[Misc] Suggestions to save energy this winter…

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm sure someone has mentioned "air fryers", I couldn't be bothered to look.

I hate term "air fryer", because they are really just small efficient convention ovens that take little time to heat up. I had the previous incarnation years ago when my kitchen was ripped out. It was rubbish.

The modern ones are superb.

I've got one that is just a little oven, doesn't have drawers or separate compartments. I use the hob. but rarely use the oven any more.

Heats up is seconds, cooks quicker than the main oven, it's simply a smaller version I bought well before the energy crises.

Tonight I bought some large chicken wings, a kilo of chicken wings is under £2.

Marinade in the fridge for a few hours with salt, pepper and an air fryer/chicken skin trick of baking powder which crisps the skin.

15 mins later in the air fryer, dredge with Franks hot sauce and back in for a few minutes.

I've also got a tumbler attachment on Amazon for £20 which is a rotating basket that uses the internal rotisserie. Throw a load of veg in there with a bit of oil and spices and you have brilliant roast veg.

I cook and know how to cook and am completely sold on them.

The only thing I use the main oven for really is pizza (I make my own dough) because I have a specialist thick steel plate in there for bread. However I'm been experimenting batch "flash cooking" small pizzas on there, with just the tomato sauce.

I then freeze the base immediately, later adding the rest of topping then vacuum packing and back in the freezer. Very good results. I'll shut up now, but I do like a gadget in the kitchen.

You've clearly got a much bigger kitchen than me

 

[Bozza]

I'm sure someone has mentioned "air fryers", I couldn't be bothered to look.

I hate term "air fryer", because they are really just small efficient convention ovens that take little time to heat up. I had the previous incarnation years ago when my kitchen was ripped out. It was rubbish.

The modern ones are superb.

I've got one that is just a little oven, doesn't have drawers or separate compartments. I use the hob. but rarely use the oven any more.

Heats up is seconds, cooks quicker than the main oven, it's simply a smaller version I bought well before the energy crises.

Tonight I bought some large chicken wings, a kilo of chicken wings is under £2.

Marinade in the fridge for a few hours with salt, pepper and an air fryer/chicken skin trick of baking powder which crisps the skin.

15 mins later in the air fryer, dredge with Franks hot sauce and back in for a few minutes.

I've also got a tumbler attachment on Amazon for £20 which is a rotating basket that uses the internal rotisserie. Throw a load of veg in there with a bit of oil and spices and you have brilliant roast veg.

I cook and know how to cook and am completely sold on them.

The only thing I use the main oven for really is pizza (I make my own dough) because I have a specialist thick steel plate in there for bread. However I'm been experimenting batch "flash cooking" small pizzas on there, with just the tomato sauce.

I then freeze the base immediately, later adding the rest of topping then vacuum packing and back in the freezer. Very good results. I'll shut up now, but I do like a gadget in the kitchen.

I think they have been mentioned, and it's something I keep thinking of - in fact I mentioned them just now to Mrs B.

Every time I look at air fryers or similar X-in-1 devices, I get daunted at the ridiculous range of options and give up.

So, hit me with your suggestions NSCers. If it helps, we're a family of three with the two adults being vegetarians so we cook very little meat/fish. Trying to think of times where we typically use the oven...

- Lasagnes or other pasta bakes
- (quite infrequent) Roasts - roast or hasselback potatoes, cauliflower cheese, stuffing
- Veggie sausages and hash browns for weekend breakfasts
- Pizza (we make our own bases from scratch)
- Friday fun food - burgers, nuggets and fries kinda thing

 

[LamieRobertson]

I'm sure someone has mentioned "air fryers", I couldn't be bothered to look.

I hate term "air fryer", because they are really just small efficient convention ovens that take little time to heat up. I had the previous incarnation years ago when my kitchen was ripped out. It was rubbish.

The modern ones are superb.

I've got one that is just a little oven, doesn't have drawers or separate compartments. I use the hob. but rarely use the oven any more.

Heats up is seconds, cooks quicker than the main oven, it's simply a smaller version I bought well before the energy crises.

Tonight I bought some large chicken wings, a kilo of chicken wings is under £2.

Marinade in the fridge for a few hours with salt, pepper and an air fryer/chicken skin trick of baking powder which crisps the skin.

15 mins later in the air fryer, dredge with Franks hot sauce and back in for a few minutes.

I've also got a tumbler attachment on Amazon for £20 which is a rotating basket that uses the internal rotisserie. Throw a load of veg in there with a bit of oil and spices and you have brilliant roast veg.

I cook and know how to cook and am completely sold on them.

The only thing I use the main oven for really is pizza (I make my own dough) because I have a specialist thick steel plate in there for bread. However I'm been experimenting batch "flash cooking" small pizzas on there, with just the tomato sauce.

I then freeze the base immediately, later adding the rest of topping then vacuum packing and back in the freezer. Very good results. I'll shut up now, but I do like a gadget in the kitchen.

Ok this is going to sound ignorant….but are the cooking times and temperatures the same as on the ‘packet’ of say an instant meal

 

[LamieRobertson]

I think they have been mentioned, and it's something I keep thinking of - in fact I did just now to Mrs B.

Every time I look at air fryers or similar X-in-1 devices, I get daunted at the ridiculous range of options and give up.

So, hit me with your suggestions NSCers. If it helps, we're a family of three with the two adults being vegetarians so we cook very little meat/fish. Trying to think of times where we typically use the oven...

- Lasagnes or other pasta bakes
- (quite infrequent) Roasts - roast or hasselback potatoes, cauliflower cheese, stuffing
- Veggie sausages and hash browns for weekend breakfasts
- Pizza (we make our own bases from scratch)
- Friday fun food - burgers, nuggets and fries kinda thing

Seconded

 

[clapham_gull]

Guys above I was in the same situation as you. Then I saw one and realised "oh" is that is.

Let me post some links later, just popping out.

You want simplicity so everyone can use, not loads of gadgets and things you don't need. To reiterate, mine is just an oven.

I'll post a more info later.

As for "cooking times" they tend to cook a quicker. On "dense" things like lasagne, I probably turn it down a bit and let it cook longer.

But really for cooking times, the best thing you can have in the kitchen is a digital food thermometer. I take things out the oven when the are done, not for how long they have been in there.

 

[Bozza]

Guys above I was in the same situation as you. Then I saw one and realised "oh" is that is.

Let me post some links later, just popping out.

You want simplicity so everyone can use, not loads of gadgets and things you don't need. To reiterate, mine is just an oven.

I'll post a more info later.

As for "cooking times" they tend to cook a quicker. On "dense" things like lasagne, I probably turn it down a bit and let it cook longer.

But really for cooking times, the best thing you can have in the kitchen is a digital food thermometer. I take things out the oven when the are done, not for how long they have been in there.

Thanks - found it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fTDZ6K

 

[LamieRobertson]

Thanks - found it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fTDZ6K

Havnt they got an ‘offer’ period on Amazon coming up this week

 

[clapham_gull]

When I get in, I'll give a it more info.

They are difficult to get, there is an oddness over the models.

What looks like an upgrade is the same oven just with extra bits. There is also a Daewoo one that looks quite good.



Sent from my SM-A526B using Tapatalk

 

[Since1982]

I think they have been mentioned, and it's something I keep thinking of - in fact I mentioned them just now to Mrs B.

Every time I look at air fryers or similar X-in-1 devices, I get daunted at the ridiculous range of options and give up.

So, hit me with your suggestions NSCers. If it helps, we're a family of three with the two adults being vegetarians so we cook very little meat/fish. Trying to think of times where we typically use the oven...

- Lasagnes or other pasta bakes
- (quite infrequent) Roasts - roast or hasselback potatoes, cauliflower cheese, stuffing
- Veggie sausages and hash browns for weekend breakfasts
- Pizza (we make our own bases from scratch)
- Friday fun food - burgers, nuggets and fries kinda thing

Ours is a dual basket Salter. Handy for doing two things at once, downside is a smaller basket but only two of us so not an issue. Chicken wings marinading in the fridge for tonight. Great for bacon, sausages also hard boiled eggs. Apparently can do soft boiled as well but yet to try that. Did some great nachos the other night. Our aim is to reduce oven and induction hob use for cost reasons - it’s brilliant for that. Making good use of the various FB groups for recipes and tips.

 

[clapham_gull]

You've clearly got a much bigger kitchen than me

The only thing additional is the footprint of the air fryer.

Some are huge, this one isn't.

Sent from my SM-A526B using Tapatalk

 

[Cheshire Cat]

https://www.theguardian.com/food/20...d-very-sad-as-am-i?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I might pass on the air fryer.

Is this a reasonable review?

 

[LamieRobertson]

https://www.theguardian.com/food/20...d-very-sad-as-am-i?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I might pass on the air fryer.

Is this a reasonable review?

I buy McCains microwaveable chips in a box sized for one person ..2 minutes 20 seconds and ready ….find the crinkled ones ok …but maybe I’m easily pleased

 

[Bodian]

Inherited a 25 year-old remoska from my Mum. Super bit of kit, and very efficient for many baked/roasty type things. https://www.caravansa.co.za/6-reasons-why-a-remoska-is-better-than-an-air-fryer/#:~:text=Its%20energy%20efficient,with%20a%201%20kva%20inverter.

 

[METALMICKY]

I buy McCains microwaveable chips in a box sized for one person ..2 minutes 20 seconds and ready ….find the crinkled ones ok …but maybe I’m easily pleased

We have two young kids and for a quick chip fix we find those boxes pretty good

 

[clapham_gull]

https://www.theguardian.com/food/20...d-very-sad-as-am-i?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I might pass on the air fryer.

Is this a reasonable review?

NO, it depends on the type of model you buy and is very much NOT what I've got. There are two types the "drawer ones" and the little oven with rotisserie.

Mine also takes one ne of these:

Mine hasn't got any of that drawer nonsense. It's just a little convention oven, which heats up and quick and cooks quicker. They are marketed as "fat free fryers", well yeah so is a normal oven if you throw some potatoes in with a little oil.

You get passable "chips" that are really wedges, However with the tumbler you can put the cheapest frozen fries you can find and out them in here. They come out like something from well McDonalds.

I tumbled roast veg in there too.

However just used as an oven it's brilliant because of the effectiveness of the convention fan in a such a small place. I also cook bread in it.

I use it very attentively to be fair. If there isn't room to cook everything, I cook in batches and throw whatever stuff back in at the end to heat up. You can do that easily because it heats in instantly.

I actually have two. One here and one at my mums house.

 

[clapham_gull]

This is the DAEWOO which is similar to the Tower one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-Rotisserie-Circulation-Interior-Thermostat/dp/B084J4K14G

And they are selling out all the over the place. Also look out for scams, because everyone is buying them there are a number of fake websites offerings deals.

 

[clapham_gull]

Also on the Tower there are two models, 5-1 and 10-1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tower-T170...7WZVCRLM/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=B07WZVCRLM&th=1

I've bought BOTH and can't tell the difference between the ACTUAL OVEN beyond some extra "rubbish" that comes with the 10.

For instance a 10 Kebab rotisserie

Takes so long to put together, it's in the drawer.

It's all academic because they are selling out everywhere.

 

[nicko31]

Ensure your fridge at a minimum of 5cm from the wall, remove any excess dust on cobwebs on the coils

Consider if you fridge is running too cold, mine is at 7c, never had any issues summer or winter

All adds up, fridges and freezers account for a fair wack of most electricity bills

 

[warmleyseagull]

Stop mining bitcoin.

 

[nicko31]

Stop mining bitcoin.

Stop buying bitcoin