halogen cooker v. airfryer

I have a Tefal ActiFry Genius 2 which has 2 bowls. The bottom one has an attached handle so it’s very easy to lift the lightweight bowl out. It also has a second bowl on top so you can cook two different foods consecutively. I liked the fact it had a stirrer so that you don’t have to shake or turn the food but can ignore it and do other things whilst it’s cooking.

I noticed that Aldi had 2 air fryers (different brands and sizes) for sale in the store today although I’m in Ireland so they might not be on sale in the U.K. branches at the moment?

One of my friends who lives alone uses an Aldi own brand Air fryer and finds it really handy. You can re-heat food easily in it too.

they had them in Lidl earlier in the year.
rather wish i'd got one now, airfryer.
everything going up so much.
basic items 40-50% in a few months, everywhere.

I have a Halogen which i use lots. |I, too, used to drop bit and burn my hands on the sides until I discovered that, if I place a double thickness of foil on the tray and leave enough for "handles" I cope much better. Bitty things like scampi or chips, I place straight onto the foil.

PollyDolly

I always thought anything halogen was expensive to run.........thinking the halogen spot light bulbs that were very bright, got really hot but cost a great deal in energy.

Halogen ovens cost a lot less to run than a conventional oven.

Elegran

* Ohmother* I bought an Andrew James halogen oven with a hinged lid. It is dearer than their lift-off-lid one, but worth it as you don't have to find somewhere safe to put it down, or use a thingummy to balance it on. It also comes with a spare bulb, so you have a replacement if it fails.

I have only used my "real" oven once since I bought the halogen one - that was to cook several trays of biscuits.

Thanks for that Elegran I’ll have a look when this one breaks….or perhaps I can pass this on to one of my ACs…..mmmmm … save them some money.

We’ve just bought an air fryer from Lakeland to replace our very elderly and much love actifry. They were selling fast and think we had the last one in the store. Good luck if you decide to go down this route.

I always thought anything halogen was expensive to run.........thinking the halogen spot light bulbs that were very bright, got really hot but cost a great deal in energy.

I used to have halogen ovens, really much preferred the ones with a hinged lid. It is all very well saying how easy it is to put the bowl into the dish washer (or use the ovens own cleaning programme). However, I found that it was impossible to clean the lids (hinged or otherwise), as the halogen was in there. These seemed to get dirtier and dirtier and put me off using them.

All gone now, have a wonderful small compact air fryer and have an silicone insert in the little drawer. So easy for cleaning.

Jane43, I've had my Ninja Foodi for 3 years and it's still going strong.
I've just ordered a Ninja Health Grill in the hope that I won't have to use the oven so much. The thought of the energy price rises have scared me I to it.

* Ohmother* I bought an Andrew James halogen oven with a hinged lid. It is dearer than their lift-off-lid one, but worth it as you don't have to find somewhere safe to put it down, or use a thingummy to balance it on. It also comes with a spare bulb, so you have a replacement if it fails.

I have only used my "real" oven once since I bought the halogen one - that was to cook several trays of biscuits.

My DS has bought an air fryer and I wondered why he was wasting his money in these straightened times. HOWEVER he says it is wonderful, quick and easy and will give me a lesson next time I visit ?

Thanks for the tips. Will get on ebay for my rubber grabber and give oven chips another chance!

Boz I buy Fench fries, the cheapest I can find, cook from frozen and they are perfect. I used to hate chips cooked in the oven.

Casdon, I do the same, but with a Pyrex flan dish.

Boz I have a rubber grabber when I need to lift the hot dish (looks a bit like a glove puppet with an open jaw - sorry terrible description) otherwise I use tongs and I seem to manage ok. ( I have got RA in my hands and am 80 next birthday)

Just bought a Tower Air-fryer with a little drawer. Wonderful! I did some smal roast potatoes in it last night and they were the best I had done with the added bonus of a lightweight drawer with a nice handle.
I do wonder if I should have bought a larger version but this adds bulk and weight and as a poor old duck, I need it easy.
Bonus pt.. OH is taking an interest as he loves those wretched oven chips.

I once had a halogen oven with a hinged lid but couldn’t find a hinged lid one to replace it when I broke the oven ( I dropped it). I don’t enjoy using this with the lift away lid. It’s easier, cheaper cooking than an oven though.

I put the casserole dish in the basket of the Ninja Foodi, then when cooked use the handles to lift out the basket with dish in it with oven gloves. It is then easier to serve direct from the dish in the basket, or to use the oven gloves to lift the dish right out of the basket, but not quite as easy.

I have an air fryer, a Ninja Max, with a round basket. I find it hard sometimes to turn food over using tongs, I broke a couple of fish fingers last night! To get food out, it’s easy to tip the basket up onto a plate but difficult to lift out more delicate pieces. I’ve burnt myself a couple of times on the sides trying to reach in!

I want to try using a container of food, like an oven dish with lasagne, but need to work out how to get the hot dish out. Could be challenging!

Minimoon we also found that our Halogen cookers only lasted just over 12 months. We stopped replacing them after the third one failed. We recently bought a Ninja Foodie and find it much more versatile than the Halogen cookers, hopefully it will last longer.

MM. I have had it for about 5 years, so probably on it's last legs.
so a really helpful answer. Thanks.

Casdon. I am an old women - 79 next week - so wonder if my clumsyness is age-related. I find the whole business of lifting and digging food out is stressful although I fully agree about being able to put glass oven in d/w.

This isn't really helpful, but I have a question. I've owned 3 halogen ovens, none of which have lasted very long. The halogen element burnt out after a few months.
Are they better these days?
I have a little air fryer which has a drawer. I lift food out with tongs. I usually just cook bacon, sausages, chips, roast potatoes in it.

I’ve got a metal fluted flan dish I use in my halogen cooker Boz, it’s just less in diameter than the higher rack, and I’ve never had a problem with anything falling off I guess it’s about an inch deep. I just lift it out with oven gloves. I like the halogen cooker because I can wash the glass bowl in the dishwasher, so there’s no faff with cleaning it.