A professional chef has said it’s a “shame” that many people aren’t taking full advantage of their air fryers. In an air fryer-themed episode of the ITV show ‘Tonight,’ chef Theo Michaels was asked to share his feelings on what is fast becoming a must-have kitchen staple in the UK.

Air fryers, loved by Brits nationwide, are lauded for their potential health benefits. They can recreate the delicious, crunchy texture of deep-fried foods with less fat.

Meanwhile, in recent years, with concerns over rising energy bills, the appliance has also proven popular as it’s believed to be a more cost-effective cooking method than conventional ovens.

Theo, who explained that an air fryer has a “time and a place” and is essentially a “little mini oven,” was challenged to make nutritious, low-calorie meals using the gadget.

He started by cooking a healthy alternative to a popular Chinese takeaway dish: sweet and sour chicken. Yet, the host pointed out that it wasn’t an “obvious” choice and asked if people were likely using their air fryers in this way.

Theo said: “No, and it’s a shame, I think, because, you know, air fryers…I think we’ve got this sort of notion, this sort of psychology behind it is, it’s, you know, frozen nuggets, it’s beige.”

When it was suggested by the host that the device’s name, incorporating the word ‘fry’, may not perhaps be representative of what it can do, Theo agreed before explaining that people can cook a number of healthier dishes using the appliance.

He responded: “No, you’re right, and I think what we’re trying to do is move away from that and show that, actually, you can cook so many wonderful dishes using fresh ingredients, healthy ingredients, in an air fryer, which almost in itself, is a healthy way to cook things.”

Despite the apparent cost-saving advantages of air fryers, financial guru and MoneySavingExpert creator Martin Lewis has previously said it’s not always less expensive to opt for the gadget over an oven.

He made the revelation on his BBC Martin Lewis Podcast, sharing with listeners how people should utilise his ‘rule of thumb’ to determine when they should use their air fryer.

Martin explained that an oven could hold more, meaning if you’re cooking a number of items simultaneously over a long time, it could work out cheaper than an air fryer.

It would also mean that the household appliance is technically only more cost-effective if you don’t need to fill your oven and you’re cooking single items.

He said: “So if you’ve got a turkey in there that may well be effective if you’re cooking lots of stuff in there and it’s on for a couple of hours.

“But if you’ve got something small and simple in there…. that’s where the microwave and also the air fryers tend to come into their own because they’re better at cooking single objects.”