Goodbye air fryer as a new kitchen gadget promises nine cooking methods and leaves home cooks fiercely divided

A streamlined new worktop appliance is starting to challenge the air fryer’s crown, with brands claiming it can stand in for half the gadgets in your kitchen at once.

From supermarket shelves to social media timelines, a multi-tasking nine‑in‑one multi‑cooker with a long list of modes has become the latest source of both excitement and annoyance-especially for home cooks wondering whether it’s time to upgrade yet again.

A new challenger in gadget‑crowded kitchens

In the last five years, the air fryer has shifted from a niche curiosity to everyday equipment in many kitchens across the UK and US. People rely on it for everything from frozen chips to whole chickens, often getting quicker results and using less energy than a full-size oven.

Now manufacturers are positioning a newer wave of multi‑cookers as “the next step”. These boxy worktop units usually combine air frying with pressure cooking, slow cooking, grilling and even yoghurt making in a single appliance.

This nine‑in‑one gadget is marketed as a one‑stop solution that could replace an air fryer, pressure cooker, slow cooker and more.

Retailers are giving these devices a big push ahead of the warmer months, when plenty of households try to avoid heating the whole home by switching the oven on. On TikTok and Instagram, influencers are posting side‑by‑side comparisons, setting standard air fryers against these multi‑function competitors.

Nine cooking methods in one machine

The exact mix varies by model, but most headline nine‑in‑one products promote a similar set of core modes. Marketing materials typically highlight:

• Air fry
  
• Pressure cook
  
• Slow cook
  
• Steam
  
• Sauté or sear
  
• Grill
  
• Bake or roast
  
• Reheat
  
• Dehydrate or yoghurt
  

The promise is straightforward: one device doing the job of several bulky appliances. In a small flat or student kitchen, squeezing nine roles into one unit can feel particularly appealing.

Supporters argue it’s less about viral recipes and more about winning back space, time and energy in smaller homes.

Brands also claim these multi‑cookers can cut cooking times, reduce energy use compared with running a full oven, and cope with tougher cuts of meat that a typical air fryer may struggle with. The pressure‑cooking setting is the headline example, taking beans, stews and curries from hard to tender in under an hour.

Why some home cooks are cheering for the nine‑in‑one multi‑cooker

Enthusiasts describe the device as the logical evolution of the modern kitchen. Many say they’ve already retired their slow cooker and rice cooker, and are now debating whether their air fryer should be donated to a charity shop or sold online.

The most commonly cited advantages include:

Perceived benefit	What users say
Space saving	One appliance on the worktop instead of three or four separate units.
Versatility	Pressure cook a stew, air fry chips, then bake a cake-all using the same pot.
Energy use	A smaller cooking chamber than a full oven means less heat wasted on small meals.
Speed	Pressure mode cooks dried pulses and tougher cuts much faster than simmering on the hob.

Parents with packed schedules often describe a routine of batch cooking at the weekend using pressure and slow cooking modes, then using the air‑fry setting during the week to reheat leftovers so they stay crisp rather than turning soggy.

And why others are rolling their eyes

Plenty of people remain unconvinced. For every glowing review, there’s a weary comment asking whether anyone truly needs another plug‑in box taking up worktop space.

Critics see the nine‑in‑one machine as the latest in a long line of over‑hyped gadgets that end up gathering dust.

Some home cooks point out they already have a reliable oven, a basic air fryer and maybe a slow cooker, so combining everything into one more complicated machine doesn’t feel like an upgrade. Others raise concerns about:

• The learning curve across nine different modes and settings
  
• Chunky designs that are awkward to lift, move or store
  
• Higher prices than stand‑alone air fryers
  
• Putting too many tasks into one appliance-if it fails, several functions disappear in one go
  

There’s also a practical frustration: many multi‑cookers use a deep, tall pot. That shape can make browning, turning or checking food more fiddly than using a shallow basket in a standard air fryer or a tray in the oven.

Social media pressure meets real‑life kitchens

A lot of the disagreement comes down to how quickly kitchen trends now cycle. TikTok recipe creators regularly present “must‑try” techniques that depend on the newest gadget-one month the classic air fryer, the next a multi‑cooker promising restaurant‑style ribs in 30 minutes.

That constant churn makes some shoppers wary. Many remember the bread‑maker boom, the juicer phase and the brief spiraliser obsession, each followed by a flood of second‑hand listings once the novelty wore off.

For some, the nine‑in‑one cooker represents both convenience and consumer fatigue: impressive technology, but yet another choice to make.

In forums, people often describe feeling pulled in two directions: wanting quicker, cheaper meals while resisting a cycle of endless upgrades. The phrase “goodbye air fryer” comes up again and again-sometimes as a joke, sometimes as genuine irritation that last year’s purchase is already being framed as outdated.

Energy prices, small spaces and changing habits

Beneath the marketing noise, real shifts are influencing how households cook. Higher energy bills in both the UK and US have nudged many people to avoid running a large oven just to cook a single tray of food.

Smaller homes and rented properties also tend to come with limited worktop space. A single multi‑cooker that can handle rice, stews, Sunday roasts and midweek chips can seem like a practical compromise when kitchens are tight.

At the same time, more people are relying on frozen foods or batch-cooked portions rather than cooking from scratch every evening. Multi‑cookers with reheat, steam and air‑crisp functions fit neatly into that routine, helping leftovers recover a better texture than a microwave usually manages.

Unpacking the jargon: air frying and pressure cooking

Two terms dominate the debate-air frying and pressure cooking-and both sound more futuristic than they are.

“Air frying” is typically a compact, high-powered fan oven. It blasts hot air around food in a small chamber, producing browning similar to deep frying but with far less oil. Chips, breaded chicken and vegetables are common winners.

“Pressure cooking” works by sealing a pot so steam can build up, raising the temperature above water’s normal boiling point. That extra heat speeds up cooking, especially for dense ingredients like beans, lentils and tougher cuts of meat. It can save time and reduce gas or electricity use, but it does require confidence with lids, valves and pressure-release settings.

Practical scenarios: who really gains from nine functions?

Imagine a student in a shared flat. They might use air fry and reheat settings most days, but almost never touch slow cooking or yoghurt modes. In that case, a smaller and cheaper air fryer may still be the more sensible choice than a larger, more expensive nine‑in‑one unit.

Now consider a family of four. At the weekend they pressure cook a big batch of chilli, then slow cook a joint of beef. During the week, leftovers are reheated and crisped with the air‑fry lid. In that situation, the nine‑in‑one machine can genuinely replace several separate appliances and may reduce energy use over time.

There are downsides to all that choice. Too many features can create decision fatigue: faced with nine buttons and multiple attachments, some owners stick to two or three familiar programmes and ignore the rest. Others simply default back to the oven and hob out of habit, leaving another gadget unused.

On the other hand, a multi‑functional cooker can encourage experimentation. A pressure‑steam programme might prompt someone to use dried beans instead of tinned, reducing packaging waste. A dehydrating setting could lead to homemade snacks instead of packaged crisps. Repeated small changes like that can reshape shopping and eating habits.

What to weigh up before saying “goodbye air fryer”

If you’re tempted by the nine‑in‑one pitch, a few practical questions can clarify whether it suits your kitchen:

• How often do you already use your air fryer, oven and slow cooker?
  
• Do you genuinely need pressure cooking or steaming, or would those end up as novelty settings?
  
• Is there enough room to keep the appliance out, or will you be lifting it in and out of a cupboard?
  
• Will replacement parts (such as seals) still be easy to buy in a few years?
  

A small household making simple meals may be perfectly well served by a basic air fryer and a hob. A larger family cooking stews, curries and roasted dishes several times a week may get more value from the extra capacity and extra modes.

Looking beyond the hype: cleaning, maintenance and safety

Another realistic factor is upkeep. A multi‑cooker with lids, seals and valves can take longer to clean than a simple air fryer basket, and some parts may not be dishwasher-safe. If you already dislike washing up, that extra maintenance can be the difference between daily use and an appliance that lives at the back of a cupboard.

Safety and reliability also matter more when one machine is doing several jobs. With pressure cooking, the condition of the seal and the correct use of pressure release are essential, and it’s worth checking what guidance the manufacturer provides, what the warranty covers, and whether spare parts are readily available. The convenience is real-but so is the benefit of choosing a model you’ll feel confident using week after week.