People Are Ditching Air Fryers for a Cheaper Alternative
June 30, 2024
source: Amazon
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Air fryer is the first appliance that I reach for when I am cooking in my kitchen almost on a daily basis. My husband often quips that we’ll pretty much destroy it as it is used almost on a daily basis. We love it! It is so much quicker than the oven, does not require fat or oil, and is healthier as well. Sometimes I wonder, “What can they come up with that will replace my wonderful air fryer?” Well, you will be amazed! Air fryers are put against a new kitchen appliance! Have you heard of it? The Halogen Oven.
Well, the first time I heard about the Halogen Oven I must say I rolled my eyes in doubt. Our air fryer has been a real discovery. We could have crunchy fries, tender chicken, and can bake cookies without having to heat the entire kitchen. But then again, one day, I was having a cup of coffee as I always do with my friend and she told me about a new kitchen utensil she just got, the Halogen Oven. She talked non-stop about how great it was. Naturally, I was curious.
Well, what is a Halogen Oven you may be wondering? It is a compact kitchen gadget that works on the principle of halogen bulb to heat the food and cook it. This bulb produces infrared radiation and the air is blown by the fans around the food and thus cooks the food from all sides. Sounds fancy, right? On the contrary, it is quite easy to use.
The Halogen Oven resembles a large, transparent bowl with a lid in which there is the halogen bulb. You put in your food, set the desired temperature and time, and in no time you have your meal. The heat from the air helps to fry your food to the desired taste and texture. It is almost like a small convection oven but even better and faster.
Well, how do you use it? I decided to put it to the test with one of our favorite air fryer recipes: chicken wings. As always, I cleaned the wings, arranged them on the rack, and put them inside the Halogen Oven, set the temperature to 200 degree C and time to 25 minute. I looked at the bulb, it was on and began to fry the wings.
Surprisingly, the wings turned out to be crispy on the outside as well as moist on the inside, just like when I fry them in the air fryer. But this – this cooked them a couple of minutes faster than the air fryer. Also, I could observe how the food was being cooked through the transparent bowl, which I thought was entertaining.
Moving on to the positive side and the advantages. First of all, the Halogen Oven is flexible. It is used for roasting, baking, grilling, steaming and even defrosting of the food being prepared. It is like having a combination of other kitchen appliances all in one. It also heat food equally hot due to the circulating hot air, and moisten food less easily hence food does not get dry.
This is another major advantage of it, it does not consume a lot of energy. It saves time as well as energy since it has a faster cooking time than the conventional oven thus being an advantage to the pocket and the environment. And speaking of the wallet, here comes the kicker: Air fryers are also more expensive compared to Halogen Ovens in the market. Yes, you heard it right. Unfortunately, you can find a decent Halogen Oven at a fraction of the price that high-end air fryers go for.
Okay, let’s see how it is different from the air fryer. The air fryer remains useful for the quick and healthy cooking without using oil and provides the crispiness that is loved. However, the Halogen Oven is able to prepare a greater amount of food than the Microwave Oven which makes it ideal for use when preparing food for a large number of people be it in a family or in a party. It is also versatile and cheaper than the other option.
But what has been the public’s reception to this new kitchen staple? Let me tell you, it has been overwhelmingly positive. People have been loving it. Many have praised its ease of use and cleaning. The glass bowl makes it simple to check your food, reducing the risk of burning. Additionally, the multifunctionality of the device has become popular among home cooks, as it is possible to prepare various meals in it.
There are those who didn’t want to change, myself included, because my air fryer had become an essential appliance in our home. Some people have even stopped using their air fryers completely and opted for the Halogen Oven because it has a larger the capacity and can do more.
In my case however, I have not fully written off my air fryer. I still use it for some quick meals and snacks to this day. But the Halogen Oven has surely and undoubtedly deserved the place on the kitchen counter. It is good for big meals and has a sort of convenience that the air fryer doesn’t have in that respect.
If you want a seemingly cheaper substitute to the air fryer with almost the same abilities and even more, the Halogen Oven is a good choice. It is very helpful, flexible, and most importantly, inexpensive. Also, it brings a slight change or variation to the actual preparation of food. So, why not try it? Sometimes, something new and useful may just be hiding in your kitchen and you would have never known.