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Air Fryers - Yes or No

Rose0426

By Rose0426
in 2018

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Bopeep

Bopeep

Posted
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FYI...

QVC has the Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt on sale for $69.98 with free shipping.  I ordered this for my daughter for Christmas, during Christmas in July, and gave $99.98 for it.  Too bad it was so long ago, I'd ask for a price adjustment :).

https://www.qvc.com/Cooks-Essentials-53qt-Digital-Air-Fryer-w-10-Presets-%26-Pan.product.K46295.html?sc=PRODFEED

 

 Also, if you apply for and use a Qcard, you can get $20 off your first purchase, so this could be $49.98.

Edited by Bopeep
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len_mullen

len_mullen

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Posted

FYI...

QVC has the Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt on sale for $69.98 with free shipping.  I ordered this for my daughter for Christmas, during Christmas in July, and gave $99.98 for it.  Too bad it was so long ago, I'd ask for a price adjustment :).

https://www.qvc.com/Cooks-Essentials-53qt-Digital-Air-Fryer-w-10-Presets-%26-Pan.product.K46295.html?sc=PRODFEED

 

 Also, if you apply for and use a Qcard, you can get $20 off your first purchase, so this could be $49.98.

 

N41

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Sphyrna

Sphyrna

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I looked at the one Best Buy has for $50 and wasn’t impressed with the quality.

Walmart is going to have one for $59 that’s a different style. It’s for Walmart only and I can’t seem to find reviews. 0037e327694f851ff0e39a7d0c3ce188.jpg

That’s the one I’m most interested in. My sister has one like that and she loves it. I picked up one from Best Buy just in case I don’t get this one.
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len_mullen

len_mullen

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Tonight I cooked in my Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt for the first time.  Catfish.  No learning curve.  This thing just makes good food effortlessly.  After supper, I sliced up some chicken breast for jerky.  I put all the 'crumbs' in the fryer, sprayed on some oil, and sprinkled on some spiced.  Five minutes later, I had a pile of delicious chicken pieces.  Thanks to 'peep for pointing me towards this particular fryer.  It looks like a great value!

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Bopeep

Bopeep

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Tonight I cooked in my Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt for the first time.  Catfish.  No learning curve.  This thing just makes good food effortlessly.  After supper, I sliced up some chicken breast for jerky.  I put all the 'crumbs' in the fryer, sprayed on some oil, and sprinkled on some spiced.  Five minutes later, I had a pile of delicious chicken pieces.  Thanks to 'peep for pointing me towards this particular fryer.  It looks like a great value!

I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

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len_mullen

len_mullen

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Tonight I cooked in my Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt for the first time.  Catfish.  No learning curve.  This thing just makes good food effortlessly.  After supper, I sliced up some chicken breast for jerky.  I put all the 'crumbs' in the fryer, sprayed on some oil, and sprinkled on some spiced.  Five minutes later, I had a pile of delicious chicken pieces.  Thanks to 'peep for pointing me towards this particular fryer.  It looks like a great value!

 

Actually, there might be a learning curve.  My son gave last night's dinner a seven.  I gave it a four.  

 

Fried chicken was great except for the coating which was neither tasty nor crispy.  The french fries were too crispy.  

 

I can easily remedy the fries problem by cutting the fries bigger.  I am open to fried suggestions on the chicken.

 

Still having fun.

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Bopeep

Bopeep

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Actually, there might be a learning curve.  My son gave last night's dinner a seven.  I gave it a four.  

 

Fried chicken was great except for the coating which was neither tasty nor crispy.  The french fries were too crispy.  

 

I can easily remedy the fries problem by cutting the fries bigger.  I am open to fried suggestions on the chicken.

 

Still having fun.

Did you get enough oil on your chicken?  The breading will not crisp up without the oil. And if you use flour, it will stay a nasty pasty white. I spray the oil until the breading is completely coated/wet.

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len_mullen

len_mullen

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Personally, I don't care for the Misto sprayers, but a lot of folks love them. Another option, and my preference, is the EVO sprayer: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Sprayer-Non-Aerosol-Cooking-Capacity/dp/B01MT673U6/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1543853034&sr=1-6&keywords=evo+oil+sprayer

 

I know.  I have aerosol cans of various oils and sprays.  So far, so good.

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len_mullen

len_mullen

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Most professional reviewers have the Philips at #1.  Not sure how a round oven with a fan and a pan plus control circuits can vary much beyond size and reliability, but the pros love the Philips...

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2018/09/24/best-air-fryers-2018/37892091/

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/best-air-fryer/

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1870-air-fryers

 

I don't totally disagree with this...

 

https://www.cnet.com/videos/dont-believe-the-hype-about-air-fryers/

 

Which is why I got an inexpensive machine to see what all the excitement was about.  So far, a small chicken has been the best thing we cooked in ours.

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AliJ

AliJ

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I want one for my kids so they can make their own lunches without dirtying the stove or microwave.   

 

Since I got a Keurig, they make their own tea and hot chocolate without asking me to do it for them.  

 

So, I'm hoping the air fryer will make them a bit more independent in the kitchen.

 

The Ninja can also dehydrate, which I thought was cool.  

 

The Philips is top rated, so that's why I'm considering it.

 

I liked the Ninja from what I saw at the store.  It wasn't as bulky as the Philips, and the tray seemed a bit more substantial, it easily came out and clicked into place than the other fryers.

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bossy1

bossy1

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I have had a Farberware AF for over two years and love it. last year I bought the Airfryer oven ( one on tv )  as we love rotisserie food, I was really disappointed , followed all directions and food still touched the screens covering the

 

heating elements...needless to say the food stuck to it and could not truly be cleaned off. .. so back it went. As to weather air fryers help with the kids doing their own cooking the answer is YES!!! Both my 16 and 18 at the time took to it

 

likes ducks to water. In fact when the 18 y/o moved to college it was #1 on his list of must haves( even before the electronics) In fact I know he uses it at least 4-5 times a weeks because i got the "how long in the AF" text or phone call that

 

often for the first 3 months. On another note my daughter had one sitting on her counter unused for 2 years till i went down in Oct.( birth of GS) to help her with older kids. I showed her how to use it(she never asked me), now her

 

HUSBAND is cooking in it and wants a bigger or second one because he can operate it and LOVES the way food turns out. ( he's getting a second one for Christmas)..  A MUST HAVE IN MY HOUSE

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len_mullen

len_mullen

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they all dehydrate.  so can your toaster oven.  so can your oven.  basically, anything that can be run at 165 degrees Fahrenheit can dehydrate.  The dedicated dryers do it for $0.03 per hour.  a 1550w ninja will be a star on your electric bill.

 

my concern about your kids using one of these would be the nonstick surfaces.  you will need to impress upon them the need to use great care in cleaning the surfaces.  that said, the Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt is really easy to clean.

 

another thing i like about the CE fryer is the controls.  while there are presets, i generally hit power, plus or minus to the right temp and plus or minus to the right temp.  if you remove to shake, flip, or simply inspect, and reinsert the drawer, it picks up where it left off.

 

you have had your hands on the ninja.  if you like it, buy it.  if it doesn't meet expectations, return it.  

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AliJ

AliJ

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they all dehydrate.  so can your toaster oven.  so can your oven.  basically, anything that can be run at 165 degrees Fahrenheit can dehydrate.  The dedicated dryers do it for $0.03 per hour.  a 1550w ninja will be a star on your electric bill.

 

my concern about your kids using one of these would be the nonstick surfaces.  you will need to impress upon them the need to use great care in cleaning the surfaces.  that said, the Cooks Essentials 5.3 qt is really easy to clean.

 

another thing i like about the CE fryer is the controls.  while there are presets, i generally hit power, plus or minus to the right temp and plus or minus to the right temp.  if you remove to shake, flip, or simply inspect, and reinsert the drawer, it picks up where it left off.

 

you have had your hands on the ninja.  if you like it, buy it.  if it doesn't meet expectations, return it.  

 

Thank you for all the information.  While I know I can dehydrate in my oven, my main objectives are to contain the mess and motivate my kids.  

 

I think an air fryer may just do both!  I have decided on the Philips since it's the best reviewed.  

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len_mullen

len_mullen

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Thank you for all the information.  While I know I can dehydrate in my oven, my main objectives are to contain the mess and motivate my kids.  

 

I think an air fryer may just do both!  I have decided on the Philips since it's the best reviewed.  

 

I'm sure you will be happy.  Impress upon the kids exactly how to clean the non-stick parts.  It'd be a shame for someone to take a brillo pad to them.

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HanShotFirst

HanShotFirst

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Foolproof (I tested this) Chicken Cordon Bleu...

 

https://www.meredithlaurence.com/recipes/chicken-cordon-bleu/

OMG!  That looks delicious.  I almost bought one of her Air Fryer cookbooks but there were many reviews that said it is was very difficult to read because of the light colored print.  I don't need that.  I already have enough trouble reading.  LOL

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