Air Fryer Question

[daylatedollarshort]

We already have a table top turbo convection oven, the round glass kind, which we use often. Is there anything we could make easier or better in an air fryer? Our friends and family are raving about their air fryers and suggesting we get one, but I think these are just small convection ovens and we have that in the turbo oven.

 

[cathy63]

Yes, they're just convection ovens. Wirecutter has a good article about them. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-fryer/

We need both a toaster oven and a microwave, so I was looking at appliances the other day to see whether convection works better in one or the other. I think I'll take the Wirecutter recommendation to get the "Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven". They rate it as "better than an air fryer". Then we can just get a non-convection microwave.

 

[easysurfer]

I have one of those glass type turbo convection ovens and cook using that quite often.

I have no reference to compare as haven't eaten stuff from an air fryer before. But happy with the glass type. Use it to cook stuff like bacon, meat loaf, fried chicken, frozen pizza. Works quite well .

 

[beernutzbob]

I used one of the glass topped convection type cookers for many years but my wife hated using it so we gave it away. I believe her objection was that it was hard to clean.

We currently use a Corosi air fryer (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJBBGHG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1_) which has been great since 2019. My wife loves cooking broccoli in it and it is amazing for things like fries, tater tots, and reheating pizza.

She'll cook chicken dishes in it sometimes but they take about the same time to cook as in the oven and are harder to clean up after so those meals are rare.

The bin and bottom part are dishwasher safe but I usually hand wash them as it doesn't take long and leaves more dishwasher room.

 

[Bamaman]

Air fryers are just convection ovens that heat up so fast.

They're just so quick and efficient to use. I'll often heat something up in our microwave inside, and throw it in the air fryer to crisp up the outside.

We use them both all day long.

 

[bltkmt]

I think I'll take the Wirecutter recommendation to get the "Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven". They rate it as "better than an air fryer". Then we can just get a non-convection microwave.

Get the one available on Costco with the digital controls - we have had it for a few months and love it. It can also toast bread, so goodbye toaster oven.

https://www.costco.com/cuisinart-digital-airfryer-toaster-oven.product.100600123.html

 

[NW-Bound]

Air fryers are just convection ovens that heat up so fast.

They're just so quick and efficient to use. I'll often heat something up in our microwave inside, and throw it in the air fryer to crisp up the outside.

We use them both all day long.

Air fryers are usually made of plastic. And that's why the internal air heats up so fast, compared to larger ovens that have a lot of metal parts that must be heated up along with the food. I stopped using my conventional sliced-bread toaster long ago. It takes way too long just for a couple of slices of bread.

And yes, the air fryer and microwave oven are the two appliances I used several times a day.

And speaking of energy efficiency and speed, an induction burner beats all other burners the same way. Ditto for electric kettles vs. conventional kettles that you put on a burner.

Where I am, minimizing heat generation inside the house is crucial to staying cool in the summer, unless you have unlimited funds to run the AC max out all the time.


PS. My wife also uses her Instant Pot more than conventional pots, whenever it is feasible to do so. Again, it's about energy efficiency, speed, and minimizing heat inside the house.

 

[l8_apex]

Air fryers are just convection ovens that heat up so fast.

They're just so quick and efficient to use. I'll often heat something up in our microwave inside, and throw it in the air fryer to crisp up the outside.

We use them both all day long.

I'd say "air fryers are just convection ovens with a much more powerful fan".

I made sure to get one that can cook up to 500 degrees. Many only go to 400. (I bought the Ninja at Costco) This one is fairly easy to clean: there is a drip pan, the cooking pan, and a mesh screen that covers the heating element. All can go in the dishwasher. Then there is nothing left 'inside the oven' that would need to be cleaned, and no glass window or whatnot to get dirty.

 

[tmm99]

I used one of the glass topped convection type cookers for many years but my wife hated using it so we gave it away. I believe her objection was that it was hard to clean.

We currently use a Corosi air fryer (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJBBGHG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1_) which has been great since 2019. My wife loves cooking broccoli in it and it is amazing for things like fries, tater tots, and reheating pizza.

She'll cook chicken dishes in it sometimes but they take about the same time to cook as in the oven and are harder to clean up after so those meals are rare.

The bin and bottom part are dishwasher safe but I usually hand wash them as it doesn't take long and leaves more dishwasher room.

I have a Cosori as well, and am quite happy with it. It took me a while to get to it though. I first bought a glass dome one like the one you mention. It could have been just the specific model I bought, but the bottom of the food didn't cook well (no browning at all either) and even the top didn't brown/crisp up to my liking.

And then I bought a smallish air fryer and it was too small and pretty much useless. Then I bought a Cosori air fryer and I'm quite happy with it and I use it often. The Cosori model is big enough for me and DH and I like it that the cooking basket is square.

My fave things to cook in it are cauliflower (salt/pepper/garlic powder/hot sauce), Brussel sprouts (salt/pepper/balsamic vinegar), chicken wings, cheesy toasts, pork chops, frozen burgers, etc. The food browns/crisp up quite nicely and it takes less time to heat up and cook than my oven (I don't even bother to preheat my Cosori.) I only use my oven now (I have a double oven to save on electricity) when I want to cook a lot of something.

 

[Golden sunsets]

We got an Instant Pot airfryer last year: the type that looks like a large toaster oven. One of the functions it has that we love is a rotisserie. it does a fantastic job on rotisserie chicken. It also has a rotisserie basket which is great for Brussel sprouts, wings, French fries, etc. If your current convec oven doesn't include these features then I think you'd like the type of airfryer I describe.

 

[Dalmore]

We have the Cuisinart air fryer-toaster oven and love it. In a typical week, we will use it two to three times. It does great sweet potato fries. And salmon comes out great - just 10 minutes for two 6oz steaks. Breaded pork chops are moist and tender. We use it to make chicken tenders/nuggets, chicken wings, fish and chips, and broccoli and cauliflower. DW was skeptical about it in the beginning, but she was a quick convert to its usefulness.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Thanks for all the great replies! I think I will take the plunge and get one. The easier clean up, especially being able to put it in the dishwasher had me sold. I have a lot of small kitchen appliances now so I'm trying to make sure I will really use any new ones before I add even more to the collection, but from what you all wrote an air fryer sounds like something we would likely use pretty often.

 

[NW-Bound]

While you can use the air fryer and microwave oven for cooking, their unchallenged utility is for reheating cooked food.

A microwave oven when reheating fried or dry food such as chicken wings will make them wet and soggy. An air fryer on the other hand will keep them crispy. Same for French fries, pâté chaud, meat pies, turnovers, etc...

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Update - I ended up ordering a Ninja Air Fryer with ceramic coated innards that are dishwasher safe. I'll post again after it arrives and we've tried it out.


Thanks again for all the great advice!