Air Fryers??

[Abelman]

Glad I could be of help.

[Fishawn]

Air Fryers??

Well, after 6 weeks of use, here's what we ended up getting. Wife decided, since she has a friend that really likes hers.... So she got to buy it



It's a Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fryer Oven. AKA Ninja Flip. I gotta say, as the cook of the house 95% of the time, I love this thing so far! As far as the build quality goes, it seems solid, well designed & built for a smaller appliance (weighs like 18 lbs?) & flips up to store against a kitchen wall/backsplash. Longevity is unknown, but from reviews, seems like they hold up pretty well & good customer service



I have probably used it 25-30 times in 6 weeks, and part of the lag in use was probably due to me getting used to it. It pre-heats within a minute & cooks probably 25-30% faster than a normal oven (I do have a convection oven).



My kids are just now starting to experiment with it & like the results so far. IMO, it's basically a toaster oven with adult cooking features. It really speeds up getting food cooked & on the table, in a way that is superior to a microwave for most situations.



Cons, to me anyway, would be height. You can't do a full chicken or beer can chicken, tall roast, etc. in it. BUT! If you cockspatch a chicken, or cut a smaller roast down to fit, it would work.



So far, so good. If you're looking for something like this, I would recommend at this point, knowing it has some limitations height & size/volume capacity. I think it was about $200.

[SmokinLee]

We've only had this a short time. And like you I probably do 98% of the cooking and the wife who ordered the thing hasn't even touched it. I'm getting the hang of it and stopped at a bar/resto at lunchtime from dropping off tax papers and picked up a couple fish and chip dinners to go. Figured I would just reheat in the air fryer later. It did great, even tossed in some frozen battered shrimp. I'm starting to use it for just toast now since there isn't any room left for a toaster, the thing is as big as a microwave. So far I've been happy with it and just a few gripes..
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/emerald...?skuId=6431205

[Fishawn]

Cool Lee!
Hopefully somebody that is considering one can get some useful info from this thread. I just bought a small notebook to start keeping track of times/temps. Chocolate chip cookies took like a total of 8 minutes to bake, including pre-heating the thing. Pretty cool unit.

[Texas-Hunter]

We don't use ours as much as we really should or could.. Seems we lean into our toaster/convection oven more and it does not cook as fast as our straight convection.. I can have a dozen wings ready to eat in 12-14 minutes.

[SmokinLee]

Good idea on the notebook. I baked a cherry pie in the thing last weekend. I followed a Betty Crocker recipe which recommends 425°. This was too hot, so need to adjust Temps by maybe 50°. My oven has a convection option and most recipes for baking bread pretty much say a 50° difference between conventional and convection. It's fun to play with. Mine has a sous vide preset but only two temp settings of 120° & 140°, no circulating pump so it's sort weird. It'll make a great keep warm feature.

[Fishawn]

I can have a dozen wings ready to eat in 12-14 minutes.

That's some git 'r dun action
What is your prep process Ken? I've read quite a few different prep suggestions

[Doug S.]

I can have a dozen wings ready to eat in 12-14 minutes.

Bragger

[Texas-Hunter]

That's some git 'r dun action
What is your prep process Ken? I've read quite a few different prep suggestions

I just cut the flappers off the drumettes and dredge them in flour only once they sit and become tacky I pop them in and off they go.. Toss in a bowl with some siracha sauce and plate them up..

[Wizwor]

Maybe the "new" multi function ones are more useful than the one I have in storage used 3 or 4 times.

I got a Cook's Essentials 5.3qt air fryer in November of 2018. It was one of those egg shaped basket fryers. I just wanted to eat a little healthier. I ended up using it daily. After about a year, the handle on the basket broke. JB Weld saved the day, but I started looking for 'the perfect air fryer'.



The perfect air fryer is the NuWave Primo Convention Oven with Grill Plate & Temperature Probe. I use this thing at least once a day. My old fryer was opaque. The new one has a clear cook area. I like to watch my food cook.
The new fryer has a temperature probe. It will stop cooking when the food is done or start cooking so the food is done at a time you specify.

• My old fryer had a single heating element, so I had to flip things over. New one has two. You can control the temperature of each.
• New fryer has a heated grate so steaks have that grilled look.
• New fryer has 100 built-in programs and lets you add your own.

Primos are more money, but top and bottom heaters means no flipping or tossing of food. Temperature probe stops cooking when food is done. Some people like grill marks.

Some have reported that the clear body of the Primo develops cracks. NuWave changed the design of the body and mine looks like new after two years of heavy use. Other people reported that the coating on the base did not hold up. With all air fryers, I recommend putting a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper in the bottom of the base. 400f drips stick to anything and the elbow grease required to clean up takes a toll. After two years of nearly daily use, mine looks like new.

Cleanup is pretty easy. Sponge and hot, soapy water on the body and base. Hot, soapy water and a brush on the grate. I usually soak the grate overnight before cleaning. Accessories are available...

https://www.amazon.com/Extender-Holi.../dp/B07V1PWCMG

Last September my toaster oven literally exploded. No kidding! I opened the door and it shattered and sent glass flying in all directions. This otherwise excellent toaster oven taught me that I did not need a rotisserie but wanted a light. I got this...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Smart-Air...ries/654466122



This air fryer/toaster is $169.99 at Home Depot...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ARIA-30Q...t_rid=40572653

I love this toaster. I stumbled upon it. It has some nice features -- like the light, the fact that it is an air fryer, and the included trays. I also like that it has a pre-heat feature. These are also sold as ARIA branded toaster ovens.

This thing was a better dehydrator than my Excalibur.

Extra trays are available at...

https://ariaairfryer.com/collection/

I liked the Kappas so much I bought an Aria for work.