Got an air fryer and don't really get it

[shaniahoo]

It's a small one, small basket. I've done two things so far - tortilla chips and 4 potatoes worth of chips. I was surprised it only cooks from above, I assumed the air hit the basket hit all sides for even cooking but it seems more like a grill? Anyway, in both cases the food was layered up and I had to turn very frequently. For the tortilla chips I would have been better off doing them in batches and I think using the normal oven would have been less hassle. The potato chips came out nice, mostly, and only took 25mins which is much quicker than the oven. But I had to turn them 4 times and still there were a few that must have stayed at the bottom and came out almost raw. I don't think I overloaded it, it was probably only 2 or 3 chips deep. Can you only really cook things if you can keep it in a single layer and therefore only cook a miniscule amount of food at once? How can you trust cooking something like chicken in there if only stuff at the very top gets cooked? Again is it only possible in a single layer?

Firstly, the air is circulated around the food by the fan, so it does get cooked all the way around. Secondly, I wouldn't recommend anyone getting a small air fryer. The first one I had was small, and I didn't see the point of it really. When I got my big one I finally understood what people love about them. The small ones are simply too small to be practical if you're cooking for more than one person. I love cooking whole chickens in mine and they come out wonderfully.

Following as everything I’ve cooked in mine so far comes out burnt on top.
I’m desperate to be a fan of it but so far no joy.

It does sound like the basket was overloaded. A container that was 3 chips deep in an oven would leave some raw. The basket does need to be shaken a few times.
I use mine a lot, but it does take a while to get used to - like any new appliance.
Meat must be in a single layer, just like an oven, & chops etc are best to be turned during cooking.

I dont turn them over, I just shake the basket a few times

Chips - you just do have to shake frequently. Personally I don't find that a problem.

I cook a whole chicken in mine most Sundays. It's super easy, takes 1hr 10mins - much quicker than oven - and is reliably perfectly cooked through and juicy every time. Top layer def does cook quicker, but it works for the chicken. I don't know how, but it does. I put it in breast side down for 30mins, then turn breast side up for 40mins. It's the best.

Don't think of it as a fryer....I think that's a misnomer. Its more like a really powerful airoven.
Chips come out best if you've parboiled them and sprayed them in oil, single layer and shake halfway through. I'm roasting root veg (potatoes, parsnips, carrots) in mine as a speak. Chipolata sausages take 10 minutes. Most things take half the time of my top oven but I find chicken is more like three quarters of the time - 25 minutes for breasts (sprayed with oil then herbed) and an hour for a whole chicken.
I LOVE mine - I've used it every day since I bought it and have only used my oven twice since October.

I use mine for frozen oven fries and I do a very crowded single layer - with a few sort of on top - basically enough for 3 DC or 2 adults. Only takes about 10 minutes. If it's very full, I shake it. Don't bother shaking (and cook for less time) if I'm only making enough for DD.

I've also recently been introduced to the joy of a jacket in the air fryer. I microwave first - 5-10 minutes depending on size and number - then in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes and they seem to come out great. I've got extra big ones today so might need a bit longer.

If you want to be cooking for a family, a small one isn't much use. I have a relatively small one but that's because I bought it to do things like meals for (fussy) dd or to help me speed up certain things. But if I wanted to do fries for the entire family, it would be pointless (having said that, it's so quick to do basic fries that I have been known to fill it, cook them, serve them and put another load on while we're eating! )