Air Fryers - Worth it? (Less health but more money saving?)

anotheruser

Are air fryers worth it?

We have looked at one and I'm still not sure, more from a cost cutting and tastiness point of view rather than health.

Are there any consumables you need for having one?
I've seen some come with little paper-like plates.

Cheerio.

maisie_cat

We don't fry anything much, but I do love roast veggies so I bought an instant pot with extra air fryer lid last year. The cooking area is small but as a result is very much cheaper than using the oven. We've used for chicken, sausages, roast and wedge potatoes and I made a cake in it at Christmas. Because it's a multicooker we've also started cooking pasta on a 1 minute setting, gamechanger!

Marcon

No, no consumables. Big saving in time and thus cost. Only had mine (Ninja Foodi Max 11-in-1 multi-cooker 6L OL550UK) a couple of weeks and already delighted with it - only thing I'm not delighted about is that the same model was in this week's MSE e-mail with £60 off!

sarah1972

Not worth it all in my opinion. I bought one to sit on the worktop for a year and then gave it away.

shykins

I have a square ninja health grill ,airfryer and we use it for everything, cant remember last time big oven went on.   

because its square I can get a whole chicken in as well as the roasties.    generally it takes a third less time on lower oven temperature and of course it heats up much quicker than the big oven

i think a lot of people who dont like them have one of the smaller, round ones that arent practical for a family as they dont hold enough.

sarah1972

shykins said:

I have a square ninja health grill ,airfryer and we use it for everything, cant remember last time big oven went on.   

because its square I can get a whole chicken in as well as the roasties.    generally it takes a third less time on lower oven temperature and of course it heats up much quicker than the big oven

i think a lot of people who dont like them have one of the smaller, round ones that arent practical for a family as they dont hold enough.

That’s interesting, mine was a big square one but I never saw the point of it. I couldn’t see it was easier to have to shake chips every few minutes when I just put them on a flat baking tray in the oven and take them out when cooked. I do chickens on the rotisserie on the bbq and if I do oven them, I use a probe so generally takes a third less time than the packaging says anyway especially with resting. 

I really want to need an air fryer, I just can’t see what it does that my oven doesn’t already x

shykins

@sarah1972 we never shake or turn over anything,   chips just put them in for 8-10minutes and take out done.    chickens I cook on airfry for approx 170 for 45mins (depending on size) .   we also use a probe to double check 

Its not so much it does things the oven doesnt more that it does it quicker as it heats up so much faster.   having said that we do paninis, grilled sandwiches and just about everything else in it lol

Daz2009

I've just bought one from Costco 
https://www.costco.co.uk/Appliances/Small-Kitchen-Appliances/Cooking-Specialty/Gourmia-66L-Digital-Air-Fryer/p/6487
I don't know how I lived without it.I've used it nearly every day for the week I've owned it.Cooked frozen chips,beefburgers,chicken breast and fish and all came out great,the chips especially good.
All cooked quicker than a conventional oven with little mess.....any cost savings are a bonus.
I'd highly recommend getting one but go for something fairly big like the one I linked to

mobileron

Best invention from the microwave,food tastes great dont have to wait 10 mins to warm up.
Much healthier than frying.
Check youtube for more info.

Sandtree

sarah1972 said:
That’s interesting, mine was a big square one but I never saw the point of it. I couldn’t see it was easier to have to shake chips every few minutes when I just put them on a flat baking tray in the oven and take them out when cooked. I do chickens on the rotisserie on the bbq and if I do oven them, I use a probe so generally takes a third less time than the packaging says anyway especially with resting. 

I really want to need an air fryer, I just can’t see what it does that my oven doesn’t already x

Mrs bought one, used it whilst we had a pair of old ovens that were slow to heat up, a pain to clean etc. We then got a large oven with self cleaning and a small steam/combi oven and since then its not been used.

They will use electricity because they're smaller but new ovens heat up quickly, nothing like the 10 minutes others are saying theirs, and the steam-combi oven is used for many things from basic steamed veg to making even moister roast chicken with crispy skin etc 

Marcon

sarah1972 said:

shykins said:

I have a square ninja health grill ,airfryer and we use it for everything, cant remember last time big oven went on.   

because its square I can get a whole chicken in as well as the roasties.    generally it takes a third less time on lower oven temperature and of course it heats up much quicker than the big oven

i think a lot of people who dont like them have one of the smaller, round ones that arent practical for a family as they dont hold enough.

That’s interesting, mine was a big square one but I never saw the point of it. I couldn’t see it was easier to have to shake chips every few minutes when I just put them on a flat baking tray in the oven and take them out when cooked. I do chickens on the rotisserie on the bbq and if I do oven them, I use a probe so generally takes a third less time than the packaging says anyway especially with resting. 

I really want to need an air fryer, I just can’t see what it does that my oven doesn’t already x

I guess it depends not  on the model you buy. If it only air fries and you have a modern and efficient mini oven, then possibly not - but the other functions (pressure cooker, dehydrator, slow cooker, yogurt maker etc) are fantastic.