Air fryers-are they worth it?

The other thing that isn't obvious is that a counter-top halogen oven does a similar job to an air fryer, but is a different shape. It is round instead of rectangular, the element is in the hinge-up lid, and the body is see-through, so you can see how your food is getting on without pulling out a drawer, and the large round body of toughened glass takes round containers.

Elegran

The other thing that isn't obvious is that a counter-top halogen oven does a similar job to an air fryer, but is a different shape. It is round instead of rectangular, the element is in the hinge-up lid, and the body is see-through, so you can see how your food is getting on without pulling out a drawer, and the large round body of toughened glass takes round containers.

I wouldn’t be without my halogen oven. Bought it when they were cheap as chips in Aldi and use it three or four times a week.

Thanks to that and my King Pro electric pressure/slow cooker, I haven’t used my oven in ages.

I also would not be without my halogen oven

I wouldn't be without mine. I only use my regular oven occasionally, for things in large rectangular trays .

I had halogen ovens and did find their use very easy. However, whereas the large glass bowl was easy to keep clean, I found that the area round the element in the lid totally impossible to clean. Fat, obviously, splattered up into that area. Hinged lid meant it was not removable for cleaning (and even the earlier one I had without a hinged lid proved just as impossible to clean).

Because of this I did not bring this item with me when i moved into a flat with a much smaller kitchen. With rthe airfryer I use silicone liners inthe drawer and it is all so very easy to clean after each use.

I commenced with a 'compact' airfryer, which has now been passed on to one of my student g.children). With that I discovered how very easy and useful this gadget is in my kitchen and now have a one with a much larger drawer.

I don't like my air fryer, I've given it a good go, not for me.

Bought an air fryer to replace my defunct halogen. I really wish I'd gone for another halogen. Prefer the shape and being able to see the food as its cooking.

I have a small fitted oven and also a small air fryer. The air fryer cuts out the pre-heating time and consequently is much quicker. It does a good job and is a good device to have in a kitchen. Mine is light enough to keep in a low cupboard. It does save energy

Mine has a round drawer which is only 18cm in diameter but foil dishes work well as they are squashable. I did find a couple of cake tins to fit in and also have several mini tart tins, excellent for filling with hm uncooked mince pies for freezing. Pop them frozen into the air fryer, beautiful result

Definitely not an essential item for me but a time and energy saver when I only want to cook or bake a small amount. I am glad I have one

I use an Air Fryer. Can't remember the last time I used my oven. I paid £70 from Amazon for one. It is the Uten Air Fryer and it is very good. You can cook anything in it.

My larger airfryer has a window in the large drawer, and an internal light, so I can see how the cooking is going.

For me if ujust cooking for one or two people, I think this is more important in amdern kitchen than afll size oven. Do not think it will be long before main ovens will bettally replaced by air fryer ones,

Cannot think of anything I would cook in the oven that cannot go into the air fryer - for a much shorter cooking time. My small chicken (which I did yesterday), stated on it that it would require 1 hour 20 minutes in a fan oven at 180.
Mine was nearly overdone after 50 minutes at 170 !!!!!

Franbern admittedly I have never cooked a whole chicken in my air fryer but my rule of thumb is if it says 40 minutes in an oven, after 18 minutes I check each minute. I roughly half the time.

It is 2 and a half years since I used my oven and I now use it as a cupboard.

I love turkey, but do not like turkey breast so they have priced themselves out of this house.

Yesterday, for the first time I saw ‘Air fryer times’ on the koftas I was cooking. It was about 2/3 of the oven/grill time.

I still use my oven, my small oven. The large oven is only used when I have two full trays to bake of am using my very big casserole dish to make my ready meals. Last time I used my small oven I was baking a full tray of scones and in that case it is better than the air fryer. I like to batch bake, makes life easier and more economical.

My air fryer is really an accessory rather than essential. I used it today because I baked one nice piece of cod in a pesto sauce, just for me, foil dish and foil on top. This is when the air fryer proves its worth. I would not be putting any oven on for one piece of fish

I found the program interesting but I don't think I'll be buying one. for a start I'll have nowhere to store it in my small kitchen.
I don't know if anyone has ever tried using real potatoes to make chips and I wasn't too impressed with the way it only seemed to bake a small amount of cakes, I make a Victoria sponge often so I'll be sticking to my top small gas oven. They never tell you how much it costs to use gas only the cost of electric.

DD just showed me hers. She did some potato wedges in it. She did say though ( and my son made the same mistake) she wished she’d bought one with two drawers so she could cook two things at the same time.

Spotty socks I agree about not doing a comparison between airfryers and gas. We are expected to work it out for ourselves. It takes less time to warm up my airfryer than my gas oven and it takes less time to cook the fairy cakes but I haven’t tried anything bigger than a Bundt cake.

I also would not be without my air fryer.

Here, we had nasty hot, humid weather on Sunday - and visitors. I took the combi microwave and air fryer outside to a table under cover - then cooked out there.

Compared to using the 'big' oven (and heating the kitchen, like it or not) the running costs are low - so can anyone afford not to use other methods?

spottysocks

I found the program interesting but I don't think I'll be buying one. for a start I'll have nowhere to store it in my small kitchen.
I don't know if anyone has ever tried using real potatoes to make chips and I wasn't too impressed with the way it only seemed to bake a small amount of cakes, I make a Victoria sponge often so I'll be sticking to my top small gas oven. They never tell you how much it costs to use gas only the cost of electric.

Yes, I have used my small airfryer to make chips (from pototoes) for the past year. I use a spray oil on them = just two or three sprays, and toss them about every five or so minutes. Comes out gorgeous.

When I was looking for a larger airfryer I looked at the two drawer ones. They all told me how wonderful they were as it meant that different foods, in the two drawers could be set to complete cooking at the same time. However, it still meant those drawers were too small to use for something like a whole chicken or a large cake. So, I opted for one BIG drawer, I am more than capable of putting in a second or third food item after first (or second) item has been cooking for some time, so finshing it all at same time.

I’ve only had mine just over a week, so still getting used to it. However, I’ve cooked chicken breast and salmon in it along with some potato wedges, and was pleased with the results. I found they needed a bit longer than the guidance times given in the instruction book, but that wasn’t a problem. The thing I really like is there is virtually no pre heating required, so therefore the oven isn’t on as long, and the cooking time is a little bit less than the oven.
I won’t be giving up the oven completely, though. There are still times when it is needed, but the air-fryer will be a very useful addition.

Thanks Franbern it's good to know that using potatoes instead of frozen chips in a an airfryer gives good results

So, do you put your usual cake tin in the air fryer to make a cake? The only ones I make are tea loaves or banana bread. I assume a loaf tin wouldn’t fit in one?

I haven’t had mine long but am pleased so far and it has saved me putting the oven on, which saves money and keeps the kitchen cooler.
Today I cooked sweet potato chips, which tasted better than the ordinary chips I did previously. I have also cooked lightly breadcrumbed fish from frozen, which was excellent. Also a mince dish topped with sliced potatoes- all cooked on the hob then finished off in the air fryer.

spottysocks When you cut up your potatoes as chips make sure that you dry them off completely on kitchen roll. Then a quick spray with oil and place in airfryer drawer. I do mine at 180 degrees, for one portion takes about 12 -15 minutes, a little more for two portions together.