I've been considering to buy one for some time and recently found a model capable of "air frying", de-hydrate food and a third function I can't remember right now.

For a relatively small footprint, having three machines in one sounds nice.

Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it's worse https://youtu.be/AASP4P5vRAA?si=aXMjrYK_aRIKX3YR

I have an oven in my apartment, I use the stove top but I have honestly never once used the oven part. I cook for one so I just simply never make meals large enough to need it, I just make anything that needs ovening in the air fryer. Also don't own a toaster, same deal pop it in the air fryer. It and and instapot are some actual goat level kitchen appliances.

I have an air fryer but I use its grill more than anything.

Recent? Air fryers have been a thing off and on since the late ‘70s when they used to sell those funny shaped stovetop versions. So that’s 40+ years of air fryer trends.

We got one a few years ago and, while I was highly skeptical about their usefulness, found that it does a fast job of cooking things evenly. I can toss a pork loin in it and it’ll be done in 10 minutes while I’m maybe cutting up some veg for steaming.

I totally would have bought into the air frier ecosystem earlier if I'd have known I'd be calling it my wife's easy bake oven.

Actually got one 2-3 weeks ago and damn, these things are freaking awesome! It doesn't really fry like a deep fryer would but I haven't touched the deep fryer since and I used that thing more than I care to admit.

This doesn't make any sense.

I have a toaster oven I use for small portions and my oven has an air fryer option.

That's why there are microwaves with a convection oven function.

Yeah, and? I'll take any oven I can get! I've got a toaster oven too! I've seen people with two ovens stacked on top of each other like a washer/dryer combo! Now that's living the dream

Then why does it taste better? If I bake chicken tenders in an oven, it tastes, well, baked, but if it's cooked in an airfryer, it tastes so much better.

Ovens have the problem that volume is directly related to the time and energy it takes to bring the temperature up. The oven size isnt designed well for cooking for small number of people, or for snacks.

I dont know why but moving the air around just isnt a standard thing in conventional ovens. It greatly speeds up the heat transfer so things cook faster, and crispier.

And the smaller sizes are nice, I dont typically need 2'x2' cooking space, it ends up being a waste of time and energy preheating these big things.