Great information Susan, extremely useful. This group is so amazing. Thank you
to everyone who responded.
I too wanted a basic microwave, but they were ugly, so I upgraded to a combi.
Just learning how to use it.
Estela
Enviado desde Yahoo Mail con Android
El vie., jun. 24, 2022 a 9:18, Susan Yuen<susan.yuen@xxxxxxxxx> escribió:
Hi Estela,
Good to hear from you. Sorry for the delayed response, but here is my 2c
worth.
I had microwave ovens with convection and grill functions and they can be very
useful - esp if you use the combination (microwave and roast or roast and
grill) functions for what you cook. For example, roasting cashew nuts at 50%
microwave plus 200C oven gave me really nicely roasted yet creamy nuts, fast. I
hope you have a good time experimenting with yours - the manual will usually
provide some suggestions!
My big gripe is the round turntable in the microwave oven going around in
circles. All pans need to be round and if you have to elevate your pans for
convection cooking, then there is not much space above the pan. Okay if you are
only cooking small portions for one, painful if cooking larger portions.
Also the combi ovens I got spoilt really quickly - they kept dying on me (just
after their warranty periods, of course), and I decided against replacing my
last one. I just got a cheap basic microwave oven for heating up leftovers, and
bought an airfryer instead.
I too hesitated cos of counter space issues, but I was so happy with my basic
(5 litre) drawer one that I upgraded within a year - after giving my first one
to my daughter who was moving out to university (young ones adore airfryers as
they heats up frozen convenience food really well) - and bought an 8L one which
opens upwards instead of being pulled out as a drawer so it is easier to load
the oven. See pic:
https://www.mayer.sg/mayer-8l-mighty-air-fryer-mmaf800.html
I have used it for Asian and Western recipes, and must say they roast nuts
spectacularly well, even without the microwave function as the space heats up
so quickly. Whole almonds are well roasted within 15 minutes. My latest fave
is pecans in butter-brown sugar-rum-paprika seasoning - done in about 10 or so
minutes. Breads and pastries toast up fast and evenly - even/especially? frozen
stuff. I have even done a Basque Burnt Cheesecake in the drawer air fryer and
it came out pretty good.
I have cooked roast chicken - whole, spatchcocked, and also thighs, and also
grilled/roasted fish fillets. Roasted Pork too - Chinese style "Char Siew" was
a dream. Whole Grilled Peppers, Roasted/confit Cherry Tomatoes all come out
well, very quickly.And many "drier" leftovers (eg leftover roasts or pizzas)
heat up in the airfryer beautifully - better than the microwave oven which has
a more steamy/wet effect.
I have also cooked pork jowl marinated in fermented prawn paste/fermented bean
curd which are deep fried in their original recipes. What was good is that the
air fryer contained the strong smells within the small airfryer instead of
having funky fermented smells pervade my kitchen - and that is a major plus
when living in an apartment blockAnd cleaning up was so much easier.
Hope this helps.
Susan There is provision for such low temps that they can be used for
dehydrating/yoghurt making but I have not tried these yet.
On Sun, 19 Jun 2022 at 18:26, Estela Zatania <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Wow, what great information and advice. I'm now doubting whether to get one
of these things. For one thing, Kelly, my house is an open-plan studio
apartment, so kitchen appliances left out to cool make you feel like you're
living in a kitchen. Also, I just ordered a new microwave (the old one
self-destructed) which has a convection function and grill...won't that be the
same thing as an air-fryer? For that matter, my regular oven has a convection
function which I rarely use since it heats up the house (I live in Spain, it
doesn't get that cold here) and feels like much ado about nothing. But then I
have have some friends who rave about their air-fryers.
Vicki, when you say "it’s not an air fryer – it is just a toaster oven with a
fan", are you referring to all air-fryers in general, or to your particular
appliance? I just want my sweet-potato fries because being diabetic I can't
have regular potatoes, and the doctor keeps lobbying for sweet-potato fries
which I do enjoy.
For now, the jury is out and I'll see what my new microwave has to offer.
Thank you friends for the advice and comments.
Estela
On Saturday, June 18, 2022, 11:26:33 PM GMT+2, Vicki Taylor
<vicki@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Estela,
Mine are cool enough to put away by the time I’ve finished eating whatever it
was I cooked, let alone by the time I've washed the basket. I’ve never had to
consciously wait to put them away.
The drawer type are much cheaper to run than an oven, being smaller (and
needing less power to heat the smaller space) and cooking faster and at lower
temperatures. Great for not heating up the kitchen in summer! The toaster oven
type also benefit from not needing as much power to heat the smaller space –
but while preheat time is reduced compared with an oven they usually don’t cook
much faster, if at all, or at lower temperatures.
I think… if you mainly want it for sweet potato, get a small drawer type. The
drawer type are brilliant – I call them fan-forced ovens on steroids. But my
own experience is that small doesn’t cut it for long, because you realise just
how many different things you can cook in it and avoid using the oven. (Because
they ARE small ovens, not fryers of any description despite the misleading
marketspeak of the name.) I do understand the space issue though!
We have put our toaster oven ‘air fryer’ (it’s not an air fryer – it is just a
toaster oven with a fan – calling it an air fryer is pretty disingenuous) on a
small kitchen trolley at the end of the bench so it doesn’t take up bench
space. We’re going to do the same when we move to our new little place in Perth
– there’s no room on or next to the bench there, but there is a space nearby
against a wall with a power point. (Fingers crossed that small space is still
there when our furniture is in!) It won’t be as handy as it has been right next
to the bench, but we find it useful. It not only cooks dishes too big for the
drawer type and small enough to fit in it without resorting to the oven, it
also serves as our toaster! It toasts evenly and you can see what’s happening
through the glass. And it is our plate warmer – invaluable this time of year in
Canberra!
So yeah, depends on your needs but probably a small drawer type is the way to
go for you – assuming you’re only making small quantities. I know the
advertising photos show air fryer baskets filled to the brim with beautiful
crispy chips, but the reality is that when you layer food in the air fryer it
takes forever. Each chip needs exposure to the element if it’s going to brown
and crisp, and you’d be forever shaking/turning. Foods cook best in a single
layer and it would be better to do it in batches when cooking a larger quantity.
Vicki. :-)
On 19 Jun 2022, at 6:50 am, Chilecayenne <chilecayenne@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Well, yes you’d need to let it cool before you put it up…Is there a problem
leaving it on counter a few hours or overnight before putting it up?
I’mTalking the dedicated drawer type ones.
If you get the more generic toaster oven type ones that are basically great
little convection ovens and are multi-tasters, could that maybe not replace
something on the counter currently?
———————————————-I need a shot of salvation baby, once in awhile...
On Jun 18, 2022, at 12:20 PM, Estela Zatania <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hi everyone... I'm briefly de-lurking to ask for advice.
I'm considering getting a small air-fryer, but not sure if it's a good thing
for me. For one thing, I have to store it in the cupboard since there's no
room on my kitchen counter, but I understand they get extremely hot, so I'd
have to wait for it to cool after each use. Also, that sounds like it must use
a lot of electricity.
Any advice? Including "don't get it"? I mostly want to make sweet potato
fries.
Estela
