The Instant Pot is the new(ish) cooking craze. I had heard about it and thought it was just another fad. Back in the day I had a pressure cooker that I was scared of. It sat in my cabinet and gathered dust. Really, I don’t need another door stop taking up my cabinet space.
Long story short, I use my Instant Pot 4 to 5 times a week. The only thing in my kitchen that I use more is my Ninja chopper or maybe my small egg skillet.
It takes some practice and understanding what makes it work, but when I can start dinner at 6, walk away, come back at 6:30/6:45 to do the final bits and put it on the table at 7… so worth it.
The reality is that an Air Fryer is just a small convection oven.
My first experience with an air fryer was at Miriam’s house. Her’s was a small unit that would fit one large serving or two small servings of food. Her first attempt with it was frozen French Fries. They were great, but the first batch was long gone before the second batch was cooked. It made the appliance interesting, but not very practical, even for a family of three.
We decided to look for something larger, and went with a Cuisinart toaster oven/air fryer. It would do a toaster oven size batch of whatever you were cooking. It took some practice and had a tendency to burn things, but we got some pretty yummy meals out of it, and it was a great size for the two of us.
More recently we replaced our big oven with one that had an air fryer feature. This is a full size oven, so It would do larger batches. As far as I can tell, when air frying the fan might work harder, but beyond that it’s hard to say. It doesn't burn things like the toaster over and takes longer. As far as I can tell, the oven air fryer is the best for working with package instructions if they are available.
In my opinion, the most important thing is having a convection oven. The air flow is a big thing. Secondly, the cookware you use needs to allow the air flow to reach all sides of the food. This means some kind of a rack that holds the food up off of the sheet pan.
If you search air frying cookware on Amazon, many interesting things come up. The Toaster Oven/Air Fryer came with a pan/rack combo that allowed the air flow, and we have something similar for the big oven.
So, if you are considering an air fryer, I recommend the toaster oven combo. We liked it very much.
However, if you have the opportunity to replace your big oven, always go convection. I would rather have one convection oven than two standard ones.
Here is what Consumer Reports says about Induction Cooking: [my comments in red]
Some home chefs would say induction cooktops and ranges are the way of the future, offering a safer and more energy-efficient way of cooking.
An induction cooktop is a special type of electric cooktop that gets its power and precision from induction technology. This means it generates energy from an electromagnetic field below the glass cooktop surface, which then transfers current directly to magnetic cookware, causing it to heat up.
Induction cooktops and ranges generally outperform every other kind of range in Consumer Reports tests. In fact, every induction cooktop and induction range tested through our range lab delivers fast cooktop heat and superb simmering. What’s more, if you buy a new induction cooktop or range, you may be eligible for financial incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
What Induction Is—and What It Isn’t
Induction cooktops and ranges look a lot like typical glass-top electric models, except that they cook via a magnetic field. On most 30-inch cooktops, the field is concentrated into four spots (or elements), and they otherwise function just like the elements on an electric cooktop or the burners on gas.
As for the ovens in induction ranges, they broil and bake just as other electric ovens do, but their capabilities will differ from model to model. High-end options, for instance, might have features like convection, WiFi connectivity, and even in-oven cameras so you can monitor whatever you’re baking with a smartphone. Entry-level options will have many of the same features you’d find on regular electrics, like storage or warming drawers, adjustable racks, and a self-cleaning mode.
Induction Cooktops and Ranges Pros and Cons
The Pros:
There are plenty of things to love about induction ranges, whether you’re obsessed with perfectly prepped food or interested in energy efficiency. Here’s how they compare with gas and conventional electric ranges.
They’re more environmentally friendly. An induction stove is 5 to 10 percent more energy-efficient than conventional electric stoves and about three times more efficient than gas stoves. And unlike gas, it’s better for indoor air quality.
They have a built-in safety feature. If you turn on an induction burner with no pot on it by mistake, it won’t get hot. That’s because the heat is created from within the cookware itself; as soon as you remove it from a burner, that heating stops. So the glass surface never gets as hot as it would on a traditional radiant electric range, and you’re not at risk of burning yourself if you touch it. That surface might merely feel hot the way a kitchen counter feels hot if you put a pot of just-cooked soup on it.
Food cooks faster. No other technology we’ve tested is speedier than induction. It cuts out the intermediate step of heating up an element and then transferring the heat to the pot. Compared with electric or gas, it cooks more quickly when you turn up the heat and responds faster when you dial it back down. You’ll find that 6 quarts of water will approach a boil 2 to 4 minutes sooner than on a gas or electric stove, which can definitely be helpful when you’re making dinner on a busy weeknight. [Our big stockpot brings water to a boil for pasta in about 3-4 minutes. This makes pasta night a 30 minute meal prep, from walking into the kitchen to sitting down with my plate.]
Meal prep is easier. With heat generating from within your pot or pan, induction ranges cook more precisely and evenly. No more simmering sauces that break into a splattering boil or chicken thighs that emerge from the pan scorched. [And anything that does splash out doesn't contact a hot surface and cook on before you can wipe it off!]
They’re easier to clean. Like other smoothtop electrics, induction surfaces are easy to wipe down.
The Cons:
Before you shop for an induction cooktop or range, consider your budget and your cooking habits. Here’s what you need to know.
Induction cooking feels very different from cooking with gas. Some avid cooks really love cooking on a flame and the immediate visual feedback they get from it at the turn of a knob. No electric option, even induction, can replicate that feel. In fact, because the electromagnetic field on an induction cooktop doesn’t create a glow, you won’t even know it’s on. That’s why manufacturers have started adding virtual flames and other lighting cues. [The virtual flames just seemed silly to us. I don't need my cooktop to come with a light show!]
It can get expensive when you convert from gas to electric. If you’re replacing an electric range, the swap is simple. Induction cooktops and ranges use the same outlet as a standard electric range or cooktop. But if you’re switching from gas, expect to pay an electrician several hundred dollars or more to install the necessary outlet. [These days, it is rare for a house to be built without an outlet for an electric stove, even if gas is to be installed. Usually we've found it to be both or just electric.]
You need the right cookware. Most stainless steel and cast iron cookware will work on Induction. If you’re shopping for cookware for induction cooktops, look for pots and pans marked “induction-compatible.” To determine whether your existing arsenal of cookware will work with an induction range, see if a magnet strongly sticks to the bottom of your pots. If it does, they’ll work on an induction burner.
It might emit a sound. “A buzz or hum is common, and often louder at higher settings,” says Tara Casaregola, who oversees the testing of ranges and cooktops for Consumer Reports. “And we often hear the clicking of element electronics at lower settings, as well as the sound of the cooling fan for the electronics.” Heavy flat-bottomed pans help reduce the vibrations that cause this buzz. [This is worse with the separate induction burner we've had for years. It is less a problem with the cooktop, and the quality of cookware is a big factor.]
You may need an analog thermometer. The magnetic field of an induction cooktop can interfere with a digital meat thermometer. [I haven't found this to be true with any of our thermometers.]
Induction cooktops and ranges are typically more expensive than conventional electric models. But prices have continued to drop in recent years despite inflation, with some induction ranges selling for about $1,000. Additionally, buying a new induction cooktop or range may make you eligible for rebates from the Inflation Reduction Act. [Don't know about this one. We'll see when I do our taxes.]