You are correct, air fryers are trash. Thankfully, you can undo your mistake on the cheap. Countertop deep fryers are less expensive. (My first one was $30 USD before I realized "holy shit I'm good at this," and upgraded to a larger $65 unit.)
It's easily the second-best purchase I've ever made.
#1 is the OXO Mandolin (largely used for prepping French fries).