An air fryer is a small countertop convection oven designed to simulate deep frying without submerging food in oil.  *definition taken from Wikipedia

It’s hard to remember what life was like before an air fryer. For real.

I’ve wanted one for well over a year, and I was finally blessed with one for Christmas (thanks to my sis for gifting it to me – yes, if it weren’t for my sister, I wouldn’t own anything! lol).

She bought this Ninja model.

Since I have been raving about the air fryer for the past two months, I thought to share with you my thoughts on the “most talked about” appliance. I wanted to provide some feedback to anyone considering buying one. I came up with a few pros and cons of owning an air fryer.

Here you go!

Pros

Healthier option

I love fried food (who doesn’t, right?), and I know it’s not good for me, so I try my best to avoid it.  The air fryer gives me that crispy, fried goodness I crave without the guilt. 

You can cook a variety of foods in the air fryer: veggies, fish, chicken, and even donuts – the possibilities are endless.  But I can’t lie, I usually end up making air fried chicken and wings! I love fried chicken, and if I can have a less fatty, less greasy alternative, I’m down.

Making fried chicken the old fashioned way requires a lot of oil to make it crispy.  In the air fryer, all you need is just a tablespoon of oil to coat the chicken. In just 25 minutes you get a crunchy, golden brown exterior. I am literally drooling as I write this.

I’ve made wings, and fried chicken so many times I can seriously open a takeout chicken restaurant.

Time

The cooking time is slashed considerably. What would normally take FOREVER to cook, only takes about 20 – 25 minutes.  That is a game changer for me.

If you’re like me and cook the majority of meals for the week on Sundays, cutting down on the cook time is a huge bonus. It gives me more time to do more fun things like spending time with family, friends, writing, or (re)watching Ted Lasso.

Clean up

The clean up is nominal. I usually start off by wiping off the grease from the tray, and then hand wash it in warm weather. It doesn’t get too grimy, so it only takes a few minutes to clean.

Price

Air fryers have been around for a while now, so you can get one at a good price. They range in price from $80 – $300, and the average price is around $120.

Cons

You can’t cook large quantities

If you plan on cooking large batches of food all at once, think again. However this is solely dependent on the size of your air fryer.  I have a 3.8L unit (medium size), and I usually have to cook in batches.

It is crucial that you give the food enough space in the fryer so that the air circulates to cook and produce a crunchy exterior – so it’s best not to overcrowd.  So you can either make a small amount, or you can divide the portions and cook in batches.

Storage

I have a small kitchen, and space is limited. It’s fine if you have lots of counter space, but if your kitchen is modest in size, or if you live in a condo, it might be an issue trying to store the unit.

My kitchen is compact, and I already have lots of kitchen gadgets (waffle maker, 2 blenders, Keurig, mixer, toaster) but I got creative, and made space. I had to –  I need an air fryer in my life!

Those are just a few things to take into consideration when buying an air fryer.  If you do buy one, lets swap recipes!

Was this post helpful? Still deciding on getting an air fryer?  Leave me a comment and let me know!