Need air fryer advice...

[tcufrog]

DS15 likes to cook and requested that I get an air fryer. I'm trying to decide whether to get the kind that has a basket or the kind that is also a toaster oven. I'm having trouble deciding because, on the one hand, we will be remodeling our kitchen soon so a toaster oven will be handy then, but on the other hand, we have a convection oven in the kitchen.

What do y'all think?

 

[1420Elexismc]

I have the one with the basket and really wish I had the toaster oven type instead. Since it works fine, I can't justify buying the other type, but I feel like being able to spread the food out more would probably lead to more evenly "fried" foods.

 

[tcufrog]

I have the one with the basket and really wish I had the toaster oven type instead. Since it works fine, I can't justify buying the other type, but I feel like being able to spread the food out more would probably lead to more evenly "fried" foods.

Does the basket kind hold more food? DS15 has a bottomless pit for a stomach.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I feel like the toaster oven type has two racks/rows...I usually only do one layer in the basket of mine. They do make larger basket styles than I have though-so maybe there is a more comparable model with a larger capacity. We are a family of 3 and don't use it a ton, but I will say I really do like it. Specifically for french fries lol-but I do feel like I have to shake it a lot more to make sure everything is getting fried evenly

 

[Wiltony]

I have one that has two racks and a rotisserie attachment that I never use. I like it and I think I prefer it over those egg-shaped ones with the pull out "basket." The only thing is that the items on the top rack definitely cook faster than the ones on the bottom rack.

It has a few other quirks that I dislike, but overall I'd recommend it.

 

[jo-jo]

I have the basket kind. Don't use it that much...mostly to "cook"...frozen items, cheese sticks, eggs rolls, tater tots, etc. snacky type food.

My sister has the oven type and loves it.

I think the oven type gives you more space to cook for a family

 

[jo-jo]

If DS is cooking, will it be food food or snacky food. One nice thing about a basket is that the food is contained. With the oven , there is a chance of something falling off the rack and being left behind.

Perhaps your DS is a wonderful cook and not just a reheat pizza cook ,like me

 

[Minniedap]

We have the Cuisinart AirFryer Toaster Oven. We love it and use it almost daily.

 

[tcufrog]

My son does both. We want our kids to know how to cook before they graduate from high school. He recently made tacos that would have been good if he hadn’t decided to get creative and seasoned them with paprika and curry powder.

 

[tcufrog]

We have the Cuisinart AirFryer Toaster Oven. We love it and use it almost daily.

Which one? There’s lots of them at different prices.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have the basket one for space reasons, but my friend had the toaster oven kind, to also replace a toaster, and her DD didn't really like toast made in it.

I think whichever one will fit better in the space you want to put it is probably the one to go with.

 

[barkley]

by any chance does your traditional oven have a convection feature? if so it's the same thing as an air-fryer but you can make stuff in larger batches (so unlike my basket air fryer you don't have to shake the basket mid way through).

 

[luv2cheer92]

I have the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 oven. I absolutely love it. Air fryer, oven, toaster, broil, roast, etc. And it fits a good amount.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I have the toaster oven type. When our oven was being repaired last year, we used it a lot. It can bake as well as air fry. It also has a rotisserie feature we don’t use. My only caution is the two racks don’t air fry or bake evenly. You have to rotate them halfway through cooking. I think ours is a Ninja brand.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

DS15 likes to cook and requested that I get an air fryer. I'm trying to decide whether to get the kind that has a basket or the kind that is also a toaster oven. I'm having trouble deciding because, on the one hand, we will be remodeling our kitchen soon so a toaster oven will be handy then, but on the other hand, we have a convection oven in the kitchen.

What do y'all think?

Get a Blackstone with air fryer (link)! That way, when you're doing the remodel, you have somewhere to cook! (The Dis camping boards are all about their Blackstones, lol)

 

[Skippy918]

I have the basket kind, but I also have a separate toaster oven. We use both regularly especially for heating up frozen food items. French fries come out great in the air fryer. In the summer, I hate turning on the oven so I use the air fryer more frequently.

 

[jo-jo]

I have the basket kind, but I also have a separate toaster oven. We use both regularly especially for heating up frozen food items. French fries come out great in the air fryer. In the summer, I hate turning on the oven so I use the air fryer more frequently.

Yeah, some food come out really good. But some recipes where you put it in, cook 10 mins, flip, cook 5 mins, cook, flip , cook 5 mins. I'd rather thrown it in the big oven for 35 mins and walk away.

But for the two of us, to cook two potato patties in the air fryer vs the big oven only makes sense.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’ve always had a giant toaster/convection oven (big family). I decided to get a ninja toaster oven/air fryer with this replacement, I’m not a fan (it’s the short wide one). It works worse as a toaster/ oven than my others (I use them as toasters and ovens) and it’s not a great air fryer.

 

[Wiltony]

by any chance does your traditional oven have a convection feature? if so it's the same thing as an air-fryer but you can make stuff in larger batches (so unlike my basket air fryer you don't have to shake the basket mid way through).

So I've done a lot of research on this exact claim since I'm a cheapskate and didn't want to buy an air fryer if I didn't need to. I would like to share my conclusion of why they're not the same.

While the method is the same (circulating heated air in the oven), an air fryer's smaller size compared to a regular oven's size mean the two end up with very different cooking results, all other things being equal (time and temperature).

For instance, I have put french fries in my regular convection oven at 425 for a good 15 mins and still not gotten them as crispy as using an air fryer for 8-10 mins. You can approximate the results, but it takes a lot longer plus you need to preheat, etc...

 

[tcufrog]

Get a Blackstone with air fryer (link)! That way, when you're doing the remodel, you have somewhere to cook! (The Dis camping boards are all about their Blackstones, l

That looks cool but we already have an egg and grill we aren't using right now because it's too hot outside. It was so hot last night that one of DS15's band mates fainted during marching band practice. Band practice has been canceled for the rest of the week.