This woman thought she was getting a steal of a deal on an air fryer at Walmart. Unfortunately, only the “steal” part was right.
What is an air fryer?
Air fryers are easily the most lasting kitchen trend in the last several years. What some thought would be just another fad kitchen gadget that collected dust—like ice cream makers, egg cookers, fondue sets, and spiralizers—has become a staple in many households.
They were first marketed as a healthier alternative to frying, but many have found a use for them to reheat food (maintaining crispy textures in a way the microwave never could), bake, and roast.
Now, they’re also beloved for how much quicker and easier they are than an oven. Not to mention the easy cleanup and the compact size. Air fryers have a small cooking chamber and fan that quickly circulates hot air, leading to a fast cooking time.
Depending on the brand, size, and features an air fryer can run as low as about $40 and as high as $400.
Walmart air fryer gone wrong
One Walmart customer was excited to spot a family-sized, extra-large air fryer marked down to just $30. The original price tag was $55, so that’s nearly 50% off.
“The time I thought I was getting a good deal from Walmart,” Nicole White (@nicole_1815) said in the text overlay of the video.
The viral video has nearly 400,000 views and hundreds of comments as of Sunday morning.
White opened the top of the box in the store to make sure there was an air fryer in there. It looked fine. But when she took it home and opened it, White was met with an unfortunate surprise.
Not only was it not the same brand of fryer, but it was also clearly used and covered in a mixture of rust, food grime, and what appeared to be oven-cleaner foam.
“So gross,” White said.
@nicole_1815 #walmarthorrorfinds #walmartfinds #clearancefinds #foryou #foryoupage #fypシ゚viral #viral #trending #nasty ♬ Inspector Ratchet – Ty Simon
A common retail problem
Unfortunately, this is a common grift. Across industries, from tech to beauty, people buy items (usually expensive ones), and take them home. Then, they swap them out for fake or cheap versions and go back to the store for their refund.
That’s why many stores, like Target, Marshall’s, and Costco, have new return policies that require employees to examine the returned item properly before refunding the customer. In recent years, this has been especially problematic in women’s fashion stores, where people are unknowingly buying fake high-end handbags and perfumes.
Nicole seems to have put the situation behind her (or hopefully she got a refund) since there are no follow-up videos on her profile.
Commenters react
But commenters are livid on her behalf, and several shared their own experiences.
“They wrong for putting that back on the shelf,” the top comment read.
“I learned to check all appliances and electronics ever since I bought a microwave only to find out it was a old used one and Walmart didn’t want to exchange or return it,” a person recounted.
“I bought a JBL speaker cause it was on clearance and when I took it home it didn’t work so we charged it and still nothing only to find out it was full of sand and was damaged,” another shared.
The Daily Dot reached out to White for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Walmart via email.
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