Are air fryers worth it?

BraveDonut

Bought this about a year ago

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Salter-EK3662RG-Aerocook-Litre-43-5cm/dp/B07XRH5BVF/ref%3Dasc_df_B07XRH5BVF/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=375418724539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1870075080060718665&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007850&hvtargid=pla-887718050327&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=83648334944&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=375418724539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1870075080060718665&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007850&hvtargid=pla-887718050327

Tried it a few times and found it to be awful. The chips cook at different rates on the shelves and stick to them. Burned myself a few times trying to get food out of it. Altogether just a pain in the hole and now just don't bother. Was disappointed as I know lots of people swear by their air fryer.

I always suspected that this was an oven rather than a fryer, so I did take a look at the Lidl one this week but I'm afraid that I will just end up with the same problems?

Thoughts?

Homelander

I don't get how there is still confusion over them really - they ARE effectively more convenient mini-ovens that heat up way faster, and are just far less hassle, in a deep fat fryer style format, eg the basket.

I love them, couldn't be without, personally I've owned 2 and always found they cooked perfectly well and evenly. I almost never use the actual oven anymore unless I'm cooking for several people.

Now that thing linked above is actually, literally, a mini-oven in every sense, complete with opening door, mini trays, racks, a grill, etc. That's not an air fryer, it's basically a tiny oven for someone who maybe doesn't have space for a full oven or something.

JackieChang

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118106747#Comment_118106747

Yes I insptected the Lidl one like an inquisitive monkey because it was my first air fryer. It's basically the same as a grill, with a fan. There's a heating element at the top. It burns your food on the top if you don't turn it. That's about it.

However I don't see myself using the oven very often from now on. Doesn't make sense to heat the whole thing up for one fillet of fish or two waffles.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117912093#Comment_117912093

And a hob is just a fire, so if you have a fire you dont need a hob.

been using the airfryer almost daily since we got ours. Great investment.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118109073#Comment_118109073

How about this?

https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Vortex-Plus-Rotisserie-10/dp/B07VM28XTR?th=1

All the reviews I've looked at say it's a normal air fryer. Never used one and choice is very limited where I live. My oven isn't convection and I really don't like it.

Well I got it and used it for the first time yesterday evening. Very impressed.

Gorgeous wings that I had marinated beforehand, and decent chips. Nothing like the deep-fried chips I make, but I didn't expect that, and they were better than any oven chips I've ever had. Cut them myself, left them in sugar water, added salt and a bit of oil, and did them in the rotating basket.

Looking forward to getting into roasted vegetable more, and since it's really easy to catch the drippings from meats, it will be easier to make gravies and sauces.

Not sure if I'd bother if I had a convection oven. Not an option where I rent, so this air fryer will open up a lot of grilling options I didn't have while being attractive and not taking up much room.

cj maxx

To the folks saying " it's just an oven" . That's exactly what it . Only faster , cleaner and so much easier. For veg and chips a quick parboil ,3-4 mins, helps to add taste . A great job. And I haven't even tried baking in it .

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118189460#Comment_118189460

Actually , I was just going to ask what're they like to baking in ? ( Or slow roasting?)

I feel I'm gonna have to find cupboard space for one in the near future ...

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118189874#Comment_118189874

The manual gave baking tips , not sure about slow roasting.

leex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118189874#Comment_118189874

We have purchased many gadgets over the years that needed (long-term) cupboard space. This is not one of them - it is used daily in our house. Even for something as simple as baking the part/pre-baked rolls you get in supermarkets. Our kids have these for their school lunch many days each week and it is a case of popping them into this for 6/7 mins in the morning with no pre-heating required. Other uses in our house incl cooking chicken, steak, irish breakfasts, oven chips etc.

SAMTALK

When doing chips I pop them in the microwave for a few minutes to soften the potato, season and throw in air fryer.

The nicest chips , way ahead of deep fat fryer

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118190011#Comment_118190011

Thanks for the microwave tip ! I used to boil chips for a few minutes

Quin_Dub

I bought a combo unit - The Ninja Foodi.

Best thing I ever bought for the Kitchen - Pressure Cooker , Slow Cooker , Air-fryer , Steamer all in one unit and you can saute/roast/boil stuff in it too.

Got rid of about 4 other things in the Kitchen.

I'd use the Air fryer part 3 or 4 times a week , Cook Rice a few times a week and now heading into the colder months it'll be slow or pressure cooking casseroles and curries etc. all the time.

I have College age kids and they cook chips and Chicken strips etc. it it all the time - Super fast and tastes exactly the same as when cooked any other way.

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118190092#Comment_118190092

Just cut to whatever shape/size you want, spread out on a plate and put in for about 3/4 mins. I love aromat seasoning and schwartz chip seasoning sprinkled on top

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118190643#Comment_118190643

Is that before putting them in the fryer?

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118190681#Comment_118190681

When cut throw them into a bowl , load on as much seasoning as you like, then put in microwave 3/4 mins, then air fryer tossing a couple of times. Oh lord Im starving now !

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118190681#Comment_118190681

And please let me know what you think !!

Ozvaldo

Can you cook stuff in the philips air fryer without using the basket

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118191428#Comment_118191428

I will when I start cooking again, living on pizza and take outs at the moment.

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118191435#Comment_118191435

? No AFAIK

kowloon

This thread has given me a new Christmas present idea. So that's nice.

Muahahaha

Like others love my airfryer, have one almost 4 years now and wouldnt be without it. Id say they save a fair bit of electricity as well, I think they are only around 4-5 litres in size whereas my convection oven is 42 litres so would take a lot more power to get up to 180-200c.

I also find the instant pot great and comes into its own in the winter as it does soups, stews, curries, chilli. I batch cook them all and then freeze the left overs for another day. It means Im only really cooking 2-3 days a week rather than 6 or 7. Its a great time saver.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118211347#Comment_118211347

What's so good about them as opposed to a saucepan? We have a rice cooker but all the soups and curries are just done in a saucepan. Easy to throw it in the fridge then for the next day.

Edit: Nevermind. They looks really good. My favourite dish is rarely made because it takes hours and hours to make it right, whereas these things are faster.

kowloon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118211347#Comment_118211347

Which model of instantpot do you have? I have one that's just a pressure cooker/slow cooker. Does having the air fryer section on it make it hard to clean?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214082#Comment_118214082

yeah thats it, cooking under pressure vastly reduces cooking times. I do chicken in satay sauce in 5 minutes under pressure but its with stewing beef where it really performs, a chilli takes 40 minutes under pressure rather than 6+ hours in a slow cooker. The result is the same- very tender beef. They are also a slow cooker too but Ive never used that function, they have settings for rice cooking, soup and yoghurt making as well. Mine is mainly used in the winter and then put in the kitchen presses for most of summer. Im currently working my way through an Indian recipe book that I found a PDF of online where all the recipies are designed for the Instant Pot and its really good, I made some fantastic butter chicken curry with it last night.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214807#Comment_118214807

I have the same model, the Duo I think it is called. Ive seen the ones with the air fryer attachment on top but prefer to just have a separate airfryer as access to the food to shake it is much easier with a pull out drawer. Whereas with the Instant Pots airfryer attachement you've to lift it off and not burn yourself then put it down somewhere safe then shake the food in the pot and then put it back on again- which is too much faffing about for my liking. Airfryers are a better design with the front access drawer imo.

kowloon

Muahahaha I have the same model, the Duo I think it is called. Ive seen the ones with the air fryer attachment on top but prefer to just have a separate airfryer as access to the food to shake it is much easier with a pull out drawer. Whereas with the Instant Pots airfryer attachement you've to lift it off and not burn yourself then put it down somewhere safe then shake the food in the pot and then put it back on again- which is too much faffing about for my liking. Airfryers are a better design with the front access drawer imo.

Yeah, I wondered if the combination might just make for a bad air fryer and something extra to break on the pressure cooker.

Montage of Feck

Yeah basically a mini fan oven. Although before using one I somehow imagined the chips would be spun around inside a vortex of hot air.

Car99

They are great for everything from steak to whole chicken.

We have a couple of the standard size philips air fryers and they basically rendered our fan oven obsolete except for baking.

I can cook a 1.5kg whole chicken perfectly in the fryer in 65 mins at 180. Give it a rub of salt pepper and olive oil before hand and turn it over half way through and it's perfectly juicy with a crispy brown skin.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215217#Comment_118215217

That actually happens if you try to do cheese on toast in it. The slice of cheese takes off in the air vortex, and then melts underneath the drip plate. I guess cutting thick chunks of cheese would mitigate against it, but it's a bit of a WTF? moment when it happens.

JackieChang

Hello. This is OP, the almighty creator of this post back in Sept. I bought an airfryer in Liddl'ses about a month ago. Silvercrest, own brand Lidl version. This model exactly: Silvercrest Kitchen Tools Digital Air Fryer - Lidl - www.lidl.ie

They are F^&*ing savage! Haven't used the oven since.

Things I've cooked in the airfryer:

Fried egg - do not try this, turns into reinforced rubber. I put an egg in a ramekin and "fried" it in the air fryer.

Sausages - they get too dry. I will stick to deep frying them.

Steak - surprisingly good. Pink in the middle.

All sorts of frozen junk - fish fingers, chicken nuggets, hash browns etc. Perfect.

Black pudding - very nice. Make sure they're thick enough. At least 2cm thick slices. Soft in the middle, crispy outside. Some load of grease falls off them.

Aldi frozen croissants - sacre bleau. Tres bonne. I throw them on when I'm in the shower in the morning. Then take it to work with me. Used to buy a croissant every day on the way to work.

Chicken breast - a bit dry. However they were always dry when I cooked them in the pan anyway. Might be my technique.

Lamb Rack - really good. Pink in the middle. Just too feckin expensive for the amount of meat you get.

Frozen chips - absolutely scrump-taculous. Oven chips are savage out of the air fryer. If you check the ingredients they all have a layer of grease on them already. Usually about 90% potato and 10% oil and other stuff. 10 minutes in the air fryer and they come out delicious and almost deep fried tasting. Not dry at all. Aldi's french fries are my favourite (the 69cent bag of skinny fries.) Just like mickey d's. Or at least close enough that I haven't had a craving for McD's since I bought the gadget. One thing to note is that the chips I've bought all seem to take about half the time written on the package. Haven't tried home made chips yet. Seems like so much hassle, and from the pics I've seen online they just look like they got blight or something and then were left out in the sun for two weeks.

No ragrats.

Things I need to try: toasted sangiges.

On electricity consumption: I attached one of those wattage measuring gadgets to the plug and gave up measuring after two weeks. Had about 40 maybe 50 cent clocked on the thing.

Photos of air fryed croissant and air fryed steak. For some unknown and retarded reason, Boards decided to flip the photos on their side. Does boards automatically flip portrait pics to landscape? Looks like it.