Interesting air fryer article

[nylic76]

First off, let me state that I don't have an air fryer and that it is not on my "Want List", so, obviously, I don't know anything about them.  However, I found this article interesting.  Comments welcome.

https://www.wired.com/story/air-fryers/

[DWard51]

Air fryer kicks ass on cooking sausage though.   That is what I've mainly been using mine for (breakfast patties or links, and other fresh linked sausage or even cured smoked sausage.   I have a convection oven but it uses a heck of a lot more power to do the same thing my small air fryer does.  I don't think of it as a "fryer" so much though.  And it's a lot more convenient than getting oil out and using a real fryer.  I doubt the air fryer will ever replace true quality fried foods, but it is a tool that has it's uses.

[Hub]

First off, let me state that I don't have an air fryer and that it is not on my "Want List", so, obviously, I don't know anything about them.  However, I found this article interesting.  Comments welcome.

https://www.wired.com/story/air-fryers/

Like you I seem to be one of the air fryer skeptics.  I've looked at a few in stores and can't figure out how to get much food into one.  Friends say they like them for some foods but I'm going to keep looking around.  "Fried" needs a better definition, I think. 

Hub

[teesquare]

I think of how successful Char Broil was at marketing the Big Easy series of products as .."oil-less deep fryers", or some such thought...

And - they work....very well....but, "fry" is a term found lacking for most of us. And - like you Gordon, I was highly suspect of the "air fryers".....but - they have become a staple for a lot of folks. No, they will not cook enough of anything to feed a family of 6. At least ...not all at once. BUT...they do cook so fast that for many food items - it is still faster than 1 large "batch" cooked via traditional means.

I don't have an intellectually honest and objective opinion on any health "benefits" ...mostly because of the conflicting data even within the confines of the medical community...but this device appeals to many looking to reduce the use of fats to cook many food items. That + the time savings makes many a wallet fly out of pockets.  High fat -low carb is very popular right now tho......And - even within the framework of that eating philosophy - the air fryer is popular because it allows more control over which kinds of fats and how much they are consuming.

I guess I see the air-fryers like I do the Instant Pot and Sous Vide. Just that. They are appliances. I will bet virtually everyone currently owns a microwave oven, and a Crock Pot. But, for the first couple of decades after their invention - many households resisted the microwave oven, either due to fear of "microwaves" or  because they needed time to see how others re-developed recipes and methods to actually cook with a microwave oven. ( NOTE: tho we all own one - I will bet that few of us actually "cook" in them....but they are hard to beat for re-heating certain things...or making bacon, instant oatmeal, etc.... )

So, like the microwave - but in an accelerated fashion due to the internet and faster, multi-phase media than in the 1970's
I I do believe that they will be shoulder to shoulder with the venerate Crock-Pot  in virtually every home within 5-10 years.

Low cost to purchase , and speed/convenience are the 2 primary "economic food groups" for us as consumers. They are most often the reasons products either fail or succeed in a world driven by us as the consumers - for "faster and cheaper". You can thank the Personal Computer industry for re-programming us all to think this way......

[Tailgating is my game]

they work for me when it is cold & dark outside or too hot & humid outside. Steaks are good chicken is great. French fries are very good with less oil......Thats enough for me I now have four of them. ,.......Its a long story that only Tommy & my wife know

[Roget]

I use my air fryer quite a bit, but I usually don't cook full meals in it.
Just like the microwave, it is great for certain applications & "just OK' for others.
For example, if you heat something up in the microwave, it will be hot & "soft". But if you heat it up in the air fryer it will be hot & crispy.
Different appliance, different result.
Depends on how I want to eat it. (or use it).

[bamabob]

Have to agree with the point of the article that an air fryer really isn't a fryer, it's a miniature convection oven.  We use ours all the time.  so glad we bought the toaster oven style rather than the "bowl" style.  It's great for wings, garlic toast, and reheating leftovers that you want to brown or "crunch" up.  We can do most things in it in less time than it takes our big convection oven to preheat.  a lot less energy also, and on these hot summer days doesn't heat up the kitchen.

I think Tee nailed it with his post. 

[Jaxon]

I reluctantly purchased a an air fryer in January and we still use it often.
I can bake 6 frozen biscuits at once, then 6 nice slices of bacon for breakfast.  It is the best bacon cooker because the bacon comes out flat - not curled.
Like Roget and B'Bob, reheated food is much better than microwaved, soggy stuff.
Chicken fingers and fries come out just right.
I baked a 9" cherry pie in ours.
We cook 2 center-cut pork chops, seasoned with Fine Swine & Bovine, and they are fantastic!
I'm not trying to change your mind, but after I decided to join the club, I'm glad I tried it once.

Just sayin'...

[Tailgating is my game]

I reluctantly purchased a an air fryer in January and we still use it often.
I can bake 6 frozen biscuits at once, then 6 nice slices of bacon for breakfast.  It is the best bacon cooker because the bacon comes out flat - not curled.
Like Roget and B'Bob, reheated food is much better than microwaved, soggy stuff.
Chicken fingers and fries come out just right.
I baked a 9" cherry pie in ours.
We cook 2 center-cut pork chops, seasoned with Fine Swine & Bovine, and they are fantastic!
I'm not trying to change your mind, but after I decided to join the club, I'm glad I tried it once.

Just sayin'...

I agree Jaxon. It looks harmless maybe even ugly lol standing on our counter. ..........but fire her up & she comes to life as a good cooker. Fries that are good without oil I will take anyday.

[Dave R.]

Well we have been contemplating the purchase of an air fryer for some time now. Today I get a message from a local furniture / appliance store that we bought a new fridge from last week. They have a new promotion that if you spend $499.00 or more for $15.00 you get this very nice air fryer. We called the sales person and she was able to honor the promotion even though our purchase was well before the promotion started. Went over and came home with one and a new printer for our office as the old one died during our recent move. Obviously I can't speak to what we think of it just yet but may give it a whirl tonight as we need something to go with the beef ribs smoking away on the MAK as I type.