
And if they are what was the greatest thing before sliced bread?
Bread itself?
Let’s get practical
There has been a lot of buzz online about air fryers lately, so I looked a little deeper to see if it was hype or maybe it was something I should have. There is a lot more to choosing a fryer than you might think.
So many things to check out. Size, capacity, power use, brand, accessories. Do a fair bit of research before you buy.
What is an Air Fryer?
Air Fryers use convection heat and circulate the heat using a fan and using very little oil, arguably creating healthier food. The heating element at the top of the appliance creates the high temperature, and the fan circulates the heat rapidly to cook the food. Air fryers do this efficiently with very little or no oil and so are considered to be healthier than deep fryer or pan frying cooking methods.
Some people also claim that they use less electricity and cook faster than any regular cooking method. There is a basket or rack with perforations to allow the fast flowing, heated air to circulate and fully cook the food.
A regular convection oven is a lot bigger than an air fryer, so the heat has to fill a larger volume and can take a lot longer than an air fryer.
History of Air Fryers
Air fryers have been around since 2010, when Philips introduced one at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA), which is an important consumer electronics fair in Berlin. Air fryer was the brand, and the name has now become generic. Initially, uptake was reasonably slow and Philips created a recipe website to show potential customers how to use and get the best from their appliances.
There is now a buzz around these appliances and prior to Christmas 2022, there was a shortage of air fryers worldwide as consumers saw them as labor- and power-saving devices. There was a 22,000% rise in searches for the highly popular Ninja air fryer in October.
I had been reading and hearing about air frying for quite a while and did a little research to find out more.
Air Fryer Checklist
If you are considering buying an Air Fryer, these are some questions you need to ask.
- How many people in your household?
- What is your budget?
- Why do you want an Air Fryer?
- Do you have space on your worktop?
- Do you like fried food?
Ninja Air Fryer

Now, there are so many Air Fryers on the market that choosing the right one is quite difficult. Prices for Air Fryers range from $50 to $350 and above and each one has characteristics that may or may not suit you.
Recently I bought a Ninja AF100UK, and it cost 150 Euro.
Here’s what it claims:
Save up to 55% on your energy bill with the UK’s No1 Air Fryer brand.
- Quick & easy way to cook using little to no oil
- Air Fry: Up to 75% less fat than traditional frying methods
- Cook up to 50% faster than fan ovens
- 4 cooking functions: Air Fry, Roast, Dehydrate, Reheat
- Small air fryer, big results: 3.8L basket fits 900g of French fries
- Removable parts are dishwasher safe
So far, I have no complaints and it has done everything I asked it to do.
Cooking Meat in an Air Fryer

However, cooking meat in an Air Fryer is not as successful as they make it out to be.
Achieving the maillard reaction in an air fryer is difficult and you risk overcooking meat, particularly steaks.
Air Fryer steak is lacking in the savory crust you will get with conventional frying.
However, the steak will be properly cooked and, using a meat thermometer, you can get medium rare steak from your fryer.
It works well with chicken portions such as legs, drumsticks and wings. And you can even cook a full chicken (size depending on your fryer).
Roast pork works well also and there are many recipes on the Ninja site.
Raw meat in the fryer is fine but needs to be patted dry and seasoning added before cooking.

Points to consider
Cooking steaks in the air fryer is not ideal, but here are a few tips to help you get the best from the meat.
- Thaw all frozen steaks completely before cooking.
- Pre-heat fryer to desired temperature
- Dry off steaks with kitchen paper.
- Lightly oil steaks before cooking.
- Season before cooking.
- Place steaks on the rack or basket to allow air to circulate underneath.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure proper temperature.
- Check temperature carefully so as not to overcook your steak.
- Flip your steak over halfway through cooking.
- Keep 1 inch between steaks to allow proper air circulation.
Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Steak – Jo Cooks
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken – Jo Cooks
- Lamb Meatballs {Air Fryer} – Jo Cooks
- Air Fryer Pork Chops – Jo Cooks
- Air fryer beef Wellington recipe (taste.com.au)
What is the best air fryer?
I don’t know. It will all depend on what you want, the type of food you want to cook, your appliance budget, and so on. If you make chips (french fries) a lot, you will probably love it. All brands have different claims and you could spend months deciding on what was best for you. Look around, ask your friends, search the net, read articles like this. Everyone has a different take on what works, what is good and what is a mistake.
Pros and Cons
As with all decisions there are for and against arguments.
Pros
- Healthy. less oil.
- Cheaper. Less cooking time saves electricity.
- Less smell.
- Smaller than a regular oven.
- Safer than deep frying.
- Good for baking.
- Good for cooking chicken wings, fish fingers, roasting vegetables.
Cons
- Not as good at cooking steak as claimed.
- They can burn food easily.
- There are foods you should never cook in an air fryer. (See below)
- Unless you buy a very big fryer, you will have to cook in batches.
- You will need to clean out any oil after each cooking session so the flavors of the last item don’t carry over.
- They can be noisy. Some fans create a noise level of 65db. A vacuum cleaner creates 70db.
- Some research suggests that cooking at high temperatures may produce harmful chemicals such as acrylamide when cooking certain foods.
Cooking with an Air Fryer

Air fryers are not just for cooking fried food like chips and chicken wings. They can be used for a variety of dishes, including roast vegetables, grilled sandwiches, and even baked goods like muffins and cakes.
Some people might find that the texture of the food cooked in an air fryer is not as crispy as it would be if it were deep-fried. However, there are some tips and tricks that can achieve a crispy texture, such as shaking the basket periodically during cooking or using a light coating of cornstarch.
Air fryers can be a great tool for meal prep. They can cook batches of food which you can then store in the fridge or freezer for later use.
Air fryers need a little supervision: shaking and stirring the food halfway through makes for even cooking and reduces the risk of burnt food.
Deciding on which model
Before investing in an air fryer, it’s important to consider whether it will fit into your cooking routine and habits. If you rarely cook fried foods or have little counter space, an air fryer might not be worth the investment.
There are different types on fryers on the market, and as with everything you buy, the more features available, the higher the cost.
Some fryers have paddles that move the food around during cooking to avoid burning.
Other models have several functions such as reheating, drying, dehydrating and roasting.
You will need to read up on all the features available before you make your decision.
Foods you should never cook in an air fryer
Broccoli, leafy vegetables, rice, pasta, burgers, cheese, popcorn, wet battered foods.
The fan will blow the leafy vegetables around. The wet batter won’t set as it would in deep frying.
Rice and pasta need to be boiled in water. Cheese will just melt and glue itself to the basket.
Broccoli will dry out and burn. Burgers will be nowhere nearly as good as traditional cooking methods.
Sorry folks, but you need to know the limitations of this item.
Cleaning and maintenance
While air fryers are easy to clean, the basket and tray will need to be washed after each use. Some models have dishwasher-safe parts, which can make cleaning even easier.
Cleaning your fryer is relatively easy. Remove the basket and wash in dish soap, then dry completely before reassembling. After your fryer has cooled down wipe out the interior Ideally, clean your air fryer after every use in order to avoid a buildup of charred food. But there are certain parts where occasional cleaning will suffice.
The parts of your fryer that you should wash after each use are the basket, tray and pan. Wash these by hand, or depending on the particular model of air fryer, add them to your next dishwasher load. Wiping the interior down after each use is also a good idea.
Safety
Air fryers get very hot. Make sure there is ample space on all sides of the appliance and don’t use under a shelf that is with a couple of feet of the fryer. Place nothing on the fryer while it is cooking and at least until it cools down. Read this horror story before choosing.
Running costs
Every product manufacturer wants you to believe that their appliance is the fastest/cheapest/tastiest on the market. There are so many variables it’s impossible to decide on what to buy. Here’s a survey of different cooking methods looking at cost, speed and satisfaction with the finished product.
Summary
Some people might find that the texture of the food cooked in an air fryer is not as crispy as it would be if it were deep-fried. However, there are some tips and tricks that can achieve a crispy texture, such as shaking the basket periodically during cooking or using a light coating of cornstarch.
While air fryers are easy to clean, the basket and tray will need to be washed after each use. Some models have dishwasher-safe parts, which can make cleaning even easier.
Air fryers can be a great tool for meal prepping. They can cook batches of food at once, which you can then store in the fridge or freezer for later use.
Before investing in an air fryer, it’s important to consider whether it will fit into your cooking routine and habits. If you rarely cook fried foods or have little counter space, an air fryer might not be worth the investment.
Air fryers do some things well. Others they just cannot do at all.
As for what was the greatest thing before sliced bread, I would have to say fire. Without that, we wouldn’t be cooking at all. But you can answer the wheel, the printing press, or vanilla ice cream if you prefer.

Air fryers have undoubtedly become a popular topic of discussion, and this article from Butcher Magazine delves into the hype surrounding these appliances. The author’s exploration of the history and functionality of air fryers provides valuable insights.
I appreciate the inclusion of tips on using an air fryer efficiently and the mention of the challenges that come with cooking meat. The pros and cons provided give readers a well-rounded view of the appliance.
The writer’s lighthearted approach, questioning what the greatest thing was before sliced bread, adds a playful tone to the article.
Overall, this article offers an interesting perspective on air fryers, and I enjoyed reading the author’s insights. Well done to Butcher Magazine for providing this engaging and informative piece!