Oldvine
Sous Chef
I've given two as gifts to "not so mature" people and they love their air fryers and have thanked me more than a couple times. I have one myself and it's OK, but I could have lived without it.
Help/advice w/air fryers
- Thread starter Katie H
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
Isn't there a museum somewhere all of these one-day wonders can be stored?
Oh yeah. Now I remember. In the garage, down the cellar or basement, up in the attic, etc. I would suggest that when anyone is ready to move, that all of those "must haves" are left behind for the new owners. Just make sure you take your Kitchen Aid Mixer with you.
For sure, give them a month, and they will be cursing you.
Oh yeah. Now I remember. In the garage, down the cellar or basement, up in the attic, etc. I would suggest that when anyone is ready to move, that all of those "must haves" are left behind for the new owners. Just make sure you take your Kitchen Aid Mixer with you.
For sure, give them a month, and they will be cursing you.
roadfix
Chef Extraordinaire
My theory: I guess one reason why air fryers work well is because the chamber volume is small so it's easy to keep hot air moving and concentrated in that small volume of space.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
to me air-fryers are just not fryers, they really do not fry.
Linda0818
Head Chef
I found a nice recipe that I'd like to try soon using an air fryer.
Healthy Air-Fryer Reuben Egg Rolls Recipe | Hungry Girl
Looks delish and may as well put that thing to some use.
Healthy Air-Fryer Reuben Egg Rolls Recipe | Hungry Girl
Looks delish and may as well put that thing to some use.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
They fry better than a regular oven if you mist the food with oil.
Ive been "oven frying" for like 30 years now. Great technique.
A little convection oven is better because of the intense air flow.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
To each it's own. Not going to argue with you.
Simply stating that "To Me", to me air-fryers are not frying.
Kitchen Barbarian
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
- Messages
- 187
First off, air fryers are NOT "small convection ovens". What they do, they do far far better than a convection oven.
I have used my air fryer at least once a day (if not twice or even three times) since I got it last year. I do not use my oven at all, nor my range. In point of fact I got the air fryer to REPLACE the oven since I no longer bake cakes or breads or anything else I would actually need an oven for. I cook A pork chop or A hamburger or AN egg roll. Don't need the whole freakin' oven for that.
I can stick a pork chop or burger in the air fryer and set it and forget it. Said burger or pork chop comes out WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY (I could go on but hopefully you are getting the idea) better than pan frying.
I love my air fryer but it has not been without its problems. Well one problem. I don't know how, but oil got under the casing and pooled INSIDE the air fryer until it started leaking out the bottom. I have a Philip's Air Fryer. I clean it regularly and thoroughly. There is never standing oil inside the cavity, only in the drawer, which gets dumped into the oil discard. I am guessing that oil aerosolizes while the fan is running and gets into the casing while the fan is blowing air around. At this point I will have to remove the bottom of the casing and try to clean it out but frankly I no longer trust this particular $200 fire hazard.
Actually there are TWO problems. If you are cooking anything greasy, like a hamburger, the oil pools into the bottom of the drawer, as you would expect. However if you are cooking several things in a row, or if you forget to dump the drawer, they have used such a cheap coating on the drawer that the heat of any standing oil in the very bottom of that drawer causes the coating to bubble, lift, and flake away. I didn't see this until I started using it to cook actually greasy things such as hamburgers and pork chops, and I only started cooking those in it in the last few weeks. SO it didn't take much time at all for that to happen after that.
However I STILL love air fryers and I will be getting the GoWise that looks like a teensy tiny oven. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the Philips. Possibly it is defective. I have never heard of this oil-dripping problem I have heard a lot of complaints about flaking finish but I don't really care much about that since food never comes in contact with the bottom of the drawer (and even if it did, PTFE is totally inert and won't harm you even if you do ingest some). I just think that is being unnecessarily cheap to use such a cheap finish on something that routinely gets up to 400F.
I have never bothered to spray oil on anything I've put in the air fryer. If I were making any kind of fries from scratch I would put them in a bag or bowl and toss them with a bit of melted bacon grease, but I've found this to be unnecessary for frozen fries. But the round air fryers are really not very good for making fries because the strength of the air fryer is that hot air blowing across the food. If you have more than a single layer things in the middle won't cook properly. You need more linear space. Hence the GoWise model that has 3 shelves for more exposure of the food you are cooking.
And no, I am not going to get up and toss the basket every 5 minutes. I'll just get the device that does what I want it to do to start with - and DOES NOT have hidden nooks and crannies that let oil pool INSIDE the case until it starts pouring out the bottom.
My favorite things out of the air fryer:
burgers (I actually prefer bison)
Pork chops
Frozen snacks including:
- hot wings (better than from a restaurant)
- meatballs
- breakfast sausage
- hot dogs ohmygod these are sooo good out of an air fryer
- dosa
- croquettes
- vadai
- etc etc etc
I don't do air fryer ribs, despite the multitude of "recipes" out there. NONE of them could possibly be cooking the ribs properly. They all tell you your ribs will be "done" in 15 minutes or less. Well they may not be raw anymore and the exterior crunch is great, but ribs need to be cooked long and slow. You CAN do that in an airfryer but it takes every bit as long as it does in the oven and they are STILL not fall-off-the-bone. I'm sticking to the Instant Pot for my ribs.
I tried following several of those quick-air-fryer-rib recipes and I actually thought there was something wrong with the meat I had bought. Nope. Same meat I always get at Costco. 15 minutes - or even 30 - in the air fryer may crisp your ribs up but they aren't cooked. They will be tough and chewy and nasty.
Y'all go ahead, make fun of the air fryer. For me its been a life saver. After the third time I burned a pan on top of the stove, and the third time I burned something in the oven, I unplugged it. I got an air fryer to replace my oven - which it has done an ADMIRABLE job of, plus being faster, smaller, and CHEAPER TO RUN than my oven, on top of being safer - and I got an induction plate and an Instant pot so I don't have to use the range any more.
Despite the whole oil-pouring-out-the-bottom thing I WILL be getting another larger (as in more linear space) air fryer (the GoWise that looks like a teensy little oven) because even if I COULD remember what I've got cooking, I like the results from the air fryer WAY better than stove-top or oven results for the same items.
The result out of the Philips were good. I assume mine MUST be defective somehow since I clean it BETTER than any of the instructions (for instance I ALWAYS totally disassemble the basket that fits inside the drawer to clean it) and I always wipe the cooker part down inside and out at the end of the day. I've never found standing oil anywhere but in the bottom of the drawer. It must be improperly sealed, or tons of other people would be reporting this.
At any rate I'll give the GoWise "air fryer" micro oven a try. I don't know how things will turn out when cooked in it since I don't have it yet. I will be finding SOMETHING to replace that Philips.
I'm seriously considering getting rid of my microwave at this point. Between the air fryer, the Instant Pot, and the induction plate, I barely use it at all any more. And talk about a waste of counter space ...
Last edited:
Kitchen Barbarian wrote
Never had an Instant Pot, but I’d like one. (Have you seen the newest one? It comes with a counter vacuum, like a Roomba!). I have no use for an air fryer. I am coming to really like my induction cooktop, though.
Never had an Instant Pot, but I’d like one. (Have you seen the newest one? It comes with a counter vacuum, like a Roomba!). I have no use for an air fryer. I am coming to really like my induction cooktop, though.
And the microwave is indispensable!
roadfix
Chef Extraordinaire
I think it also depends on the size of your family as to which appliance is practical or not.
OP
OP
Thank you, everyone. After viewing your posts and doing some 'net searching, I've come to the conclusion that this appliance isn't something we would be interested in.
As you were
.
As you were
.
Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
Thank you, everyone. After viewing your posts and doing some 'net searching, I've come to the conclusion that this appliance isn't something we would be interested in.
As you were
I came to the same conclusion myself Katie. Maybe if I just cooked for myself.
I think that’s a wise decision!Thank you, everyone. After viewing your posts and doing some 'net searching, I've come to the conclusion that this appliance isn't something we would be interested in.
As you were
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I actually really like mine. I like my instant pot, too.
Kitchen Barbarian
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
- Messages
- 187
Me too. And these things have definitely extended the period of time I will be able to live independently. I wouldn't be without these devices.
Air Fryer
Instant Pot
Induction plate
And - only because I can't lay hands on a viable rust-proof induction kettle that whistles - I got an electric tea kettle the other day which now sits next to the sofa. There is NO "stainless" steel in this. I got tired of SS kettles that rust out if you don't empty them after each use and dry them out by hand.
I'm putting the new air fryer off until after an upcoming long distance move.
TheLazyGourmet
Assistant Cook
I have a Go-Wise 5.8qt. Air Fryer for the two of us and just love it. Received it as a BD gift from my daughter. If I decided to purchase another one, it will be a PowerXL Air Fryer. Like the adjustable rack method much better.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I have a PowerXL at my folks. I like it for making fries. Not too impressed by the Sweet Potato fries. It did a nice job on the jicama fries. I am not allowed to fry in oil when I am there. I have also used it to make nacho chips from corn tortillas.
Sir_Loin_of_Beef
Chef Extraordinaire
I picked one up at Big Lots for $42.00. I can't remember the brand or the size and it's packed away in my car for the trip back to California, but it does a good job on french fries and Gortons fish fillets. I have even been known to throw a couple of hot dogs in with the fries.
I have a regular deep fryer that I used to use for all my frying needs. You can do more, and do a much better job with a real oil deep fryer, but it is a real PITA to clean up after. Drain the oil, filter the oil so it can be used again, wash all the internal parts, then put the used oil and the fryer into storage. With the air fryer, you wash the basket and liner with hot soapy water, wipe down the base with a damp cloth, and you are through!
I have a regular deep fryer that I used to use for all my frying needs. You can do more, and do a much better job with a real oil deep fryer, but it is a real PITA to clean up after. Drain the oil, filter the oil so it can be used again, wash all the internal parts, then put the used oil and the fryer into storage. With the air fryer, you wash the basket and liner with hot soapy water, wipe down the base with a damp cloth, and you are through!
Last edited:
