My $12 thrift store air fryer sat in a closet for 8 months until my oven quit on a Sunday

Sean Johnson · 2026-10-02T14:05:08.676073+00:00

Back in February I grabbed a dusty air fryer at a Goodwill in Reno for 12 bucks and shoved it in the closet next to the crock pot. Three Sundays ago my oven made a loud pop and just died, and I had a pound of chicken thighs sitting on the counter getting warm. Out of pure panic I dug out the air fryer, tossed the thighs in with some salt, paprika, and a little oil, and set it to 400 for 20 minutes. They came out with crispy skin and juicy insides, better than what my oven ever did. Took me two more tries to nail the timing on frozen fries, 18 minutes at 380 shaking halfway. Has anyone else had an air fryer totally replace their oven, or am I just fooling myself here?

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My $12 thrift store air fryer sat in a closet for 8 months until my oven quit on a Sunday | Air Fryer Recipes - Talk Freely