The ring light was already on when the box arrived. On the tiny phone screen, an influencer with perfectly glossed lips cradled a gleaming, chrome “9‑in‑1 smart kitchen station” like it was a newborn. She tapped a touchscreen, smiled at the gentle hum of fans and coils, and proudly announced: “Guys, this replaces your oven, your microwave, your air fryer, your toaster, everything.”
Two streets away, in a cramped city kitchen, a tired dad stared at his own version of that same gadget. It sat on the counter, hulking and smug, next to a sulking, half-forgotten air fryer. The manual was already splattered with oil. The promise of “one appliance to rule them all” felt oddly heavy.
He pressed start again.
The fries still weren’t crisp.
From miracle box to counter-space bully
Scroll any food‑related feed this month and you’ll spot it: the shiny, futuristic 9‑in‑1 multi‑cooker / air fryer / steamer / dehydrator / bread proofer / kitchen spaceship. Influencers stack them on marble islands like trophies. They talk about “decluttering”, “wellness cooking”, and “never needing another gadget again”.
Brands whisper that the air fryer is over. The new holy grail is this all‑in‑one cube that promises crisp, steam, roast, slow cook and reheat with a single touch. For people juggling work, kids, bills and a relentless sink full of dishes, the pitch is dangerously seductive.
One box, nine functions, zero effort. That’s the dream being sold.
Ask around off‑camera, and the story twists. In Facebook groups and Reddit threads, furious home cooks are calling the same gadget a “scam for the lazy” and “the Keurig-ification of actual cooking”. Screenshots circulate of undercooked chicken, sad beige vegetables, and soggy fries that look more hospital cafeteria than TikTok.
A London mum posted a side‑by‑side: her old scarred air fryer basket, stuffed with golden chicken wings, and the new 9‑in‑1 tray, lined with limp, sweaty ones. Underneath, she wrote: “Paid £289 to downgrade my dinner.” Her post racked up thousands of comments and a small avalanche of “I thought it was just me” replies.
The disconnect between the glossy promise and the greasy reality is where the tension lives.
Part of the frustration comes from a quiet expectation: that technology will not only speed things up but erase small daily decisions. We’re told this cube will preheat, time, monitor humidity, and even “learn” our taste. So when it burns the first batch of roast potatoes, it feels like a personal betrayal more than a simple cooking fail.
There’s also a cultural clash. Traditional cooks see the marketing as an insult to skills they’ve built over decades. Air fryer fans, who fought for their weird plastic drums to be taken seriously, feel their hard‑won place on the countertop being pushed aside by a sleeker intruder.
The gadget didn’t just stroll into the kitchen. It barged into a space full of habits, pride and already plugged‑in appliances.
How to actually live with a 9‑in‑1 (without losing your mind)
If you’ve already bought one of these things, the fastest way to stop hating it is to treat it like a moody, talented sous‑chef: good at some tasks, terrible at others. Start by picking just two or three functions you genuinely need. Maybe it’s air‑fry and reheat, or steam and slow cook.
For a week, ignore the rest of the icons. Use it to crush one annoying daily job, like reheating leftovers without drying them out, or roasting veg on autopilot while you handle bedtime. Once you’ve nailed timing and portions for that one task, only then try a second mode.
The people who swear these machines changed their lives almost always use them in a very narrow, specific way.
The biggest mistake people make is believing the “set and forget” fantasy straight out of the box. Recipes from brand apps are often wildly optimistic: 12 minutes for frozen fries that clearly need 18, or a whole chicken that looks cooked outside and ice‑cold in the middle. That gap between expectation and reality is where rage comments are born.
Give yourself permission to babysit the first few runs. Peek, poke, shake the basket, take notes like a nerdy TV chef. Yes, it feels fussy. Yes, it briefly defeats the point of “effortless cooking”. But once you’ve dialed in your own timings, the machine finally starts working for your life, not the other way around.
Let’s be honest: nobody really does this every single day.
At some point, you have to decide what you actually want from this box: speed, comfort, trend validation, or just fewer dirty pans. That’s where the temperature rises in online arguments, and where the plain‑truth voices cut through the hype.
“People aren’t really angry at the gadget,” says Camille, a 38‑year‑old line cook who tested one for her tiny flat. “They’re angry at the idea that you can buy your way out of learning how to cook. You can’t. A 9‑in‑1 is just a really expensive hot box unless you learn its quirks.”
- Use it as a specialist, not a savior – Pick one or two killer uses (roast veg, crispy tofu, next‑day pizza) and let your oven handle the big, soulful stuff.
- Keep your old air fryer a bit longer – For some households, the simpler, dedicated machine actually does the daily jobs better and faster.
- Test before you trust – First time you try chicken, fries, or pastries, hover nearby. Adjust temps and times. Save your winning combos on a sticky note.
- Watch power and space – These units draw serious wattage and hog precious counter depth. Measure your space and your sockets like you would for a fridge.
- Mute the influencer soundtrack – Base your judgment on a month of use in your kitchen, not 30 seconds of sponsored content filmed in perfect light.
So, goodbye air fryer… or just hello to another phase?
Every few years, the kitchen gets a new main character. First it was the blender, then the slow cooker, then the Instant Pot, then the air fryer. Now this 9‑in‑1 cube wants to evict them all and sit in the middle like the boss. *Some days it really does feel like progress, other days like an overpaid intern who keeps burning the toast.*
Maybe the real shift isn’t “goodbye air fryer” at all. Maybe it’s goodbye to the fantasy that one object can clean up the chaos of our lives, our schedules, and our half‑learned recipes. These machines can help, absolutely. They can also disappoint, clutter, and quietly gather dust beside unused juicers and pasta makers.
We’ve all been there, that moment when you look at a bulky gadget and think: was I buying time, or was I buying a story about the life I wish I had? There’s no right answer. Only the small, private decision made at 7:43 p.m., hungry, tired, staring into the cupboard: which button will you actually press tonight.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| Assess the hype calmly | Influencers frame the 9‑in‑1 as a total replacement for ovens and air fryers, while many real users report mixed, sometimes disappointing results. | Helps you decide if this gadget solves your problems or just adds to the clutter. |
| Use it selectively | Focusing on two or three genuinely useful modes unlocks the benefits without relying on exaggerated “9‑in‑1” promises. | Maximizes value from an expensive purchase and reduces frustration. |
| Keep your skills, not just your gadgets | Learning timing, portions, and basic cooking cues matters more than any preset program or smart mode. | Gives you consistent results across any appliance, old or new. |
FAQ:
- Question 1Does a 9‑in‑1 kitchen gadget really replace an air fryer?
- Answer 1It can air‑fry, but many people find the results slightly less crisp or consistent than a dedicated air fryer, especially for large batches. Think of it as “good enough” for most things, but not always better.
- Question 2Why do some home cooks call it a scam?
- Answer 2Because marketing often promises effortless, perfect results on the first try. When food comes out soggy or uneven, people feel misled and blame the gadget rather than the learning curve.
- Question 3Is it worth buying if my kitchen is small?
- Answer 3Only if it truly replaces at least two other appliances you already use. Measure your counter and storage first, and check the unit’s depth with the lid or door fully open.
- Question 4What foods actually work best in a 9‑in‑1?
- Answer 4Roasted vegetables, reheated pizza, frozen snacks, baked potatoes, and simple tray bakes tend to shine. Whole birds, delicate pastries, and big roasts are more hit‑and‑miss.
- Question 5Should I say goodbye to my old air fryer?
- Answer 5Try running both for a couple of weeks. If you keep reaching for the 9‑in‑1 and your air fryer gathers dust, you can let it go. If the opposite happens, you’ve answered your own question.
