Air Fryers - anyone use one?

After seeing it advertised on tv we bought a Ninja Foodi Grill just before Christmas. It's wonderful, every but as good as they made it look. I use it for almost everything, hardly ever use the hob or oven any more.
The air-fry function is what I mostly use and it works for all sorts of stuff, not just oven chips!

I have the Tefal Actifry and been using it for around 10yrs.

After finding that it could make some things a 'bit mangled' due to the paddle turning them over while rotating, I bought the attachment that fastens to the top of the spindle for doing things like Chicken Nuggets, Scampi, Fish Fingers, Fish Cakes, Goujons, Stuffing Balls and Sweet Potato Wedges.

www.tefal.co.uk/accessories-store/Actifry-Snacking-grid-XA701270/a/1510001771

I did some baked potatoes in the air fryer yesterday - 55 minutes for two huge bakers and they were really nice. The inside was quite fluffy, something that never seems to happen when you microwave them. Normally I part microwave and finish them in the oven with whatever else I am cooking but didn't have the oven on last night. I might try an initial pressure cook then air fry to finish them and crisp them up to see if that is faster

Couldn`t live without mine,brilliant for pretty much anything that goes in the oven.
I cook bacon/sausages/hash browns/tomatoes /mushrooms in no time at all,
And chops and chips too.

I love my air fryer. It is so handy and you can cook so many things in it. I had a Tefal one that didn't even last a year, it had paddles which move the items around, but some things turned to mush. I then bought a Tower one and I find it great, although you have to shake the items every so often when cooking to get even cook, but that doesn't bother me. Wouldn't be without one now, saves using my oven all the time and a healthy way of cooking too.

I mean the frying tray, not the whole thing...obvs.

M0nica

I only have small airfryer and the frying container is like a mini saucepan, so everytime I use it, it goes into the dishwasher with all the other washing up.

Thanks, M0nica. I hadn't thought of that. Mine would go in the dishwasher..

Very pleased with my Airfryer speedy and chips require no more fat/oil

I have a Ninja Foodi and I love it. It makes a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich as well as other grilled meats and vegetables etc. Lentil soup in 10minutes as well using the pressure cooker feature.

I only have small airfryer and the frying container is like a mini saucepan, so everytime I use it, it goes into the dishwasher with all the other washing up.

Hoping to buy one this week (pay day plus 20% off) for staff ?

So far I've cooked oven chips, burgers and bacon in mine (Ninja Foodie) without the addition of any oil or water at all.

We did six rashers of bacon yesterday in the basket for bacon butties - the oil just collects in the pan beneath the basket or trays, I wipe it out and chuck it in the bin rather than down the sink. Same for burgers and chips, and they browned fine. I would oil homemade chips.

I forgot after doing the burgers to wipe the lid down to remove burger grease and next time I used it everything smelt like burgers

I was encouraged by the posts on here and got an Air fryer over the weekend. Reading more about it, in an effort to see just how much I can use it, it does say a light spray is the best way to go.

It also suggest a little water in the bottom if cooking naturally fatty items such a bacon.

Monica you could cook burgers in it if you chose to though couldn't you. Another one for a little water in the bottom I would guess.

I spray everything with 1Cal. I haven't tried cooking anything fatty. I still use the griddle for burgers and foods like that.

And this:

Add water to the air fryer drawer when cooking fatty foods (like chicken thighs or bacon) to prevent smoking...

Items that render off a lot of fat (such as burgers, bacon, or meatballs) might cause your air fryer to start smoking, because of the fat that collects in the air fryer pan and heats up. If this happens, you can turn off the machine, drain the fat, and start cooking again — or you can add water to the tray before you start cooking to prevent it from happening. The water will prevent the grease from getting too hot and smoking.

Apparently they can smoke. I have just read this:

Even though most air fryer baskets have nonstick coatings, you'll still want to grease the basket to make sure nothing sticks. Oils with high smoking points (such as safflower or soybean oil) are ideal for using in air fryers, as the temperatures within the machine can get very hot.

Pro tip: If you want to use olive oil in your air fryer, avoid extra-virgin varieties, which have smoke points between 350⁰ and 410⁰F, and go with regular (or light-tasting) varieties which have smoke points between 390⁰ and 470⁰F.

Ashcombe

I love my Tefal air fryer, bought from Lidl. Between using that and my micro air, I never use my oven, only the hob. Thoroughly recommend.

No, PippaZ, it doesn't smoke ...............or drink!!!

As I said upthread DD had talked me into wanting one and I had had it a few weeks but hadn't had time to take it out of the box and try it (DH was in hospital just then)

Now I have opened it and used it, I wouldn't be without it. All those little things I would put the whole oven on for, now go in the much more economical air fryer - defrosting and crisping bread items, quick roast potatoes, fish fingers, sausages, fishcakes.

I am delighted with it - and it is ideal for the weight conscious because,of course, being an air fryer foods like roast potatoes/chips etc, can be cooked virtually fat free.

Ours is an impulse on offer buy from Sainsbury's and it gets used two or three times a week. Makes the best oven chips, and roast potatoes and anything in breadcrumbs and fish. Haven't tried meat in it yet.

I love my Tefal air fryer, bought from Lidl. Between using that and my micro air, I never use my oven, only the hob. Thoroughly recommend.

No, PippaZ, it doesn't smoke ...............or drink!!!

I got the Ninja mini for Christmas. I love it and use all the functions. You can roast a chicken solely on air fryer in an hour!

I was chatting to a friend yesterday. She mentioned she bought an air fryer 6 weeks ago on the recommendation of other family members and she loves it.

She said she does most of her cooking in it and rarely uses her oven now. My mouth was watering as she described the roast potatoes!

Do the machines give off any smoke? I wouldn't want my smoke alarms going off!

I got a Ninja Foodie for Christmas and the thing I use most is the air fryer. I can do a chicken using the pressure cooker and air fryer in about an hour and a half - I used to use my slow cooker but never had nice crispy skin. I use the air fryer for reheating - it saves heating the oven. I reheated my corned beef and potato pie for lunch, yesterday cooked some cheesy fish cakes. Tomorrow we are having some twice baked potatoes - they are being air fried this afternoon, and tomorrow I'll fill and reheat. My oven is only on these days if I am doing a big meal or baking. Much easier to clean to Ninja than the oven too.

Got to add to this thread ,, I kept seeing these things advetised on telly showing people making chips.. Im not a great chip eater. So I ignored them . Then about 18months ago OH convinced me to get one.. It was so good we got another..

I dont think its been cold since we bought it. I do all sorts of things in it including a great Sunday dinner.
Chicken filets opened out and filled with mozzerlla, sun dried tomato and italian herbs, folded sht wrapped in bacon strips and air fried for about 30 minutes turning half way through..and roast potatoes from the air fryer are superb.

Honestly great food,

Then this Christmas we bought an instant pot. Well who would like to have beef stew in 40 minutes , chicken sweet and sour in 10mins?