# i dont deep-fry at home very often.



## boomchakabowwow (Sep 13, 2022)

its a RARE treat. i cant stand heating up a big vat of oil. i do use a WOK. so it is at least kinda fun.

but the oil, the disposal, the oil handling. the expense of oil these days. it is just too much for me now.

are you deep frying these days? if i want deep fried, i go to a restaurant. i cant remember the last time i made fried chicken.


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## Lars (Sep 13, 2022)

I made falafel last week.


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## RonB (Sep 13, 2022)

Very seldom, but I do filter and reuse oil. I also keep it in the refrigerator.


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## Delat (Sep 13, 2022)

I gave up on deep frying ages ago solely due to the used oil storage and eventual disposal. I miss being able to do my own fries and onion rings, but I'm probably better off in the long run.


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## MarcelNL (Sep 13, 2022)

We do DIY french fries occassionally, I'm using organic beef kidney fat that gets chucked out after like 6-7 months. It can stand heat quite well, whereas veg oil usually forms products you'd rather not ingest and I do not like how most veggie oil is made (extraction using petroleum derivates)


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## boomchakabowwow (Sep 13, 2022)

i have been making OVEN fries. not a bad substitute if i say so myself.


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## M1k3 (Sep 13, 2022)

When I fry at home, I use the narrowest pan that has enough width for my use. I'll filter and save the oil to use for sauteing and whatever.


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## Justinv (Sep 13, 2022)

Air fryers work well on many things. Skin on chicken in particular, like butterflied chicken legs. Its also good for many vegetables. Cleanup is pretty easy.


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## Heckel7302 (Sep 13, 2022)

I made some home made fries on Sunday. Reminded me why I rarely deep fry at home (also in a wok). Such a PITA to clean up.


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## pleue (Sep 13, 2022)

I fry often ish. I usually use a wok, preferably outside but inside too, I filter and store oil. I have a jug for used oil (motor and veg) that goes to the dump 1x per year or so. A lot of fried food I don’t think people do a great job on (tempura is one, but a lot of other Japanese food which feel like restaurant after thoughts) so I like doing it vs going out. Clean up once cold is really easy if you have the right gear (I usually filter through paper in a china cap and toss the china cap in the dishwasher).


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## Wagnum (Sep 13, 2022)

RonB said:


> Very seldom, but I do filter and reuse oil. I also keep it in the refrigerator.


I filter my oil at home too. I just use my cone for drip coffee and coffee filters. The oil can last a long time and be used multiple times if you treat it right


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## agp (Sep 14, 2022)

Deep fried once or twice... never again for all the reasons you mentioned except cost of oil.


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## JASinIL2006 (Sep 14, 2022)

I fry stuff all the time. (Well, not all the time, but frequently.) I use a wok burner on the back porch with a large (30-qt or so) stock pot filled with an gallon or two of peanut oil. The oil is good for quite a few fryings, if you don't overheat it or cook stuff breaks apart in the fryer too much. I have fried using my large wok, but I find it much harder to pour the oil back into jugs from a wok. 

I really don't like frying inside the house due to the smell and mess.


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## DitmasPork (Sep 20, 2022)

I loooove deep frying at home—but only tend to do it for supper parties. Here’s Hawaiian style fried chicken for 21 people last Wednesday. Once I’m done frying—oil cooled, strained, poured back into the bottle (whole bottle used for frying). Once oil seems spent, I’ll just dump it. 
When doing a menu for supper parties, a fried component is often on the cards—definitely a crowd pleaser.


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## deltaplex (Sep 20, 2022)

I tend to turn my spent fryer oil into things like chili oil and ginger scallion sauce. We fry a bit here, certainly more now than before we had an induction.


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## boomchakabowwow (Sep 20, 2022)

DitmasPork said:


> I loooove deep frying at home—but only tend to do it for supper parties. Here’s Hawaiian style fried chicken for 21 people last Wednesday. Once I’m done frying—oil cooled, strained, poured back into the bottle (whole bottle used for frying). Once oil seems spent, I’ll just dump it.
> When doing a menu for supper parties, a fried component is often on the cards—definitely a crowd pleaser.
> View attachment 199412
> 
> View attachment 199413


Danggg!! that looks amazing.


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## coxhaus (Oct 9, 2022)

I pan fried some deer cutlets. I butterflied some back strap dipped them in some egg and then flour with salt and pepper. I have cooked deer all my life but this is the first time I used a stainless-steel pan. I used my All-Clad copper cored fry pan and it worked. I normally use cast iron, but I wanted to try it.

I like Pickapeppa sauce on my deer cutlets.

PS
My oil temp did drop when I added the meat maybe more than my old thick cast iron did in the past.


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 19, 2022)

I rarely use the frier (cast iron wok from lodge), but when I do, I am always happy with the results. Potatoes in peanut oil.


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## superworrier (Oct 19, 2022)

Justinv said:


> Air fryers work well on many things. Skin on chicken in particular, like butterflied chicken legs. Its also good for many vegetables. Cleanup is pretty easy.


It's pretty good but for stuff like fries it's not so good unless it's something frozen that was pre-fried already (like french fries)


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## MarcelNL (Oct 19, 2022)

IMO air fryers are only good at heating stuff already fried, at best they do an impression of fried food when not previously fried.


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## blokey (Oct 19, 2022)

MarcelNL said:


> IMO air fryers are only good at heating stuff already fried, at best they do an impression of fried food when not previously fried.


With air fryers recipes must be altered sometimes, I find wet batter simply doesn't work with them, but with Karage style thin layer of corn starch they do makes a tasty crispy treat, not as good as actually fry, but not soggy or dry.


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## Justinv (Oct 19, 2022)

I like air friers on brussel sprouts, asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant, some chicken (wings, legs), and sometimes sausage. Vegetables are good with olive oil, salt, and pepper as a base plus whatever else you like. My air fryer is used at least as often as my oven or grill.


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## Ant4d (Oct 20, 2022)

DitmasPork said:


> I loooove deep frying at home—but only tend to do it for supper parties. Here’s Hawaiian style fried chicken for 21 people last Wednesday. Once I’m done frying—oil cooled, strained, poured back into the bottle (whole bottle used for frying). Once oil seems spent, I’ll just dump it.
> When doing a menu for supper parties, a fried component is often on the cards—definitely a crowd pleaser.
> View attachment 199412
> 
> View attachment 199413


That what I call fried chicken. Looks soo good


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## Jovidah (Oct 20, 2022)

I actually have a seperate deep frying machine (got it for free at some point)...and rarely ever use it. It doesn't even have oil in it right now. The amount of oil you need just feels wasteful and at the end of the day it's not particularly healthy either, and I find it too much of a bother to deal with all the oil filtering, cleanup, etc.
When it comes to potatoes, frankly a proper done oven potato is superior in taste and texture anyway IMO.
I do have to admit though that I sometimes pan-fry potatoes in an amount of fat that it's very close to deepfrying anyway.


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## Jovidah (Oct 20, 2022)

MarcelNL said:


> We do DIY french fries occassionally, I'm using organic beef kidney fat that gets chucked out after like 6-7 months. It can stand heat quite well, whereas veg oil usually forms products you'd rather not ingest and I do not like how most veggie oil is made (extraction using petroleum derivates)


I have at times considered filling up my fryer with duck fat. The main problem is that I'd still use it so irregularly that I probably wouldn't get more than a few fryings out of it before the fat would go 'off' due to simple oxydation.
For the same reason I'm not a big fan of all the vegetable oils in fryers at all; most tend to slowly polymerize into this sticky film over time... Yuck. Although admittedly there's some differences there. Sunflower oil is horrible IMO but rice oil seems pretty decent and shows this behavior noticably less.


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## boomchakabowwow (Oct 20, 2022)

DavidScubadiver said:


> I rarely use the frier (cast iron wok from lodge), but when I do, I am always happy with the results. Potatoes in peanut oil.


i oven fry my french fries now. 

having said, that that wok is perfect for the task. i'd use more oil, since i dont like the oil temp to drop that far when the cold food goes in...

awesome pic!!


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## coxhaus (Oct 20, 2022)

boomchakabowwow said:


> i oven fry my french fries now.


I have convection on my Viking range oven. Is there much difference in an air fryer and convection?


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## Lars (Oct 20, 2022)

coxhaus said:


> I have convection on my Viking range oven. It there much difference in an air fryer and convection?


The principal is the same, but the air fryer heats up faster and the heat is more aggressive because of the higher air flow.


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## DitmasPork (Oct 20, 2022)

Old school deep frying is sexier.


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 20, 2022)

boomchakabowwow said:


> i oven fry my french fries now.
> 
> having said, that that wok is perfect for the task. i'd use more oil, since i dont like the oil temp to drop that far when the cold food goes in...
> 
> awesome pic!!


I follow the 2 fry method. Heat the oil to 300F fry 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels and heat oil to 400. Return and cook till golden. I don’t know how much the temp drops but I do know the fries come out right!


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## MarcelNL (Oct 20, 2022)

DitmasPork said:


> Old school deep frying is sexier.
> View attachment 204134
> 
> View attachment 204135


sex sells...


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## Rangen (Oct 20, 2022)

There is no substitute for the awesomeness of deep-frying. I do it in the wok (the sloped sides let you use less oil), but I'd be tempted by a dedicated fryer, if it were friendly to animal fats, which most of them aren't, these days. Frying in lard (most things) or tallow (potatoes!) is just better. And yes, duck fat fries are great, but I'm not made of money.


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## Justinv (Oct 20, 2022)

coxhaus said:


> I have convection on my Viking range oven. It there much difference in an air fryer and convection?


I find a big difference. If I cook cauliflower or brussel sprouts in air fryer they cook in about half the time of a convection oven. The fan is much stronger. I have never gotten decent wings out of an oven.


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## DitmasPork (Oct 21, 2022)

I've not entertained the idea of an air-fryer, mainly due to lack of space in my tiny kitchen—although, been shopping for a replacement toaster oven and noticed that Breville sells an air fryer that's the same size as my current (almost broken) toaster oven. Considering getting that—purchase needs to be a Breville.


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## MowgFace (Oct 21, 2022)

DitmasPork said:


> I've not entertained the idea of an air-fryer, mainly due to lack of space in my tiny kitchen—although, been shopping for a replacement toaster oven and noticed that Breville sells an air fryer that's the same size as my current (almost broken) toaster oven. Considering getting that—purchase needs to be a Breville.
> 
> View attachment 204211



Ive been super close to picking this up, as well. I think ONLY because I don't have a toaster.

These models are a b!tch to clean though, in comparison to the small basket style. The metal air fryer perforated basket likes to drop all its fried toaster leavins to the floor of the machine.


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## DitmasPork (Oct 21, 2022)

MowgFace said:


> Ive been super close to picking this up, as well. I think ONLY because I don't have a toaster.
> 
> These models are a b!tch to clean though, in comparison to the small basket style. The metal air fryer perforated basket likes to drop all its fried toaster leavins to the floor of the machine.


Yes, agree. We have a Breville toasted oven, the door spring is busted—I line the bottom with foil, but the thing is very dirty—time for a Breville upgrade. Basket style fryer is not an option for us.


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 21, 2022)

My air fryer has non stick coating that flakes off of the basket right away. I am waiting for a carbon steel air fryer before replacing it.


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## Rangen (Oct 21, 2022)

DavidScubadiver said:


> My air fryer has non stick coating that flakes off of the basket right away. I am waiting for a carbon steel air fryer before replacing it.


Now you're talking. Monosteel, or clad?


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 21, 2022)

Well, mono, because it will heat up faster. But I could live with stainless if that comes out first.


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## Justinv (Oct 21, 2022)

I have an old breville toaster oven that went into storage years ago. It worked great on toast. However its convection fan was terrible. Located on the side it could burn one half of a pizza and leave the other side raw.

Air fryers have heat and fan at the top typically which work great. Even browning. You do have to flip the food half way through. Its a convection broiler. I removed my toaster oven to make room for the air fryer, the air fryer can make toast but I keep an old school pop up toaster around too. I put pizzas in a real oven.

I see more combo units out there. Air fryer/toaster oven. Air fryer/pressure cooker/stock pot. Space for stuff is a problem but I don’t know if any of these combo units are good.


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## Justinv (Oct 21, 2022)

DavidScubadiver said:


> My air fryer has non stick coating that flakes off of the basket right away.


I use parchment on mine. Amazon sells precut ones made of silicone cut to size with holes for airflow. Ceramic nonstick baskets exist too.


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## Jovidah (Oct 24, 2022)

Aren't air fryers just small convection ovens? I'm struggling to see what they really bring to the table versus just a normal 'proper' oven.


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## Michi (Oct 24, 2022)

Jovidah said:


> Aren't air fryers just small convection ovens? I'm struggling to see what they really bring to the table versus just a normal 'proper' oven.


Not much (if anything), as far as I can see. I guess they are aimed at kitchens that do not have an oven, or do not have a modern oven with convection.


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## Pisau (Oct 24, 2022)

I thought the air-fryer concept was a gimmick until I bought one five years ago. We have a dual wall oven, the breville bench oven above (with "airfryer" super convection), and a proper philips air-fryer. 

TLDR; The philips made such an impact on _convenience_, come black friday I bought a spare one (premium XXL) without batting an eye.

.02


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 24, 2022)

Jovidah said:


> Aren't air fryers just small convection ovens? I'm struggling to see what they really bring to the table versus just a normal 'proper' oven.


The spoon is just a mini shovel, the knife just a mini sword, the pairing knife is just a mini chef knife, and the toaster oven is just a mini oven. Really, we don’t need any tools besides chopsticks and a cleaver. But, here we are, with kitchens full of appliances and weaponry.

The way we apply heat to food, just like the way we cut food, changes that food. In the case of cooking, an electric oven baked differently than a gas range, which requires venting of the hot air, and loss of steam. The smaller air fryer may be better at venting that moisture filled air than a larger gas oven because the fan is more powerful relative to the smaller space being evacuated. Or because of the placement of the fan (and heat, see below) at top rather than the sides.

An article.


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## sumis (Oct 24, 2022)

air fryers are their own thing. the f-word is misleading imho. it is not an alternative to deep frying. at all. ever.

i got one as a gift. i certainly don't need it, but it's nifty for some things. like kale chips, crisping up herb leaves, cooking eggplants and brussel sprouts.

nifty enough to warrant its footprint? not really.

.


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## Jovidah (Oct 24, 2022)

DavidScubadiver said:


> The spoon is just a mini shovel, the knife just a mini sword, the pairing knife is just a mini chef knife, and the toaster oven is just a mini oven. Really, we don’t need any tools besides chopsticks and a cleaver. But, here we are, with kitchens full of appliances and weaponry.


I make excuses for my knife collection; I know it's a hobby and absolutely not required...but I do actually try to limit the amount of appliances and other redundant stuff; it just ends up wasting precious space - and money.


DavidScubadiver said:


> The way we apply heat to food, just like the way we cut food, changes that food. In the case of cooking, an electric oven baked differently than a gas range, which requires venting of the hot air, and loss of steam. The smaller air fryer may be better at venting that moisture filled air than a larger gas oven because the fan is more powerful relative to the smaller space being evacuated. Or because of the placement of the fan (and heat, see below) at top rather than the sides.
> 
> An article.


Well that's sort of my question... I never owned or used an airfyer so I'm kinda curious what the fuss is all about since at the face of it they always looked like little mini convection ovens to me.


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 24, 2022)

You 


Jovidah said:


> I make excuses for my knife collection; I know it's a hobby and absolutely not required...but I do actually try to limit the amount of appliances and other redundant stuff; it just ends up wasting precious space - and money.
> 
> Well that's sort of my question... I never owned or used an airfyer so I'm kinda curious what the fuss is all about since at the face of it they always looked like little mini convection ovens to me.


You definitely don't _need an air fryer.. _It happens to be the best way I've found to cook Kirkland's thick-cut bacon and in my opinion it does a better job reheating some foods and cooks faster faster than a conventional oven. But I've not used it enough to have a strong opinion on it, other than the kirkland bacon. And bacon isn't healthy so all in all, it has not been good for me.


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## coxhaus (Oct 24, 2022)

I would have a problem with an air fryer in the summer in Texas as my big vent hood would not be able to remove the heat since the air fryer would not be close to the vent hood unless I moved it over the range every time, I used it. No way I would do this.

I got rid of my wall oven because of this problem.


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## salparadise (Oct 24, 2022)

The one thing I thought I would love about an air fryer it doesn’t actually do, which is make french fries without deep frying. They just aren’t the same. But what it does do well is wings in half the time, baked ziti, and many other small batch items without heating up the big oven. I guess it earns its space on the counter, but I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I’d known that it wouldn’t do great French fries.


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## DavidScubadiver (Oct 24, 2022)

The old bait and switch. Showing a basket full of golden fries that cannot possibly be achieved with the product. Might as well show a thanksgiving Turkey


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## GorillaGrunt (Oct 24, 2022)

If I do it I like to do it outside on a side burner of a gas grill. and I’ve had my eyes on air fryers too; I never buy any of that kind of crap but that one might give results that can’t be replicated without


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## salparadise (Oct 24, 2022)

DavidScubadiver said:


> The old bait and switch. Showing a basket full of golden fries that cannot possibly be achieved with the product. Might as well show a thanksgiving Turkey


Yup, now I have a Fry Daddy on the counter beside the air fryer. It does make great fries without any fuss. Now I just need me a George Foreman grill and I’ll be all set.


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## coxhaus (Oct 24, 2022)

salparadise said:


> Yup, now I have a Fry Daddy on the counter beside the air fryer. It does make great fries without any fuss. Now I just need me a George Foreman grill and I’ll be all set.


I have eaten a lot of good fish cooked in a Fry Daddy. My Grandfather had one when I was young. They sure are easy to use and maintain. You don't have to deal with the hot oil just keep it in the Fry Daddy.

Forget the George Foreman grill, my cousin had one.


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## Rangen (Oct 24, 2022)

salparadise said:


> Yup, now I have a Fry Daddy on the counter beside the air fryer. It does make great fries without any fuss. Now I just need me a George Foreman grill and I’ll be all set.


Does it have adjustable temperature? I find that following the Belgian process of a low temp fry, followed by a second, higher-temp fry makes for much better fries. Huge difference, to my taste.


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## salparadise (Oct 25, 2022)

coxhaus said:


> Forget the George Foreman grill, my cousin had one.


I was being facetious. I had an aunt that had one and thought it was wonderful. I didn’t want to burst her bubble so I stayed mum. 


Rangen said:


> Does it have adjustable temperature? I find that following the Belgian process of a low temp fry, followed by a second, higher-temp fry makes for much better fries.



No. No settings at all, not even an on/off switch. It heats the oil to 395F in ten min, put the fries in and the temp drops and then gradually builds back up to 395F. So in effect you are cooking them at a lower temp first and then higher temp. It holds a relatively small amount of oil which seems to be the key to simulating two stage cooking. The fries cook through first and then brown nice and crispy. I’ve tried the manual two stage method in my Dutch oven before, but perhaps not enough to perfect it. This fryer seems to give most of the benefit while keeping it quick and simple. I just leave the oil in it until it’s time to change. Has a lid and stores easily under the sink.


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## SwampDonkey (Dec 28, 2022)

DitmasPork said:


> I've not entertained the idea of an air-fryer, mainly due to lack of space in my tiny kitchen—although, been shopping for a replacement toaster oven and noticed that Breville sells an air fryer that's the same size as my current (almost broken) toaster oven. Considering getting that—purchase needs to be a Breville.
> 
> View attachment 204211


I have a Cuisinart version of this and it's a pretty mediocre air fryer at best, but it's the best damn toaster oven/mini oven you've ever seen. I use the convection bake setting to do butternut cubes and it cooks/crisps them in about half the the time as my full size oven. It's just very easy to burn stuff in so always have to keep an eye on it. MowgFace is right about cleaning.


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