Is Your Oven Obsolete? One Month Living the Air Fryer Life
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A month-long experiment reveals the surprising versatility of air fryers, challenging the necessity of traditional ovens for everyday cooking and offering potential energy savings.
The modern kitchen is increasingly defined by countertop appliances, and few have captured the public’s imagination quite like the air fryer. But can this popular gadget truly replace the workhorse of the kitchen – the oven? One home cook decided to find out, embarking on a month-long experiment to cook everything typically made in an oven using only an air fryer. The results, as it turns out, were surprisingly compelling.
The shift began organically. As the tester spent more time utilizing air fryers for work, the automatic habit of preheating the oven for smaller tasks began to fade. This led to a fundamental question: was the oven even necessary? “After all, an air fryer doesn’t actually fry food,” the tester explained. “It’s a mini convection oven that can cook almost anything an ordinary oven can.” The rules were simple – all oven-based recipes would be executed in the air fryer, with a firm ban on relying solely on frozen, pre-prepared meals.
The Right Tool for the Job: The Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer
The chosen appliance for this culinary challenge was the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer, lauded for its adaptability. This model boasts two 5.2L cooking zones that can be used independently or combined into a spacious 10.4L “megazone,” capable of accommodating full-size roasts and cakes. This flexibility proved crucial for replicating a wide range of oven-based recipes.
Lessons Learned: From Reheating Mishaps to Baking Successes
The experiment wasn’t without its initial hurdles. A key takeaway emerged early on: reheating requires recalibration. “My first act of food violence was unthinkingly reheating a couple of pizza slices…which swiftly and efficiently transformed them into olive-speckled pieces of cardboard,” the tester recounted. The advice? Reduce the temperature by 10°C/20°F for most items, except frozen, breaded chicken or chips, and remember that adding a few extra minutes is easier than reversing culinary disaster.
The combination of microwave and air fryer proved particularly effective for speed and texture. While individual shepherd’s pies took 45 minutes or more in a traditional oven, the air fryer delivered perfectly crisp results much faster. The tester found microwaving the pie first to warm it through, followed by a 7-minute air frying session, yielded the best outcome. “The microwave + air fryer combo also works well with jacket potatoes and it’s the cheapest way to cook,” they noted.
Baking, surprisingly, was a resounding success. Despite the initial skepticism – “Baking a cake in an air fryer has the air of a novelty performance, like playing Clair de Lune on the kazoo” – the results were indistinguishable from oven-baked goods, and often faster and more energy-efficient. The key is to lower the baking temperature by around 20°C/40°F to prevent over-browning and ensure even rising. A smaller cake tin (15cm/6in) is recommended for single-drawer models, while the FlexDrawer easily accommodated a full-size loaf cake.
Experimentation proved rewarding, extending beyond expected applications. Gnocchi was crisped, sandwiches toasted, vegetables roasted, and even peas were defrosted – all within the confines of the air fryer. Where steaming was once the default for vegetables, air frying with a touch of oil and garlic offered a more flavorful alternative, even if slightly less health-conscious.
However, limitations did exist. The tester conceded that traditional air fryers struggle with larger items like 10-inch pizzas. Attempting to cook a pizza in halves was “a weird thing to do,” highlighting the need for an air fryer oven or dedicated pizza oven for such tasks. Certain foods, like leafy greens (which can blow around) and anything with a wet batter, are also best avoided. Steak, too, remains firmly in the realm of the pan.
A Medieval Relic? The Oven’s Diminished Role
Perhaps the most striking outcome of the experiment was the transformation in the tester’s perception of their oven. “Opening my oven now is like time-travelling back to a filthy Medieval forge, which is a place I very much don’t want to have lunch,” they quipped. After a month of exclusive air fryer use, the oven became a rarely utilized appliance, reserved for full roast dinners and pizzas.
While quantifying the exact energy savings proved difficult, the time and effort saved in both cooking and cleanup were substantial. The experiment underscored the air fryer’s potential as a viable, and often superior, alternative to the oven for a wide range of culinary tasks.
For those considering a similar experiment, resources are available to aid the transition. The tester recommended exploring reviews of models like the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer and comparing dual-zone air fryers to find the best fit. The Ninja Foodi FlexBasket, a similar model available in the US, offers a slightly smaller 7QT capacity. Air fryer ovens also provide increased cooking space.
