Air Fryer to save money? Am I 'on point' or 'off the mark'?

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

Hello,
I am considering getting an air fryer instead of using the oven. So I've got a few questions:

• will this help with energy use?
• are they any good for roast veggies etc
• I'm generally only cooking for 2 at any one time (yes I choose to cook at different times to suit everyone)
• Any recommendations of good ones?

thank in advance

note I've posted here after posting in feed the world, I didn't see this board at first. Sorry

@TabithaTittlemouse I wouldn't use the air fryer for those things, it's an oven, stir fry, spag bol etc you make on the hob. However, if you were to make the pasta and sauce for your Mac and cheese, then I would put it in a pyrex dish and stick in the air fryer to brown the top. Same with a lasagne (which I'm doing today) make the sauce as usual but then stick it in the air fryer instead of the oven to cook. Easy peasy.

I have a smart meter and I know that I've saved electricity, I also know that I'm eating better because I would never turn on the oven these days for just one item, it's too expensive.

My 2 DCs have them at uni too, they love them. DC2 sent me a photo of a roast chicken and roast potatoes that he'd cooked this week.

super helpful thread! I think i am convinced.

Any 'hacks' or 'tips' for when you start cooking with one?

You need to think of it as a small oven with a powerful fan rather than a fryer. So things like a cheese sauce or a stir fry would still be best on the hob. But if you want to cook some frozen garlic bread to go with your pasta or stir fry, the air fryer will do it quicker and cheaper than in the oven.

I have a ninja foodie 9 in 1, and you can use it as a hob with the sauté function. We experimented last month and turned the oven/hob off on the wall to see if we could manage with just the ninja/microwave, and managed it easily.
We cook "proper" food btw, not chicken nuggets and oven chips 😁

I have this one and its honestly the best thing ive bought. My MIL has one too and she is always using it for making cakes etc i cant bake to save my life

www.bmstores.co.uk/products/mo-health-low-fat-air-fryer-355275

This can be true. The air fryer is so convenient that I do find myself cooking things when I might have made do with something else. Eg it's so easy to do sausages and bacon whereas I might have just had some cereal 😳

What brand is best? I have had a look at Lakeland. Does anyone have one?

We also have the cheap Costco one, it's under £50. It's great, it's got various different settings but I often put everything on the bacon preset, which is 6 minutes at 190 C. Just the right amount of time to cook bacon or reheat a slice of pizza or do a part baked roll.

For things like roast veg, chips, ready meals, I check and stir and put on for another 6 minutes, which is usually enough. I don't bother with the other settings <lazy>

@ZeroFuchsGiven thats a whole lot more affordable than the Ninja that everyone has been chatting about. I wonder what is the difference?

We've got the Tower 10 in 1 (more like an oven with shelves, not drawers).
We've hardly used our electric oven since we had it (2 adults 2 young kids).
It's definitely saves on energy, our bill has gone down about £40pm.

I just found this which seems like a really good writeup about them

www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-air-fryers#HOWWETESTED

Your best money saving option is to cook for all at the same time (plus extra if space) in your existing oven then microwave as required (ideally all eat together as much as possible). Using an air fryer twice will add up and they cost lots to buy a decent one

@SoTiredNeedHoliday

That will cost you more than a years worth of oven use!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63317138

Useful BBC article.

I think part of the issue at the moment is that they are all very expensive as everyone wants one. Hopefully they will come down in price.

Which one do you think?
two draw
or
or this oven type one?

What do you think?

@BadgerLovesMash @BeyondsEnergyObsession @MissMaple82 @BettyOBarley

I have the oven type (not Ninja, it's a Tower one) and I love it but I haven't had a drawer one so can't compare really.
The one I have had 3 shelves and you can fit a fair bit in.

I got the foodie one and I love it, but I do slightly have tower regret as I find I don't like the slow cooker (don't like any slow cooker food) and feel I could probably fit more food into a tower.

I think that's really the issue, it's not 'one size fits all' so it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the different models.

That said, I love the concept and we use it loads. DH and I both work from home and we were using the whole oven for baked potatoes or a handful of falafels for lunch. I did my first chicken at the weekend and it was gorgeous. DS has ASD and was quite wary of the big oven, but he's becoming really confident with the air fryer and is cooking more for himself. I'm a convert, but it has to be said it is going to take a lot of falafels to recoup the cost!

Also, I bet if you wait till January there will be LOADS of people selling them as unwanted gifts...