This post inspired me to drag my Galloping Gourmet Convection Oven, Sam's Club circa 1983, up from the basement and have another go at air frying. It's sitting on the counter; I'm otherwise involved with drywall work and living on fast food. (FYI, the 'Power Bowls' (steak) from Taco Bell are darned good and the Arby's 2/ $5 fish sandwiches aren't half bad. I never really gave the convection oven a chance; I did try air frying chicken and wasn't happy with the results but I was (in hindsight) trying to do a 'Southern Fried Chicken' with too heavy of a buttermilk batter. Will give it another go trying a much lighter breading. Just wish that I still had an oil mister. Per Lars suggestion, will try it with some frozen breaded okra that I snagged at Woodman's last week. But I need to modify the rack so the okra doesn't fall thru. That will be week after next. DS is in Ireland & I'm trying to get a lot accomplished in his quarters while he is OOTC.

@Fun2BHere - Thank you! How long does it take for your CMW to get to cooking temperature? I think that is my big question. The toaster oven and air fryer being small appliances are almost instantaneous, so you're just dealing with the cooking time not preheat time. Does the CMW preheat fast enough to be "convenient"? Last night it was just the kids and me, so I pulled out the air fryer and cooked some frozen hamburger patties, it was 14 minutes from the time I decided to cook them to eating. No idea how long they'd take in the oven, I've only cooked fresh homemade (much thicker) burgers in that and they take at least 25 minutes after the oven preheats which I'd be lucky to have happen in 14 minutes. @plllog true, you know I never have tried pizza in my Air Fryer, it would probably work fine. I'll try it next time! I keep it in the pantry so it needs pulled out to use, and its round, which I find awkward for things. It was a gift and quite nice but not what I would have chosen. I am trying to get the toaster oven off the counter, but it would also be nice to open space in my pantry too and if I decide the CMW won't work this is the best alternative suggestion. @User thank you for the suggestion! I'll look into those and check out their sizes. In my search I have been leaning towards models that have racks inside. I feel like being able to have food suspended probably helps cook it better.

First knobs in front or back is usually the difference between a slide in range VS a free standing range. There are some differences you can search here or on Google to see those differences. I am not a double oven fan in a range style unit. I prefer one large oven so large items are not an issue. It has already been pointed out that convection and air fry are one in the same. You just need to get a large basket rack to place your food on. You can usually order one from the manufacturer of whichever unit you decide on. Don't forget the drip pan. $1300 will get you a smooth top radiant electric with a single oven no problem. You can even probably find a convection unit in that price range. Choosing a model with convection and double ovens will probably put you outside your budget. Going induction will blow that budget, but it is a wonderful way to cook IMO. If you can afford more, then I would research the technology before you decide. Just to be fair I did not look up any ranges or prices.

I don't have an air fryer, but I am a vegetarian and have run across a few recipes that caught my eye and made me wish I had an air fryer to try out. I like a lot of the Love & Lemon recipes and have had good luck with most of them. Obviously since I don't have an air fryer I can't actually tell you if these are great, but they look yummy. https://www.loveandlemons.com/air-fryer-eggplant/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/air-fryer-cauliflower/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/air-fryer-zucchini-chips/