5-quart Airfryer - $40 at Best Buy

[Kaido]

$100 normally, on sale for $40: (update: flash sale over, now $50, still a good deal at half off!)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-5-qt-analog-air-fryer-stainless-steel/6471354.p?skuId=6471354

This is a basic no-frills manual model. One knob for temperature (up to 400F) & one knob for a countdown timer. No digital display, no fancy features! Lately I've been into airfrying spiced & candied nuts, only takes like 10 minutes:

Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe

Air fryer candied pecans are incredibly easy to make and the perfect crunch for salad, yogurt, ice cream and oatmeal bowls. These quick candied pecans are

enjoycleaneating.com

As a bonus, it looks like Gonzo:

 

[Steltek]

Thanks for the post. By coincidence, my air fryer just died this past week so I was looking for a cheap replacement to use in making hard boiled eggs.

 

[Kaido]

Thanks for the post. By coincidence, my air fryer just died this past week so I was looking for a cheap replacement to use in making hard boiled eggs.

I've worked with a lot of airfryers over the years. I got this I think for $20 off back in the day, so it was like $79 instead of $99, so $39 is a pretty phenomenal deal! (now $49 today) Easy to toss a slice of pizza in to crisp up or make a quick single meal or whatever. No frills, just temp & time! The button on the top of the handle is nice because it acts as a slide-lock to keep the basket in place. The removable interior basket & tray are dishwasher safe. 180F to 400F temperature range. Works great!

 

[Oyeve]

5 quart but it looks so tiny. Pics on site don't really show scale.

 

[allisolm]

If you want digital display, it's only $10 more. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-5-qt-digital-air-fryer-stainless-steel/6471351.p?skuId=6471351

Or they have Bella 6 qt black digital display for $39.99. I have Bella nondigital teensy model (2qt?) which works fine and has been in constant use for 2 years. Can't vouch for the bigger ones . https://www.bestbuy.com/site/bella-pro-series-6-qt-digital-air-fryer-black/6507319.p?skuId=6507319

At BB's low prices, one can hardly afford NOT to get one.

I just found out you can hard boil eggs in them. Not sure I want to try that out just in case. Cleanup could be bad news if one cracks during cooking.

 

[Oyeve]

5 quart but it looks so tiny. Pics on site don't really show scale.

I found a guy who did videos of this one and the digital one. It is roomier than the pics show. Now i want an air fryer. But NYC electric prices are crazy high per kilowatt hour and my gas oven is free so.........

 

[balloonshark]

$40 for around a 5 quart is a decent deal. If you're looking for something smaller or larger keep an eye out at slickdeals. I've seen an 8qt. go for $50 and an instant pot brand 10qt. for $45.

Back in 2019 I got lucky and got a 5.8qt. digital from woot for $36.

 

[Kaido]

If you want digital display, it's only $10 more. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-5-qt-digital-air-fryer-stainless-steel/6471351.p?skuId=6471351

Or they have Bella 6 qt black digital display for $39.99. I have Bella nondigital teensy model (2qt?) which works fine and has been in constant use for 2 years. Can't vouch for the bigger ones . https://www.bestbuy.com/site/bella-pro-series-6-qt-digital-air-fryer-black/6507319.p?skuId=6507319

At BB's low prices, one can hardly afford NOT to get one.

I just found out you can hard boil eggs in them. Not sure I want to try that out just in case. Cleanup could be bad news if one cracks during cooking.

Dang, that's super cheap!! FYI they sell silicone liners in case stuff breaks:

Amazon.com

 

[Kaido]

5 quart but it looks so tiny. Pics on site don't really show scale.

It's like one or maybe two-person size. Pretty much I just use it for quick one-off batches of stuff. Random video off Youtube:

 

[Kaido]

I found a guy who did videos of this one and the digital one. It is roomier than the pics show. Now i want an air fryer. But NYC electric prices are crazy high per kilowatt hour and my gas oven is free so.........

They're great for frozen food...corndogs, fries, tots, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, hash brown patties, frozen pizzas (mini personal pan pizzas, French bread pizzas, and so on), etc. You can reheat food in them easily, do hardboiled eggs, chicken comes out pretty good (wings, thighs, etc.), and plenty of other stuff. No preheat required, great for single-serving type of stuff!

 

[Steltek]

I just found out you can hard boil eggs in them. Not sure I want to try that out just in case. Cleanup could be bad news if one cracks during cooking.

I absolutely love heated hard boiled eggs. No carbs (I'm a diabetic), tons of protein, and overall a just great snack.

I've never had one crack in my air fryer yet and have been doing it for years. Just don't put a cracked egg in to start. Some people will tell you that you have to puncture the eggs, but that isn't necessary (there is a pocket of empty space in every egg). So long as they get through the initial heating cycle, they will literally cook from outside to inside so it won't matter if they happen to crack.

Put them in the tray and cook them at 250F for 15-16 minutes (you'll have to experiment the first few times depending upon number of eggs being cooked to zero in on the perfect cook time for you). Let them sit for about 5 minutes after the cooking cycle in the tray to let the yokes finish up cooking internally, then dump them in an icewater bath to stop them from cooking and to make them easier to shell. My experience is that older eggs (i.e. those closer to expiration dates) are far easier to shell after cooking than newly packaged eggs. I usually stay well stocked on them, and use the older ones in my fryer.

I generally cook 6-12 at a time and, after shelling them, store them in a ziplock bag in the fridge to eat during the week or to use in salads.

Now, microwaving them to heat them up is another issue entirely. I can tell you from experience that trying to microwave a whole egg (or even one poked with a fork or cut in half) will cause them to literally explode on you (sounds like a gunshot going off). Best to slice or dice them before reheating to avoid that experience.

I will say that if you are a perfectionist like my sister that the air fryer method won't produce boiled eggs that look as nice as as water boiled eggs. So, if you are an obsessive compulsive perfectionist for things like having perfect deviled eggs this isn't the method to use for that.

 

[Steltek]

Dang, that's super cheap!! FYI they sell silicone liners in case stuff breaks:

Amazon.com

View attachment 84766

So, these don't affect the air flow in the fryer?

I've used parchment paper liners (to make a few onion rings, fried cucumbers, or curly fries that I officially - as far as my doctor is concerned - never ate), but never silicone baskets.

I think I might have to order one if nothing else to try to fry up some okra or squash.

 

[Kaido]

So, these don't affect the air flow in the fryer?

I've used parchment paper liners (to make a few onion rings, fried cucumbers, or curly fries that I officially - as far as my doctor is concerned - never ate), but never silicone baskets.

I think I might have to order one if nothing else to try to fry up some okra or squash.

Yes, they do affect the airflow because the bottom is solid, so the trick is you just have to stir (or shake) the items inside if you want to get even browning & make them crispy on the bottom. But it's nice because then you don't have to clean out the grid or the basket!