I have been testing a variety of essentials for cooking (including gadgets, cookware, toasters and blenders), to taste-testing a range of specialty foods and beveragesfor many years. After returning from the Inspired Home Show in Chicago this past March, I’ve had the opportunity to give a few more products a try in my own kitchen – one of which is the Gourmia 8-Qt. Digital Air Fryer.
This is my first foray into air frying. I know, you have all been air frying for years — In fact, the air fryer category continues to remain strong, with nearly two-thirds of American households owning an air fryer (according to research firm Circana).
Their popularity is due to a variety of factors – affordability, using less oil than traditional fryers, cooking foods quickly and evenly, they’re easier to clean than convection ovens, and are useful in making breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
I am still early in my air-frying journey – and have yet to use it for preparing breakfast, lunch AND dinner, but I have been making the effort to try at least 2 new foods in the air fryer a week. To date, we’ve been doing the basics — potatoes, crispy garbanzos and beet chips, along with the pizza reheat and potstickers.
I’m on a learning curve, adjusting my efforts, refining with each new attempt. But that is often the case when attempting a new recipe – or a new method of cooking. It may take a few attempts for me to get those beet chips (or other root veggies) to perfection, but I’m confident that I eventually will find perfection.
I often takes a few attempts toget things just the way you like it. There is nothing wrong with failure in the kitchen – the point is to keep trying and move forward. The more we do this, the more confident we become and when we get things right, oh, the delicious rewards.
Overall – the Gourmia Air fryer is performing quite well for us – and, with each new experiment, I can definitely see that the air fryer will become a well-used tool in our kitchen. Stay tuned for more air frying adventures from Family Eats. AND, please share some of your favorite ways to use your air fryer — We love the power of community support! You can email me at Laura@FamilyEats.net
And, if you want to check it out — and purchase it, click here.
I also had the opportunity to gain a bit more insight from the company about the air fryer category, and what makes the Gourmia air fryers stand out (specifically, the GAF824).
Gourmia is building a future of multi-functional air fryers that maximize kitchen space, and the Gourmia 8-Qt Digital Air Fryer is just one of the many air fryers that are equipped to meet your space needs in the kitchen. What makes the Gourmia 8-QT Digital Air Fryer stand out is that it was designed for convenience and consistency. It is filled with features, including the 12 One-Touch Cooking Presets (including roast, bake, and dehydrate) and FryForce 360° Technology™. It has a large capacity in addition to a large window and light for easy viewing. It is also equipped with Preheat & Turn Reminder and Guided Cooking Prompts – all that, and it has dishwasher-safe parts.
When choosing the right capacity for your needs, consider your household size and how much entertaining you do. (The 8-qt is perfect for my family of 6!) As for what to cook in your air fryer, well that would be just about everything! Gourmia noted, “What you cook in an air fryer varies greatly depending on individual dietary needs and food preferences. However, we are seeing a lot of fried chicken being made.” The company added, “The category has been around long enough now, so consumers are really cooking outside of the box and having fun with it.”
If you are new to air frying, and a little timid about how or what to cook in an air fryer, Gourmia recommends to “start with simple recipes that you are familiar with to get a feel for it and go from there. There are lots of fun and creative recipes out there to experiment with.”
If you are trying to convert cooking time from cooking in the conventional oven to an air fryer, the company notes that “Although there isn’t a specific time, air fryers generally cook about 25% faster,” adding, “You should start checking for doneness a few minutes before cooking time ends.”
As for keeping your air fryer functioning safely and in great working condition, “We don’t recommend liners as they can burn. We also don’t recommend anything that inhibits air flow,” explained Gourmia. Further, “it’s important to thoroughly clean after each use, using non-scratch cleaning products and sponges. The magic eraser and dawn power wash are very useful.”
Thank you, Gourmia, for providing all the great information!
