Hey There, Friends!
Sorry, I was MIA yesterday-we had family in town visiting this weekend and I just didn’t have time to get my post together. I’m BACK today for Tuesday Talk with Fancy Ashley. And let me tell you-I have some riveting discussion for you. This topic is definitely showing my age but it’s what’s been on my mind lately.
Can we talk AIR FRYERS?
In 2019, I bought an air fryer and once I started using it, I used it almost every single day. During virtual school in 2020, I made daily lunches with our air fryer. I LOVED it! But my only complaint was it wasn’t REALLY big enough for our family. There was a small accident {don’t ask me how this happened but Britt somehow sat on it and cracked the lid. i know. i know. no clue exactly why she was up there but that’s what happened.} and we got a new one around Christmas last year. I decided to try a more “oven” type of air fryer that would fit a whole lot more but after using it for approximately four months, it just feels like an oven. I don’t get that same “air fried” crispness from the oven air fryer that I got from the basket type of air fryer. And if it’s gonna air on the side of oven versus air fryer, then I should get it off my counter and just use the oven.
Which leads me to my questions…
WHAT AIR FRYER DO YOU HAVE?
HOW MUCH CAN YOU FIT INSIDE?
AND WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT?
In an ideal world, I’d be able to fit enough chicken breasts for our family inside at one time. Is this like finding Big Foot or catching a magical unicorn or is this really a possibility? I’m assuming that since my family of six is having this issue many of you might be out there looking for the same thing so please, help us out!
For the love of crispy french fries and tater tots, PLEASE SHARE!
In case you’re new to air fryers, I thought I’d include my favorite things to cook in an air fryer…all the sides-sweet potato fries, tater tots, cauliflower gnocchi, cauliflower pancakes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes. I’ve also used mine for protein which has been a little harder because of the size situation but chicken and salmon have both tasted great cooked in an air fryer. And then any quick meals that need to be reheated just taste a little better.
Thanks for helping, friends!
XO
We used BOTH of our air fryers last night! (You know how we're a house divided over air fryers…) We used Andrew's that has the dual racks for our crispy fish and then we used mine (with the pull out drawer) for our fries. I totally love the drawer style SO MUCH MORE. I think the racks are harder to clean out and actually provide you with less space because you have to strategically place everything in it…plus, the things on top ALWAYS get crispier than the things on bottom. Get a drawer one!
I’m debating on getting an air fryer so I will be following along too!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
This is EXACTLY why I don't have one. The ones I see are not nearly big enough to feed my family of four teenagers.
I've had 3 air fryers, and we've finally landed on our favorite. Sadly, I can't find it for you. It's a double rack Emeril Lagasse fryer we grabbed at Costco about 6 months ago.
p.s. "For the love of crispy french fries and tator tots" made me lol. 🙂
I have the Ninja Foodi Duo and love it. I have 4 kids 11,9, 6 & 3, itsbig enough for a part of a meal for our family (which is what I use it for anyway) so if we grill burgers, it’s big enough to do tots or fries for the whole family. I can do enough chicken breasts to cut up for everyone..big enough for lunch for the kids. And it does get things crispy! This chicken breast recipe is the bomb https://recipeteacher.com/best-damn-air-fryer-chicken-breast/
We use this Cuisinart counter air fryer. we no longer use a microwave for anything. We cook, reheat, toast, fry and bake in this bad boy. LOVE this one !!
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/cuisinart-reg-air-fryer-toaster-oven/5516132?skuId=61818064&enginename=google&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenelectrics_local&product_id=61818064&adtype=pla&product_channel=local&adpos=&creative=248875057638&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&utm_campaignid=71700000037211805&utm_adgroupid=58700004142068815&targetid=92700034062230274&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu5KYte2M8AIVPIlbCh1CRgTBEAQYASABEgLO7fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&wmSkipPwa=1
We have the 6 qt Nuwave and LOVE LOVE it! Buy through Bed Bath & Beyond and get the 20% off coupon. Love it!
I have been looking for a new one for months and haven't bought one for this exact reason.
I have the Ninja Foodi 6 in 1, 2 basket air fryer and it has been amazing! Use both sides if you have a big crowd, or use one side for chicken and the other side for veggies. I love it.
We have the Ninja foodi 5 in 1 and it is big enough to cook 4-5 good size chicken breasts. It also can be used as a grill which comes in handy for steaks and you can also bake in it. My mother in law got it for us for our anniversary a few years ago and it is by far the best thing in our kitchen. We use it at least a couple of times a week.
We are also a family of six and I cannot say enough great things about my Paula Deen air fryer! It is a beast.
We have the Ninja Foodi 5 in 1 and we use it all the time! They just came out with an XL version of it that is larger so it will hold more but our family of 4 can cook enough chicken etc in the 5 in 1. I love that everything goes straight into the dishwasher so it is super easy to clean up!
I have been looking as well! After reading the comments I looked between the Ninja Foodi 5 in 1 and the Paula Dean 10 quart digital air fryer. I think I am going with the Paula Dean, it looks like it holds lots more!
Last year when my kids and I were all at home full time with work and school, I taught my then 8 and 11 year old kids how to use the drawer air fryer. Best thing ever! Everyone was making their own lunches on their own time. They still use it all the time. They are little afraid of the heat from hot oven but they can handle a drawer air fryer! Get the good kind of frozen chicken nuggets at the grocery store and some Chickfila sauce and my youngest loves it!
I literally almost tossed my air fryer in the dumpster this weekend. We have a basket style and while I use it on occasion for fries I don't cook much of anything else in it because I can never cook enough for all 5 of us (my guys are all the size of grown men– like three over 6 feet) and I just can't see cooking in batches. We bought the largest sized model I could find and it does come with racks and pans but the size of them are a joke. There is no way I can cook more than 3 pieces of fish or chicken at a time.
Look into the Ninja Foodi 9 in 1!! We bought one at Christmas and love it! Got rid of the crock pot and instant pot when we purchased it.
I have the Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL 8qt. Love it
Thank you! I thought it was just me. I have one of the bigger air fryers that almost looks like a mini oven and I felt that my food was no different than cooking in an oven. I was wondering what all they hype was about. Maybe I need to try the basket type. But, like you there is no way I could cook enough for a family of 5.
i am following this conversation. i have been wanting an air fryer for a while but i could not settle on one i thought would be large enough for our family. i am definitely looking into these suggestions
My mom had the oven with rack type and hated it. She got rid of that and got the basket/drawer type and she thinks it works so much better so I'm definitely all for the drawer kind. We have the largest drawer kind and my guess is that it wouldn't be big enough for a family of 6 because you can't really layer meat in it (fries layer just fine because I can toss them mid cook). However, I am able to fit a small entire chicken breast in it and it always comes out like rotisserie chicken.
Can you link to your old air fryer?
I had exactly the same problem when I switched. I realized it was because the seal on the oven type doesn't vent steam as well. I just prop the door open a tiny bit with a wooden chopstick (you can use anything heat resistant) and now it's just as crispy as the round kind. Hth