# Let's talk air fryers please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 1, 2021, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152 "2021-04-01T12:43:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/41 "2022-03-17T17:40:50Z")
I cooked a piece of steak in mine last night, sprayed with olive oil and spices. I don’t know what cut it was, 5 minutes per side, and it was delectable. Pork chops and chicken and fish come out great… One thing I’ve been doing: rub a piece of meat on each side with baking soda and let it sit 10 minutes or so. Rinse off, pat dry, and cook and it seems to come out very tender every time. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/42 "2022-03-17T19:47:59Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Hmm, reading the wirecutter article, it sounds like I could get the same results by just turning on the “convection” setting in my oven. And my oven has a self-cleaning ability. Maybe I’ll try that next time people rave about what’s good in an air fryer. We replaced our oven and considered getting one with an air fryer feature, but decided against it. The one we did get allows you to pour water in the bottom pan to steam clean. I think our air fryer actually has 10 settings. I used it to make beef jerky, in fact. I thought it was good; Mrs. L thought it was great. > [@salinqmind1](#): > > One thing I’ve been doing: rub a piece of meat on each side with baking soda and let it sit 10 minutes or so. Rinse off, pat dry, and cook and it seems to come out very tender every time. How much baking soda? We need to try this. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/43 "2022-03-17T19:56:54Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > We replaced our oven and considered getting one with an air fryer feature I wonder if that’s literally just a convection oven? Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/44 "2022-03-17T20:17:46Z")
Just a little - half a teaspoon? depends on the size of the meat - spread it around on either side. After 10 minutes, rinse well, pat dry and cook. I think it works on the same principle as brining, which also makes meat better. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/45 "2022-03-17T20:25:15Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I wonder if that’s literally just a convection oven? Anyone know? Googling: > Air Fryer Oven vs. Convection Oven > > While the two methods of cooking seem interchangeable, there are a few differences that make the distinction more prominent. While both utilize fans circulate the heat around your food, creating crispier results, air fryers typically function with faster moving fans compared to convection ovens. This usually results is faster cooking and crispier foods. Another difference is where the fans are placed, which can vary depending on model. There are oven models that come with both features, allowing you to customize based on what you’re cooking. Some air fryer ovens do not have a convection setting and vice versa > **[These Full-Size Ovens Double As an Air Fryer](https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/shopping/articles/full-size-air-fryer-ovens)** > > If you're in the market for an oven upgrade, an air fryer setting will save you a countertop appliance. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/46 "2022-03-17T21:21:18Z")
Yes, cleaning can be a chore. But I like how quickly it heats up and one can often finish cooking things with ambient heat. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/47 "2022-03-17T21:31:52Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > We’ve had great luck with things out of the freezer case. Tempura shrimp from Trader Joe’s, for instance, turns out great. But when we try battering something and putting it in, we haven’t had good luck. I wonder if you could batter, freeze, and then air fry. Pretty much all that frozen food from the grocery store has already been pre-fried in oil before being frozen; you’re pretty much just heating it up and re-crisping it when you air fry it. So I doubt battering, freezing, them air frying would work, since you’re skipping the oil frying (which of course would kind of defeat the purpose of having an air fryer). I’m a little disappointed that battering and air frying doesn’t seem to work so well. One of the things I was looking forward to attempting was Calabash style seafood, a coastal Carolina regional specialty winch you cannot find on here on the West Coast, and something I can’t seem to find an air fryer specific recipe for. But from the non-air-fryer recipes I’ve found, this style of seafood isn’t actually battered, but rather dipped in evaporated milk and then flour. I have seen other air fryer seafood recipes using things like milk and bread crumbs or cornmeal, so maybe it would work ok in an air fryer. I may experiment with that this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/48 "2022-03-21T18:26:50Z")
I don’t spray anything with cooking spray. And yes I see actual smoke coming out of the air fryer. I wouldn’t even attempt the rotisserie attachment. I can only imagine the cleanup involved with using that. The best thing I have made in it is Garlic Butter Steak Bites. Very easy and DEEEELICOUS. One of my husband’s favorites. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/49 "2022-03-23T13:42:39Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I wonder if that’s literally just a convection oven? Anyone know? My experience on this: I have 2 ovens (in different locations), one is electric conventional and the other is gas convection. There is a world of difference between the 2 with the gas convection coming out way ahead of the other. While dread is too strong a word, I dread cooking with the electric oven knowing how much better it could be. Gas itself is somewhat of convection due to combustion moving the air when the burner is on. And on my gas oven the convection fan actually will not run with the burner on, but comes on once the burner is shut off. So this is as gentle of a convection I think one can get, but the food comes out awesome, I don’t think wings could come out better without the deep fryer. Nice and crispy. Other items also are very good, in that is falls into (and past) the no complaints. Note: Get a wire basket suspended over a drip tray, don’t expect those results by putting wings or other food on a baking sheet. I have not used a air fryer, but I can not imagine it being much better, perhaps it is but I am very satisfied with a convection oven and due to space / countertop space and clutter I would much rather put that money towards a convection oven then a one trick pony. In my experience convection is the default setting I use on the oven and I want to. However if it were a separate appliance I doubt I would use it as much. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/50 "2022-03-23T14:14:42Z")
I use my air fryer daily, for a variety of dishes. It’s particularly good for reheating leftovers that are meant to be crispy. No more soggy re-heats in the microwave, or wasting electricity firing up the big wall oven. Reheating french fries, slices of pizza, and many other things brings them back to their original crispiness. I use my air fryer even more than my Instantpot, and I use that a lot. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/51 "2022-03-23T14:58:52Z")
I pretty much always use the convention setting for meat, and never for baking. I guess i need to branch out. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/52 "2022-03-23T15:13:35Z")
_America’s Test Kitchen_ has a new book on air fryers. Not yet tried it, but has a lot of ideas I had never considered - from toasting spices and roasting nuts to a lot of good licking recipes - including odd things like Singapore noodles. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/53 "2022-03-23T15:19:21Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I pretty much always use the convention setting for meat, and never for baking. I guess i need to branch out. I don’t bake much, but it depend on what you are baking. Yes some things do benefit from conventional. Things like pies and bread I believe call for conventional as baking is actually a very precision chemical reaction you are trying to achieve that conventional does better naturally, and for that matter an electric oven would be better then gas for. If you are heavy into baking ‘raw’ starches you may not use convection much, though pizza seems to come out very good with convection. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/54 "2022-03-23T16:58:12Z")
I would say that both baking raw starches (savory as well as sweet: corn bread, biscuits, popovers, pies) and roasting meats (chicken, beef) are at least weekly occurrences most of the year. Frying isn’t really something we do, so I’m not certain how people use “air fryers”. But now i feel it’s worth looking into. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/55 "2022-03-23T17:27:30Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I have [this one](https://smile.amazon.com/Ninja-Multi-Purpose-Counter-top-Convection-SP101/dp/B07SCGY2H6/ref=sr_1_5?crid=KGZH9S967VL1&dchild=1&keywords=ninja+foodie+grill+and+air+fryer&qid=1617294000&s=home-garden&sprefix=ninja+foodi%2Cgarden%2C232&sr=1-5). Wouldn’t trade it for anything else and have converted at least 3 friends to Ninja fans. Fries come out nice and crisp with no oil at all. Since I am supposed to watch my salt intake, the lack of a ton of salt on them doesn’t bother me a whit. Roasts veggies like a champ as well. The fact that it flips up and saves counter space is a big plus in my book. Still lovin’ it? My mom and I have been researching air fryers for her and we’re about to get this one (well the SP100, which is only 6-in-1). She likes it for the flip-up factor. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/56 "2022-03-23T17:28:30Z")
Yep. Did spring rolls in it last night, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/57 "2022-05-20T17:43:56Z")
I just bought one (don’t ask) and after reading this thread might take it back without even opening the box. Sounds like a pain in the ass, and I’m not sure I really want to re-learn how to cook everything. Or, y’all could try to convince me to give it a whirl… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/58 "2022-05-20T18:02:40Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Sounds like a pain in the ass… WHAT? It’s exactly the opposite. You don’t have to re-learn anything. I’m truly puzzled. \<_scratches head_\> Go to YouTube and watch a few SHORT videos on the channel “[FabulesslyFrugal](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMY3YXnCbP7SuO0MB4rfZyQ).” (Yes, it’s spelled that way.) ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/59 "2022-05-20T18:08:01Z")
As I said upthread, I don’t own one, but have used a few and they are fine with provisos. It’s up to you if said issues are a deal-killer for you. They are GREAT at cooking/crisping pre-prepped fried food such as chicken tenders, spring rolls, fried mozz sticks, bagged French fries. These things come out much like those from a store with less fat and oil waste than a traditional deep fry. The are good at cooking food that has instructions specifically made for an air fryer, but may require more prep in terms of coatings, par-cooking, which while not MORE work than a traditional deep fry, are at least equivalent, causing a certain degree of cognitive dissonance. They are moderately bad at cooking any larger pieces of food, such a full sized chicken breasts, but relatively few people I know do such things. Most models are an ironclad bitch to get super clean though, and that is the biggest drawback preventing me from getting one. A friend did their best to clean it immediately after it cooled down, but found the congealed grease in the airways left their apartment smelling of cooked oil even from inside the cabinet after the first dozen uses or so, no matter what they did. Which is the last drawback, if you have a smaller apartment/kitchen, it is another largish countertop appliance to take up space. If you’re using it for the first category a lot, and don’t have issues with cleaning or smells, it’s probably a great value. If I was feeding a bunch of kids/tweens with easy made and popular frozen foods, it would probably be a godsend, but for me, well, like I said, still haven’t bought one. Still think of it from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2022, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152/60 "2022-05-20T18:31:45Z")
My mom ended up getting the Ninja Foodi SP100 which is similar to what @silenus has. It’s more the shape of a toaster oven than other air fryers which are kinda like an Instant Pot. So far she likes it. There IS a bit of a learning curve - the instructions give you a clue as to which setting to use for what type of food but then leaves it up to you to decide how hot and low long to cook it. But that’s only a problem if you are trying to do recipes from oven directions. If you look online you can find recipes/instructions where people tell you exactly how to cook what you want in an air fryer. Mom’s traditional oven takes a long time to preheat so already the quick heating of the air fryer saves her time. Then the food cooks faster so even more time saved. Her favorite thing to cook so far is frozen fries because dad loves frozen fries and they can cook in the air fryer in less time than it takes to merely HEAT UP her traditional oven. I don’t know if she’s really had to clean it yet. Any meat she’s made was in the roasting pan so you just put the roasting pan in the sink. Anything cooked in the mesh tray (“basket”) wouldn’t drip…or you put the roasting pan underneath it. Her model flips up and the bottom tray comes off just like a toaster, so you can really get up and in there. So far her only complaint is that it’s quite big. The flip-up feature is nice because you aren’t wasting counter space while not in use, but even when it’s flipped up it just looks massive in her little kitchen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-air-fryers-please/939152.md?page=4)