Air Fryer

Very, very expensive where we live (South Africa). We "airfry" everything in the oven - shake the food with a little oil and bake it. Half way through shake it up and finish baking. Works well and tastes the same - compared the result with the neighbour who has got one of those machine, no difference.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10681014/air-fryer-tips

I love my air fryer. Not the same as deep fried food though. But it is a great well insulated convection oven with a far more aggressive fan that is energy efficient. Since getting mine, I never use the oven anymore.

A category of foods that are as good as deep fried are chicken parts with skin such as wings, drumsticks, thighs. The air fryer is great at rendering subcutaneou fat so the skin is very brittle like deep fried but less greasy tasting.

It's also great of removing subcutaneous fat from fish such as sea bass and sea bream. Air fry skin side up for 3 or 4 minutes then remove skin with tongs and set next to the fish. Be careful to smell, as the removed skin might burn before the fish is ready, depending on thickness. Again, a really crispy skin that is as good as deep fried but less greasy.

Things like french fries come out tasting like oven chips, and not deep fried. I get a better result on frozen party foods, such as spring rolls, in the air fryer than in my convection oven.

It doesn't have the same flavor as a fryer but you get the crisp. Eventually your taste buds adjust and now I cannot stand fried food. We put everything in ours! Burritos, sweet potatoes, waffles, chicken patties, pizza, etc.

I enjoy ours. It’s great for cooking meals for one (fish filet and sweet potato fries is a favorite) or the entree for two people. It doesn’t taste like fried, just a different taste.

I regularly cook roast dinner for 4 in the smallest compact Phillips Viva model. I can fit half a leg of lamb, or 600g roast beef with potatoes for 4. For a larger family I would definitely choose a larger model.

Love my Ninja. Perfect for one person. Experiment with times. Will never taste "deep fried in oil" (that's the point), but it gives great crunch and texture. I'm very happy and it's much healthier w/ just a quick spray of my favorite olive oil.

Love our airfryer. We have a 5.8qt Cosori. Not a huge basket and there are times I'd love more room. But, only me and hubby, so I make it work. Since getting it, hardly use the oven. Great for salmon, steak, chicken tenders. Perfect for roasting veggies. Broccoli turns out lovely. it doesn't heat up the kitchen like the oven, so very nice in the summer.

Air fryer has been the best kitchen investment I've made in a long time.

I thought nothing would top my Instant Pot, but wow I love it. I use it almost every night, sometimes a couple times per day. Like literally I would give up my oven, my microwave, or even my Instant Pot before I would give up my air fryer.

I find it fast, easy to use & easy to clean up, and I love the way it cooks the food. Nice browning, and cooks more evenly than my oven does.

Mine is the Instant Vortex Plus 8 qt 2-Basket Air Fryer Oven. It has multiple settings: air fry, bake, broil, reheat, roast, & dehydrate.

Mine has 2 baskets which I can put different things in.

I can fit a whole chicken or roast for a family meal in one basket. I also have 4x8" bread pans and I've baked my low-carb breads in there, one bread pan fits easily inside one basket. I could bake loaf cakes in there too, if I wanted.

I also bought some accessories, some little wire racks that stack up. Using the stackable racks, I can fit in one basket:
-1 lb. of bacon strips laid out
- 6 - 8 burgers (depending on size)
- 4 lg chicken leg quarters or chicken breasts
- 4 medium sized NY strip steaks
- 2 large (10 oz) rib-eye steaks, 2-3 lbs. of fish fillet.
- almost a whole slab of spare ribs (cut up)

So if I double up and use both drawers, that's a hefty amount of food to do at once. I cook for 4 adults (2 of them very large men with big appetites). I also like to bulk prep food to throw single serving-sizes in the freezer and I can get a lot done in one shot in the air fryer.

Sometimes if I only need one drawer for the meat and I throw the veggies in the other drawer.

Other times if I need both baskets for meat, I throw seasoned frozen or fresh veg in one basket while I prep my meat & salad. The veg. is usually cooked in under 15 minutes. Then I set it aside and stack in the meat in both baskets. It's still more convenient to do it this way than to empty out and preheat the oven.

Also love that in a pinch I can throw in a frozen steak or frozen chicken leg or something for a quick meal if I didn't defrost anything and i get hungry.

That's my review. #notsponsored lol.

ClaudiaDawn2 wrote: »

I'm considering purchasing an air fryer. All the pics I see on here of food prepared in an air fryer look SO good. Does it taste like it was deep fried? Can you get better results in an air fryer than in a convection oven? What brand do you recommend? What should I look for when buying an air fryer? What are the pros and cons?

I LOVE MY AIR FRYER.

First, there are 2 main types. The basket type and the oven type. Personally, I have the basket. It is super simple, easy to clean, and no weird attachments. It has a few limitations, but overall it works for me. If you go with the basket type, you'll want at least 4.5 Quarts. Any smaller and it's too small. The ones over 6 quarts don't always cook as well. I make pork chops, chicken wings, biscuits, sausage, and fried potatoes in my air fryer. It also makes anything frozen taste like it was 'almost' deep fried. I do not like steak in it. Just no. I also have put veggies in it.

The oven type--it cooks bigger meals, has more attachments. I don't like having to clean it. Takes up more counter space. What is nice is that it is easier to cook multiple things or larger things.

• I like that both have a timer. If I'm tired or super busy, I can put my food in and it'll kick off when done. So while my chicken or whatever is cooking, I can take a shower or let the dog out. I don't have to watch 24/7.
• I like the easy clean up for my basket. I wipe out with a paper towel after each use. If I make something has more fat, I drain it first. About once ever 2 weeks, the basket gets a good scrub. I don't have a dishwasher.
• Everything tastes good.
• It's quick and it is easy.
• You can bake in it--even the basket version. Although I like my oven more for baking.
• Inexpensive. I got my last one for about $69 on sale.
• Takes up some counterspace which is a bummer. I have a very small kitchen.

If you go with the basket, there are 2 types. One is where the whole basket can be released. The other is where the bottom drain can be popped out. Either is fine. If you get a whole release one---make sure it is not one of the super off cheap ones where the basket won't hold to the handle.

So, did I overwhelm? Probably.
Quick, tastes good, cooks frozen and fresh.