We know this isn't a new trend, but we've waffled on the purchase for so long that we thought we'd get to the bottom of it. If you’re up in the air (sorry, had to) about investing in the whole air-fryer trend, quit it. You need to buy one of these super-low-maintenance appliances. Take it from both the cooks and non-cooks who love it—it’s worth jumping on this bandwagon.
My neighbour and friend, Melissa, is one of those amazing people who actually likes cooking for her family. (I can’t relate.) When my family is at home, staring out the window waiting for our pizza to be delivered, you better believe Melissa’s already made her own dough and her perfectly sauced and topped pie is in the oven. (There's a reason we asked her for her latke recipe—you're gonna wanna check it out.) She’s absolutely lovely, she’s a mom of three sweet kiddos, she spends a lot of her time in the kitchen and she completely adores her air-fryer. Adores is putting it mildly—like, she is obsessed with it. She’s currently on the hunt for a second air fryer for her house, because one just won’t cut it anymore.
When she told me about how incredible this appliance is, I was pretty much sold, based on her intensity alone. But it wasn’t until I asked her a bunch of questions (occupational hazard) that I decided to try it myself. Let me be clear: Air fryers are amazing.
Trinket: Tell us a bit about yourself.
Melissa Tayar: I am a working mom of three. I run a small baking business as a side hustle—I bake and decorate cakes. I’m all about cooking, baking and eating.
T: What kinds of kitchen appliances do you rely on, other than your beloved air fryer?
MT: Other than my oven, which is almost always on, I use my toaster oven daily. Not just for toasting bread, but for making small meals like baked potatoes, pizza bagels, etc. I use my KitchenAid stand mixer all the time for baking. It’s great for cakes, pizza dough and cookies. I also love my SodaStream—I use it every day for making seltzer. Finally, I also use my Ninja Nutri Pro for smoothies for my kids. It also makes great dips and salad dressings. Can you tell I’m very versatile in the kitchen? I spend a lot of time in there. LOL.
T: What made you buy and want to try the air fryer?
MT: I had heard really great things about the air fryer—things like it cooks food using very little to no oil, but still makes whatever it is taste as though it was fried. Frankly, it sounded too good to be true. Who doesn’t constantly want fried food? I definitely do. I was hesitant to try it because I was worried it either wouldn't work well or would be a total pain to use. Then, one day we were wandering around Costco (yes, we’re suburban people) and we noticed one on sale. I figured what the hell. It was honestly such a great decision.
T: How often do you use it?
MT: At least three times a week. Who am I kidding. More than three times a week.
T: What are your favourite meals to make?
MT: We use it to make French fries all the time. Frozen fries come out much better in the air fryer than in the oven. They also cook much quicker, which is a bonus when your kids are hangry. We also love to make chicken wings. They definitely taste better than making them in the oven, and they’re so much healthier than frying them. They come out so crispy and my husband swears they’re just as good as from a restaurant (which says a lot considering I worked at a wing place for 11 years!). You can also make a whole chicken in the air fryer—literally just throw it in and done. We make fried salami and hot dogs, as well as veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, peppers and potatoes. Did I mention you can reheat leftovers in the air fryer? I swear it can bring anything back to life and make it crispy again. The microwave clearly cannot do that.
T: Not sure why we’re asking this, but was this trendy, kinda-expensive countertop appliance worth it? Does the air fryer live up to its golden (pun intended) reputation?
MT: Yes, capital Y. The air fryer has definitely earned its place on my counter. It’s so easy to use, it makes food taste great while still being really healthy. It cooks food quickly and cleanup is a breeze. Even though your partner may say you’ll never use it, like all the other appliances that have died horrible deaths in your cupboards or in the basement, this you’ll use. Trust me.
Cover image: Magnus Jonasson/Unsplash