Shoppers go wild for air fryer alternative that is cheap and healthy to run (2024)

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Shoppers go wild for air fryer alternative that is cheap and healthy to run? ›

But now shoppers are searching for an alternative kitchen appliance that's said to be a better (and cheaper) alternative to air fryers: halogen ovens

your oven. Many electric ovens have a convection setting, which simply blows a fan into the oven, creating that circulation of air that helps get everything super crisp. It's built in and it's big enough to accommodate plenty of food for you and your family.

So you might want to hit pause on building up that Amazon wish list, because apparently halogen ovens are about to be the next 'thing'. Essentially a big glass bowl with a lid, halogen bulbs and a fan, the little ovens are praised for being particularly efficient.

Versatility: Instant Pots have many capabilities compared to air fryers. Cooking times: Instant Pots can often prepare food more quickly than air fryers. Food choices: Although both small kitchen appliances can prepare a wide range of foods, Instant Pots offer more recipe options.

Air fryers have a smaller capacity than convection ovens; that's why they cook food faster. On the downside, they struggle with more than four portions (conversely, a convection oven can cook food for a crowd, thanks to multiple racks and generous surface area).

Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.

The two biggest concerns are potential carcinogens called acrylamides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are created in the process of cooking.

A countertop oven is a quick fix

But I'll argue that the taste trade-offs are worth it, and that you'll still be heating food and cooking more quickly than you would in a large conventional oven.

The arduous cleanup kind of negates the saved cooking time

Many oven-based recipes cook 20% faster in an air fryer. Of course, you also have to clean the air fryer, and it's a bit higher maintenance than an oven or even a toaster oven.

Yes, it is cheaper to use an air fryer than an oven. The mighty machines use less energy to run than big ovens and they take less time to cook food. But how much you spend depends on how much electricity your air fryer uses vs the same for your oven, plus how much one kWh (kilowatt hour) of energy actually costs.

What is the cheapest alternative to an air fryer? ›

The Daewoo Halogen oven, with its 1300W power, costs just 11p to run for 20 minutes, which is significantly cheaper than operating Ninja's Foodi FlexiDrawer Dual AirFryer, whose 2470W power would set you back 20p for the same amount of time.

And because they also use little to no oil compared to other traditional cooking methods, they're also seen as a healthy alternative. But now, shoppers have been ditching their air fryers in favour of a different gadget that's said to be even cheaper - and even healthier - when it comes to preparing meals.

'From a chef's perspective, air fryers can be a great gift option. They have become popular due to their ability to provide a healthier cooking alternative to deep frying. Air fryers use hot air circulation to cook food, requiring little to no oil, which can result in crispy and delicious results.

Several air fryers have a non-stick coating that contains chemical polyfluorinated molecules, better known as PFAs and nicknamed “forever chemicals,” due to the decades they take to break down in the environment, as explained by Joseph G.

For instance, if you're switching your oven on to cook one or two smaller items, like chips or chicken wings, you should find an air-fryer is more efficient in comparison. But, for larger portions that exceed the capacity of your air-fryer, you might want to think about using a different appliance instead.