Joining the air fryer craze

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#3353099 12-Mar-2025 12:34

The name really upsets me.

They're small fan-forced convection ovens. Nothing's getting fried.

They're great. But their name is stupid.

Yes, I am old and grumpy.

jonathan18

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#3353166 12-Mar-2025 13:51

FWIW, of the nine recommended air fryers in Consumer’s test results, six are Ninja models; the other three are a Philips (at 3), an Instant Pot (5) and a Breville (9). The top two are both Ninja ‘multicookers’. Interestingly, the performance rating of these recommended models ranges from 70 to 100.

johno1234

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#3353167 12-Mar-2025 13:56

muppet:

The name really upsets me.

They're small fan-forced convection ovens. Nothing's getting fried.

They're great. But their name is stupid.

Yes, I am old and grumpy.

It's OK, you've earned the right to be grumpy!

The idea of the name is that they are or started out as a substitute for frying. They do a really good job on things that you might have otherwise shallow or deep fried in oil such as french fries, chicken etc. But yeah I would not fry a frozen meat pie but the "air fryer" does a really good job of heating one up complete with crispy pastry.

Handsomedan

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#3353221 12-Mar-2025 14:14

muppet:

The name really upsets me.

They're small fan-forced convection ovens. Nothing's getting fried.

They're great. But their name is stupid.

I guess from a marketing perspective, "Air-forced small oven with non-stick innards and a choice of one or two baskets" doesn't really slip off the tongue.

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mattwnz

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#3353223 12-Mar-2025 14:22

I guess the name is based around what they can replace. Eg if making chips from cutting up potatoes, you can use one instead of a normal fryer

tweake

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#3353259 12-Mar-2025 17:23

muppet:

The name really upsets me.

They're small fan-forced convection ovens. Nothing's getting fried.

They're great. But their name is stupid.

Yes, I am old and grumpy.

i use a small fan forced convection all the time. i have NEVER used my main oven. i think i had family over and they used it once.

i do a lot of roast chickens and smaller beef roasts. i'm not surprised people like the air fryers, they are a really handy size.

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tweake

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#3353260 12-Mar-2025 17:25

mattwnz:

I guess the name is based around what they can replace. Eg if making chips from cutting up potatoes, you can use one instead of a normal fryer

mates have a special chip air fryer. it as a rotating base that rolls the chips around so they get cooked evenly. works really well but i'm not sure how good it is on other things.

Tinkerisk

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#3353278 12-Mar-2025 19:09

AirFryer, a hip, less unhealthy way of preparing unhealthy food. 😁

It heavily depends on what you put in there and the preparation method is certainly not vitamin-preserving. This hype will also pass, with more body fat for some and less for others. Somehow we have to reach the 50% of all people on earth who are overweight by 2030. I'm NOT looking at you, athletes! 😈

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Journeyman

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#3353289 12-Mar-2025 19:52

I have this one: Instant Pot Vortex Plus 5.7L Air Fryer. No complain of product. A very good price right now.

Handsomedan

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#3353372 13-Mar-2025 09:55

Tinkerisk:

...This hype will also pass...

I don't know.

I think they're this generation's microwave. Here to stay and somewhat life-changing for many.

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Tinkerisk

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#3353375 13-Mar-2025 10:02

Handsomedan:

Tinkerisk:

...This hype will also pass...

I don't know.

I think they're this generation's microwave. Here to stay and somewhat life-changing for many.

Sure, but let's take a look (figuratively). People are getting heavier and heavier. Of course, I mean on average, not a specific person. Incidentally, we don't own a microwave either and certainly not because we're technophobes or Amish people, but because of what they put in it. Yes, I know, nobody has the time to cook anymore. Convenience kills, but every person is of course free to choose. Until it's too late for realisation.

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet. - He who knows nothing must believe everything.
Firewalls do NOT stop dragons. Really not. But your smart devices are spying on you!
I avoid Big Tech amap. They try hard to dictate technology and „culture“ across borders.
In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who „someone“ is.

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outdoorsnz

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#3353379 13-Mar-2025 10:42

I don't own an airfryer (and most likely will never buy one) but have used elsewhere while house sitting. They are very good at cooking saugages etc.

Hopeless if you want to cook more that one thing i.e. chips and meat. You then need either a 2nd one, double or turn the oven on! You can't use two on the same switch.

But a bit like a cheap frying pan, the cheap ones wear out quickly and you end up throwing it away!

If you own a fan forced oven, essentially it is the same thing. If you get a good quality steel dish or similar bake ware, you can get much better similar / quicker results.

tdgeek

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#3353448 13-Mar-2025 12:32

johno1234:

muppet:

The name really upsets me.

They're small fan-forced convection ovens. Nothing's getting fried.

They're great. But their name is stupid.

Yes, I am old and grumpy.

It's OK, you've earned the right to be grumpy!

The idea of the name is that they are or started out as a substitute for frying. They do a really good job on things that you might have otherwise shallow or deep fried in oil such as french fries, chicken etc. But yeah I would not fry a frozen meat pie but the "air fryer" does a really good job of heating one up complete with crispy pastry.

Im keenish, but I dont want another gadget in the kitchen. I use the Russell Hobbs Mini Oven a lot. If I got an Air Fryer, I'd get a Mini Oven with Air Fryer function. I assume that would work the same as the traditional air fryers? After all, those are small ovens with an uber fan inside. If so, graduating to an air fryer would take zero extra space

gzt

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#3353584 13-Mar-2025 15:05

I'm short on bench space so it will be a compact item for me.

The occasionally used sandwich maker and the toaster will have to live in the cupboard for a while.

The Air fryer will need good use to make that worthwhile.

gzt

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#3353585 13-Mar-2025 15:09

I see the the Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL $189 today only

https://www.briscoes.co.nz/product/1121858/ninja-air-fryer-pro-xl/

The promo picture shows a draw full of chips. Is it realistic to expect the chips will be a full basket or is that just a single layer of chips trying to look like a full drawer in a photo?

I have the same question about vegetables in general. Can these air-fryer devices be filled chokka with veges or are they designed for just one layer only?

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