Zander's Inside Voice

As I stated the other day, I am in a season of life where all I seem to do is change batteries and light bulbs. After this week’s microwave bulb adventure, I had a realization that perhaps I could replace the air fryer light bulb that has been dead for FOREVER. Like before I ever moved here! While searching for the bulb to go under the microwave, it appeared that the bulb I needed for the microwave might also be the same type that would work in the air fryer.

Guess what?

IT IS NOT! This is part of my light bulb season life story. IT IS NEVER THE SAME BULB! And you can never buy just one of a type of a bulb. So I always have random extra bulbs of every type.

Last Thursday, with tools in hand, I removed the TWENTY-ONE screws from the back of the air fryer. Once I had it opened up, I saw a suspect area on the left side that looked like a probable location for the dead bulb. But it was obviously a hassle to get into it. So I searched all over the back for a better, much easier-to-access light bulb spot. It was not there and I was forced back to this inconvenient spot.

After removing the metal part, I found the reason the light bulb died. It wasn’t screwed in properly. Duh. But guess what? I couldn’t unscrew it because the metal part was too narrow. I did some swearing and set about freeing the light bulb receptacle from its metal confines. I did some additional swearing at this point, but also because it was a different kind of bulb from the microwave bulb.

30 minutes later, I had the bulb out, the metal casing back on the receptacle and I was packing up the now 25 screws, dead bulb, and tools. I located the right bulb and ordered it for shipping the following day.

It arrived on time and that evening, I was able to have Girl use her tiny fingers to ensure that it was screwed in properly, NOT crooked like before. I was blown away when we tested it and it DID NOT work. More swearing. And a declaration that this was it for the light bulb. There was nothing more that I could do for the air fryer.

Somehow my wife magically figured out the stupid requirements for the light to actually come on like powered on, door closed, button pushed twice, etc etc etc, and then there was light! I then declared that I knew I could do it and the 25 screws were no big deal.