My Kitchen Is Never Busier Than During the Holidays – This Stainless Steel Air Fryer Is the One Thing Curbing the Chaos (and Keeping the Snacks Flowing)
I'm a trained cook, but this spacious air fryer becomes my sous chef when the family flocks home for the holidays
I love the holidays, I tell myself with a wry smile. Truly, I do. But as the principal cook in my household, the festive season can quickly tip from joyful to chaotic. With casseroles to feed a crowd, cookies vanishing faster than I can bake them, and snacks constantly on demand, the kitchen often feels like a whirlwind.
Enter the Midea Flexify French Door Air Fryer Oven, now $139.87 in the Amazon sales(ending tonight). Sleeker and more refined than typical black-plastic models (and proudly featured in our guide to the best non-toxic air fryers), it is fast, surprisingly spacious, and delightfully accessible. It’s a holiday hero, stepping in when kitchen demands surge – and, I’ll admit, it’s even prettier than my main oven.
Our expert air fryer tester, Tobey, first tested this appliance, and she won me over with her five-star Midea Flexify review. Her photograph of Frozen crinkle-cut fries turning to crispy, golden-brown perfection (with zero oil, might I add) is pretty mouth-watering stuff.
I've had similarly crispy, golden results on holiday cookies, and I made mozzarella sticks last night. They were crispy and oozing inside in 8 minutes, and were quickly gobbled up by the crowd at my house.
This tray of golden French fries was cooked in the Midea Flexify French Door Air Fryer in 16 minutes
Salmon is a weekday staple in my house, too. I've been able to pop six fillets in the Midea Flexify air fryer, give them a light spritz of oil (I use the high-heat avocado spray from La Tourangelle), and have them perfectly cooked and fall-apart flaky in 12 minutes. I serve with microwave rice and salad. It's that easy to make healthy family meals to cut through the holiday indulgence and keep me away from the takeout temptation.
There are two extras I definitely recommend stocking up on if you're air frying your way through the holidays. First, plenty of aluminum foil to cover the crumb tray (it makes cleaning up a hundred times easier). Second, pre-cut parchment paper from Amazon, so you're always ready to bake.
More Holiday Hosting Hacks Our Team Swears By (Now on Sale)
Over the years, our team has developed some kitchen shortcuts to help me out during the busy holiday period. I asked our editors on the Living section, and they swear by these products when the family is home for the holidays.
If you like the sound of a hard-working air fryer but you want an aesthetic alternative, we love the Wonder Oven Pro. Our air fryer expert, Tobey, loved the eight cooking modes, from proof to broil. It is more expensive, but a beautiful addition to any home. You can read more in Tobey's full review.
Breakfast muffins are a winner in my household. With this Silpat mold, I can make twelve of them in one go. It fits in my Midea Flexify. The muffins pop right out, and it's easy to rinse off afterwards.
Our Living Editor, Katrina, swears by this cooler when the drinks are in high demand – and there's absolutely no room in the refrigerator. She says, 'This 45-qt cooler fits up to 68 cans, and the wheels make it easy to move around the place.' (I.e, out of your way in the kitchen).
Tell me why I’m peeling more potatoes and carrots in November and December than I do all year combined? I love roasted vegetables in the air fryer, and this super-sharp peeler is an absolute game-changer. It’s so good, I’ve even picked up a few on sale to give as gifts.
If air frying appeals to you, but you prefer one-pot dinners, we all rate CrockPot – and this slender multicooker can serve seven people. It slow-cooks hearty stews, roasts proteins, perfects pasta… and plenty more to help you feed a crowd with zero stress.
I'm all about cooking once and eating twice in my household. When I have family over, I whip up big batches, then stash the leftovers in glass containers – ready to reheat in the air fryer the next day. This set is so cheap today.
An air fryer is not just for Christmas. Last January, I was researching the best non-toxic air fryers, and while I was at it, I gathered top nutritionists' air-fryer secrets for healthier cooking.
If you’re already thinking ahead to New Year’s health kicks, the Midea Flexify is a game-changer. But ignore me if you’re not ready to think about anything other than holiday cookies.
