A new air fryer owner in the UK has been left thoroughly unsettled after a visiting friend identified an unexpected and, for them, unnerving design feature on their recently purchased appliance.
The Unseen 'Face' in the Kitchen
The individual, a recent convert to the popular kitchen gadget, took to an online forum to share their experience. They explained they had 'finally bit the bullet and bought an air fryer', specifically a Tower Vortx 3.8L model, which typically retails for around GBP 68.55. Initially delighted, they praised it as 'genuinely one of the best things I have ever added to the kitchen.'
Their satisfaction was short-lived. 'A friend came over yesterday, looked at it, and said it looked like "a manic little face staring at you with crazy eyes and a smug grin,"' the poster recounted. From that moment on, they could not unsee the accidental visage formed by the appliance's dials and basket handle.
The psychological impact was significant enough for the home cook to consider getting rid of the device. 'I'm actually considering returning it or selling it because it keeps freaking me out,' they admitted, noting its 'stare' from across the room.
Online Reaction: From Robots to Googly Eyes
The post quickly attracted thousands of comments, with most users immediately agreeing they could see the face. Many were baffled the owner had missed it, with one asking, 'How'd you not see the face?' Others playfully suggested the appliance was merely enthusiastic, commenting, 'He's just excited to be here, he wants to help cook.'
A strong theme in the responses was comparing the air fryer's appearance to famous animated characters. The most frequent comparison was to Rodney Copperbottom from the 2005 film 'Robots', while others mentioned Wall-E and even SpongeBob SquarePants.
Rather than endorsing a return, a large number of commenters encouraged the owner to 'lean into' the design quirk. Creative suggestions included adding googly eyes or sticker pupils to the dials to make it look friendlier, or even using the handle as a 'soul patch' goatee. The original poster seemed amused by this idea, agreeing it was 'something I can get behind.'
The Psychology of Pareidolia
Several scientifically-minded respondents identified the experience as a classic case of pareidolia. This is the common psychological phenomenon where the brain perceives a familiar pattern, such as a face, in random or ambiguous stimuli.
Face pareidolia is the most frequent form, explaining why people see faces in clouds, rock formations, or, as in this instance, the front of a kitchen appliance. Our brains are hardwired to quickly identify faces and social cues, sometimes triggering a response where none was intentionally designed.
As one commenter succinctly put it, 'Pareidolia comes for us all.' Another self-described 'pareidoliac' shared that they see faces all over their house and simply choose to have fun with it.
While the future of the specific air fryer remains uncertain, the incident highlights how product design can unintentionally influence user experience. For most, however, the prevailing advice was pragmatic: if the appliance works well, a perceived face shouldn't warrant its dismissal. As one user noted, considering it a flaw rather than a feature was, to them, 'crazy.'
