Is air fryer a good purchase to make quick and tasty meals?

Here's a no-nonsense assessment of whether an air fryer delivers quick and tasty meals, based on real user experiences:

I. Real-world performance in terms of speed

Strengths:

Frozen semi-finished products: Fries, chicken nuggets, onion rings, etc., no need to thaw, crispy and hot in under 12 minutes (40% faster than an oven).
Small protein portions: Chicken wings, steak, sausages, etc. No need to watch the flame or flip, automatic timer and shut-off.
Lazy person's reheating: Leftover pizza and fried chicken regain their crispness in just 5 minutes, taste far superior to a microwave.

Weaknesses:

Inability to cook multiple dishes at once: Only one dish is cooked at a time; cooking three dishes requires three separate batches (total time > 30 minutes).
Preheating trap:Some models still require 1-2 minutes of preheating; the advertised "instant heating" claim is misleading.

II. Real-world feedback on taste

Top picks:

High-fat meats: Chicken skin and pork belly render their own fat, crispy but not greasy (approaching 80% of the effect of deep-frying). Root vegetables: Sweet potatoes and potato chunks caramelize at high temperatures, amplifying their sweetness.
Nuts and snacks: Peanuts and almonds roasted at 150℃ for 10 minutes show a significant improvement in aroma.
Areas prone to failure: Leafy salads turn into dried vegetables: Moisture evaporates too quickly; lettuce becomes dehydrated and crispy in 5 minutes.
Marinated meats easily burn: Honey and teriyaki sauce carbonize at high temperatures, turning bitter (requiring subsequent brushing on the sauce).
Steamed buns and dumplings: The outer skin becomes as hard as stone, while the filling remains cold—hot air cannot penetrate, resulting in undercooked fillings.

III. Balancing Operating Costs

Ease of use: Less oil and no splattering: No oil splattering from the pan, no need to wipe oil stains on the kitchen floor.
Easy-to-clean accessories: Fry baskets are dishwasher friendly to most (better than scrubbing oil pans).
The troublesome truth: Forced mid-process operation: French fries need to be shaken evenly, chicken wings must be flipped—it's impossible to truly "let go."
Hard-to-clean corners: Dirt accumulates in the crevices of the oil filter, requiring toothpicks to remove residue weekly.

IV. Target Audience Profile

Recommended for:

Western fast food lovers (Fries/Fried Chicken > 3 times per week).
Single or two-person households (enough to cook in one go).
Dislikes cooking fumes (no need to worry about stir-frying smoke).

Not recommended for:

Those who eat stir-fried vegetables for every meal (Chinese food).
Foodies who crave the perfect crispness of deep-fried food.
Living in cramped apartments with less than 0.3 square meters of kitchen counter space.