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[regiment]

are air fryers any good thinking of buying one      gordon

[destroyer42]

Hi Gordon,
Short answer yes, you can do so many things with them and they are cheaper to use than an oven, we have two a medium and a large one.
They make lovely roast potatoes crispy and crunchy outside soft inside and so quick.


Regards
Destroyer42

[big_bri]

I bought a Cosori air fryer a few years ago after reading about them. I thought it might be a bit of a gimmick at first, but it was one of the best thing I ever done. Two years ago, I upgraded to a Ninja Foodie, that really was the best thing I have done, I rarely use my full size oven now. I cook everything from full chickens to curries, casseroles to bread, soups, roast potatoes, chips and wedges, rice puddings and cakes and pies, it makes the best toasties ever.... It bakes, roasts, steams, pressure cooks, slow cooks, air fries and even dehydrates, it is a very versatile machine, it certainly is a lot healthier. It cooks most foods faster, thus it's more economical and its very easy to clean. I've saved a fortune on my power bills since I started using it. Most of my family have changed to either the Ninja or an air fryer of some sort and they swear by them. Initial outlay can be quite high dependant on model, but as I use mine everyday, mine has paid for itself in spades. I would highly recommend one, do a bit of research, but  I feel the Ninja Foodie, although expensive, is by far the best machine. You won't regret investing in one, which ever one you choose.

[raflaunches]

Completely agree with Bri


My mum bought an air fryer several years ago when they were a gimmick more than anything else but it cooked burgers and potatoes so much quicker and nicer that when I saw a discounted Ninja Foodie 9-in-1 on Amazon I bought it for her. It’s cheaper and quicker than using gas oven which we rarely use now so we can use the gas on heating instead. They really are a revolution in cooking and there are plenty of recipe methods to use instead of spending 2-3 hours they cut it down to 30mins.
I highly recommend any of these devices.

[jaymac]

Definitely Gordon had a few  from wayback  after halogen ovens. Like everything though they are not all the same  The Tower which I have just replaced was rubbish and it was pricey  as also was a microwave.Service rubbishThe  glass turntable split in half no replacement available  managed to get on local domestic appliance repairer.Only use mine for Bacon./steaks/chops/ sausages/frozen fish (10-12mins) yet to try a boiled egg
A lot of unknown brands around  and think carefully whether the vertical oven type with shelves and/or rotisseriebasket or the drawer type preferably with windows easier to clean Have alook on Ideal world  they always got one on demo I think you got 30 day trials or send it back sorry abot the midget  print I have resized 3 times?


https://www.idealworld.tv/gb/appliances/kitchen+appliances/fryers+-and-+air+fryers

[Mark T]

Seriously get one!  I had been putting off getting one for ages until finally I caved in a got my missus the Ninja one that she really wanted.


I was so sceptical until it was used - The food is cooked very nicely in fact we had chicken fajitas tonight which cooked in 20 mins.  Its a time and money saver for us thats for sure

[tigertiger]

Another recipe idea for quick food. My niece uses hers for frozen mini-pizzas for an inpatient boy, with autism, who has trouble waiting.

[grendel]

I have one (only a small one) if something needs 2 shelves in the oven i use the oven, but when cooking for 1 you often are running an oven near empty, so 2.5kW for 30 minutes, the same item in an air fryer is using 1.5kW for 20-25 minutes, no brainer, its using less power, is quicker so cheaper. I am now down from using the oven every day to just once a week (when it gets used full) - 1.25kWh vs 0.625kWH, so its using half the energy to heat the food.

[Baldrick]

  OK you lot , but if you're not using the oven how do you heat the plates up ? or do you just whack the food on a cold plate and scoff it before it goes cold ?
  I ask this as I am interested in buying one but see this as a draw back.

[chas]

We prop up the plates behind it, the heat coming out of the back does a great job.
  Like everyone else, I was sceptical at first, but it really is great and very economical. It is one of those very rare things, a kitchen gadget that is used all the time.
 Ours is a Ninja, it works beautifully.

[tigertiger]

  OK you lot , but if you're not using the oven how do you heat the plates up ? or do you just whack the food on a cold plate and scoff it before it goes cold ?
  I ask this as I am interested in buying one but see this as a draw back.

 


I stack the plates with a splash of water between them and zap in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

[Colin Bishop]

you often are running an oven near empty, so 2.5kW for 30 minutes

The oven is not necessarily on for the full period as once up to temperature the thermostat cycles on and off.

Colin

[big_bri]

You can almost cook your food in an Ninja/airfryer by the time a conventional oven gets up to temp though Colin, I can bake a loaf of bread in that time

[Tug Fanatic]

Yes the warm up time of a conventional oven is the killer and that is all at full power 100% of the time.
We mainly cook in a combi microwave - micro + convection + grill and lots of combination programs. 

Is an air fryer like an ordinary oven where the cooking time is the same regardless of the weight put into the oven or like a microwave wehre cooking time is directly correlated with weight to be cooked?

[mrlownotes]

  OK you lot , but if you're not using the oven how do you heat the plates up ? or do you just whack the food on a cold plate and scoff it before it goes cold ?
  I ask this as I am interested in buying one but see this as a draw back.

We have been using Microwave Plate Warmers almost every day for more than 15 years.
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/13008/microwave-plate-warmers
Now on our third set.
Wouldn't be without them.

[Taranis]

We bought the Ninja dual zone and what a breath of fresh air it is. Unfortunately unscrupulous stock holders have more than doubled the price.
Another power saver is electric blanket. I bought king size dual controller and it costs pennies to have on all night.


2 large dinner plates takes 1 minute 45 to pre heat in our microwave

[Colin Bishop]

Quite right about warming the oven up, I only made the point because there was an article in one of the papers recently comparing air fryers with ovens and which worked out the cost on the basis that both appliances continually operated at their nominal rating - sloppy and innacuarte journalism. I have found the comments in this thread interesting as they reflect practical use. We have a slow cooker which is always very handy.

Looking at the Ninja models online, I see that they seem to go from 5 in 1 to 14 in 1! Does anyone actually need/use all those options or is it like a washing machine with umpteen programmes but you normally only use a couple of them?

Colin

[Taranis]

This is mine Colin, does 1kg of chicken in 32 minutes in one drawer and a full drawer of chips in the other. Each drawer will take a 1.5kg chicken
https://youtu.be/evHm9JNPhYk

[Colin Bishop]

Thanks Andy, interesting!

Colin

[big_bri]

Quite right about warming the oven up, I only made the point because there was an article in one of the papers recently comparing air fryers with ovens and which worked out the cost on the basis that both appliances continually operated at their nominal rating - sloppy and innacuarte journalism. I have found the comments in this thread interesting as they reflect practical use. We have a slow cooker which is always very handy.

Looking at the Ninja models online, I see that they seem to go from 5 in 1 to 14 in 1! Does anyone actually need/use all those options or is it like a washing machine with umpteen programmes but you normally only use a couple of them?

Colin

I think Iv'e used all of the settings on mine Colin, I have the 9 in 1.  The one I use the least is the the slow cooker setting, the dehydration setting on mine gets used quite frequently,  I have a  weakness for snacking on Dried fruit

[grendel]

Looking at the Ninja models online, I see that they seem to go from 5 in 1 to 14 in 1! Does anyone actually need/use all those options or is it like a washing machine with umpteen programmes but you normally only use a couple of them?

I only have a small 1.5 litre version (ideal for one) and of the settings air fry, rast, dehydrate and reheat, I only really use the first 2 (i already have a dehydrator and its a lot lower power use than the air fryer on dehydrate for 5 hours, and can handle a much bigger amount.
In fairness over a longer cooking time the oven will cycle on and off, and I have noticed that the air fryer also does this when set to lower temperatures, so I would assume the ratio is roughly the same which was why I ignored it in my calculations.
it does do really good crisps though the timing difference between perfect and blackened charred crisps is probably measured by the second. and there is also some satisfaction to be had from going from a raw potato to chips in just a short time with a low fat content (I have a spray bottle of sunflower oil that works nicely and uses minimal oil.

[Capt Podge]

2 large dinner plates takes 1 minute 45 to pre heat in our microwave

I just use the warming oven on my Rayburn, warming the cutlery as well as the plates, bowls etc.
I also have 2 large catering kettles which sit on the hotplate all day, every day. The hot water from them is used to fill the electric kettle and boils in 24 seconds - running the electric kettle from a cold fill takes about 3 1/2 minutes!
Saves a lot of money.... 


Ray.

[raflaunches]

We have the 9-in1 Ninja and have used all but the slow cooker and dehydrator settings so far. The pressure cooker is something absolutely amazing that cooks stews and curries with rice/potatoes really well and in less time than it would normally on a hob or oven.

[SteamboatPhil]

Well having read all, finally it was the roast potatoes that got us, so we have just ordered the Ninja 9 in 1, big fat potato belly coming up 

[derekwarner]

Dehydration of potatoes in Air Fryers can be minimized by a generous brushing of Duck Fat...+ salt......


Derek