It's Official- Air Fryers use less than half the electricity of an oven!

robnchris said:
Why not?
Click to expand...
have a go making them you will see its not practical unless you making a very small batch, you have to boil them then bake them, they are very sticky post boil so you cant add them all together as it would make a mess
 
Jay Rayner reviewed air fryers, Having bought one I tend to agree wit him.

"People have been stocking up on air fryers as they try to keep their energy bills down this winter, but food critic Jay Rayner is not impressed. The latest research from the British Retail Consortium shows the kitchen gadget is selling well.

But food aficionado Rayner tried one out and described the chips that came out of it as "dull, dry and very sad".

Writing in The Guardian, he said: "There is only one thing worse than no chips, when you have been promised them. It is thoroughly disappointing chips."

He went on to describe them as "dull, mouth-drying batons of mildly soft carbohydrate, under a brittle brown carapace". He complained that despite having the word "fryer" in the name, "it does not fry. It doesn’t even come close to mimicking the glorious impact of placing foods in a pan of tumbling, boiling golden fat".

Retailer Argos has reported that it sold almost 100 of the devices an hour in September, while sales at Lakeland rose by 90%. For the article, Rayner borrowed an £89.99 Cosori device, and cooked garlic parmesan chicken wings, and handmade chips for his review.

He added three teaspoons of vegetable oil and some smoked paprika to the chips, and cooked for nearly 40 minutes. He said they were "still semi-raw" after the recommended 28 minutes. When they were ready, he said: "They are sort of cooked, but they are dull and dry and very sad, as am I."
In conclusion, Rayner said: "As an alternative to a deep fat fryer, this particular appliance has been a total, abject failure. It’s also worth noting the capacity is small. You can only feed two or three people at most with one of these. After that you’ll be cooking in batches.
"But that doesn’t mean they do not have significant virtues. They are seriously energy efficient, which matters in the current economic climate. They preheat very quickly. And I can see that you could use them to cook a whole range of things very successfully.
"The US food blogger, photographer and self-styled air fryer evangelist Rebecca Abbott has recorded herself cooking everything from lamb chops and rib-eye steaks to lobster, cheesecake and pumpkin pie in hers. Just don’t get one if what you’re dreaming of is really good chips. That way lies disappointment."
 
As said the Air Fryer is just a small fan oven so as long as what you are cooking fits in the drawer then you can cook anything that you can cook in a conventional oven.
As for your "Tarallini" which are an excellent alternative to Breadsticks, I don't see a problem just an assembly line of mixing and rolling the dough out, a couple of teflon sheets will make life so much easier.

As for making chips well off course the Air Fryer can't compete with the Deep Fat Fryer, chips cooked in the Air Fryer will just be oven baked Chips.
There again they make an excellent job of a Baked Potato.
 
I suspect Mr Rayner is comparing Apples with Pears in his review of chips.
I used to have a deep fat fryer decades ago - it never got hot enough, certainly not as hot as a professional kitchen one.
Some people report success in making chips from scratch using specific unobtanium potato varieties, putting them through somesort of voodoo repeated soaking/draining/drying process - life's too short.
Frozen [a zillion choices] is perfectly acceptable for a side dish which is then drowned in salt & vinegar with lashings of ketchup.

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Half the electricity contributes to energy saving. So do slow cookers, and halogen ovens.
We hardly use our main oven now unless family and friends arrive.
Phil
 
Langtoftlad said:
I suspect Mr Rayner is comparing Apples with Pears in his review of chips.
I used to have a deep fat fryer decades ago - it never got hot enough, certainly not as hot as a professional kitchen one.
Some people report success in making chips from scratch using specific unobtanium potato varieties, putting them through somesort of voodoo repeated soaking/draining/drying process - life's too short.
Frozen [a zillion choices] is perfectly acceptable for a side dish which is then drowned in salt & vinegar with lashings of ketchup.
Click to expand...

I have yet to enjoy an 'Oven Chip'. True I have not tried many but the ones I have, do not compare to the ones I make from scratch in the wok, with lid, that I keep for deep frying at home.

I put the wok on the gas ring so that it is heating while I peel and cut the chips. By the time these are prepared (10min) the oil is hot enough and it then takes another 15-20mins to cook the chips.(and fish)

What I also have, in the home and van, is a couple of Combi Microwaves, I'm surprised these have not been mentioned because, except for doing chips, these cover a wide spectrum of dishes, especially, baked potatoes, a healthier alternative to chips!

Why spend more money to save a little when you already have the tried and tested devices already in your kitchen? :unsure:

PS. I have not used a 'proper oven' for the past 40+yrs.
 
TheAleMan said:
Why not?
Click to expand...
as per post 32:

have a go making them you will see its not practical unless you making a very small batch, you have to boil them then bake them, they are very sticky post boil so you cant add them all together as it would make a mess
 
Langtoftlad said:
I suspect Mr Rayner is comparing Apples with Pears in his review of chips.
I used to have a deep fat fryer decades ago - it never got hot enough, certainly not as hot as a professional kitchen one.
Some people report success in making chips from scratch using specific unobtanium potato varieties, putting them through somesort of voodoo repeated soaking/draining/drying process - life's too short.
Frozen [a zillion choices] is perfectly acceptable for a side dish which is then drowned in salt & vinegar with lashings of ketchup.
Click to expand...
As Robnchris said, "As for making chips well off course the Air Fryer can't compete with the Deep Fat Fryer, chips cooked in the Air Fryer will just be oven baked Chips."

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Langtoftlad said:
I suspect Mr Rayner is comparing Apples with Pears in his review of chips.
I used to have a deep fat fryer decades ago - it never got hot enough, certainly not as hot as a professional kitchen one.
Some people report success in making chips from scratch using specific unobtanium potato varieties, putting them through somesort of voodoo repeated soaking/draining/drying process - life's too short.
Frozen [a zillion choices] is perfectly acceptable for a side dish which is then drowned in salt & vinegar with lashings of ketchup.
Click to expand...
Have to report pretty good tasting chips from our air fryer peel the spuds, cut them in to battens leave in water for 30 mins drain and dry them, toss them in a bowl that has some oil place in the fryer basket cook for around 16 mins, shake the basket in for another 12 mins

They taste good, and does what it says on the tin, chips & fish fingers are awesome
 
Coolcats said:
Have to report pretty good tasting chips from our air fryer peel the spuds, cut them in to battens leave in water for 30 mins drain and dry them, toss them in a bowl that has some oil place in the fryer basket cook for around 16 mins, shake the basket in for another 12 mins

They taste good, and does what it says on the tin, chips & fish fingers are awesome
Click to expand...
What make and model please?
 
iandsm said:
Jay Rayner reviewed air fryers, Having bought one I tend to agree wit him.

"People have been stocking up on air fryers as they try to keep their energy bills down this winter, but food critic Jay Rayner is not impressed. The latest research from the British Retail Consortium shows the kitchen gadget is selling well.

But food aficionado Rayner tried one out and described the chips that came out of it as "dull, dry and very sad".

Writing in The Guardian, he said: "There is only one thing worse than no chips, when you have been promised them. It is thoroughly disappointing chips."

He went on to describe them as "dull, mouth-drying batons of mildly soft carbohydrate, under a brittle brown carapace". He complained that despite having the word "fryer" in the name, "it does not fry. It doesn’t even come close to mimicking the glorious impact of placing foods in a pan of tumbling, boiling golden fat".

Retailer Argos has reported that it sold almost 100 of the devices an hour in September, while sales at Lakeland rose by 90%. For the article, Rayner borrowed an £89.99 Cosori device, and cooked garlic parmesan chicken wings, and handmade chips for his review.

He added three teaspoons of vegetable oil and some smoked paprika to the chips, and cooked for nearly 40 minutes. He said they were "still semi-raw" after the recommended 28 minutes. When they were ready, he said: "They are sort of cooked, but they are dull and dry and very sad, as am I."
In conclusion, Rayner said: "As an alternative to a deep fat fryer, this particular appliance has been a total, abject failure. It’s also worth noting the capacity is small. You can only feed two or three people at most with one of these. After that you’ll be cooking in batches.
"But that doesn’t mean they do not have significant virtues. They are seriously energy efficient, which matters in the current economic climate. They preheat very quickly. And I can see that you could use them to cook a whole range of things very successfully.
"The US food blogger, photographer and self-styled air fryer evangelist Rebecca Abbott has recorded herself cooking everything from lamb chops and rib-eye steaks to lobster, cheesecake and pumpkin pie in hers. Just don’t get one if what you’re dreaming of is really good chips. That way lies disappointment."
Click to expand...

Mr Rayner says The garlic parmesan chicken wings are only partly crisp on one side and flaccid on the other

Yet most recipes say to Toss the food so that it cooks evenly I suspect he just placed the wings in, same as the chips they won't be cooked all over if you do not toss them

Screenshot 2022-10-20 at 15.36.45.png
 
iandsm said:
What make and model please?
Click to expand...
I know this doesn't always apply but we purchased a Phillips essential (smallish one) as Phillips 'invented' them we thought it would be sensible to try one of theirs

Broken Link Removed
 
Coolcats said:
Have to report pretty good tasting chips from our air fryer peel the spuds, cut them in to battens leave in water for 30 mins drain and dry them, toss them in a bowl that has some oil place in the fryer basket cook for around 16 mins, shake the basket in for another 12 mins

They taste good, and does what it says on the tin, chips & fish fingers are awesome
Click to expand...

What make and model as most of the posts I have read says 40mins for 'proper', not oven, chips which has always struck me as very little saving over deep frying? :unsure:

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iandsm said:
Jay Rayner reviewed air fryers, Having bought one I tend to agree wit him.

"People have been stocking up on air fryers as they try to keep their energy bills down this winter, but food critic Jay Rayner is not impressed. The latest research from the British Retail Consortium shows the kitchen gadget is selling well.

But food aficionado Rayner tried one out and described the chips that came out of it as "dull, dry and very sad".

Writing in The Guardian, he said: "There is only one thing worse than no chips, when you have been promised them. It is thoroughly disappointing chips."

He went on to describe them as "dull, mouth-drying batons of mildly soft carbohydrate, under a brittle brown carapace". He complained that despite having the word "fryer" in the name, "it does not fry. It doesn’t even come close to mimicking the glorious impact of placing foods in a pan of tumbling, boiling golden fat".

Retailer Argos has reported that it sold almost 100 of the devices an hour in September, while sales at Lakeland rose by 90%. For the article, Rayner borrowed an £89.99 Cosori device, and cooked garlic parmesan chicken wings, and handmade chips for his review.

He added three teaspoons of vegetable oil and some smoked paprika to the chips, and cooked for nearly 40 minutes. He said they were "still semi-raw" after the recommended 28 minutes. When they were ready, he said: "They are sort of cooked, but they are dull and dry and very sad, as am I."
In conclusion, Rayner said: "As an alternative to a deep fat fryer, this particular appliance has been a total, abject failure. It’s also worth noting the capacity is small. You can only feed two or three people at most with one of these. After that you’ll be cooking in batches.
"But that doesn’t mean they do not have significant virtues. They are seriously energy efficient, which matters in the current economic climate. They preheat very quickly. And I can see that you could use them to cook a whole range of things very successfully.
"The US food blogger, photographer and self-styled air fryer evangelist Rebecca Abbott has recorded herself cooking everything from lamb chops and rib-eye steaks to lobster, cheesecake and pumpkin pie in hers. Just don’t get one if what you’re dreaming of is really good chips. That way lies disappointment."
Click to expand...

For some one who is supposed to know what he's talking about he is obviously doing it wrong, I've only had my Ninja 4 days made chips twice ordinary ones and sweet potato ones they were very good definitely cooked and not soggy,. I've just made a bread and butter pudding it took 20 minutes from start to finish, and they look good. Tonight I am doing Moroccan Salmon be interesting to see how that comes out.
 
L' Hobo said:
What make and model as most of the posts I have read says 40mins for 'proper', not oven, chips which has always struck me as very little saving over deep frying? :unsure:
Click to expand...
Except you dont have the Fat content have a look here

www.philips.co.uk

Homemade fries | Philips Chef Recipes

Philips take pride in the recipes that are selected to be paired up with our range of kitchen appliances. See our recipe for Homemade fries here.
www.philips.co.uk www.philips.co.uk
 
Another fuel saver is a remoska. I cooked steak and vegetables in the slow cooker yesterday. Will be doing beef stew and dumplings in the remoska tonight and steak and kidney pie another. We also have a combi microwave, the one i have was a bad choice, the preset Jacket potato is microwave ponly amnd you can't 'combi' microwave and oven only microwave and grill and the grill is pathetic. Very disappointing.
Friend makes absolutely brilliant chips in her air fryer no idea what make Though. Had been wondering if an electric steamer would be cheaper to run than the 2 tier on our gas hob talking home here, but not definitive answer on google
 
scotzsue said:
Another fuel saver is a remoska. I cooked steak and vegetables in the slow cooker yesterday. Will be doing beef stew and dumplings in the remoska tonight and steak and kidney pie another. We also have a combi microwave, the one i have was a bad choice, the preset Jacket potato is microwave ponly amnd you can't 'combi' microwave and oven only microwave and grill and the grill is pathetic. Very disappointing.
Friend makes absolutely brilliant chips in her air fryer no idea what make Though. Had been wondering if an electric steamer would be cheaper to run than the 2 tier on our gas hob talking home here, but not definitive answer on google
Click to expand...
We used to steam all our veg, now we just put about 20mm of water in a sauce pan when boiling in goes the veg, lid on and cook for about 3 mins, check and either serve or cook a bit longer if you like them softer.
Much quicker than a Steamer.

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I bought a mini oven a few weeks ago. £35 and it is excellent. Only 650w and uses less than half what the combi oven uses for baked potato. (0.4kwh Vs 1.1kwh)

www.ebay.co.uk

Quest 35409 Compact Countertop 9L Mini Oven / Tray, Rack & Handle Included | eBay

Saving as much space as possible in a small kitchen is vital to help keep your space organised and tidy. This Quest Compact Mini Oven is the perfect addition to your kitchen if it a bit on the smaller side.
www.ebay.co.uk
 
This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.
Carol said:
For some one who is supposed to know what he's talking about he is obviously doing it wrong, I've only had my Ninja 4 days made chips twice ordinary ones and sweet potato ones they were very good definitely cooked and not soggy,. I've just made a bread and butter pudding it took 20 minutes from start to finish, and they look good. Tonight I am doing Moroccan Salmon be interesting to see how that comes out.
Click to expand...
I wonder if his review may have been better had he tried several different models
 
Coolcats said:
as per post 32:

have a go making them you will see its not practical unless you making a very small batch, you have to boil them then bake them, they are very sticky post boil so you cant add them all together as it would make a mess
Click to expand...
Oh I see..fair doos. I was thinking as with our ninja, we could use other racks to create a layered system and therefore bake more of them but, perhaps not 300 or so. 🤔
 
Stewart J said:
Aldi cook at home bread rolls, lightly wet them then 4 minutes in our Tefal air fryer, can’t fault them 👍
Click to expand...
Yes, we do the Sainsgogs small part baked baguettes in it (5 minutes plus 2 minutes to warm it up). This ninja was used for sourdough bread but only really any good for rolls. My home made sausage rolls are really very good in the Ninja and only 12 minutes from frozen to golden brown.

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Hollie's Nan gave us one and it's brilliant. We use it every day. And no more waiting 20 minutes for an oven to get hot! 🍟

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