Multicookers

[TuffLuff]

Anyone else got one? We made an investment on a Ninja after the slow cooker packed in and thought a pressure cooker/air fryer might also be useful. 

Have to say we absolutely love it, as it makes tasty food quite quickly and as parents with a toddler that is very useful when you might not actually start cooking until gone 8. Main downside is that I think if you love the ‘art’ of cooking then it kinda takes the real satisfying bits away and kinda makes it all a bit clinical, in that I think it might be the equivalent of going to the pub you really like where you know what you are going to get. 

But if you need food to be a bit more practical then I don’t think you can go wrong.

[Scott129]

My dad has literally never cooked in his life, outside of putting stuff in the microwave. But he expressed an interest in an air fryer so I bought him one for Christmas, as well as a few air fryer-specific cookbooks. 

He absolutely loves it - uses it pretty much everyday and the food turns out really good to be fair.

It's actually kind of made me want to get one, even though I know how to cook reasonably well!

[Srg]

Not got an all in one type thing, but do have an air fryer and a slow cooker.

I know air fryers are a bit of a cult right now and anyone who has one has to tell anyone who doesn't to get one.... but frankly, don't care, they are that good. Use a fraction of the energy, cook in about 2/3s of the time an oven does and makes even boring freezer food crispy, and that's before you get into the more interesting stuff you can do in one.

[Boycie]

We have the ninja dual drawer one.  It’s a game changer.

Just wish I could fold a pizza into it.

[TigerTedd]

We got a Ninja health grill and air fryer on a Martin Lewis recommendation and special offer. We’re decent cooks in our family, but we use it r regularly. Mainly for chips, we don’t buy oven chips any more, we do hand cut chips 8n the air fryer, and cheesy garlic crumpets. We’ve only scratched the surface though really.

I don’t really understand myself though. I’m very literal when it comes to recipes, so if it says put it in the oven at 180, then that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t understand how to relate that to the air fryer. The oven has a million and one settings on it too, including a water reservoir for steaming, but because the people who write recipes don’t know I have all these mod cons, they just tell me to put it in the oven at 180, and I never get chance to use them.

[Boycie]

1 hour ago, TigerTedd said:

We got a Ninja health grill and air fryer on a Martin Lewis recommendation and special offer. We’re decent cooks in our family, but we use it r regularly. Mainly for chips, we don’t buy oven chips any more, we do hand cut chips 8n the air fryer, and cheesy garlic crumpets. We’ve only scratched the surface though really.

I don’t really understand myself though. I’m very literal when it comes to recipes, so if it says put it in the oven at 180, then that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t understand how to relate that to the air fryer. The oven has a million and one settings on it too, including a water reservoir for steaming, but because the people who write recipes don’t know I have all these mod cons, they just tell me to put it in the oven at 180, and I never get chance to use them.

The chips are ok, heathy for you, but just not crispy enough.  I’ve done a jacket potato in ours once, game alterer.

[uttoxram75]

47 minutes ago, Boycie said:

The chips are ok, heathy for you, but just not crispy enough.  I’ve done a jacket potato in ours once, game alterer.

Left over chippy chips are better warmed up int air fryer than when first bought.

[Steve How Hard?]

2 hours ago, TigerTedd said:

We got a Ninja health grill and air fryer on a Martin Lewis recommendation and special offer. We’re decent cooks in our family, but we use it r regularly. Mainly for chips, we don’t buy oven chips any more, we do hand cut chips 8n the air fryer, and cheesy garlic crumpets. We’ve only scratched the surface though really.

I don’t really understand myself though. I’m very literal when it comes to recipes, so if it says put it in the oven at 180, then that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t understand how to relate that to the air fryer. The oven has a million and one settings on it too, including a water reservoir for steaming, but because the people who write recipes don’t know I have all these mod cons, they just tell me to put it in the oven at 180, and I never get chance to use them.

This conversion chart is quite helpful for time and heat adjustments.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Steve How Hard?

[Rev]

Ninja Foodi Max.

All the appliance you'd ever want.

[TigerTedd]

32 minutes ago, Rev said:

Ninja Foodi Max.

All the appliance you'd ever want.

That’s the one I’ve got

[Eddie]

I've got 4 woks and an air fryer - all the stuff I need really.

[Boycie]

9 hours ago, Eddie said:

I've got 4 woks and an air fryer - all the stuff I need really.

Reminds me of the old joke.

Quasimodo comes home to find Esmeralda holding a wok in the kitchen.

”oh no! Not Chinese again!”

” Nooo, I’m ironing ya shirt yer tw@!”

[Wolfie]

I've got the round Tefal actifry, with the paddle that stirs the food - and a shelf above it to do a second thing.

The current one is fairly new but I had a Breville one for years prior to that. I mostly just do chips in it - but they are fab crispy skin-on, with about a tablespoon of oil for loads of chips.

The secret for crispy chips is to soak them in water after cutting the spuds and then dry off with kitchen roll before frying.

[Scott129]

12 hours ago, Steve How Hard? said:

This conversion chart is quite helpful for time and heat adjustments.

[Stive Pesley]

Game changer 

[ketteringram]

On 02/02/2023 at 11:44, Srg said:

Not got an all in one type thing, but do have an air fryer and a slow cooker.

I know air fryers are a bit of a cult right now and anyone who has one has to tell anyone who doesn't to get one.... but frankly, don't care, they are that good. Use a fraction of the energy, cook in about 2/3s of the time an oven does and makes even boring freezer food crispy, and that's before you get into the more interesting stuff you can do in one.

We have one, but I'm pretty sure it's never been used, despite being in the kitchen for well over a year.

I really should read the book and have a go! Probably dumb question, but can you put stuff like frozen breaded fish portions or fish fingers in it? Oven chips? What's the difference in cooking time between frozen chips and fresh? Like I said, I really should read the book!

[Day]

On 02/02/2023 at 11:00, TuffLuff said:

Anyone else got one? We made an investment on a Ninja after the slow cooker packed in and thought a pressure cooker/air fryer might also be useful. 

Have to say we absolutely love it, as it makes tasty food quite quickly and as parents with a toddler that is very useful when you might not actually start cooking until gone 8. Main downside is that I think if you love the ‘art’ of cooking then it kinda takes the real satisfying bits away and kinda makes it all a bit clinical, in that I think it might be the equivalent of going to the pub you really like where you know what you are going to get. 

But if you need food to be a bit more practical then I don’t think you can go wrong.

You know you’re getting old when you come online and start talking about your Ninja air fryer.

We have one as well, it’s great. 

[Boycie]

1 hour ago, ketteringram said:

We have one, but I'm pretty sure it's never been used, despite being in the kitchen for well over a year.

I really should read the book and have a go! Probably dumb question, but can you put stuff like frozen breaded fish portions or fish fingers in it? Oven chips? What's the difference in cooking time between frozen chips and fresh? Like I said, I really should read the book!

It works like a miniature oven, so the food cooks quicker than a conventional oven as it’s a smaller area to heat and the fan assists too

Treat it like a fan oven, but reduce the time accordingly. Great for frozen chips, frozen fish. You can put stuff in metal containers too, like poaching an egg in a silicon muffin case. (Top tip)

[Srg]

1 hour ago, ketteringram said:

We have one, but I'm pretty sure it's never been used, despite being in the kitchen for well over a year.

I really should read the book and have a go! Probably dumb question, but can you put stuff like frozen breaded fish portions or fish fingers in it? Oven chips? What's the difference in cooking time between frozen chips and fresh? Like I said, I really should read the book!

You’re looking at roughly 2/3rds the time it takes in the oven, but no warm up time either. And they do things like that a lot better, because they’re crispy all the way round. No soggy breadcrumbs like you get on the bottom when you use baking trays. 

[Day]

1 hour ago, Boycie said:

It works like a miniature oven, so the food cooks quicker than a conventional oven as it’s a smaller area to heat and the fan assists too

Treat it like a fan oven, but reduce the time accordingly. Great for frozen chips, frozen fish. You can put stuff in metal containers too, like poaching an egg in a silicon muffin case. (Top tip)

Talking like you do the cooking in your house, bet you don't even know where the saucepans are kept.