RICHARD ORD: Behold the air fryer! Life, and chips, may never be the same again

After much humming and harring, and the occasional harrumph thrown in for good measure, my latest life partner took the plunge and bought one.

To be fair, there had been much FOMO pressure. Every person I’ve spoken to who has now bought one, to a man, say they now ‘swear by them.’

So gushing was the praise for the miracle air fryer, the only concern was how big an air fryer should be bought?

A one tray fryer ought to be enough, but what about a double drawer air fryer? Let’s walk before we can run…

The one drawer air-fryer has pretty much not stopped since landing on her kitchen counter. If it’s not nailed down, it’s going in the fryer. Veg, fish, even cheese on toast.

There’s nothing it can’t cook… and cook it better, apparently.

‘Great, I love soup,’ I said. It can’t do soup.

It’s been a time of trial and error. Half raw potato chips, overcooked fish and soggy sweet potato wedges were de rigueur early doors. Not great, but hey, done in a matter of minutes in the new air-fryer. ‘Would have taken ages in the oven.’

She bought a Ninja air fryer. Makes sense. These Japanese ninja warriors are master assassins famed for their stealth and secrecy. An easily portable chip fryer I could see forming part of their assassin’s armoury, along with the throwing darts and nunchucks. I mean, any self-respecting shadowy death machine is not going to lumber themselves with an Aga are they? Think about it!

Of course, there are those naysayers who suggest the air fryer is nothing but a consumerist fad. I even heard one luddite suggest there’s nothing you can do in an air fryer that can’t be done in a conventional oven. Stone the heretic.

Forget it. The air fryer is here to stay. There’s even talk of a three drawer air fryer. Though that doesn’t go far enough for me.

I’m already dreaming of a walk-in air fryer. What better way to beat the winter chill? Walk in, five minutes later you’re warm as toast, if a little crispy at the edges. The future is now...