I shop at Costco for myself. Here are 9 things I buy to make in my air fryer. (2024)

FAQs

What cannot be cooked in an air fryer? ›

While air fryers are popular, the most expensive models can start to get a little pricey which could undermine their status as a budget item. Many people came out for halogen ovens as the better option. One person said: "I treated myself to a halogen oven to help with Christmas; I only have one shelf in my oven.

Air fryers have a limited cooking capacity compared to traditional ovens or deep fryers, making them unsuitable for larger families or cooking larger portions.

Air fryer health risks

Studies show that using an air fryer can increase the levels of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in fish. COPs are linked to an increase in heart disease, cancer and other medical conditions.

Air fryers aren't logical appliances for every restaurant's offerings, as their temperature settings can dry out or burn the food. Investing in combination ovens and deep fryers is a far more valuable and efficient solution for modern establishments.

Instead of having multiple appliances crowding my countertop, the countertop oven does the work of many. It toasts bread and bagels, sure, but it also has the capability to do convection baking, air frying, dehydrating and dough proofing.

Now, however, another appliance has been thrown into the mix: The Halogen Oven. The Halogen Oven is a cooking tool that uses a halogen lamp as its heating element.

Inconsistent cooking

As air fryers produce intense blasts of heat and circulate this heat rapidly, they can cook your food in record time and add that perfect crisp texture to foods like chips. But as the heat is so intense, an air fryer also has the potential to over-crisp or burn your food.

What is the downfall of air fryers? ›

Air fryers are known for their ease of use and healthier cooking method, but they fall short in terms of taste and texture compared to deep frying. They also have versatility limitations and cleaning challenges.

Size and capacity

Size is an important factor, especially if you have a compact kitchen. A medium-size air fryer has a capacity that ranges between 3.7L to 4.1L. They are compact and so, should easily fit in most kitchens. However, there is a strong correlation between size and capacity.

Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy.

Anything Breaded or Battered

The problem with cooking breaded foods like shrimp tempura or beer-battered fish in the air fryer is the risk of dripping, which can complicate cleanup or potentially damage your machine.

The air fryer isn't perfect when it comes to burgers, and the drawbacks as I experienced are twofold. First, since you can't really access the patty while it cooks, you're unable to smash it down in such a way that it doesn't shrink up significantly while cooking.

You can use foil in an oven with an Air Fry mode. Foil can be used to line a baking sheet on a rack or two below the air fry basket. This can help make clean-up easier and even help minimize the need to frequently clean your oven by catching drips and crumbs that might fall during the cooking process.

If the dish is oven-safe, made of borosilicate or tempered glass, it can work in an air fryer. However, if the dish is made of soda-lime glass, it can't withstand high temperatures in an air fryer. Always check labels and structural weaknesses, and try putting in an empty dish to test it out.