I have had the opportunity to test numerous air fryers over the years. My kitchen counter is often crowded with two or three air fryers at any given time, giving the room the cozy feel of an appliance showroom. As I delved deeper into using air fryers for my work, I gradually moved away from using my oven for simple cooking tasks.
I began to question the necessity of using my oven at all. So, I decided to challenge myself to switch all my oven cooking to an air fryer for a month to see how it would go. After all, an air fryer is essentially a mini convection oven that can handle almost any dish a traditional oven can.
The rules of my experiment were simple: I had to cook everything in the air fryer that I would typically cook in the oven, and I couldn’t resort to eating frozen meals for every meal.
Here’s what I discovered during that month of using an air fryer exclusively.
### Which air fryer did I use?
I opted to use the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer for this experiment. This versatile cooker features two 5.2L cooking zones that can be used separately, together, or with the divider removed to create a massive 10.4L “megazone.” This ample space allowed me to cook whole roasts and bake full-size cakes with ease.
### Reheating means rethinking
My first blunder was reheating pizza slices at a slightly too high temperature, resulting in crispy cardboard-like slices. I quickly learned that reducing the cooking temperature by 10°C/20°F is essential for most dishes in the air fryer. There’s a learning curve to air fryer cooking, but adjusting the temperature and adding a few extra minutes can help avoid culinary mishaps.
### Microwave + air fryer is still faster than an oven
I experimented with making individual shepherd’s pies in stoneware dishes and found that using the air fryer for reheating was quicker and produced a crispy crust. While it took some trial and error to ensure thorough cooking without a built-in probe, combining the microwave and air fryer proved to be a time-saving method for cooking various dishes.
### Baking is easier than you expect
Surprisingly, baking a cake in an air fryer is not only possible but also faster and more energy-efficient. The key is to adjust the temperature slightly lower than a traditional oven and use the appropriate size cake tin for your air fryer. With the right adjustments, baking in an air fryer can yield delicious results comparable to oven-baked treats.
### Experimenting is worth it
I expanded my culinary horizons by using the air fryer for a variety of dishes, including crisping up gnocchi, toasting sandwiches, roasting vegetables, and even defrosting peas. While some dishes are better suited for traditional cooking methods, the air fryer proved to be a versatile and efficient tool for many recipes.
### Forget 10-inch pizzas
One limitation of traditional air fryers is their size, making it impossible to cook larger items like a 10-inch pizza. While you can cut a pizza in half and cook it in batches, it’s not the most practical solution. For larger items like pizzas, a regular oven or dedicated pizza oven is still the best option.
### My oven now seems Medieval
After a month of exclusively using an air fryer, I found myself rarely using my oven. The convenience, speed, and ease of cleanup offered by the air fryer made it my go-to appliance for most cooking tasks. The energy savings and reduced cooking time were significant benefits of this experiment, making me reconsider the necessity of my bulky oven.
If you’re interested in trying air fryer cooking for yourself, consider exploring the Ninja Foodi FlexBasket or other dual-zone air fryers available in the market. Alternatively, an air fryer oven can provide a similar cooking space to the FlexDrawer for larger meals. Experimenting with different recipes and techniques in the air fryer can open up a world of culinary possibilities while saving time and energy in the kitchen.
