You're technically right that an air fryer is a type of small convection oven, but dismissing them as "stupid" ignores why they're so popular. The point isn't that they reinvent physics, it's that they package convection in a way that's faster, uses way less electricity, is easier to clean, and perfectly sized for 1-2 people. Most folks aren't cooking for a big family every meal. I often just want to make fries, roast veggies, or crisp up leftovers. My Cosori lets me do that without heating the entire kitchen (and way faster, too).
I also simply don't have a convention oven. I rent my place, and it's not like I can just swap out the white goods.
Yes, the smallest ones are limited in capacity, but that's not the whole category. Larger models handle whole chickens.
The proof is in the market: people buy them in droves because they make food hot/crispy really quickly. A conventional oven can do the same thing, but it's like saying a desktop computer makes laptops "stupid". Technically true, but it ignores convenience, size, and efficiency, which are the reasons air fryers took off.
Anecdotally, most air fryers are owned by people who used to believe that they didn't need an air fryer. Have you actually had one in your life?
I respect that. We're both operating with radically different goals and end results. If you're cooking primarily from a food culture that evolved without ovens then it's clear you don't need an air fryer OR a convection oven.
I would however suggest that this makes you poorly qualified to deem an entirely category of popular tools "stupid" just because you don't happen to use them.
I also simply don't have a convention oven. I rent my place, and it's not like I can just swap out the white goods.
Yes, the smallest ones are limited in capacity, but that's not the whole category. Larger models handle whole chickens.
The proof is in the market: people buy them in droves because they make food hot/crispy really quickly. A conventional oven can do the same thing, but it's like saying a desktop computer makes laptops "stupid". Technically true, but it ignores convenience, size, and efficiency, which are the reasons air fryers took off.
Anecdotally, most air fryers are owned by people who used to believe that they didn't need an air fryer. Have you actually had one in your life?