Why do you use an airfryer?

I'm quite an adventurous cook and happy to experiment ... just keep am eye on the rice so it doesn't cook dry.

That's the other good thing about an AF - easy to open and check without losing heat.

Retread- interesting. Sounds delicious I will try this!

I'll never make rice any other way again! I used Basmati, added water to about half an inch above the rice level, crumbled in a chicken stock cube, bit of salt, stirred it, added handful of a dried red pepper flakes, celery, mushrooms and herbs mix I happened to have in the pantry from a long ago trip to Italy. In the on the Roast* setting, at 175 for about 20 mins. I checked it once and added another splash of water and a tiny bit of butter. It was like a risotto ... 😋

*My AF has Air Fryer, Roast, Bake and Grill settings. The Roast and Bake settings has a lower fan action, not as potent as AF or Grill.

Retread

I take cooked items out of my saucepan style AF by tipping them into a dish, or lifting them out with a non-metallic slotted spoon.

As for cleaning, I fill it with water up to a point where it covers the tray, add a squirt of washing up liquid, switch it on for 5 minutes, swish and wash and rinse it. Voila.

I’m about to cook rice in it in a small covered dish, as a trial, with chicken stock as liquid. Will put carrots alongside wrapped in foil with a know of butter. Then rice and carrots kept warm, I’ll AF lamb chops and do frozen peas in the microwave.

Lmk how the rice goes! I bought a rice cooker, youngest DD bagged me into doing it (still have her and others at home). Result, it’s there, nice and shiny and on the counter totally unused!!! Grrrrrr

Retread

For the record, I'm an excellent cook! 😁

I’m cooking for one, so it would be wasteful to heat up the oven for one baked potato! I use my air fryer for lots of things, but still prefer to pan fry fish. I don’t have a microwave and I never use my main oven now.

For the record, I'm an excellent cook! 😁

I have one which does all manner of types of cooking, half the time, food is NEVER fried, the amount of any oil required is tiny and the food, on the whole, tastes much more moist.

No bending down, I wear glasses and have joint issues, when I open the big oven steam whooshes and steams up my glasses and then it’s hard to see!

It’s also much much easier to clean than a conventional oven and I think it’s a bit cheeky to “suggest” good cooks don’t use them, our lovely DiL is a chef and uses one.

Boz

it annoys me that you are still getting cooking instructions for conventional ovens when they should be giving AF times and temps.also.
Has anyone mentioned the awfulness of having to wrestle hot food from an enormous gaping hot hole of an oven, when removing food from an AF is easy because of the drawers?
Plus food is nicer and not so dry.

Yes!

TheSunRisesInTheEast

I was put off buying an air fryer for ages, because we don't often eat fried food. Now that I've got one (gave into peer pressure!!), I love it. They should be called air ovens, because they are just like a mini oven. They don't need pre-heating and cook things in half the time. I wouldn't be without it now.

Air oven? Good idea and truthfull too, but less catchy than airfryer.

I have been on other AF threads and started one of my own. I am slowly getting to experiment with mine and agree that it's far more convenient than my oven and I need to braver than just doing chicken and chips. However I did cook some chicken breasts last night, previously marinated in spices, and cooked some sweet potato fries in the other drawer. The chicken was fantastic so I may try making the marinade for other meats as well.
Overall I am very pleased I bought it.

For us it’s being able to things like fried chicken with very little oil and no batter and roast potatoes

I was put off buying an air fryer for ages, because we don't often eat fried food. Now that I've got one (gave into peer pressure!!), I love it. They should be called air ovens, because they are just like a mini oven. They don't need pre-heating and cook things in half the time. I wouldn't be without it now.

My main over has benn used as another cupboard for at least 5 years.

I have never used a drop of oil. When I want chips, I buy the cheapest, thinly cut and they are gorgeous. I live on my own so my Christmas dinner of a duck leg with sauce and trimmings was gorgeous, not exactly fried food. My air fryer takes 5 minutes to heat up and if food supposed to be oven cooked, I half the time and watch it. It saves me time and money and in 5 years I have only had one over cooked meal, no longer.

I use tongs or an egg-lifter/spatula to lift food out of my saucepan air fryer, if the food is directly on the tray.

I also bought a silicone insert with lifting handles which was recommended by the manufacturer, but so far I've hardly used it.

Mollygo I have a saucepan type AF. You have to put your hands into it to lift whatever food is in the Af up and out of the pan.

I have neither the space nor need for anything bigger.

Just for reference, M0nica I don’t ever put my hands into the airfryer. I use the mitts to slide the shelves forward from the oven, then to lift the dishes off the shelves, or to carry the shelves onto my heatproof board so I can serve the food.
With the rectangular tubs, there is a handle which attaches to the tub to lift it out of the oven. Then I use a long handled spoon or even an egg slice to lift the food out.

Granmarderby10
Yes, the shark resemblance appealed to Lee too.

Mollygo those silicone mitts look just like two sharks heads to me😅 cue Jaws theme 🎶

*knob of butter!

I take cooked items out of my saucepan style AF by tipping them into a dish, or lifting them out with a non-metallic slotted spoon.

As for cleaning, I fill it with water up to a point where it covers the tray, add a squirt of washing up liquid, switch it on for 5 minutes, swish and wash and rinse it. Voila.

I’m about to cook rice in it in a small covered dish, as a trial, with chicken stock as liquid. Will put carrots alongside wrapped in foil with a know of butter. Then rice and carrots kept warm, I’ll AF lamb chops and do frozen peas in the microwave.

Not got one yet but sometimes I do have a fancy for homemade chips (but without the danger and greasy mess)

I did make pork crackling in my sons Ninja as part of a Sunday dinner after a quickly googling the method, that was a success, beautifully crunchy and not chewy!
I would also love to make some jam doughnuts, or banana fritters as not had those in ages😋

Mollygo

I have a pair of silicone mitts to avoid burning. I had big ones for the main oven but now these are just right for pulling the shelves out of the air fryer.
The only problem? Both DGS and the dog like to take them.

I couldn't even begin to get my hands wearing those mitts into my airfryer when there was food cooking in it. I have a saucepan type AF. I either pick individual items of food up (baked potatoes, individual pitta pizzas, sausages) , 'pour' them out (pommes parmentier) or use a teacloth, so I can whip them out uickly and put the container with the food directly on a work top.

I always use a liner or small oven proof dish - never put food directly on base of drawer.
They go in the dishwasher when needing a wash.
I really do not know what there is to dislike, especially for small households.

Mollygo I have a pair of those that were supplied with my air fryer oven. My daft son christened them Bert and Ernie and that’s how they’ve been known ever since😁!

I have a pair of silicone mitts to avoid burning. I had big ones for the main oven but now these are just right for pulling the shelves out of the air fryer.
The only problem? Both DGS and the dog like to take them.