Are Air Fryers any good?

I have seen a few frozen foods that have air fryer instructions. Otherwise, I use the oven instructions and lower the temp by 25 degrees and reduce cooking time to 1/2 to 3/4, depending on how crispy I want it.

I use my 6qt Air Fryer about three times a week and really like it. I make baked potatoes, chicken, frozen french fries, burgers, cheese sticks, etc-etc. Air fryers cook mush faster than a regular oven. Iā€™ve used an air fryer for over two years and when it does break Iā€™ll buy another one right away.

Thanks for the info. None of the frozen foods I eat have air fryer instructions. But as they become increasingly popular I assume I will be seeing some. My FARBERWARE unit came with general cooking instructions for various items, but specifics would be better. In my experience food will OVERCOOK using these instructions.

1 Like

Yes, my InstantPot may be better than an oven. You get the $150 model which allows baking. Itā€™s easy to open the top and baste or turn the meat. For cooking fries, definitely after you cost them with oil you would want one of the more air intensive models. Eventually you will get good fries.

Yeah, not many foods have air fryer instructions. I just Google whatever I want to cook, and someone will have temp/time recommendations.

1 Like

I cook fish sticks, pizza rolls and turkey bacon in mine.

Weā€™ve had our 6 qt size air fryer for over 4 years. We love it and seem to use it nearly every day. Wouldnā€™t want to live without it. In addition to cooking some things itā€™s great for warming up food that needs to be crispy. Microwaves donā€™t do well with those.

Thatā€™s what we have. Itā€™s a medium-priced one, about $140 if I recall. We use the air fryer function and basket for lots of stuff. Not always super-crispy, but suits our tastes just fine. Easy to keep clean and serves well for general purpose baking, roasting and toasting needs.

The $40 toaster oven with the upper and lower heating elements has been working out just fine for years.
I think most people are realizing the air fryers are just not worth the extra cost since they are really doing the same thing but maybe just a little faster. Only my honest opinion.

I agree but for good fries you may need one of those vortex models that cyclones the air. I had one but I had damaged the heating element.

We have a nice toaster oven, and an air fryer. The only thing we still do in our toaster oven is to toast or broil something. The air fryer is so much better at cooking certain things, and warming up food. Itā€™s the hot air whirling around that makes the difference. We love how it ā€œresurrectsā€ food, especially the kind that should be crispy. Itā€™s so easy to burn something in a toaster oven because the elements are positioned directly above or below the food, and donā€™t move. In an air fryer the hot air is constantly moving. That makes it incredibly forgiving when cooking or warming up food. We use ours nearly every day.

1 Like

More and more food companies are getting smarter, and are including the Air Fryer cooking times.