The air fryer used to feel like a game changer because it made meals faster, cleaned up less, and got dinner on the table in minutes. But lately, a different kind of appliance has been taking its place. A bigger, more stylish countertop machine is showing up in kitchens. It promises to combine several appliances into one. It can do more than just fry; it can also bake, steam, grill, slow-cook, and more. People post pictures online of crowded counters that have been turned into a single setup. They are drawn to the idea of having nine cooking modes in one device and finally getting rid of half of their gadgets.
Bye-bye Air Fryer
On a busy weeknight in a small flat in London, dinner was a battle between several appliances for space and attention. There was a lot of stress in the room because timers were going off and something wasn’t preheated. A few weeks later, the same kitchen looked different. One silver appliance could cook salmon, vegetables, and rice all at the same time. There was no one around, and the steam drifted softly. The old air fryer was still in the cupboard, where it had been forgotten.
Why All-in-One Cookers Are Taking the Place of Single-Use Gadgets
You can see the change in any big home store. There are still air fryers, but people are more interested in all-in-one countertop ovens that advertise their many cooking modes. These appliances do the work of a convection oven, a steamer, a grill, a dehydrator, and an air fryer all in one. The appeal is clear: fewer plugs, less clutter from appliances, and one tool that makes breakfast, lunch, and dinner with little effort.
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A lot of families learned that air fryers could never fully replace ovens. They were good for small amounts of food, but not so much for family-sized meals. Newer 9-in-1 machines fill that gap. They are good at roasting, steaming, grilling, and slow cooking, so people can make a variety of meals without having to change appliances. For a lot of people, this practicality has quietly made the air fryer less useful.
The change isn’t because of hype; it’s because it’s easier to do every day. Air fryers took the place of deep frying and some baking, but families still used ovens, rice cookers, and slow cookers. The thought of one answer didn’t seem right. Modern multi-cookers handle heat and moisture in different ways. They can bake with steam, cook slowly at very low temperatures, grill at very high temperatures, and dehydrate foods gently. The air fryer starts to seem limited when you think about how many things one box can do.
How People Really Use a 9-in-1 in Their Homes
You don’t get the real value by remembering every preset. Most happy users choose a default weekday mode and use it over and over again. After that, other functions only show up when they are needed. Slow cooking becomes a Sunday habit, grilling fits into quick weeknight meals, and dehydrating happens once in a while. You don’t need an air fryer every day; just a few reliable modes will do.
There is also an emotional benefit.
A lot of people say they feel less pressure when they cook. Making food ahead of time, starting later, or using more than one mode can help you feel less chaotic after work. Dinner goes from being a daily battle to a set routine, even if only four of the nine modes are used all the time.
Common Mistakes That New Owners Make
The most annoying thing is when you try to do everything at once. Changing modes a lot on the first weekend often leads to uneven results and disappointment. Picking a model that is too small is another problem. For families, capacity is more important than features. You also need a simple routine for cleaning. If you switch modes without wiping trays, the flavours can get mixed up in ways that aren’t good. The mental load goes down a lot once these habits are in place.
What Makes a Good 9-in-1 Different from a Gimmick
- Lots of room with trays and baskets that can hold full meals
- Options for moist reheating and baking include steaming or steam-baking.
- High-heat grill function that really cooks food
- Easy-to-read and access presets
- Parts that are safe to put in the dishwasher and make cleaning easier
Most owners say the same thing happens when these basic requirements are met: they put the air fryer away “just in case” and hardly ever use it again.
How to Get Real Value Out of Nine Cooking Modes
The most important thing is to give each mode a specific job to do during the week. Begin with two or three reliable uses and link them to activities you already do. As time goes on, you get more confident, and trying out other modes seems safe. You don’t have to use every feature of the appliance every day for it to be worth it.
People who like their 9-in-1 know that some features are just extras.
The goal isn’t to be perfect, but to be comfortable over and over again. Even when things are busy, using the single-touch mode doesn’t mean the machine has broken down. It just means that dinner was easier to make.
The Quiet Way Modern Kitchens Are Going
Changes in the kitchen don’t often feel big. They happen slowly, until the new setup feels normal. That job used to be done by the air fryer. Now, most people use multi-function ovens. Not only is the technology impressive, but so is the way users say they feel: less stressed, fewer takeaway meals ordered out of exhaustion, and meals that happen almost automatically.
The 9-in-1 trend is basically a move toward making things easier.
One appliance, one interface, and fewer choices when someone asks, “What’s for dinner?” The air fryer didn’t just disappear. It just lost the daily usefulness contest as kitchens moved toward fewer tools that do more with less work.
Quick Summary of Key Points
- Several single-use appliances are replaced by multiple cooking modes.
- Default settings make it easy and consistent to use every day.
- More than flashy features, capacity and ease of cleaning are important.
