Air fryer cooking

[caseydog]

We do not own one partly because they don't suit our style of cooking but also I am a bit old school in that I like to watch things cooking, add seasoning if needed, check the progress by looking and poking, just not keen on the idea of putting something in a drawer.

This ^^^^^.

CD

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I use this product to clean my Air Fryer basket and tray
Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray | Dawn Dish Soap
It works beautifully!

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I don't really understand why theres resistance to them. They are just a mini convection ovens with a basket full of holes.
If you put your food in a wire basket in a normal oven (assuming it has a fan) you essentially have a large airfryer.

They are very energy efficient and heat up super fast so save wasting electricity.
I don't have a problem pulling a drawer or opening a lid to have a peek but it's the same as any oven you get used to how long it takes to cook certain things and you can smell when something is done.

The lack of spatter and being able to dishwasher it is a bonus too.

 

[caseydog]

I don't really understand why theres resistance to them. They are just a mini convection ovens with a basket full of holes.
If you put your food in a wire basket in a normal oven (assuming it has a fan) you essentially have a large airfryer.

They are very energy efficient and heat up super fast so save wasting electricity.
I don't have a problem pulling a drawer or opening a lid to have a peek but it's the same as any oven you get used to how long it takes to cook certain things and you can smell when something is done.

The lack of spatter and being able to dishwasher it is a bonus too.

My sister wanted one, so I bought her one for Christmas two years ago. She's used it five times at most. My sister is a very lazy cook, and she doesn't even like it.

As for me, they are called air "fryers," not air mini convection ovens. If I am going to have fried food, I fry it.

CD

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I agree with SandwichShortOfAPicnic I use my AF as a mini oven alot, but just for "fried" foods.
I put this in the AF yesterday and it came out beautifully.

I put together single serve Easy Spaghetti Squash Casseroles for the freezer.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

My sister wanted one, so I bought her one for Christmas two years ago. She's used it five times at most. My sister is a very lazy cook, and she doesn't even like it.

As for me, they are called air "fryers," not air mini convection ovens. If I am going to have fried food, I fry it.

CD

I agree I like my fried food fried, that is why I call think of them as mini convection ovens not air fryers.

They are perfect for cooking a complete meal for one person or part of a meal for two-four.
Anything that can go in a normal oven can go in an air fryer and save much time and money.

The only thing that would put me off is if I didn't have worktop space out in the utility, they are bulky and not the prettiest item to look at, if I was short on space I don't think I'd of have made the initial purchase.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I don't really understand why theres resistance to them. They are just a mini convection ovens with a basket full of holes.

I don't see the point in buying something that does what I can already do very efficiently, which is fry things in hot oil. I've also already got an oven, so why would I want to buy another one?
"Fry" is defined in most dictionaries as "to cook things in hot oil or fat", so when you "air fry", you spray the food with cold oil or fat, right?
I agree it might be convenient for one person.
As for "energy saving", I wonder how much energy you would effectively save over a month. Would it really make a huge saving on the electricity bill?
I've got one, however (my wife uses it) and I absolutely respect anyone who wants to have one

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I don't see the point in buying something that does what I can already do very efficiently, which is fry things in hot oil. I've also already got an oven, so why would I want to buy another one?
"Fry" is defined in most dictionaries as "to cook things in hot oil or fat", so when you "air fry", you spray the food with cold oil or fat, right?
I agree it might be convenient for one person.
As for "energy saving", I wonder how much energy you would effectively save over a month. Would it really make a huge saving on the electricity bill?
I've got one, however (my wife uses it) and I absolutely respect anyone who wants to have one

Fair enough. I have one because they are clean, fast, efficient and money saving. You save the preheat time on your oven every time you use it and it’s heating a small box not a large one, if you google it you’ll see it‘s a heck of a lot less electricity.
Personally I don’t see the point in turning on a large oven for two jacket potatoes when a little oven like an air fryer will do.

I don’t dispute for a moment it’s not frying and I usually fry stuff in a pan that needs frying but sausages, bacon, roast anything, pies, ramekins or anything in an oven dish fairs very well in that environment and bonus you’re not left scraping fat off the oven glass.

One other advantage is having a seperate cooking device, particularly useful if you have a single cavity oven. If two dishes require different temps you have the ability to get those roast potatoes ready for the same time as everything else.

ps for anyone reading this and thinking they’ll do their roast potatoes in the air fryer who hasn’t done it before you must line the basket with foil Or use a shallow dish/tin. They need to stay in contact with the fat not have it draining away.

 

[LissaC]

Fair enough. I have one because they are clean, fast, efficient and money saving. You save the preheat time on your oven every time you use it and it’s heating a small box not a large one, if you google it you’ll see it‘s a heck of a lot less electricity.
Personally I don’t see the point in turning on a large oven for two jacket potatoes when a little oven like an air fryer will do.

This. I often use mine as a small oven as I simply refuse to turn the oven on if I'm not cooking at least 3 different things in it. I also like that's is a somewhat hands off cooking, I can always open the airfryer basket and check the food but I only need to do that 2-3 times so I can just focus on what's cooking on the stovetop.

 

[Yorky]

This. I often use mine as a small oven as I simply refuse to turn the oven on if I'm not cooking at least 3 different things in it. I also like that's is a somewhat hands off cooking, I can always open the airfryer basket and check the food but I only need to do that 2-3 times so I can just focus on what's cooking on the stovetop.

I bought a cheap (about £70.00) gas oven when I first moved here in '99 but only because it had hobs. I eventually found separate hobs in the big city (Bangkok) and fitted one so the oven hobs were then surplus to requirements. I think I may have used the oven itself 3 or 4 times in the last 20 odd years because it's just not reliable (temperature gauge is inaccurate and the door seal is just better than useless). I never got around to replacing the oven until halogen ovens were available here. I use the halogen oven frequently and now supplement it with an air fryer (primarily for chips, roast and saute potatoes).

I'm lucky that I have plenty of work surface space.

The gas oven is still here ^^^^^^^^​

 

[LissaC]

I bought a cheap (about £70.00) gas oven when I first moved here in '99 but only because it had hobs. I eventually found separate hobs in the big city (Bangkok) and fitted one so the oven hobs were then surplus to requirements. I think I may have used the oven itself 3 or 4 times in the last 20 odd years because it's just not reliable (temperature gauge is inaccurate and the door seal is just better than useless). I never got around to replacing the oven until halogen ovens were available here. I use the halogen oven frequently and now supplement it with an air fryer (primarily for chips, roast and saute potatoes).

I'm lucky that I have plenty of work surface space.

View attachment 107496​

The gas oven is still here ^^^^^^^^​

I love how spacious your kitchen is and I really envy all that counter space. Mine is a tiny kitchen and one of the counters is full with all the appliances: microwave, air fryer, coffee machine and toaster.

I've heard of people who have two ovens, a big one and a smaller one. I love food cooked in the oven but its electrical consumption is so high I refuse to turn on the oven if I'm only cooking one food.

 

[TastyReuben]

You save the preheat time on your oven

I can attest to that - it takes 30 minutes to bring my main oven up to temp. The AF preheats for three minutes, so if I’m making something like frozen potatoes (tots, fries, chips, etc), I’m already eating in the time it takes the big oven to heat up.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I love how spacious your kitchen is and I really envy all that counter space. Mine is a tiny kitchen and one of the counters is full with all the appliances: microwave, air fryer, coffee machine and toaster.

I've heard of people who have two ovens, a big one and a smaller one. I love food cooked in the oven but its electrical consumption is so high I refuse to turn on the oven if I'm only cooking one food.

I have two ovens. 1 large capacity range oven that can have a dividing wall slotted in to split it into two separate ovens and a Ninja 10 in 1 oven (love that thing, it takes 90 seconds to preheat) but I still use the air fryer because it has many advantages

 

[caseydog]

Fair enough. I have one because they are clean, fast, efficient and money saving. You save the preheat time on your oven every time you use it and it’s heating a small box not a large one, if you google it you’ll see it‘s a heck of a lot less electricity.
Personally I don’t see the point in turning on a large oven for two jacket potatoes when a little oven like an air fryer will do.

The other problem for me is space. I have a very nice kitchen, but is is on the small side (for modern American kitchens, at least). I don't have space for a lot of countertop appliances. I also don't have storage space in my kitchen for a lot of that sort of thing. I have to be very selective about what I buy for the kitchen. I can have a deep fryer, OR an air fryer, but not both.

In a way, the decision not to have an air fryer was made for me.

CD

 

[caseydog]

I can attest to that - it takes 30 minutes to bring my main oven up to temp. The AF preheats for three minutes, so if I’m making something like frozen potatoes (tots, fries, chips, etc), I’m already eating in the time it takes the big oven to heat up.

My sister's oven takes a long time to heat up, too. My 20-year-old basic Sears Kenmore oven gets to 400F/200C in less than ten minutes.

CD