Air Fryer

[SheitlQueen]

I love french fries and have read that using an air fryer really reduces the calories by eliminating the oil.
Does anyone have an air fryer? What brands are good, and what features should I look for?
Oh, and how do they do with fries??

 

[Jerry1]

Why would an air fryer be any different than an oven? Maybe a convection oven, but isn't hot air hot air no matter how it's generated?

DW has done fries in the oven and they turn out pretty well. They're not as good as frying, but they can get crispy.

 

[SheitlQueen]

Why would an air fryer be any different than an oven? Maybe a convection oven, but isn't hot air hot air no matter how it's generated?

DW has done fries in the oven and they turn out pretty well. They're not as good as frying, but they can get crispy.

I hate using the oven, for some reason it smokes and sets off the smoke alarms. Which is why I guess I only use it to store cat food

I tried fries last night and they only came out so so. Heard air fryers do a good job of cooking them and other assorted food items so thought I would give one a try.

Also, I would think an air fryer would use considerable less energy than the stove would. Hate to heat the thing up (beyond the smoking factor) just to do a dozen french fries.

 

[Jerry1]

I hate using the oven, for some reason it smokes and sets off the smoke alarms. Which is why I guess I only use it to store cat food

I tried fries last night and they only came out so so. Heard air fryers do a good job of cooking them and other assorted food items so thought I would give one a try.

Maybe you should try taking the cat food out?

 

[SheitlQueen]

Maybe you should try taking the cat food out?

Ha ha!! I actually did remember to take it out, plus all the pots and pans that are stored in there.

 

[RobbieB]

Do you have a gas oven?

 

[SheitlQueen]

Do you have a gas oven?

No, electric. I never use it...generally the cook top, microwave or Insta Pot.

 

[RobbieB]

My fiance had a CO alarm go off from the gas oven once. I dunno.

Nothing should be coming out of an electric except heat or "old crusties" cooking off.

Maybe some of that cat food spilled in there?

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I don't know what the difference is between an air fryer and table top convection oven. We use our table top convection oven exclusively these days instead of the wall ovens. It uses less energy than the wall ovens, is easy to clean and we can watch everything cook since it is a big glass bowl. For pizzas I bought a tabletop pizza maker since they do not fit in the convection oven. The really cool thing about the convection oven is we don't have to defrost anything. We can cook meat without defrosting, even like frozen solid Cornish hens from the freezer, and they turn out fine. I never tried home made fries, but our convection oven makes good frozen french fries and is very good for roasted potatoes and onions with olive oil.

 

[cooch96]

This reminds me of home. DM only uses the dishwasher to store the good China. I tried to use it once when visiting a few years ago and she went off.

It was that sort of crazy that drove me to leave at 17 and join the army.

 

[HillCountry]

DW got one for two or three years. It's made by Phillips, which is the original manufacturer.

Very easy to use and I would say very healthy. She made sweet potato fry and kids love it. Chicken wings are another favorite.

 

[SheitlQueen]

My fiance had a CO alarm go off from the gas oven once. I dunno.

Nothing should be coming out of an electric except heat or "old crusties" cooking off.

Maybe some of that cat food spilled in there?

Could be it needs a good cleaning,although it looks okay, or maybe some spilled cat food.
But I also think an air fryer is going to use a lot less energy, which another reason I'm thinking about one.

 

[SheitlQueen]

I don't know what the difference is between an air fryer and table top convection oven. We use our table top convection oven exclusively these days instead of the wall ovens. It uses less energy than the wall ovens, is easy to clean and we can watch everything cook since it is a big glass bowl. For pizzas I bought a tabletop pizza maker since they do not fit in the convection oven. The really cool thing about the convection oven is we don't have to defrost anything. We can cook meat without defrosting, even like frozen solid Cornish hens from the freezer, and they turn out fine. I never tried home made fries, but our convection oven makes good frozen french fries and is very good for roasted potatoes and onions with olive oil.

Is that a NuWave type of thing? I have one of those but seldom use it since I switched over to an Instant Pot. I was never crazy about it anyway, but if it's the same thing maybe I'll try fries in it. I would be using frozen fries, I'm a lazy cook.

 

[SheitlQueen]

DW got one for two or three years. It's made by Phillips, which is the original manufacturer.

Very easy to use and I would say very healthy. She made sweet potato fry and kids love it. Chicken wings are another favorite.

Phillips is one of the one's I've been looking at, but there are so many it is confusing! And I'm wondering if the more expensive ones are any better than the cheapie ones. And if there are any functions, buttons, etc to be looking for.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Is that a NuWave type of thing? I have one of those but seldom use it since I switched over to an Instant Pot. I was never crazy about it anyway, but if it's the same thing maybe I'll try fries in it. I would be using frozen fries, I'm a lazy cook.

Yes, but I have an Oyama brand.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Ha ha!! I actually did remember to take it out, plus all the pots and pans that are stored in there.

Heating sealed canned food in an oven could cause an explosion if/when the can ruptures from steam generated within . Would be quite a bang, and a bad day in the kitchen.

 

[SheitlQueen]

Heating sealed canned food in an oven could cause an explosion if/when the can ruptures from steam generated within . Would be quite a bang, and a bad day in the kitchen.

Good thing I only store dry cat food in there, in an open plastic container.
No cans.
If something did happen, at least it would be a good excuse to finally remodel the kitchen

 

[folivier]

But if you'll be heating unopened cans just put them in boiling water.

 

[Philliefan33]

My mother bought an air fryer but doesn’t use it (don’t ask). While visiting, I cooked some chicken wings and fries for my dad. They were crispier than an oven would’ve made them.

The air fryer itself is bulky and takes up a lot of counter space or cabinet space. For that reason, I wouldn’t want one. We rarely eat the kinds of food that would be enhanced by cooking with an air fryer so I don’t want to take up space in my kitchen.

 

[karen1972]

I got an air fryer at Christmas (sale, it was less than $50 at BJs) so I figured worth the try.

* Mine was small, so if you do get one be sure it is sufficient for your needs as you won't use it if you have to cook 2 to 3 batches to feed the family.

* It heats up in 3 minutes, thats a HUGE deal vs. waiting for the oven to pre-heat.

* Actually cooking time about the same but it shuts off automatically so I don't have to worry about overcooking if I get distracted.

* In order to get the crispy coloring, you will have to use some type of oil.. however, if your spritzing it, it will have WAY less oil than obviously frying it..and if you don't spritz it, it won't have the coloring. We just use healthier oil sprays which work fine.

* I'd say the fries are crisper than those in the oven and I was very satisfied with the experience.
* It made decent "fried" chicken and the meat was still moist.
* I like flash fried veggies, so thats my next big adventure.
* They suggest you "shake" the basket midway through to ensure everything is cooked/browned evenly. Similar to "flipping" things 1/2 way through the oven baking process except takes 1/10th the time, you just click to the button to release the basket, slide it out, shake shake, insert it (it stops and restarts automatically and a lot less likely you accidentally burn yourself leaning over a hot oven.

I'm happy with the purchase, I never had the patience to wait 45 minutes for fries (between pre-heating and cooking) so cutting that down to 20-25 is much more likely to happen...plus for some reason its motivated me to make my own fries.

Between that and the instapot, I'm looking forward to not having to turn on the oven at all this summer in the hot muggy months.

 

[SheitlQueen]

My mother bought an air fryer but doesn’t use it (don’t ask). While visiting, I cooked some chicken wings and fries for my dad. They were crispier than an oven would’ve made them.

The air fryer itself is bulky and takes up a lot of counter space or cabinet space. For that reason, I wouldn’t want one. We rarely eat the kinds of food that would be enhanced by cooking with an air fryer so I don’t want to take up space in my kitchen.

Glad to know it works well. I'm not really concerned with storing it, I actually have plenty of space for it.

 

[SheitlQueen]

I got an air fryer at Christmas (sale, it was less than $50 at BJs) so I figured worth the try.

* Mine was small, so if you do get one be sure it is sufficient for your needs as you won't use it if you have to cook 2 to 3 batches to feed the family.

* It heats up in 3 minutes, thats a HUGE deal vs. waiting for the oven to pre-heat.

* Actually cooking time about the same but it shuts off automatically so I don't have to worry about overcooking if I get distracted.

* In order to get the crispy coloring, you will have to use some type of oil.. however, if your spritzing it, it will have WAY less oil than obviously frying it..and if you don't spritz it, it won't have the coloring. We just use healthier oil sprays which work fine.

* I'd say the fries are crisper than those in the oven and I was very satisfied with the experience.
* It made decent "fried" chicken and the meat was still moist.
* I like flash fried veggies, so thats my next big adventure.
* They suggest you "shake" the basket midway through to ensure everything is cooked/browned evenly. Similar to "flipping" things 1/2 way through the oven baking process except takes 1/10th the time, you just click to the button to release the basket, slide it out, shake shake, insert it (it stops and restarts automatically and a lot less likely you accidentally burn yourself leaning over a hot oven.

I'm happy with the purchase, I never had the patience to wait 45 minutes for fries (between pre-heating and cooking) so cutting that down to 20-25 is much more likely to happen...plus for some reason its motivated me to make my own fries.

Between that and the instapot, I'm looking forward to not having to turn on the oven at all this summer in the hot muggy months.

Thank you for the excellent help! It's just me, so a small one would probably be fine but I will check prices vs size.
I cook exclusively in an Instant Pot now. And like the air fryer, it may not save a lot of time in some instances, but it is so much more convenient. Set and forget. My type of cooking! I also like the idea the air fryer won't be using the electricity the oven does, nor will it heat up the kitchen in the summer.

What brand do you have, and do you recommend it?

 

[Chuckanut]

I tend to favor devices that do multiple things. For example, the Instant Pot which does a number of cooking jobs well, a blender which does everything from blending to grinding grains for bread, a hand mixer, a small chopper, etc. etc. etc.

That said, I don't come from a cooking back ground that fries things a lot. If I did, an air fryer might qualify especially if I could make sweet potato fries.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Set and forget. My type of cooking!

One of our kids go to meals in college used to be chicken in the convection oven with rice in a rice cooker with vegetables in a steamer basket on top of the rice. The convection oven and rice cooker shut themselves off and kept the food warm and it only took a few minutes of prep time.

 

[NYEXPAT]

As a card carrying member of NFLB (no fry left behind) I object to anything that does not use lard or preferably Duck fat!