At one point, it felt indispensable. Frozen fries in minutes. Wings that tasted close enough to takeout. Then routines changed, counters filled up, and the air fryer slowly drifted toward the back of the kitchen.
Now a new appliance is taking its place. This countertop cooker doesn’t rely on blasting hot air alone. It can grill, slow cook, steam, sauté, simmer, bake, roast, air-fry, and keep food warm. One compact unit, nine cooking styles. And suddenly, the once-revolutionary air fryer feels strangely limited.
The shift is obvious online. Scroll past a few videos and you’ll see full meals emerging from a single, humming box. The appeal is no longer just crisp fries. It’s the idea of a complete kitchen condensed into one appliance. Which raises an uncomfortable question.
Do we still really need a standalone air fryer?
Saying Goodbye to the Air Fryer, Welcoming a 9-in-1 Kitchen Staple
The first difference you notice is the sound. Instead of a loud fan, there’s a softer, layered hum. In a small apartment on a weeknight, someone drops chopped onions straight into the pot, presses Sauté, and listens to a calm, confident sizzle.
This isn’t just heat attacking frozen food. It feels more like a miniature, organised kitchen. One setting for steaming, another for slow cooking, another for grilling. You’re no longer stuck choosing between crispy or nothing. A meal can move from browning to simmering without creating a pile of dishes.
That’s the real change: less chaos, more flexibility.
Consider a family of four in a tight city flat. Their old air fryer handled fries and breaded chicken, nothing more. Now a 9-in-1 multi-cooker occupies the same corner of the counter but earns its space.
Monday becomes chili night. Beef browns on Sauté, spices release their aroma, then the pot switches to Slow Cook while everyone’s out. Wednesday brings steamed dumplings straight from the freezer. Friday, marinated salmon grills on a ridged plate, followed by air-fried broccoli in the same bowl.
The air fryer, once essential, ends up stored beside forgotten gadgets that promised lifestyle change.
Why the Air Fryer Is Losing Ground
This shift isn’t accidental. Air fryers were designed to solve one problem: quick, crispy, lower-oil food. That worked for a while. But everyday cooking goes far beyond nuggets and reheated pizza.
People still want soups, stews, rice, one-pot meals, and properly steamed vegetables. A 9-in-1 appliance covers those needs by combining what used to require several machines. Pressure cooker, steamer, grill pan, Dutch oven, and even a small oven all live in one box.
Instead of hauling appliances in and out of cupboards, you press a button.
Soyons honnêtes : personne ne fait vraiment ça tous les jours.
The air fryer isn’t flawed. It’s simply a single-purpose standout in a kitchen that now values versatility.
Using a 9-in-1 Cooker to Truly Replace Your Air Fryer
The real advantage appears when you start linking functions together. Think in sequences, not isolated modes. Begin with Sauté to build flavour, move to Pressure or Slow Cook for tenderness, then finish with Air Fry or Grill for texture.
Take sticky chicken thighs as an example. Start by sautéing them skin-side down to create a deep, caramelised colour. Flip, add a splash of stock and soy, then pressure cook for 8–10 minutes. Finish with high-heat air frying to crisp the outside.
The result is juicy meat with a sticky, crisp finish. In a standard kitchen, this would mean multiple pans and trays. Here, it’s one pot and one wash-up.
A common mistake is treating these cookers like complicated gadgets. The control panel can feel intimidating at first, so people default to Air Fry and ignore everything else.
The adjustment is simple. Start with just three modes you’ll use immediately: Sauté, Slow Cook, and Air Fry. Once those feel natural, introduce Steam or Grill. One step at a time.
There’s also a real fear of wasting food. Everyone has lifted a lid and regretted it. Begin with forgiving meals like soups, stews, shredded meats, and roasted vegetables. They build confidence.
As one home cook put it, “The air fryer stopped feeling freeing and started feeling restrictive. I wanted one machine that worked on rushed Tuesdays and slow Sundays.”
When the cooker feels like a helper instead of a challenge, habits form. Pressure-cook beans on Sunday, reheat them midweek with Sauté and a splash of liquid. Steam vegetables at lunch without boiling an entire pot.
- Start with three core modes: Sauté, Slow or Pressure Cook, Air Fry
- Use cooking sequences: brown, cook through, crisp at the end
- Keep your air fryer for one month before deciding if you miss it
What This Change Reveals About Modern Kitchens
There’s something quietly emotional about the popularity of multi-cookers. On the surface, they’re appliances. Underneath, they reflect crowded homes, busy schedules, and rising energy costs.
People want food that feels real, not just beige and crunchy, but they’re exhausted. The 9-in-1 cooker eases that tension by offering proper meals with minimal effort. One pot, fewer dishes, flavours that usually require long afternoons showing up on weeknights.
Space plays a role too. Counters packed with single-use gadgets eventually force a decision. Replacing several appliances with one isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about making the kitchen breathable again.
Many also describe feeling less guilt. Less about ordering delivery, less about unused ovens, less about leftovers drying out. Moist, controlled reheating simply works better.
On a quiet Wednesday, tossing rice, stock, and vegetables into one pot and returning to a finished meal can subtly change the tone of your evening.
The air fryer had its era. It made food faster and crunchier. The 9-in-1 generation aims for something broader: making real cooking fit into real life, not just on slow weekends, but on ordinary days.
Some will keep their air fryers, and that’s fine. They still shine for quick snacks. But the conversation is clearly shifting. From speed alone to versatility with minimal friction.
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Maybe the goodbye isn’t dramatic. It’s simply the air fryer being tucked away, while a quietly humming box on the counter becomes the new everyday companion.
Key Takeaways at a Glance
- Nine functions in one appliance replace multiple gadgets and free counter space
- Chained cooking modes create better flavour with less washing up
- A gradual learning curve helps users confidently explore every function
