Is an Air Fryer Worthwhile for the Frugal Kitchen?

By the author of The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Living and What to Eat When You’re Broke

I’ve written before about how I managed to make good meals with ill-equipped kitchens while rambling through Europe. Now that I’m back in the US and settled in, I’ve been going in the opposite direction and equipping my kitchen nicely. Recently, I got an air-fryer oven for my small apartment home.

These aren’t inexpensive items and I got mine with some accumulated Amazon gift cards. Here’s the one that I purchased. Because my kitchen is small and I don’t have a whole lot of storage space, I wanted something that could serve more than one purpose. This one has the functions of both an air fryer and a toaster oven. It has a digital screen with these features: Air Fry, Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Broil, Pizza, Convection Bake, Dehydrate, Reheat, Keep Warm, Fries, Wings, Bacon, Snacks, Vegetables, Seafood.

At the time of this posting, it’s more than 50% off as a limited-time deal. If you want an air fryer, this is a killer sale.

The Pros of an Air Fryer

Of course, with any new appliance, there’s a bit of a learning curve. But the Gourmia air fryer is super easy to use. Here are the things I like about it in my frugal kitchen.

1. It’s very easy to use. Simply preheat to your selected temperature, pop your food in, set the timer, and walk away. You don’t really need to flip things over or stir your food or any of that. Load it and leave it. Time is money in my world so it’s nice to be able to pop together a healthy meal and go do other things while it’s cooking.
2. It works fast. It preheats to 400 degrees in minutes. It’s really quick – sometimes so quick I haven’t even finished preparing whatever it is I’m putting in when the bell dings to let me know it’s ready. Likewise, it cooks things quickly. It takes about the same amount of time for most stuff as a microwave but the texture is way nicer.
3. It makes things perfectly crispy. Speaking of texture, if you like a nice crisp surface to your meat or other food this is the right tool for the job. If you ever get any of those little frozen Chinese dumplings or other appetizers, this is the perfect way to cook them without using a bucket of oil or a lot of hands-on time. You can heat up a slice of leftover pizza to crisp perfection in less than 5 minutes.
4. It doesn’t heat up the house. Gone are the days when you avoid cooking certain items because it’s hot outside and you don’t want to turn on the oven. Partly because it’s a smaller appliance and partly because it cooks so fast, you don’t risk heating up your house with this.
5. It’s healthy. We all know that deep-fried things aren’t good for us (even though they taste so lovely.) Even folks who eat keto want to choose healthier fats for their diets. An air fryer allows you to get a nice crisp “fried” type texture without additional oil. I do use an olive oil spritzer on some items so that the coating isn’t dry.

All in all, I’m really pleased with my purchase.

The Cons of an Air Fryer

Of course, nothing is perfect. Here are the negatives.

1. It takes up a fair bit of space. These things aren’t tiny and they aren’t really something you’ll want to haul in and out of your cupboard if you use it with any regularity. Make sure you have the counter space for it before committing. I had wanted a toaster oven for a while so when I found this one that was multipurpose, I knew it was worth my valuable counter real estate.
2. They’re not cheap. Aside from the sale that is going on at the time of this publication, these usually run over a hundred dollars. You might also be able to grab one from Facebook Marketplace or a thrift store if you watch carefully.
3. They can be smokey. If the item you’re making has a lot of fat, it can cause quite a bit of smoke. I made some mozzarella stuffed meatballs (yes, they were as good as they sound) and holy Moses in a market, that was a lot of smoke. The fat splattered a bit and got on the element, and it was ugly. I had to turn on a couple of fans and open the window. I have SINCE experimented with the same recipe, and the judicious use of tin foil greatly reduces this issue.

If these factors aren’t dealbreakers for you, you may want to give an air fryer a shot.

The bottom line

An air fryer certainly isn’t an essential kitchen appliance. But it can save a lot of time and effort, and for some folks, that is worth both the money and the counter space. I couldn’t be happier with my purchase, and I’m really glad I bought it. I’m sure once the newness wears off I won’t use it quite as much, but so far, I’ve used it every day for at least one meal since I purchased it. I have an injury that doesn’t allow me to be on my feet for long, and a hands-off cooking method is a game-changer for me.

Do you have an air fryer? Do you like it? What do you see as the pros and cons? Would you buy it again? If you are considering an air fryer, do you have any questions?

Let’s talk about air fryers in the comments section.

About Daisy

Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites.  1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2)  The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.

Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.