You’ve likely seen the air fryer phenomenon if you’ve been online recently.
The gadgets have appeared in everything from Warhammer 40K-themed TikTok videos to articles in traditional media publications.
Due to their claimed ability to cook food more quickly than a conventional oven and more healthfully than deep-frying it in fat, air fryers became quite popular.
The gadgets were wildly successful, despite the adage that if you’re going to consume something bad, you might as well make it taste as delicious as possible.
People also suggested them as a less expensive alternative to conventional ovens.
However, it appears that a different countertop kitchen appliance is posing a threat to the air fryer’s hegemony.
The Halogen Oven is now open.
This apparatus cooks food in a small glass bowl underneath a halogen lamp.
One could almost assume that the idea originated with someone who burned themselves on a white-hot halogen bulb and then realized they could use it to cook meals while dipping their burned palm into an ice-filled glass bowl.
Usually, the apparatus consists of a glass bowl underneath an outer basket that prevents burns.
This sits atop the actual halogen lamp, which turns on to increase the warmth.
It may also flash on and off to maintain the correct temperature.
Certain versions have a temperature range of 60°C to approximately 240°C, or 140°F to 464°F.
Many people have recommended the gadgets as a less expensive option to the air fryer.
Although air fryers are a common household appliance, the more expensive models may compromise their status as a low-cost option.
Many people consider halogen ovens to be the best option.
One reader commented, “I only have one shelf in my oven, so I treated myself to a halogen oven to help with Christmas.”
“It is one million times better than the rubbish air fryer I got in the summer.”
“The Halogen oven is better, healthier, and cheaper than an air fryer,” argued another supporter of the technology.
Of course, using the oven that came with your house is an additional option.