Sarah stared at her kitchen counter every morning, feeling oddly defeated. The air fryer sat there like a silent judgment—sleek, black, and completely ignored. Three months ago, she’d been obsessed with it, air-frying everything from Brussels sprouts to leftover pizza. Now it just took up space between the coffee maker and a stack of unopened mail.
Last Tuesday, her neighbor showed her a new gadget that changed everything. It wasn’t just an air fryer—it was nine cooking methods packed into one machine. While Sarah’s single-purpose air fryer gathered dust, this device was steaming vegetables, slow-cooking stew, and yes, still air-frying chicken wings to perfection.
That’s when it hit her: the air fryer wasn’t broken or bad. It was just… incomplete.
Why Your Air Fryer Suddenly Feels Limited
The air fryer revolution happened fast. During the pandemic, millions of home cooks discovered they could make crispy foods without deep frying. It felt revolutionary—healthier french fries, perfectly cooked chicken wings, and vegetables that actually had some crunch.
But here’s what happened next. After the initial excitement wore off, people started hitting the same wall. How many ways can you air fry chicken breast? How many times can you reheat leftover pizza before you want something different?
“I loved my air fryer for about six months,” says Maria Rodriguez, a working mom from Phoenix. “Then I realized I was making the same five things over and over. I needed something that could do more than just blast everything with hot air.”
The problem isn’t with air frying itself—it’s with having a machine that only does one thing. Modern kitchens are cramped, and counter space is precious. When you can get a device that air fries AND does eight other cooking methods, suddenly that single-purpose air fryer starts looking outdated.
What Nine Cooking Methods Actually Mean for Your Daily Cooking
The new wave of multicookers typically offers these nine cooking methods in one machine:
- Air frying – The crispy results you already know and love
- Pressure cooking – Dried beans to tender in 20 minutes
- Slow cooking – Set-it-and-forget-it stews and roasts
- Steaming – Vegetables that keep their color and nutrients
- Sautéing – Brown meat and vegetables right in the same pot
- Baking – Small cakes, bread, and casseroles
- Roasting – Whole chickens and root vegetables
- Dehydrating – Homemade fruit leather and jerky
- Reheating – Leftovers that actually taste good again
Here’s what this means in real life: you can sauté onions, add rice and broth, pressure cook for 12 minutes, then switch to air fry mode to crisp up some chicken on top. All in the same pot, without moving food between different appliances.
| Cooking Method | Time Savings | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure Cooking | 70% faster than stovetop | Beans, tough cuts of meat |
| Air Frying | 25% faster than oven | Crispy textures without oil |
| Steaming | Preserves nutrients | Vegetables, fish, dumplings |
| Slow Cooking | Hands-off cooking | Stews, pulled pork, soups |
“The versatility is what sold me,” explains Chef David Park, who tests kitchen equipment professionally. “You’re not just replacing your air fryer. You’re potentially replacing your rice cooker, slow cooker, and steamer too. It’s like getting back half your counter space.”
The Real-World Impact on Home Cooking
This shift toward multi-function cooking isn’t just about saving counter space—it’s changing how people approach meal planning and cooking.
Take breakfast. With a traditional air fryer, you might reheat some pastries or cook frozen hash browns. With nine cooking methods, you can steam eggs while air-frying bacon, then sauté vegetables for a complete meal. All in the same device, often at the same time.
Families are finding they cook more diverse meals because the barrier to trying new techniques is lower. When steaming vegetables is as easy as pressing a button on a machine you already own, you’re more likely to actually steam vegetables.
“My kids eat way more variety now,” says Jennifer Kim, a busy parent from Seattle. “Before, I’d default to the same air-fried chicken nuggets because it was easy. Now I can steam broccoli, pressure cook rice, and air fry the protein all in one go. They’re eating actual meals instead of glorified snacks.”
The environmental impact is worth considering too. Instead of manufacturing and shipping separate appliances for each cooking method, one device handles everything. It uses less packaging, takes up less space in warehouses, and typically uses energy more efficiently than running multiple appliances.
But the biggest change is mental. When you know you can handle almost any cooking technique with one machine, meal planning becomes less overwhelming. You’re not limited by which gadgets you own or how much counter space you have available.
What This Means for Your Kitchen Right Now
If you’re happy with your air fryer and it meets all your cooking needs, there’s no rush to replace it. But if you find yourself wanting more cooking options, or if your counter is crowded with single-purpose gadgets, the nine-method approach makes practical sense.
The key is thinking about your actual cooking patterns. Do you find yourself wanting to steam vegetables but not wanting to pull out a separate steamer? Do you wish you could slow-cook a stew in the same pot where you’ll crisp up the vegetables? Do you want to try pressure cooking but don’t want another appliance taking up space?
These multicookers typically cost about the same as buying two or three separate appliances. The learning curve is surprisingly gentle—most people master the basic functions within a week of regular use.
“I thought it would be complicated, but it’s actually simpler than managing multiple gadgets,” notes home cook Rachel Torres. “One interface, one set of instructions, one thing to clean. My air fryer required just as much learning when I first got it.”
The air fryer served us well during its moment. It introduced millions of people to the joy of crispy food without deep frying. But kitchen technology moves fast, and what felt revolutionary five years ago can start feeling limited when better options emerge.
Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to the single-purpose air fryer and hello to nine cooking methods in one smart machine.
FAQs
Are nine-method cookers as good at air frying as dedicated air fryers?
Most perform very similarly, with the main difference being basket size. Dedicated air fryers often have larger baskets, but the cooking results are nearly identical.
How much counter space do these multicookers actually save?
If you currently own an air fryer, slow cooker, and rice cooker, you could potentially free up 60-70% of that counter space with one multi-function device.
Is it harder to clean a machine with nine functions?
Actually, most users find them easier to clean because you’re only dealing with one pot and one set of removable parts, rather than multiple appliances with different cleaning requirements.
What happens if one function breaks—do you lose all nine methods?
These devices are typically built with redundant systems. Most functions would continue working even if one specific mode had issues, though you’d want to contact the manufacturer for repairs.
Do nine-method cookers use more electricity than single-purpose appliances?
They’re generally more energy-efficient because they’re designed to optimize power usage across multiple functions, and you’re only running one appliance instead of several throughout the day.
How long does it take to learn all nine cooking methods?
Most people master 3-4 core functions within the first week and gradually explore the other methods over the following month. The learning curve is surprisingly gentle.