Air Fryers….honest opinions!

There is only myself and I have a Chefman which is not much bigger than a kettle and sits on my worktop.
So handy for one person as using the oven for one is so wasteful.
It is quick, effective and cheap to run.

I am getting one with a concealed element, as I read the exposed elements ( which most air fryers have)
Are difficult to keep clean.

I bought my ninja air fryer loved it that much bought a soup maker and the kettle and knife set the blender and ice cream maker i just love ninja i can do from egg on toast to a roast dinner you name it I can do it and it’s done in quarter of the time and doesn’t use much electric unlike a regular oven. I actually got rid of my oven as it wasn’t getting used.

I brought cheap one from Aldi to find out what all the fuss is about and honestly it’s best purchase I’ve made in years. Can’t remember last time I used my oven. Try cheap one first see how you get on with it.

Wouldn't be without one now, never use my oven.

Was given one as a Christmas gift. I live alone and find it very useful and quick. Chicken (thigh) and chips - while I'm preparing a side salad) . All ready in about 15-20mins.

* bought

I ought a Ninja dual drawer about 18 months ago … I live alone but have cooked meals for 2 , (in combination with the microwave for veg, or the hob occasionally) happily in far less time than in the oven. I loved it so much I bought a second Speedi in Ninjas sale which has all the features of the first plus more and is a single big square bowl cooker. In this and the original, plus as above I cooked a full Christmas dinner for 4 happily on about an hour… I have only used the oven twice since..fora Pizza…due to size and for a massive Mac and cheese when my family arrived from Japan recently …so 5 of us. The rest of the time I used the Air Fryer. LOVE THEM

Invest in one... Time and money saving. Youcan do just about anything in it. Rarely use my oven now. I have a Ninja Dual but get whatever suits your needs.

If nothing else, they cook quicker than a fan oven and use less electric as they are heating up a much smaller space than a normal oven, I use mine daily as it’s just right for the two of us

I have a really cheap one from Lidl and it's excellent, particularly for small amounts and if you're cooking for one. Really good for reheating things like chips and getting them crispy. Considering finding room for it in the camper van for times we have electric hookup.

I bought the basic Lakeland fryer, too. Wish I’d bought a more versatile one now.

My son persuaded me to buy one, because he said he & his wife found it so useful. But they have three small kids, so may end up cooking extra bits and bobs if they won’t all eat what they’ve been given! I’ve cooked the classic oven chips, with great success, but the main reason for getting it was to give my husband another cooking option. He cooks a lot more at the moment because I have fatigue, and standing up to cook can give me backache.

I have various pieces of kitchen equipment some of which get more use than others. But I must say I’m very tempted by an air fryer having seen my daughter’s in use. She has teenagers and works long hours as a practice nurse. Her kids and husband cook things for themselves when she’s not around and it seems so easy. We’ve also had a delicious roast dinner cooked mainly in the fryer and it’s so quick!

We have had two so far. We got our current one from ProCook and it's brilliant. My husband is an ex-chef and is a bit fussy but he loves it. Our oven isn't hardly ever used any more. I'd definitely recommend getting one.

no i use my microwave still

Does it replace a microwave? I usually microwave all my vegetables, rice etc

I've got a small air fryer which was given to me as a gift but I'm not that enamoured really I have to admit. It's not as quick as I imagined and to me our microwave or small oven is just as good. BUT it does make a change to use from time to time. Perhaps a two drawer one would be more useful

We’ve upgraded our small Lidl air fryer, which had lots of use, (the handle fell off and couldn’t be repaired) to the Ninja two drawer dual zone model and have used it each day since it arrived. OH is cooking beef kofta & roasted vegetables tonight, so looking forward to that. However, I’ll need to pop to the butchers to replace the minced beef, as Dylan, our dog, almost devoured the one defrosting on the work top! 🙄

Marydoll

MissInterpreted

It should do, Marydoll. I've dehydrated various things in mine and they've worked well.

Thanks.

I have successfully dehydrated my chillies.
However, not being the sharpest tool in the toolbox, I omitted to wear gloves then rubbed my face. 🥵

Oh, been there, done that!

I really don’t think I would use an air fryer very much and would have nowhere to store it. I have a kettle, toaster and coffee machine on my worktop and think it already looks cluttered!

MissInterpreted

It should do, Marydoll. I've dehydrated various things in mine and they've worked well.

Thanks.

I have successfully dehydrated my chillies.
However, not being the sharpest tool in the toolbox, I omitted to wear gloves then rubbed my face. 🥵

I just have a basic saucepan one with temperature and time settings. Simple, basic with no superfluous controls.

Like others I have rarely used my cooker oven since. I cook small roasts with roast potatoes in it, croutons, chips, potato cubes. I have a recipe for making Yorshire puddings for 2. I heat things made from shortcrust or flaky pastry because they crisp up beautifully.

Mine was inexpensive and I found a space in the corner of the work top for it.

ferry23, it sounds as if there might be a fault, as mine is a Lakeland dual drawer and it doesn’t cause any issues. You can find the operating instructions on line either by googling Lakeland air fryer and the model number, or going onto the Lakeland site, finding the fryer there and downloading the instructions if you haven’t already done so - this might give you a clue about why it might be smoking, plus it explains all the different buttons and how to use them.

What I would suggest, though, is contacting Lakeland as they have the no quibble 3 year returns guarantee, so that you can either exchange for another Lakeland model, choose a different brand or get your money back.

Ferry23, I had the same issue with the first fryer I bought, the house was full of smoke. I returned it. The store owner reckoned it was a fault with the machine. The next one I bought worked fine, never smokes not even cooking when cooking bacon.

I have one and use the pressure cooking and slow cooking quite often. I also use the air fryer for chips etc. Having said that we recently had a party here and it got put in the garage and is still there. They take up a lot of room!