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Airfryer?

(16 Posts)
Lilliesmum79 Mon 24-Oct-22 09:40:12

I only use my cooker once a day for around an hr. Would it work out cheaper to get a airfryer. It's only my husband and and myself in house. We live in Northern Ireland so I think we are limited to electricity suppliers

Chestnut Mon 24-Oct-22 09:49:28

A woman (expert) on TV giving money saving advice said she was undecided about air fryers but that slow cookers were the way to go. I think you need someone on here who has a smart meter and will do a test, 30 mins of oven and then 30 mins of air fryer, to see which is using the most electricity. Then how long do you need the oven on and how long do you need the air fryer on? The you can do a proper comparison.

Jaxjacky Mon 24-Oct-22 10:27:34

This may be helpful, but has some variants as it depends on what you’re cooking.

Nannytopsy Mon 24-Oct-22 10:35:03

Jay Rayner was pretty dismissive about the food produced by air fryers.

Lilliesmum79 Mon 24-Oct-22 10:41:54

We can't get smart meters here

Charleygirl5 Mon 24-Oct-22 10:44:05

I have had my air fryer for almost a year and it has paid for itself already. My electric oven used to take 20 minutes to heat up before I put any food in it. My air fryer takes 5 minutes to heat up and for what I eat, another 12-15 minutes on top. My food is on the table before it would be placed in the electric oven.

Not scientific but practical. I think it is a no brainer.

toscalily Mon 24-Oct-22 12:35:24

This thread on Airfryers was only started just over a week ago so is very recent, has lots of useful info: www.gransnet.com/forums/food/1316658-Another-Airfryer-Alternative-Oven-One?watched=1&msgid=29688252#29688252

Granmarderby10 Mon 24-Oct-22 12:53:16

Lilliesmum79 I read that article by Jay Rayner too, I think it was the chips that he found most disappointing and bacon that looked like. ”the wrinkled skin when you remove a plaster”. I think I might get a deep fat fryer eventually if proper chips become a must.
Sometimes only the real deal is good enough!
Still interested in an air fryer though for other stuff.
Just need to research more.?

Charleygirl5 Mon 24-Oct-22 12:58:22

Granmarderly10 I cook French fries in my Pro Breeze air fryer and they are to die for. Morrisons frozen appear to have less oil in the pack than Waitrose's own so I prefer the former and they take 10 minutes.

aggie Mon 24-Oct-22 13:02:53

I love chunky oven chips done in the airfryer top heat for 15 minutes
I made a nice apple crumble in it too
Sausages are the best I’ve ever done
It’s a misnomer to call them fryers . DD makes lovely scones in hers
I think it’s the long heating up time in the main oven that costs so much
I still find the microwave the cheapest to run , but the airfryer gives me more variety in my diet

ExDancer Mon 24-Oct-22 13:07:57

I have the same dilemma.
However I have decided that because I already have a slow cooker, an old Tefal air fryer that just fries (it sings but doesn't dance), and a combi microwave, I don't really need a super Air fryer.
They sounded wonderful at first glance, but they don't do all these things at the same time - ie you can't fry some sausages, heat some vegs and fry some chips all at once (which was the impression I got initially from all the advertising.)
All it seems to be, is a machine that can replace several other machines in one.
So I decided against it.

Charleygirl5 Mon 24-Oct-22 13:18:38

ExDancer thanks for that, I thought the more expensive singing and dancing models could.

I have a slow cooker, an ordinary microwave and my air fryer-more than enough for me who is catering for me alone with few exceptions.

Jaxjacky Mon 24-Oct-22 13:33:19

I too changed my mind ExDancer I bought one in a fit of being caught up in the ‘the hype’ stared at it for a week, then sent it back. I too have a well used slow cooker (two, different sizes) a combi microwave and a gas hob. We rarely eat chips or other fried food, I don’t bake and make hot desserts once or twice a year so I considered it unnecessary.
Our oven is used about twice a month, I can live with that.

Kate1949 Mon 24-Oct-22 14:23:40

We bought a Ninja 9 1 about a month ago. We haven't had the oven on since and rarely the hob. Food crisps up far better in the air fryer than in the oven.

Gardenersdelight Mon 24-Oct-22 16:18:51

An alternative to an air fryer is a halogen oven which is what have
I personally think it's more flexible than an air fryer and definitely cheaper to buy!

Pixieboots Tue 25-Oct-22 07:12:40

We have an actifry and it makes the best chips ever but we use potatoes cut into chips not frozen chips. They take 30 fo 40 minutes depending on amount of potatoes. It also cooks lovely new potatoes, button mushrooms and there is a recipe book with it. Chips only use less than a tablespoon of oil so probably healthier than most options.