The air fryer on my counter used to be the star. It crisped everything from sad freezer fries to leftover pizza, humming along like the little hero of weeknight dinners. Then one night, I watched it sit there, unplugged, while a new machine on the other side of the kitchen did… everything. It pressure-cooked a stew, steamed vegetables, browned chicken, then baked a crumble for dessert, one after the other, barely pausing to cool down.
Halfway through, my partner looked at the old air fryer and said quietly, “So… I guess that’s it for you.”
That was the moment I realized a new kind of kitchen gadget had arrived.
Not just a fryer.
A full-on “do almost everything” machine.
And it changes the whole game.
From single-use star to multi-tasking boss
The air fryer had its golden age. It felt like a miracle: less oil, more crunch, a small footprint, and food that tasted vaguely like a cheat code for health. For a while, it solved a specific problem in our kitchens. Quick, crispy, not-too-guilty meals.
Then came the next generation. A new wave of countertop gadgets that don’t just fry with hot air but combine up to **nine cooking methods** in a single, chunky box. Pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, sautéing, roasting, baking, grilling, dehydrating, and yes, air frying too.
Suddenly, that cute single-purpose appliance looks a bit… limited.
Spend a few days with one of these 9-in-1 multicookers and you start to see the air fryer differently. One London family I spoke to had a classic story: small kitchen, one child, long workdays. They bought a multicooker “just to try pressure cooking”, they said.
Within a month, the air fryer was pushed into the hallway cupboard. The new machine was doing overnight oats, quick stews in thirty minutes, roast chicken on Sundays, and even dehydrated apple chips for snacks. The husband, who swore he “couldn’t cook”, was suddenly making yogurt on Tuesdays.
The air fryer came out only once, for a nostalgic batch of fries. Then disappeared again.
What’s happening here is simple. The kitchen is becoming prime real estate. Counter space is like city center rent: expensive and unforgiving. A device that only fries feels like keeping a full dining table for just one chair.
These multicookers answer three quiet questions at once: “How do I save time?”, “How do I cook healthier?”, and “Where do I put all this stuff?” That mix is powerful.
*Let’s be honest: nobody really uses seven different gadgets every single day.*
One machine that does nine jobs hits a nerve. And it doesn’t just threaten the air fryer. It nudges the slow cooker, the rice cooker, the steamer, even the oven.
Nine ways to cook, one box on the counter
The first shock when you plug in a 9-in-1 multicooker is the button parade. Pressure cook. Steam. Air fry. Bake. Sear. Slow cook. Grill. Dehydrate. Reheat. It feels a bit like sitting in the cockpit the first time.
The trick is not to learn everything at once. Start with the “anchor” functions: pressure cook for fast meals, air fry for that crisp factor, and sauté/sear for flavor. One simple method is to pick a single everyday dish – say, chicken and vegetables – and try making it three ways during the week. Pressure-cooked on Monday, air-fried on Wednesday, roasted or baked on Friday.
You quickly feel where the new machine beats your old tools, and where it doesn’t.
A common trap is to treat the multicooker like a novelty toy. We’ve all been there, that moment when you unbox a fancy gadget, try one fun recipe, and then go back to your old habits. With these 9-in-1 devices, that’s the fastest route back to a cluttered countertop.
The more grounded approach is to quietly replace existing routines. Use pressure cook mode instead of boiling lentils for 45 minutes. Use steam for vegetables instead of a small saucepan that always boils over. Use air fry for weekday fish instead of pawing through foil and oven trays. These small swaps build real habits.
And don’t panic if the first week feels awkward. It’s normal to overcook something, under-season another, or misjudge the time. Cuisine is muscle memory; your hands will adjust.
“Once I stopped chasing ‘perfect recipes’ and just cooked my usual meals in the multicooker, everything clicked,” says Ana, a nurse who works night shifts. “I literally put a curry on pressure cook, shower, and by the time I’m in pajamas, dinner is waiting. The air fryer just can’t do that.”
- Start with three core modes: pressure cook, air fry, sauté.
- Replace one regular pan or pot routine each week.
- Keep notes on timing in your phone for your favorite dishes.
- Use the basket or rack to layer foods and save time.
- Reserve “experiment mode” for weekends, when mistakes don’t hurt.
A new rhythm in the kitchen
Once the nine-in-one rhythm settles in, something subtle shifts in daily life. The kitchen noise changes: less hiss of frying pans, more soft chug of pressure building. You start planning differently. “What can I throw in and ignore for 30 minutes?” becomes a central question.
You also start noticing how many old gadgets were covering the same ground. The rice cooker, the slow cooker, the steamer basket you never liked. The oven that takes ages to preheat for a single tray of vegetables. That creeping guilt about unused appliances eases when one machine quietly replaces five.
For some, this shift opens up energy for other things: eating earlier, talking at the table, or just not standing over the stove every night.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-function power | Up to nine modes: pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sauté, roast, bake, grill, dehydrate, air fry | Fewer gadgets, less clutter, more ways to cook everyday meals |
| Time and energy savings | Faster cooking with pressure mode, smaller space than oven, targeted heating | Shorter weeknight dinners, lower energy use, less mental load |
| Gradual adoption | Start with familiar dishes and three main modes, build habits over weeks | Less overwhelm, smoother transition away from single-use devices like the air fryer |
FAQ:
- Question 1Does a 9-in-1 multicooker really replace an air fryer?
- Answer 1Yes for most people. The air fry function in modern multicookers is strong enough for fries, chicken wings, vegetables, even reheating pizza. The only time a standalone air fryer wins is if you cook big batches of crispy food very often and need a dedicated basket just for that.
- Question 2Is food cooked in a multicooker as crispy as in a classic air fryer?
- Answer 2It can be very close. Using a perforated basket, not overcrowding, and preheating the air fry mode helps a lot. Some models have a separate crisping lid that boosts browning. Still, if your only goal is ultra-crisp every time, a specialized air fryer might feel slightly stronger.
- Question 3What about cleaning? Isn’t a 9-in-1 annoying to wash?
- Answer 3Surprisingly, no. Most have a single removable pot and one or two inserts like a basket or rack. The inner pot often goes straight in the dishwasher. The key is to soak it early instead of letting sauce dry. One plain-truth: if cleaning feels heavy, you’ll stop using it.
- Question 4Do these gadgets use a lot of electricity?
- Answer 4They can be efficient because they cook faster and concentrate heat in a small space. Pressure cooking dried beans or stews tends to use less energy than a stovetop simmer for an hour. Air frying also beats heating a full oven for a small tray. Exact usage depends on your recipes and how often you cook.
- Question 5What if I’m scared of pressure cooking?
- Answer 5That fear is common and pretty human. Modern electric pressure cookers have multiple safety systems: locking lids, pressure sensors, controlled release valves. Start with something low-stress, like potatoes or chickpeas, so you can learn the sounds and steam without worrying about ruining dinner.
