Slow Cooker or Air Fryer - if you had to buy only one, which would you buy?

[PineConeOrDogPoo]

Just that - if you had space for only one, which would it be and why?

Air fryer with a slow cooker. Have a look at the Ninjas.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-multi-cookers

Air fryer. I use it most days to cook sausages and hash browns for DC breakfast. I only use my slow cooker about once a week and some weeks not at all.

@caringcarer lucky DC!

We pack ours away too as I don’t want it on the side, so it probably limits how often we use it. I’ll get it out if I’m only cooking a small amount of something or if there’s something I want particularly crisped up! But then again, we don’t actually use our oven all that much, we cook more stove top meals, which is probably also why I prefer the slow cooker. Stews, bolognaise, curries, chillies etc!

Air fryer. Ours is used most days. In contrast we did have a slow cooker but it rarely got used.

Love my airfryer but could live without it and just use the oven. Wouldn't be without a slow cooker, although I use it less often. Love coming home from work to something delicious from the slow cooker.

Totally depends on your family sent up etc. I have a rice cooker that also sautes, slow cooks etc and I'd pick that over either, but it also costs more than buying both a basic small air fryer (£22) and a slow cooker (£30 or so). I think the multi functions cookers are good value. Family size air fryers take up too much space - I'm happy using the oven for family meals still.

This is what we have. Rarely use an actual oven now

We have the ninja flex drawer, and only use the oven if the food doesn't fit in eg pizza, large tray bakes for groups etc.

All those suggesting the Ninja 15, does it work well? I've got an InstantPot which supposedly both pressure cooks and slow cooks, but the slow cooker function doesn't work as well as a dedicated slow cooker

We have a combination microwave oven and air fryer which is great.

Air fryer, way more versatile

@RIPVPROG is it the ninja possible ? Really wanting one but reviews of using it actually as a slow cooker are very mixed , would you recommend?

I have the big Ninja flex drawer airfryer and a crockpot hinged lid slow cooker.
I would choose the slow cooker every time. The air fryer just isn't big enough for the family so I end up putting the oven on anyway!
The airfryer is in a cupboard and rarely gets used. They are good for certain foods though so it depends what you like to eat.
I use the slow cooker for loads of different meals and desserts. They're not just for casseroles.

Air fryer definitely. I use mine practically every day, done sausages today for sausage butties for lunch. Probably use slow cooker once or twice a month in the winter months

Please can posters say what they use their air fryers for. I don't have one and am not convinced I need one, but that will be because I have never used one.

I tend to do most meals on the hob - stir fries, rice and pasta dishes, curries etc.

I use my oven for recipes from The Roasting Tin series of books where I need a large roasting tin so I am not sure an air fryer would do the job.

Cooking potato products - chips, baked potatoes, toasties.

Nuggets, fish, chicken, sausage and such.

Cooking eggs for hard "boiled" eggs

Single serving cake/crumble/brownies

Roasting single servings of veg.

Reheating leftovers.

Air Fryer

Thank you @QuestionableMouse
I can see that I wouldn't have much use for an air fryer.

@TheNuthatch I use the slow cooker for loads of different meals and desserts. They're not just for casseroles.

I’m not using mine to the full. Will you give me some ideas please?

Mine does both, plus rice cooker, pressure cooker and more

Amazon make a knock off of the ninja btw

@RampantIvy

Air fryers are more suited to "freezer food" something we don't eat and oven will cook everything anyway (I have 3 different sizes. My 15 in 1 multi cooker is an air fryer if I needed it but it's so versatile.

Yes, I thought so. I have a sandwich toaster, a microwave, a hob and an oven and wanted to know if an air fryer could do what they couldn't. We don't tend to eat air fryer friendly meals really. My most used cooking utensil is my wok.

I couldn't imagine hard boiling eggs in an air fryer when a pan on the job is an easier option.

Air fryer, used the most.

Not true. I don't eat ready made freezer food.

Last night I made flat breads in mine.

I would just have used a pan on my hob for that.

I know this makes me sound like a luddite, but I can't justify the space an air fryer takes up when I already have the means to cook or heat something using other methods.