for fish fingers is definitely faulty. Mine would take 8-10.

You can take my word for it. What you can’t do is force other people to agree with your opinion, as this thread so aptly demonstrates 🤣

How are you cooking fish fingers that they take 45 minutes in an oven?!?! Mine would be cremated by then. 15 minutes from frozen max at 200 degrees.

You are just on a wind up.

I love mine, There is only two of us so only need a small one and uses far less electricity than even my small grill oven. Think i use it 4 times a week. Mine was £30 Morphy Richard n a sale. DH was sceptical at first about buying one, but is now sold on it.

Saturday morning frozen danishes are my favorite thing cooked in them.

It takes an hour for a baked potato in a normal oven if you dont microwave them first. Also type of potato and time of year makes a lot of difference. I dont often have baked potatoes nowadays so i havent tried it in the airfryer.

@TeenLifeMum I’m not! It’s the OP who says that it takes her air fryer 45 minutes to cook fish fingers.

It's a little bit like having a Lada or Trabant, then claiming that all cars, including Mercedes and Volvo's, are all uniformly rubbish.

Fish fingers should take 10 mins in the air fryer

jacket potatoes I do out in for an hour but the result is a crispy skin and fluffy potatoes inside - a result I’ve only ever achieved by putting them in the bbq and even then I’d leave them on the coals for an hour

Where are your danishes from? I wasn’t impressed with M&S so open to options… but I’ll pop them in my oven.

No, yours is 😂

Just use your big giant oven then.

They definitely cook food 1/3 faster so clearly something up with yours. You will 100% be saving electricity if not heating up a big oven for fishfingers.

Perhaps it’s the make OP.
Many use ninjas but I prefer shelves so sought out Tower. I’m on my second, having worn out the first with repeated daily use. Everything cooks perfectly. I’m happy with a couple of minutes preheat, the smaller space to heat, the reduced electricity bill, the speedier cooking, the ease of cleaning.
Only for baking bread is the main oven used because of its capacity.
Why not try another make before you dismiss air fryers?

We are a family of 5 and have the double oven which works for most of the meals we have

🙄 I’ve literally said that maybe it’s my air fryer that’s the problem. It was a gift from my father who know doubt tried his best to get what he could afford.

I knew that people raved about air fryers but I didn’t realised that they roused this much passion in people. They are just kitchen appliances, their feelings are not going to be hurt.

Waitrose or M&S , both do frozen croissants, pain aux raisins, pain a chocolates and also mini versions.
Also a brand called Fieldfare do a lot of different pastries they sell singly frozen, they usually have a freezer in garden centres.

How on earth is it healthier?

Goodness me. It’s just a kitchen appliance. I don’t really care if people agree. It’s not remotely serious.