Help me understand the appeal of air fryers

[labracockapoodle]

I've never had one. I've never felt like I needed one as everything that can be cooked in an air fryer, I can already cook in the oven or in a pan. Are they really healthier or cheaper? What makes them so popular?

Oh just in time for Amazon Prime day - what a coincidence!

Ha ha, I wish. I have a very small kitchen with f'all worktop space, but it's worth the space it takes up (& I certainly don't have a cupboard it could go in nor could I be arsed putting it in & out even if I did) not to mention that after my stroke I don't have enough use of my right arm to be able to.

wouldn't be without it.

I’ve just bought today this today https://ninjakitchen.co.uk/product/ninja-crispi-4-in-1-portable-glass-air-fryer-cyber-space-fn101ukgy-zidFN101UKGY

I wanted the airfryer with glass, so far so good

Crikey. I now feel persuaded to buy one!
Does it reheat pies and pastry well, and is it good for baked potatoes?

Yes, it will reheat pies and pastry - just be careful on timings as it's faster than a conventional oven.

Jacket potatoes are what we mainly use it for. Microwave for 5 mins, air fryer for 20 mins and they're done to perfection, soft inside, lovely crispy skin. Far quicker than a conventional oven especially as you don't have to wait for an air fryer to heat up.

Having done some research on the Which? website I am disappointed with the reviews for the Ninja Crispi. The appeal for me was its smaller footprint, but this air fryer doesn't seem to be able to offer me better options than I already have.

Our fan oven is only three years old and is brilliant. It doesn't take long to reach temperature either. I start potatoes off in the microwave then finish them in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Our solar panels offset any minimal extra costs incurred, so I think I shall remain a luddite as far as an air fryer is concerned.

Just don’t buy one then?

A 3 year old oven and solar panels isn’t the norm (sadly) so clearly in your specific circumstances an air fryer might not be of use.

We have a large kitchen and a bank of Neff ovens (3 of them…) and I still use the air fryer daily as it’s convenient.

I never use my oven now , also it's so easy to clean. I have the 2 drawer ninja. Brilliant

@RampantIvy
It's not obligatory to have an air fryer you know.

I find it healthier, crispier, quicker and more energy efficient than the oven, if you don’t need all the space of the oven.

I think they are brilliant for the summer. I use it outside so can bake things and not heat up the kitchen. Similarly my oven (meant to be pyrolytic) is quite stinky so I will use the air fryer to eg grill lamb chops outside so long as it’s not raining. Brilliant for me.
I have it stashed in appliance cupboard (actually have an indoor and outdoor air fryer stashed away).
still use oven if batch baking etc. but super handy for last minute roasting veg etc.. or baking a par baked baguette (or refreshing an elderly piece of bread).

How did you use it outside? An extension lead and a table?

guess extension lead would work. We have a plug for the strimmer etc. so I just plug it in there. Have also plugged it inside right by bifolds if they are open.

And I then carry it in. I did paprika cod fajitas yesterday. We do have a strong extractor fan but I prefer outside. Am actually considering an outdoor kitchen with overhead cover for air fryer/slowcooker/mini hob.

I don’t like cleaning ovens and oven trays. Air fryer basket just goes in the dishwasher.

Thank you @Fasterthan40 I might do this when our kitchen is being redone!

No worries, good luck with your redo of kitchen. I highly recommend an appliance garage which we use to stash our air fryer/rice cooker/slow cooker/ blenders/Icecream maker/ food processor. It even has a pop out shelf for toaster, bread and butter. It means that the counters are nice and clear and easy to clean. And wr have a hot water tap for the same reason- but I regret not getting a branded quooker.

@MidnightMeltdown - why don’t just put the oven dish’s and trays in dishwasher also? I Chuck everything in ours

It is cheaper to run, quicker to cook and the food it cooks is tastier & healthier.

For those asking about how to fit a pizza in, I've just bought a Tefal XL for out here in Spain, and we already love it. I have a Tower one with a pizza drawer underneath in the UK. but have to cut the crusts off at the sides to fit them in there.

Its definitely quicker, but tastier is subjective - for me the crispy/dried out effect it has on fish is very undesirable. Something's are better crispy - generally beige food and chicken, which an air fryer excels at :)

Health wise there are no advantages compare to cooking in the oven; if anything they are less healthy as as higher temperature cooking leads to the risk of more carcinogenic substances being ingested. It is healthier than frying, but an air fryer isn't really a frier at all - just a small electric oven. You can't actually fry anything in one. The magic of marketing :)

The one benefit you have missed is cost - they are in most cases cheaper than using an oven...but cheaper isn't always better ;)

@Tryingtokeepgoing I don't find it dries out fish, it's the same to me as fish done in the oven.

@Tryingtokeepgoing
I don’t use the airfry function for fish or chicken - I use the roast function. Nothing gets crisped or dried out.

Oh yes, for a lot of fish the oven is a poor choice too. Salmon pan fries quicker than it cooks in an air fryer, and is also not that nice cooked in the oven IMO, unless done en papillote. But of course tastes vary :)

Yep, all of that. Live my silicon liners!