Opinions on air fryers

[Ohiosnowbird]

In November 2022 we bought a Ninja airfryer AF101. We returned it and in December 2022 bought a T-Fal deep fryer, a real deep fryer. The real deep fryer is great as it really deep fries stuff. I guess we were expecting too much from the air fryer? Obviously this was for our stationary kitchen and obviously a real deep fryer on the RV would be ridiculous- or would it? Hubby was wondering out loud today if we should try another air fryer. He says grilling on cold rainy days is no fun and I think he’s getting tired of crockpot dinners, my favorite thing after grilling on the RV. Do people use air fryers while traveling? What kind and what do you use it for if not crunchy, munchy fries and tater tots?

 

[Scubadude62-WO]

We have a Cosori air fryer for home, and have another, smaller one from Walmart that lives in the RV. We probably use it at least weekly while out on our trips.

In addition to fries, we've made small pizza, crispy chicken and pork cubes with a homemade teriyaki, and steak tips.

I won't travel without one.

 

[Larry N.]

We have the $50 Gourmia from Costco, and it's done well for us on most frozen chicken strips, fish patties, breaded chicken patties and much more, such as bacon, though we prefer to fry our bacon in the more usual fashion. Most of these packaged goods have instructions on temperature and time settings for the product for air fryers, as well as for microwaving and regular ovens. The air fryer is just a small convection oven, and we find best results are when the product sits on a grating above the surface, though it's nearly as good sitting on bottom if you turn it over part way through according to directions.

We also have written down adjustments in items we do often, if the package instructions need to be changed a bit.

The big thing is that to work well the heated air must get to all of the product, so stacking or otherwise jamming in extra stuff is counter productive. We used it occasionally in the RV, but mostly at home -- just our style -- the microwave was also a convection oven in the RV and we baked biscuits, roast, even pineapple upside down cake, for a few examples, in that unit. Much of which item we used was dependent on DW's preference for that food product. Sometimes she even preferred a toaster oven for some things.

 

[JudyJB]

I am thinking of getting an air fryer when I find a condo and move in, but what can you do with an air fryer that you cannot do with a microwave or regular stove and cooktop?

And what can't it do??

Also, do people buy them for RVing because they don't have a regular oven?

 

[8Muddypaws]

We use our air fryers very often. We have a reqular oven in our RV but hardly ever use it for anything other than storing cutting boards.

The key to air frying is to brush or spray oil on whatever you want to taste 'fried'. Like French fried potatoes, chicken wings and so on. Air fried steak and pork chops are really good.

 

[Isaac-1]

We are actually on our second one in the RV, the start/stop button went flaky on the first one (you might have to tap it a dozen times to get it to start). It was one of the pull out drawer style models, the new one is a hinged lift up glass lid style model, which would probably work ok in a house where the countertop is always level, but may be a bit dangerous in an RV as if it is off level the lid can slam shut on the slightest touch.

 

[Boat Bum]

The basket type ones are better than the toaster oven type. We have both but clearly favor the basket.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I am thinking of getting an air fryer when I find a condo and move in, but what can you do with an air fryer that you cannot do with a microwave or regular stove and cooktop?

And what can't it do??

I think it is more nuanced than a simple can/cannot. An air fryer is better at some things and not so much on others. Ditto for microwaves or stovetop. Quite a few things can be done on all three, but will be better on one of them. Especially if you are a connoisseur of a particular item or style. French fries, for example. You can actually deep fry them on the stovetop using a pan or wok and 1/4" or so of cooking oil. An airfryer does a credible equivalent without the oil, smothering the "fries" with high temperature air - essentially a convection over. Both produce a crispy exterior with whatever degree of interior "cooked-ness" that you prefer. But a microwave generates heat inside the potato strips by energizing the molecules, so there is little (if any) of the crispy exterior and the temperature of the "fries" are much lower. Most people would find microwave french fries disappointing in texture and appearance. But by the same token the microwave excels at heating foods through without crisping or burning the exterior, making it ideal for heating casseroles, roasting corn on the cob, or cooking vegetables. You can do without any of these cooking tools, but you end up compromising to some extent.

If you have a quality convection/microwave and some good stovetop cookware, you can probably get most of the effects of an air fryer but likely at more effort and maybe needing more skill. An air fryer is super-easy to use and clean afterwards, two benefits not to be sneezed at!

 

[PancakeBill]

I bought an air fryer and donated it, I bought the Fry Baby for the motorhome. Haven't bought another air fryer since.

 

[8Muddypaws]

We had a basket fryer first. It was so hard to clean that when it stopped working I threw it away rather than fixing it.

Replaced it with a SurLaTable one with three Teflon coated racks. It's our favorite so far.

The Ninja is in the RV and it does a good job but cleaning it is a chore.

 

[Old_Crow]

I have a basket type air fryer. I line it with a piece of tin foil and that makes cleanup a lot easier. I cook a lot in it and hardly ever use the oven anymore.
I do Brats, Salmon filets, pork chops, chicken tenders or sometimes bacon wrapped chicken bites, and a variety of frozen stuff like taquitos or fish sticks.
If you're at a loss as how to cook something in the air fryer all I can say is, "goggle is your friend".

 

[ferfer]

Well as an eater who loves deep fried food, ie OIL, I can not believe I actually like Dan's air fried french frys! Bought Instant Pot and still on learning curve but so far Dan's experiments have mixed results but nothing uneatable. Laying and lightly spraying with olive oil seem to enhance color and produce crunchy, munchy fries. Experiment then adjust to fit your taste. As Old_Crow said "goggle is your friend".

 

[jymbee]

We have a reqular oven in our RV but hardly ever use it for anything other than storing cutting boards.

Whoa. You're saying that oven looking box next to our fridge is not only for storing our pots and pans that it can actually used for cooking things?!

 

[JudyJB]

So, I like onion rings. I've tried cooking them in a pot on the stove with very good results, but I end up with a lot of partly used oil I don't know how to store. Would an air fryer give me good "deep-fried" onion rings if I dipped them in coating and sprayed them with oil?

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

So I ordered

Cosori Air Fryer 4 Qt​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5G96T83?ref_=pe_125775000_1044873430_t_fed_asin_title&th=1

From amazon. It’s supposed to arrive Saturday. I also got paper liners because cleaning looked like a job.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLVSZFFQ?ref_=pe_125775000_1044873430_t_fed_asin_title&th=1

We’re going to try it with tater tots and maybe chicken.

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

So, I like onion rings. I've tried cooking them in a pot on the stove with very good results, but I end up with a lot of partly used oil I don't know how to store. Would an air fryer give me good "deep-fried" onion rings if I dipped them in coating and sprayed them with oil?

I haven’t tried onion rings in an air fryer. They’re great out of our deep fryer! i was just looking at this, there’ a bloomin’ onion recipe:

You Won’t Believe Everything You Can Make In Your Air Fryer

Omelets! Vegan cake! Fish tacos! 🤯

www.delish.com

 

[ferfer]

Would an air fryer give me good "deep-fried" onion rings if I dipped them in coating and sprayed them with oil?

Dan has air fried frozen onion rings using sprayed olive oil which taste very similar and perfectly acceptable to fried, but there is a slight taste difference.

 

[JudyJB]

I might try a small air fryer, but having been a full-timer for 13 years, I don't own a stick of furniture--no beds, dressers, sofas, lamps, tables, etc. I am going to have a lot of shopping to do!

I also will need to buy a car, as I don't tow anything with my motorhome. Will be a big learning experience with all the new automobile gadgets!

 

[ferfer]

I don't own a stick of furniture--no beds, dressers, sofas, lamps, tables, etc. I am going to have a lot of shopping to do!

Depending on timing - whole house auctions might be an option for finding furniture to fill the new condo. Some really good rooms of furniture relatively cheap.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Never tried onion rings. But it does make great fish and shrimp, but they are nothing like real deep fried shrimp.

I did try some packaged fried dill slices. They were not good. On the culinary scale of 1-10 they were a zero. I assume onion rings would be equally disappointing.