Thoughts on "air fryers"

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Replies

  • MrsPinterest34
    MrsPinterest34 Posts: 342 Member
    edited February 2018
    I have the power XL Airfryer the 5 qt which can cook/grill a whole 5 pound chicken. I love it! Mine came with a baking pan and a vegi shedder. I got it during the Christmas season, holiday specials, so it was cheap. On average it takes me 15 minutes or less to cook anything. My highest cooking time was 45 mins to grill a whole chicken. I've made the following food in mine with 1 tablespoon olive oil or less ,
    Chicken wings
    Tilapia
    Sea bass
    Salmon
    BBQ ribs
    Sweet potatoes
    French fries
    Tatertots
    Plantain chips
    New York T steak
    Beef ribs
    Breakfast potatoes
    Cornbread
    Frittata
    Meat loaf
    Grilled baby potatoes

    I'm having fun with mine. I'm constantly experimenting.


  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I have a Tfal air fryer and it makes great fries but because it stirs the food It doesn't work with anything fragile or large. Those of you who have other brands would you mind saying which one you have and what model. I'm thinking of replacing mine. I also have a convection oven and it does not make the oven fries taste as good. I prefer the air fryer.
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    Love mine, purchased second hand for £15/$20 when my fiance came to visit for 3 months (ldr) and we rented a temp apartment that had limited kitchen space.

    Firstly, 'value' is in the eye of the beholder - I picked mine up second hand and I can honestly say that it ranked amongst the top 5 purchases of 2017 for me!

    Though - In honesty, I never used it with oil so, I guess that essentially I use mine as a convection oven - it makes great crispy sweet potato fries!! Oh, carrot fries, etc! It was well used for those 3 months!

    So true :) I LOVE mine but I think it boils down to personal preference. I feel it cooks quicker than my convection and I also find it easier to use the air fryer than my oven. I have made chips, fries (both hand cut and store bought) and both turned out fantastic. My next adventure may be homemade bagels.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I have a Tfal air fryer and it makes great fries but because it stirs the food It doesn't work with anything fragile or large. Those of you who have other brands would you mind saying which one you have and what model. I'm thinking of replacing mine. I also have a convection oven and it does not make the oven fries taste as good. I prefer the air fryer.

    I have a TFal one but I bought a basket for it for when I want to do those kind of things.

    http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/t-fal-actifry-accessory-snack-tray-0432286p.html
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I have a Tfal air fryer and it makes great fries but because it stirs the food It doesn't work with anything fragile or large. Those of you who have other brands would you mind saying which one you have and what model. I'm thinking of replacing mine. I also have a convection oven and it does not make the oven fries taste as good. I prefer the air fryer.

    I have a TFal one but I bought a basket for it for when I want to do those kind of things.

    http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/t-fal-actifry-accessory-snack-tray-0432286p.html

    Awesome thanks I had no idea they made that.

  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    I don't have one, but my impression from researching them is that there is a big difference between brands. Some are not much better than a fan oven, others are noticeably better. So research the specific model you're thinking of going for.

    I've decided not to get one in the end, as I don't have space for it and I don't need encouragement to eat more crispy potato products!
  • mallory_2014
    mallory_2014 Posts: 173 Member
    I have an Actifry and love it! It makes for a quick way to cook things. Makes great potatoes, vegetables, tofu, etc. I like how it makes my kitchen less hot than the oven and it is less hydro.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,994 Member
    I have the Philips Viva which is their compact model for small households. For dinner parties with more people I do need to cook in batches for things like chicken wings (which incidentally turn out incredibly crispy in the air fryer). I also sometimes remove the basket to fit in things like lasagna.

    Because the air fryer is more energy efficient I hardly use the oven anymore. Only if I am roasting a large joint such as leg of lamb or for recipes that really need the uneven temperature of a conventional oven. Spatchcock whole roast chicken for instance needs the breast to cook at the lower temperature in the middle of the oven while the legs cook at the higher temperature on the perimeter.

    If you are adapting oven recipes for the air fryer remember to lower the temperature or time because the aggressive fan makes things cook more quickly.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    I was gifted one and I made potatoes in it. Tbh, I'd rather just use the oven and I gave it back to my parents because I hardly used it.
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
    I got one as a Christmas gift, while I didn't ask for it, I am glad I received it. I use it quite often, there's only 3 of us in our house (2 adults and 1 toddler) so we don't make very big meals, and it's been nice to use it instead of heating up the whole oven for something small that we're making. I wish it wasn't so big, it was hard to find a spot for storing it.
  • GoalGal50
    GoalGal50 Posts: 90 Member
    I've been thinking about purchasing an air fryer. Does anyone have experience with using them in conjunction with a healthier eating lifestyle? To be clear, I'm not looking to eat ALL THE FRIED FOOD, I've just heard mixed reviews and am curious. Thanks!

    OMG!!! I just discovered the Phillips Air Fryer two months ago and I haven’t had anything traditionally fried since then. I’m a pescatarian but I like my fish fry and hard. If you’re a person who likes their food well done, you’ll LOVE an Air Fryer without the grease / fat.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE my Air Fryer!! If you use any kind of coating do so very very lightly or you won’t be able to eat it. Lol, it will cloak you the food will be so dry.

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