Air fryers - do you use one? Useful? Just a gimmick? Opinions please.

[catccc]

Unpopular opinion.  An oven and a regular two slice toaster are sufficient for most people's needs. I don't have a toaster over or an air fryer.  I think toaster ovens do a poor job of toasting bread, and they are also too small for anything I'd bake.  My oven does have a convection function, so maybe that's while I feel an air fryer isn't necessary.  Also, had a relative trying to give one away, and I still didn't want one for free.  It's just another thing to take up counter space and have to maintain.  But, this is all a function of behavior.  It will be useful if you use it a lot.  My splurge appliance is a vitamix, but most people own a blender of some sort.  I think.

[travel2020]

Just bought one again recently because DD took our first one to college. I waited a while as I wanted to just get by with the oven instead. While I can, I find it generally takes a lot longer to use an oven for simple things  e.g roasting veggies, reheating good, etc. And I’m  probably wasting more energy with the big oven.

An air fryer just seems more convenient and the food generally comes out crisper.

Cost was a very reasonable $49+tax from local Costco.

[Jules Anne]

I got to use the air fryer toaster oven this weekend (Cuisinart, from Costco).
I cut up potatoes, beets, and sweet potatoes into chunks, lightly tossed with evoo and seasoning, they were done in ten minutes. Perfectly crispy outside and soft inside.
Broccoli, carrots (sliced) and brussel sprouts (halved), same treatment, done in eight minutes.
I see the appeal.

I bought the Cuisinart one from Costco last summer. I eat fried food once a year if that so I bought it despite the "fry" feature. I call it my easy bake oven. I love it and a rare day passes that I don't use it. Because of the small size it heats up food quickly. Gives a crisp/evenness to food that isn't possible in the microwave or takes much longer in an oven. Cooks evenly because of the small size. I'm single so I hardly ever cook anything large enough to fit in the oven. To make up for the space it takes up I moved my pots and pans to the oven. I highly recommend. Also uses way less power to heat. The only downside for me is that I have a terrible time cleaning it and haven't figured out the best way to do this yet.

[RetiredAt63]

OP here.

DD got me a basic model for Christmas - T-FaL, analog timer and temperature dial.  The basket is round, about 9"/22.5cm diameter - says 4.2 L capacity, but to me area seems more important than total volume.

So far the only meat I have done is chicken thighs - and wow it is so much better than my convection oven.  Faster, better crisping for the skin.  The chicken fat just collects in the bottom (no browning) and I am saving it, along with the leftover bones, for stock.  The basket and trivet are non-stick and so far it is a breeze to clean.  It also does a great job of reheating leftover chicken.  For the second batch of chicken thighs I took most out early and froze them so I can grab one and it will take 8 minutes for an easy dinner.

I also did frozen french fries - they were better in the air fryer than in the oven, but I find frozen fries just adequate at their best.  I want to try home-made fries and sweet potato fries.  Really, the fries I love are the big fat greasy soft ones I grew up with in Quebec, not these super crisp things.  Could someone please open a branch of La Belle Province or Dunn's here so I can get my fix of Montreal smoked meat and fries? 

It doesn't take up a huge amount of counter space. I moved the toaster to storage to make the space.

I knew they are not real fryers, and since I never deep fry things at home I am fine with that.  It is so much better than the oven.  I am gluten-free and rarely make toast or toasted things so didn't need the toaster oven style, and there is a pizza pan insert for it that would let me do rolls etc if I want to.

So, definitely happy with it.