I have a toaster oven that "air fries ". Not really sure how that is different than when it works as a convection oven… That being said, we do use it a few times a week for fish or frozen hash brown patties etc
The one I have isn’t very big. But I do like throwing frozen French fries in it. It cooks faster than the oven. I find reheating pizza in it to be good as long as you don’t leave it too long. I used to cook bratwurst in it as well, but I’ve been using the George Foreman grill for that lately.
Other precooked frozen food come out good, like chicken strips and egg rolls. Better than the microwave and faster than the oven. So yes I use it 1-3 times a week usually. I don’t know that it’s really fun though. Just handy to have.
I love mine. I’ve done chicken wings, truffle fries, salmon patties (old childhood favorite). I want to try fried okra next but don’t know if the coating will be the same as deep frying
@ironcheftoni Skip the Okra. I tried it once with frozen breaded okra. It did not work. That stuff needs to fry in oil. I think the key to battered items is they already need to be cooked. If it says you can do it in the oven, then you can do it in an air fryer. But if it says it needs to go in oil, then the air fryer won’t work. I sprayed the okra I had with oil before and during cooking, it still didn’t help.
@remo28 Good to know. My way of frying okra is better than the frozen breaded stuff. Soak in just enough buttermilk to coat. Dredge in self rising flour. I throw it all in a ziplock bag to help separate the pieces better. The coating comes out so crisp and light. So yummy!
We have the 8 quart Foodi, after trading in our instant pot and too-small air fryer. Favorite air-fried foods: salmon filets, pork tenderloins, chicken wings and larger pieces of chicken. It works great for tater tots and fries; we’ve also air-fried smelt with good results. There are some foods that just need to be fried in oil, but a lot can be done well with convection.
@ThunderChicken I think I’ve used my halogen oven about 3 times (in 5 or more years) and every time it was for a whole roasted chicken. It’s all the cleaning after that makes me not use it. In the oven I just clean the pan it cooked in and a cutting board. In the halogen oven I’ve got to clean like 4 things from the halogen oven, and they are big and bulky.
I can understand how some people might not get why an air fryer is so wonderful. If you want to be a little healthier and feel better about eating a bag of your favorite frozen fries, get an air fryer. The oven warms the fries but they stay a little soggy. But if you love fries fluffy on the inside and nice and crisp on the outside, an air fryer is the way to go. Same thing with wings. Never again will you have slimy non-crispy wing skin. Soooooo goooooood.
Maybe I’m doing it wrong. I tried my sister’s air fryer with French fries and stuff took forever and it wasn’t that good. Very uneven – some soggy parts and some too crisp.
@katbyter Yeah, you need to take it out half way and shake it. I sometimes use the air fryer if it’s for 1-2 people but anymore and I prop a wire rack on a cookie sheet for airflow
@katbyter You probably over filled the basket. Fries also need a shake at least half way through. I usually add some seasoning at before and after the shake, the fries seem to be wet at this point so it sticks. Then taste test at the end to see if it needs more seasoning.
Wrap a seasoned, trimmed chicken breast with bacon. (maybe stuff a few sliced jalapeños inside it) Cook in air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 350˚. Pull it out when the bacon is crispy…
I guess we have a crappy air fryer because I hate the way food comes out. I’m saving up my UPS Rewards points for a Cuisinart Digital toaster oven air fryer. It will replace the crappy air fryer and the toaster oven.
i guess i still don’t get it. it just circulates hot air which is what an oven does. now don’t get me wrong, i can see how it would be great for someone that doesn’t have and/or can’t use an oven, or if you have an oven you’re unhappy with but can’t replace. so it’s certainly a wonderful little appliance.
but i don’t understand why people tell me i just ~have to try it~ when i have an oven i like and use regularly. just seems like another thing to clean & take up space, while still being too small to cook anything i would use the oven for. i also suspect at least some people think it gets better results because they are comparing apples to oranges by not cooking things on a rack in the oven like they do in the air fryer.
I have a toaster oven that "air fries ". Not really sure how that is different than when it works as a convection oven… That being said, we do use it a few times a week for fish or frozen hash brown patties etc
The one I have isn’t very big. But I do like throwing frozen French fries in it. It cooks faster than the oven. I find reheating pizza in it to be good as long as you don’t leave it too long. I used to cook bratwurst in it as well, but I’ve been using the George Foreman grill for that lately.
Other precooked frozen food come out good, like chicken strips and egg rolls. Better than the microwave and faster than the oven. So yes I use it 1-3 times a week usually. I don’t know that it’s really fun though. Just handy to have.
@remo28 I use mine for fries and reheating pizza. that’s pretty much it. But it does those things very well.
I don’t get it, as in I have never had air fried food. Besides, how will I keep my coat soft and shiny without grease?
I love mine. I’ve done chicken wings, truffle fries, salmon patties (old childhood favorite). I want to try fried okra next but don’t know if the coating will be the same as deep frying
@ironcheftoni Skip the Okra. I tried it once with frozen breaded okra. It did not work. That stuff needs to fry in oil. I think the key to battered items is they already need to be cooked. If it says you can do it in the oven, then you can do it in an air fryer. But if it says it needs to go in oil, then the air fryer won’t work. I sprayed the okra I had with oil before and during cooking, it still didn’t help.
@remo28 Good to know. My way of frying okra is better than the frozen breaded stuff. Soak in just enough buttermilk to coat. Dredge in self rising flour. I throw it all in a ziplock bag to help separate the pieces better. The coating comes out so crisp and light. So yummy!
I got my air fryer here and use it pretty often. But my working theory is that it just makes things warm and stale.
We have the 8 quart Foodi, after trading in our instant pot and too-small air fryer. Favorite air-fried foods: salmon filets, pork tenderloins, chicken wings and larger pieces of chicken. It works great for tater tots and fries; we’ve also air-fried smelt with good results. There are some foods that just need to be fried in oil, but a lot can be done well with convection.
I misunderstood the question and thought it meant cooking in general. I answered “Fun, on occasion.”
I bought a quasi-air fryer, a halogen oven, two years ago and used it twice.
@ThunderChicken That’s two more times than I’ve used mine! Also it was purchased from a thrift store, also unused.
@narfcake @ThunderChicken Hmm, must be a trend. Ditto, bought mine 3+ years ago, still unused (bought refurbished from Woo)
@ThunderChicken I think I’ve used my halogen oven about 3 times (in 5 or more years) and every time it was for a whole roasted chicken. It’s all the cleaning after that makes me not use it. In the oven I just clean the pan it cooked in and a cutting board. In the halogen oven I’ve got to clean like 4 things from the halogen oven, and they are big and bulky.
Meh send me an air fryer and I’ll let you know.
I can understand how some people might not get why an air fryer is so wonderful. If you want to be a little healthier and feel better about eating a bag of your favorite frozen fries, get an air fryer. The oven warms the fries but they stay a little soggy. But if you love fries fluffy on the inside and nice and crisp on the outside, an air fryer is the way to go. Same thing with wings. Never again will you have slimy non-crispy wing skin. Soooooo goooooood.
French fries and grilled cheese are most of what I do in mine. Cuts a ton of the grease but still gets things crispy.
Maybe I’m doing it wrong. I tried my sister’s air fryer with French fries and stuff took forever and it wasn’t that good. Very uneven – some soggy parts and some too crisp.
@katbyter Yeah, you need to take it out half way and shake it. I sometimes use the air fryer if it’s for 1-2 people but anymore and I prop a wire rack on a cookie sheet for airflow
@katbyter You probably over filled the basket. Fries also need a shake at least half way through. I usually add some seasoning at before and after the shake, the fries seem to be wet at this point so it sticks. Then taste test at the end to see if it needs more seasoning.
Wrap a seasoned, trimmed chicken breast with bacon. (maybe stuff a few sliced jalapeños inside it) Cook in air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 350˚. Pull it out when the bacon is crispy…
Also… Frozen egg rolls or spring rolls come out really good in the air fryer
I guess we have a crappy air fryer because I hate the way food comes out. I’m saving up my UPS Rewards points for a Cuisinart Digital toaster oven air fryer. It will replace the crappy air fryer and the toaster oven.
Only four thousand points to go.
i guess i still don’t get it. it just circulates hot air which is what an oven does. now don’t get me wrong, i can see how it would be great for someone that doesn’t have and/or can’t use an oven, or if you have an oven you’re unhappy with but can’t replace. so it’s certainly a wonderful little appliance.
but i don’t understand why people tell me i just ~have to try it~ when i have an oven i like and use regularly. just seems like another thing to clean & take up space, while still being too small to cook anything i would use the oven for. i also suspect at least some people think it gets better results because they are comparing apples to oranges by not cooking things on a rack in the oven like they do in the air fryer.
@jerk_nugget Ovens don’t circulate air, it just sits there.
@sammydog01 right, yes. what i mean is, it produces dry hot air which encircles the food being cooked.
@jerk_nugget @sammydog01
That circulation (like a convection oven… see my comment above) is what makes the difference.
air “frying” is an oxymoron…