What is the difference between an air fryer and an air fryer? Deep fryers of our time: a review of unusual deep fryers. User manual

Air fryer, fondue fryer
and just an expensive fryer

This review will focus on deep fryers. Devices for cooking in boiling oil were especially popular in our country about 15 years ago. Now we have the opportunity to talk not about a fashionable device, but about a utilitarian item for amateurs. Few people like French fries anymore; they are unhealthy and high in calories. This argument is convincing until someone places a large bowl of crispy slices sprinkled with salt on the table. Five minutes later the container turns out to be empty, and no one knows how it happened.

French fries are a convincing argument for children why now is the time to break away from the tablet and have dinner. Having younger family members is the most common reason for purchasing a deep fryer, judging by user comments. In the models we review, you can cook different dishes: meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. The device offers only a heat treatment method, the rest is the will and imagination of the owner. But with the types of processing, everything is not so simple: not all deep fryers are pans with a heating element under the bottom and the ability to adjust the temperature. Most are based on exactly this idea, but there are also air fryers. In these devices, products are prepared with a minimum amount of oil; heat treatment occurs with the help of hot air circulating inside the container.

For comparative testing We chose an air fryer, a classic deep fryer, and a device called a fondue fryer. Further in the review we talk in detail about each of the three models.

Air fryer Tefal FZ7000 ActiFry

Specifications

Equipment

• fryer
• power cable
• basket with handle
• removable stirrer locking lever
• removable stirrer
• measuring spoon
• instructions
• book of recipes

Instructions

The management communicates with the user very courteously, gives him friendly advice and has tables with useful information. For example, like this.

Actually, this table is the main thing that is required from the instructions of the model being tested. A recipe book is also included with the device; it tells in detail about the benefits of potatoes, provided they are correct processing and offers ways to add variety to an air fryer owner's daily routine. Recipes include subsections with dishes from vegetables, meat, sauces and desserts. Colored book, with beautiful pictures and well presented text. A nice optional bonus to the device.

Control

The device has two mechanical buttons that control its operation: power on and timer. The timer is set to a maximum of 99 minutes and scrolled by scrolling. After setting, the time on the scoreboard will begin to count down. When finished, the timer will emit a low beep. This does not stop the device from working; you will need to do this yourself. The device's power button starts heating and operation of the stirrer. The deep fryer can only be turned on with the lid closed. If you open the lid during cooking, the device stops working. When the lid is closed, the device turns on again.

Two buttons on the left and right under the lid, when pressed simultaneously, open the lid. The lid opens smoothly, without sudden movements, this allows you to protect yourself from being burned by the hot air circulating inside the fryer. The sliding lever on the handle of the basket is needed in order to unfold the handle and remove the inner container from the device. The stirrer arm and blade can be removed with a simple movement. The transparent part of the device cover has a lever button at the bottom, which also allows you to remove this structural part. Everything can be disassembled and assembled easily and intuitively. All parts of the appliance that get dirty during cooking can thus be removed and placed in the dishwasher.

Tefal FZ7000 ActiFry cooks food using hot air, like an air fryer. The flow is supplied through incandescent grilles, one of them is located in front of the basket, the air from it circulates around the container. The other is located on top of the basket and creates an “air cap”. Constant slow stirring allows the food to be processed evenly. The device first “dries” the food and then fries it. This allows you to cook practically without oil and get a crispy crust. Of course, the cooking time increases significantly: in a regular deep fryer in hot oil, frozen potatoes will be fried in 10 minutes, and meat in 4-7.

Cooking experience

Potato

For a classic experience, we took the most common product: frozen French fries. Slices with a side of about 8 mm, the instructions suggest cooking for 20 minutes. The table corresponding to the amount of oil for the prepared dish indicates that no oil is required for frozen French fries. As the authors of the reference material explain, this product is pre-fried in oil before freezing.

The recipe in the accompanying book differs from the table in opinions about the right amount oil: he suggests we add one scoop (14 ml of vegetable oil). As an experiment, we will try both cooking methods.

Without oil, the potatoes turn out very crispy after 20 minutes. Part of the focus group calls the resulting dish “a little dry.” Another part reports that it tastes like a very tasty real chip.

With butter, after 20 minutes the potatoes turn out to be the same rosy in appearance, but a little less crunchy. Part of the focus group that found the previous dish too dry was satisfied with the present result. The second part of the focus group agrees that with oil the taste is richer, “similar to real French fries.”

Meatballs

We chose this dish from the above table. It is suggested to cook 12 meatballs for 30 minutes. The diameter of the meat product is not indicated in the manual; we proceeded from the usual understanding of what this dish should look like. After placing the molded meat balls in the basket, we were convinced that 12 was indeed the right amount that would fit well in the fryer and allow the stirrer to spin. That is, less is possible, but more is no longer possible. It is suggested to prepare the dish with 1 scoop of vegetable oil. During cooking, the stirrer blade deforms the balls quite strongly, and by the time the device is turned off, the shape of the meatballs becomes arbitrary. This does not affect the taste, only the aesthetic perception ready-made dish. As for the taste, it is something between the juiciness and degree of frying between cooking meatballs in the oven and in a frying pan.

Caring for the device

All parts of the device that require thorough cleaning are removed: basket, lever and stirrer blade, cover. All removable parts, as stated directly in the instructions, can be washed in dishwasher. The body should be cleaned with a damp cloth soaked in water or soapy water, and then wiped dry. As a result, the device in terms of cleaning attracts a minimum everyday attention: cooked - disassembled - put in the dishwasher - took out, installed. We carry out the same procedure with most kitchen utensils. household appliances.

Conclusion

The model is not cheap, this is the first stopping factor. Large is the second factor, important, since the appliance in the kitchen is not a priority, which means comfortable places are most likely already occupied, and storage issues arise. The rest depends on why you need a deep fryer, and whether you need one at all. Tefal FZ 7000 ActiFry is a well-made device, easy to use and maintain, with a clear manual. This is not a deep fryer in the classical sense; cooking occurs not through rapid processing in boiling oil, but through prolonged blowing with hot air. Essentially, you get an air fryer with a stirrer that is convenient for preparing finely chopped foods.

When cooking with this appliance, you need to take into account in advance the time that the appliance will spend working. Still, cooking 12 meatballs for half an hour is a long time; in a frying pan it turns out twice as fast. Yes and appearance meat balls crushed by a stirrer may cause upset for devotees of beautiful presentation or Instagram.

But this method of cooking can really be called dietary: 14 milliliters of oil per basket is less than what is usually added to the frying pan. If you love French fries or anything fried and crispy, but want to stay on track to improve your diet, this device can be of help to you. It is also worth mentioning the option of having children who love everything harmful, and you want to feed them something that resembles real food.

pros

• Requires a minimum amount of oil (14 ml per kg of product)
• easy to use
• easy to care for

Minuses

• large dimensions
• The timer does not stop the operation of the device

AEG FFR 5551 - device for preparing deep-fried dishes and fondue

This model is already a real deep fryer in all its simplicity - a box, inside of which there is a bowl with non-stick coating. Oil is poured into the container, the device heats it to the desired temperature, after which the basket with the product is lowered inside.

The model is laconic in German: rectangular metal case, wire basket, lid with small viewing window. The control system consists of a rotary knob, around which there is a temperature symbol and light indicators for heating and operation.

AEG FFR 5551 is small in size, for which it is often praised in online reviews. As for fondue, the manufacturer means cooking the meat, skewered on forks, in boiling oil or fat. Special forks and a holder ring for fixing them are included in the kit.

Specifications

Equipment

• fryer
• power cable
• deep frying basket
• removable cover
• fondue ring and forks
• instructions

Instructions

The manual on gray paper is published in several languages, Russian at the very end. The instructions are so short that the point of referring to them is negligible. While reading the manual, the test group had the feeling that the brochure was communicating with readers reluctantly and through gritted teeth. But in fact, this is an unnecessary metaphor for a short, uninformative instruction for a device with one function.

Control

The device has one rotary knob on the front panel, around which there is a temperature scale from 80 to 190 °C. When the oil reaches the desired temperature, the heating indicator goes off. This means that food can be loaded into the appliance. Cook with the lid closed. In order to check the condition of the product, there is an inspection window. Unfortunately, it very quickly becomes covered with condensation, and it is difficult to see anything in it. Oil room temperature It heats up in 5-7 minutes depending on the selected mode, and cools down for quite a long time - the body of the device works like a thermos. This should be kept in mind if you decide to reduce the heat during cooking.

The fondue forks are comfortable, fit well into the ring, and are easy to put in and take out of the bowl.

The cover of the device is a separate part of it and is not attached to the panel in any way. This raises concerns about storing the appliance with oil inside. Little curious children getting into oil foreign objects and food - all this begins to bother the user with a good imagination.

Cooking experience

Potato

Before the first cycle of operation, the device must be warmed to room temperature. After installing the deep fryer, we traditionally wiped the inside of the bowl; the manual does not offer us any other preliminary care steps. The bowl has minimum and maximum marks; the oil level should be between them. The minimum is 1 liter, and by filling the oil to the required level, we get 1.2 liters indicated in the characteristics of the device.

Now you need to fill the basket with the product (in our case it’s the same frozen cut-up French fries) and turn on the heat. On the front surface of the device at the top there are pictures of types of food and their corresponding temperature regime and cooking time. At this point, the test team experienced their first difficulty: judging by the pictures, French fries need to be cooked at 170°C for 7-10 minutes, and frozen foods at 190°C for 7-17 minutes. The management did not resolve our doubts in any way, and we set the device to heat the oil to 190 °C.

The model completed this job in 6 minutes. We lowered the basket of potatoes into the bowl and closed the lid. Soon, based on the bubbling inside the fryer and the splashes of oil that boiled when the lid was lifted, we concluded that the temperature should be reduced.

And they were wrong, but this was explained to us only by the manual of the next model. The reason for this behavior of the oil was due to ice crystals on the surface of the potato bars.

In the future, when preparing, we followed not the pictures, but our own feelings.

The potatoes took 10 minutes to cook. After this time, it acquired a golden crust, some of the cubes began to quickly darken, overcooking. This air fryer does not have a method for stirring the food, so it may cook unevenly.

The wire basket has removable handle with a stopper that allows you to place a container above the inner bowl and drain excess oil. After cooking, the product can be salted and seasoned with spices and sauces. The dish tasted like classic French fries from restaurants fast food, which is not surprising.

Meat fondue

For our first experience, we bought beef tenderloin and pork entrecote. Heat the oil to 180°C, lower the forks with chopped pieces of meat (cubes with a side of about 3 cm), securing them in the recesses of a special ring. The name of the part is conditional, since the device is rectangular and the device for fixing the forks follows its shape. After the specified four minutes, we received sealed coal cubes, inside of which was hidden a little cooked meat. We cooked the next batch for 2 minutes, and the last one for one and a half minutes. We did not consider any of the options successful, but the last one (1.5 minutes at 180 °C) contained much more meat than coals. Pork prepared this way is easier to chew than beef, as in many other comparisons between these types of meat.

For the second experiment we took chicken fillet and held it for 1.5 minutes. We considered the resulting dish more worthy than the result of the experiment with red meat. This, unlike French fries, is a food for everyone. Our focus group demonstrated polite indifference towards meat fondue, slightly disguised by gastronomic curiosity.

Caring for the device

This is a sore spot for the model. The inner bowl for oil is non-removable. There are no convenient ways to wash it. On the upper horizontal surface of the device there is a groove for draining the oil - in this way it is supposed to be filtered and disposed of. When draining, there is a possibility of oil getting between the bowl and the body and on the walls of the device. If the latter can be dealt with using mechanical cleaning (although this is an unpleasant task), then nothing can be done with the former. Oil that gets on the heating element will smoke until it burns out completely.

It is recommended to wipe the inner bowl with a damp cloth and mild detergents. We first removed the remaining oil paper towels, then wiped the bowl with wet wipes. After this, the inner container began to look clean and we finally wiped it with a damp cloth.

It is also not easy to clean the body of the device from frozen oil stains. We used a rag soaked in alcohol and wet wipes. After this, you need to wipe the case dry with a soft, dry cloth to remove stains.

To summarize this part of testing the device: caring for the AEG FFR 5551 turned out to be a task reminiscent of a household feat.

Conclusion

It's just a deep fryer. It is inexpensive, compact and well made. It has a metal body. It adequately performs its main function and can prepare meat fondue. Essentially, this is a pan with a lower heating element and the ability to adjust temperature conditions within a given range.

Caring for this product raises big questions. The inability to remove the inner bowl makes this task long, unpleasant and tedious. It is quite difficult to come to terms with this fact in the era of smart technology.

pros

• low price
• small size
• metal case

Minuses

• non-removable inner bowl
• non-locking cover

DeLonghi RotoFry F28533

This model is just a deep fryer, without additional functions or uses. Despite the simple appearance (white plastic, rounded corners), the device looks stylish, like most products from this manufacturer. The dimensions of the device are as noticeable as those of the Tefal ActiFry, so the same questions arise about the placement of the device in everyday life.

DeLonghi RotoFry F28533 is one of the most expensive deep fryers, so there are practically no reviews about it in the Russian segment of the Internet. For our considerable money we get a thoughtful design, high-quality assembly, pleasant appearance and the DeLonghi brand.

The inside of the deep fryer looks unusual: an inclined bowl into which a basket is installed that rotates during cooking. This manufacturer-patented design reportedly cuts oil consumption by nearly half and allows food to cook evenly.

Specifications

Equipment

• fryer
• power cable
• wire basket
• instructions

Instructions

The brochure on gray paper includes a manual in several languages. The text is dense and total number information, and the degree of its usefulness for the user. In addition to step-by-step navigation for operating the device, the instructions include good advice for proper frying and a table of the relationship between the type of product, processing parameters and the amount recommended for frying in grams.

The manual in Russian takes 4.5 pages. The text is not laid out in the most convenient way for perception - tightly, in two continuous columns. The level of presentation and translation is very pleasant: all sections of the instructions are presented clearly, kindly and to the point.

Control

The device, connected to the network, is started by a rotary knob, with which you need to select the desired temperature mode. Around the handle there is a scale from 150 to 190 °C. The rotary knob is located on the left side of the front panel; there is also a heating indicator light and a button to open the lid. On the right side of the panel there is a timer, a mechanical button that scrolls through the time on the display in steps of a minute. At the end of the specified interval, a sound signal sounds. The timer does not disable the operation of the device and is not a software part of it. This is a separate, simple device with its own batteries, built into the body of the fryer.

All buttons, knobs and levers move easily, operate smoothly and respond quickly. In addition to the described control elements of the device, there is also a lever button that folds the basket handle. The cover is removed by moving it backwards and upwards at the same time - you need to get used to this method of interaction. The Delonghi RotoFry F 28533 has thoughtful storage for the cord: it folds like an accordion and is fixed under the bottom panel of the device.

This model heats oil at room temperature to 190 °C in 6.5 minutes. The average cooking time for the product is 10 minutes. The basket is fixed in two positions: above the oil level and at the bottom of the bowl. In the lower position, when the operating cycle is running, the basket will rotate. The bowl is tilted so that at any given time only part of the product is covered with hot oil.

The manufacturer reports on its website that this design allows you to save up to 50% oil. We can neither confirm nor deny this information; we have a particularly short experience of using the device. Rotate the basket, adds Official page Delonghi ensures uniform cooking of food. Our experiments confirmed this part of the statement. According to the subjective opinion of the test team, it is the uniformity of the prepared dish, obtained due to the rotation of the basket, that is the main “trick” of the DeLonghi RotoFry F28533.

Cooking experience

Before turning it on for the first time, according to the instructions, we washed the basket, bowl and lid with warm water and detergent. The lid contains a foam odor filter, which must first be removed.

Potato

First of all, we traditionally prepared French fries from frozen semi-finished product. The instructions require cooking in 1.2 liters of oil or using 1 kg of fat. We took refined corn oil for testing.

While the fryer is heating up, measure out 180g of potatoes and place them in a basket. The manual says that it is best to distribute the product evenly further from the center of the basket - there is a hole where the basket hooks onto the twisting element in the center of the bowl. The instructions also warn us not to overload the basket, especially if it contains frozen food, otherwise the temperature of the oil will drop sharply.

Cooking occurs with the lid closed. While the oil is heating, the basket should be positioned inside the fryer in the up position (not touching the oil). After the indicator goes out, you need to very slowly lower the basket with its contents into the oil and lock the handle in the lower position. The cooking process is supposed to be monitored through the viewing window in the lid. In fact, as in the case of the AEG FFR 5551, the inside of the cover quickly and abundantly becomes covered with condensation, which makes observation very difficult.

We took the temperature and cooking time from the table in the instructions. At 190 °C, the fries were cooked by rotating in a basket inside the boiling oil for 8 minutes. We started the timer, opened the lid after the beep, made sure the dish was ready, locked the basket in the upper position and let the oil drain. Then put the finished potatoes on a dish and add salt. We can confirm from our own experience that the slow rotation of the basket really gives the chopped product even cooking: all the pieces looked almost the same. The focus group reported that it tasted "perfect, better than fast food."

Shrimps

For the experiment, we took frozen shrimp, especially since we still couldn’t find any others. The manual has a separate table for frozen foods (we also used it in the previous experiment), which, in addition to time and temperature, indicates optimal quantity product. After checking the instructions, we placed 300 g of shrimp in a basket and heated the oil to 190 °C. Cooking times for this product range from 4-6 minutes.

After 4 minutes the shrimp were a bit tough. After 6, they were clearly fried, but when chewing they still slightly resembled rubber balls. We divided the portion and let half the shrimp sit for another minute. At the end of this time, the food in the basket acquired a dangerously brown crust, but this did not make it any tastier. It is quite acceptable to assume that the problem is not in the operation of the device, but in the original state of the product. The chances of purchasing sea reptiles in our stores that have been properly frozen, stored, transported and never thawed are slim. We were just unlucky.

Caring for the device

Maintenance activities consist of cleaning the parts of the fryer and removing food residues from the oil. The first part looks quite simple: the bowl, basket and part of the lid are removable, these parts can be processed in the dishwasher. It is recommended to wipe the case with a damp cloth. We clean the outside of the device with damp wipes, then wipe it with a dry, clean microfiber cloth.

You can cook in the same oil (bringing its quantity to the desired level, but not completely changing it) 8-10 times. The quantity is arbitrary and depends on the frequency of use of the device, type of products, and storage conditions. The instructions advise filtering the oil after each fryer operation cycle. To do this, as the manual says, you need to purchase special filters.

The process looks like this: wait for the oil to cool, remove the bowl, carefully drain the oil into a clean container, clean and install the bowl. Then fix the basket upside down in the upper position and place the oil filter on it. Carefully and slowly pour the oil through the filter into the bowl and store with the lid tightly closed. The instructions recommend storing oil for frying fish products in a separate container and thoroughly cleaning the device after cooking. It is recommended to replace the odor filter every 10-15 preparations. Replacement filters must be purchased separately.

Conclusion

DeLonghi RotoFry F28533 is an expensive item for its product niche. For this money, those who really want to have a good deep fryer at home will buy a device with one function that is not the most necessary in the household. Of course, if we're talking about about a conscious decision rather than an impulse purchase. In addition, the device causes a certain amount of household troubles and expenses: oil filtration, oil refilling, filter changing. For this you get stylish model, whose developers thought about the ease of use of the device and invented an elegant way to fry food evenly.

The harmony of the manufacturer’s presentation of the model is admirable: we have made an expensive, designer-thought-out fryer that will save you cheap vegetable oil. Quite a meaningful statement if the device turns out to be durable.

pros

• rotating basket
• high-quality design of the device, ensuring ease of use
• There is a removable filter to catch odors

Minuses

• high price
• The timer does not turn off the device
• The viewing window becomes covered with condensation during cooking.

General conclusions

The deep fryer has a narrow and specific purpose. This is a device that people think about purchasing only after acquiring it. standard set kitchen appliances, after a juicer, coffee grinder and electric shredder for vegetables. A deep fryer will not simplify your household chores and will not make you a different person. It simply makes it possible to quickly prepare food in large quantities boiling oil - that is, it will diversify your menu. Buying a deep fryer makes sense if you really love this method of heat treatment and are ready to master it at home. Or perhaps if you are the owner of a tiny fast food cafe.

The previous passage concerns the last two models described - devices for classic way cooking deep-fried foods.

AEG FFR 5551 compact, cheap and minimalistic. It is easier for her than the other two test subjects to find a place in the kitchen. Price and build quality decide almost everything - but the impression of use is greatly spoiled by the cleaning process. Inability to clean the bowl from oil under running water or in the dishwasher causes a complex set of sensations. For example, the desire to look for a model that is similar in cost and characteristics with a removable bowl and a hermetically sealed lid.

DeLonghi RotoFry F28533- a model for connoisseurs. If deep frying is an important part of your life, and it's a part you want to spend in comfort, then you'll probably consider purchasing this appliance. Convenient controls, two reliable ways to attach the basket, a patented rotation system, an odor-catching filter - all these factors create pleasant feeling that someone cares about us. Although, according to by and large, for deep-frying you only need a vat of boiling oil and a convenient sieve. But it will not rotate slowly, ensuring even cooking.

An air fryer is a completely different story. This is a device with the same name, but a completely different principle of food processing. Potatoes are not fried in boiling oil, but are blown with hot air for a long time, gradually turning golden and becoming crispy. This cooking method is considered healthier. At a minimum, it is obviously less caloric.

Count Tefal FZ7000 ActiFry With a deep fryer, you can also call the resulting dish french fries. Especially if you want to serve this treat to household members who, as you think, love fast food too much. And to put it bluntly, this is an air frying pan with a stirrer. Not very roomy, without a choice of modes and airflow levels. But in this device you can fry without oil, the air fryer will stir everything itself, and the food will not burn. The money they ask for is not the smallest, but it’s not for nothing. Pretend that you eat fried and fatty food like other people, but in reality secretly lead healthy image of life is a game that is worth buying an air fryer.

So what's the bottom line? If you want to buy a classic deep fryer, you should check first:

• does it have a removable oil bowl?
• what kind of coating is on it;
• how the product is supposed to be cared for;
• how is oil supposed to be stored between operating cycles;
• how the lid is fixed and whether it is removable;
• how the basket is fixed;
• how much oil is needed to operate the device;
• what is the capacity of the basket?

The last two points, however, differ little from manufacturer to manufacturer, as does the temperature range.

And if you want something “like that,” then we showed you a couple of options.

Advantages: Tasty food

Flaws: -

There are probably almost no kitchen utensils and appliances left that I don’t have in my kitchen. My choice this time is steam on the air fryer. Who doesn't love french fries or crispy chicken? At the same time, using almost no oil and knowing what and how you cook.

In addition, practically healthy food. :)

So, an air fryer is a kitchen appliance for cooking crispy French fries, mushrooms, cheese balls, etc. On this moment I know of only two manufacturers of this product: Philips and Tefal. I will talk about the first one, since I use deep fryer from this particular company. I think that in the near future the market for this product will expand if such a device gains popularity. It is quite small, the size of an average multicooker. Although, you can find less. Focus on your preferences and storage space. Accordingly, the price will depend on the size and functions of the air fryer. The only thing to add. If you take a small air fryer, there will hardly be enough food for a large family. In the sense that you will have to run it several times. But I think it’s not scary, since it heats up and cooks quickly (at times faster than oven and grill), and it’s very easy to clean. It has a tray that can be pulled out and washed with regular detergent. Or in the dishwasher (I tried this option, nothing bad happened). However, it may be difficult to wash the basket mesh. Washing it is difficult and annoying.

You can cook everything in it as in a regular oven. Only the food turns out juicier and tastes better. If the oven dries out the same chicken, then this will not happen in deep frying. The main thing is to follow the instructions. You can find recipes on the Internet. But here is an approximate list of who can be cooked using this technique:

Country style potatoes

French fries

Baked potato

Grilled tuna

Potato meatballs

Fish and meat meatballs

Meatballs

Cheese balls

Sausages in dough

Baked shrimp

BBQ chicken legs

Baked chicken wings

Nuggets

Once again, I repeat that this list is very approximate; this is not everything that an air fryer can be used for.

At the same time, food is cooked almost without oil, which makes it almost harmless (for those watching their waistline), but at the same time crispy.

Cooking food in an air fryer occurs due to the circulation of hot air. For example, in the Philips 9220, food is placed in a special tray, above which a heating grate is installed. A temperature-resistant fan is installed just above the incandescent grille, which inflates hot air. Essentially, the food is first dried and then fried with hot air.

Thus, the basic design of an air fryer is very similar to that of an air fryer.

In order to make a choice between these two similar kitchen appliances, an air fryer and an air fryer, you need to decide what you want to get in the end. If you often cook French fries, then your choice is an air fryer, although it is quite suitable for cooking any food that you have previously fried. The only limitation is volume.

Video review

Air fryer

How to Make Chips in an Air Fryer

Crispy Chicken Legs in the Tefal Actifry 2 in 1 Air Fryer

How to Cook French Fries Crispy Chips in the Tefal Actifry 2 in 1 Air Fryer

Chicken skewers in the GEMLUX air fryer

New, almost space technology today they have come to all spheres of life modern man, including in the kitchen. Among the latest innovations is the air fryer. This device is able to please everyone, even avid adherents of proper, healthy eating. The current popular belief that food fried in oil is unhealthy, modern kitchen appliances can be easily changed.

Allows you to cook almost any food with virtually no oil. With its help, such favorite dishes as french fries can be prepared in such a way that it retains “that same taste”, but at the same time it is healthy. Especially when it comes to aero technology.

How does an air fryer work without oil?

It is, in fact, an ordinary pan in which potatoes generously doused with vegetable oil are fried. To make it tasty and nutritious, you may need 2 or 2.5 liters of oil. Besides that healthy food It’s hard to call it, often even avid fans won’t be able to cook French fries this way. After each frying, such old fryers need to be carefully cleaned, and this is a rather labor-intensive and tedious process.

Today, the time of such kitchen electrical appliances is coming to an end, if it hasn’t already. Has replaced new technology, which allows you to achieve traditional taste using the most. For a kilogram of potatoes you now need not 2 liters, but a tablespoon of sunflower oil.

Often the question “what is an air fryer” is asked by housewives who are accustomed to the fact that it is impossible to cook French fries at home “like at McDonald’s” and for this they need. However, it is not. The operating principle of today's air fryer is similar to the traditional one, but it has its own differences. As in outdated models, products here are placed on a special grid basket. But there is no capacity for liters in the new models. Now, in order to get full-fledged French fries, 10-15 grams of oil per kilogram of product is enough. Subject to the right conditions: temperature and cooking time (they are regulated as simply as in a microwave), the food will turn out tasty and healthy.

Culinary experts recommend operating temperature from 80 to 200 degrees for no more than 30 minutes. A fan operates inside the device, forcing hot air to blow on the food being cooked from all sides, frying it evenly. Hence the name of the deep fryer with the prefix “aero”. In devices operating on the principle of an air fryer, the food being prepared is additionally browned by a grill located above the grill basket.

Not just French fries

Naturally, modern kitchen appliances can cook a wide variety of foods. Without harmful amounts of oil, any fish, meat, poultry and vegetables can be easily processed. With a certain level of experience, you can even cook desserts.

Thus, the list of only the most popular recipes among fans of aero technology includes up to 20 positions. And this is not only potatoes baked with chicken or meat. Experienced chefs use an air fryer to prepare chips or bake cheesecakes for themselves and their families. stuffed pepper. There is even a recipe for julienne of vegetables and sausages. There are also recipes such as:

• Chicken breasts in bacon,
• Meatballs,
• Dumplings in gravy,
• Shrimp with squid,
• Curd and yoghurt muffins,
• Puff pastries with brisket and cheese.

This is possible due to the fact that everything modern models This technique allows you to cook several products at the same time - in different sections total capacity fryers. You just need to remember that the cooking times for different products must coincide.

Which model should you choose?

The most popular model for today - . Thanks to Rapid Air technology, it allows you to cook without any oil, which is important for those who care about their health. In addition, such kitchen appliances makes it especially convenient to cook from semi-finished products. Plus built into the model air filter does not allow odors and steam to escape from the device.

As for the pros and cons different models, then the main disadvantage is the rather high price. On the other hand, the air fryer can be used not only in traditional cuisine, but also at the dacha or when visiting, if you plan to have a richly laid table.

Sometimes owners complain that such equipment is noisy, but agree that the pros outweigh the cons.

How to cook French fries? There are many known methods, especially for those who are not averse to using frozen semi-finished fries, which can be cooked in the oven, in a frying pan, in a convection oven, in microwave oven. True, nutritionists are horrified by these methods.

Therefore, it is better to use a special new product on the market - a deep fryer, and stay with your favorite figurine (and at the same time your health!) - best friends. The choice of such equipment, however, is not too large yet, but the range is increasing all the time.

Text: Galina Sizikova.

And eat potatoes, and can’t eat enough sides

Almost everyone knows what a deep fryer is. This is a pan into which a lot of sunflower oil is poured, at least a liter or one and a half, and in some models it is required to use 2.5 liters of oil.

And according to all the rules of culinary art, the oil must be changed after the first use, otherwise each subsequent portion of potatoes becomes more harmful than the previous one.

And then this container and the fryer lid have to be washed, and even a dishwasher can hardly cope with such stains.

In general, having experienced its boom at the beginning of the century, electric fryers have almost everywhere taken their place in pantries and on balconies and are rarely used by anyone for their intended purpose.

But today we are striving for the impossible: we can’t eat enough potatoes and we can’t get enough of the sides. The new generation technology was created specifically for this. There is no large container for oil at all!

Dishes are prepared either completely without fat or with a minimum amount of it: 1 spoon (14 g) per kilogram of potatoes.

It's all about the principle

Tefal was the first to offer healthy French fries to its customers by introducing a low-calorie multicooker to the market. TEFAL ActiFry FZ 7000(it is often called a deep fryer, but the manufacturer believes that in its own way functionality, this is a multicooker - approx. ed.).

It works like this: a special stirrer is installed in the center of a round container. Then chopped potatoes are placed there, you can pour one spoon of oil on it. The lid is closed and the power button is pressed.

The potatoes are placed in a closed space, where they are surrounded on all sides by hot air. At the same time, the stirrer does not allow the potatoes to lie still, due to which they turn out fried on all sides.

Naturally, there is also a timer that allows you to control the process. When the set time has elapsed, a beep sounds.

Taste of potatoes: let's crunch them like McDonald's?

If you want to get the same product from fresh potatoes at home as at McDonald's, you may be disappointed with the result. You will have to try more than once or twice before you get a taste that completely satisfies you.

The thing is that in cafes and restaurants, French fries are prepared from special semi-finished products. First, at the factory, the chopped potatoes are blanched, after which they are dipped into hot oil for 2-3 seconds, which causes a light fried crust to form on the still raw vegetable.

This product is immediately frozen and sent to restaurants. During further cooking in a restaurant, the oil cannot get inside through the crust. This is how the result is achieved, in which a slice of potato, soft at the core, is covered with a browned crust on top.

Therefore, some gourmets suggest preparing fries at home in two steps: first fry the potatoes for 10 minutes, then let them cool or even freeze them for future preparation. After the potatoes have cooled, they need to be fried again until cooked.

Is pepper not good for potatoes? What about goat cheese?

Let us draw your attention once again to the fact that in the devices we have described, you can prepare a wide variety of dishes, such as stuffed peppers with goat cheese, fried shrimp, fruit desserts, etc.

In general, this technique will not stand idle in the kitchen of a creative housewife, even if no one eats potatoes in this house.

And the main thing is that there will be fat in all these dishes minimal amount: After all, you don’t have to add oil at all.

French fries recipes

Do you like fast food: French fries, chicken nuggets, fried wings? It's no secret that these products are very harmful, carcinogenic, cause obesity, oncological diseases etc. And all this is “thanks to” the product on which it all is fried: vegetable oil. Its calorie content is 900 kcal per 100 g. This is 1/3 of the daily requirement of the adult human body! Not to mention that when frying, vegetable oil releases substances harmful to health: acrylamide, acrolein, free radicals and polymers fatty acids, heterocyclic amines, etc. How much oil will you eat with a portion of fries and wings - 100, 150 g?

Now imagine that everything you love so much can be prepared without any oil, frying pan, or deep fryer oven, and with a minimum of effort and time! You can not? So I couldn’t do it before.

And then I came across this multi-oven on AliExpress (Tmall), which combines all the advantages of an air fryer, deep fryer and convection oven: Air fryer ZAF-900 .

Tmall – This trading platform, owned by Alibaba Group, which also owns the online marketplace AliExpress. For the Russian consumer, they differ, in short, in that warehouses Tmall are located in Russia (for AliExpress - in China), and all products in this giant store are quality tested and have a certificate of Eurasian conformity EAC.

Thanks to this air fryer, your favorite dishes will become not only tasty, but also healthy. Guys, this is really cool stuff. As an experienced amateur cook, I was amazed at how simple cooking can be. The people who invented this multi-oven deserve a monument!

Unique innovative technology allows you to fry, bake vegetables, meat and fish, or prepare baked goods with just one spoon of oil or without it at all: frying in an air fryer occurs with a stream of hot air, which is created by a powerful heating element and circulates under the influence of a fan, which ensures uniform frying of products on each side, and forms a golden crispy crust on the outside. Prepare delicious dishes with a delicious crispy crust it became so easy!

A healthy alternative to the deep fryer - for those who are concerned about proper nutrition, but love to eat delicious food. Air fryer ZAF-900 is a real find! Allows you to cook healthy, crispy French fries without excess fat and calories!

Dear readers! This is not an advertisement! Coming soon on your channel YouTube I'll show you how it works and what it can do. And of course I will share with you many recipes.

Even the food tasted different! More natural. As a lover of fried potatoes with almost forty years of experience, they now seem not tasty to me.

You can bake potatoes, apples, meat, fish, vegetables, and bake muffins in it. No oven can cook the product so quickly.

Its cost is comparable to the average cost of a microwave - 4800 rubles and with an official Russian guarantee. Its appearance on the market is comparable to the appearance of multicookers in its time!

I will give it below specifications, taken from the manufacturer’s official website:

Rated voltage 220-240V, 50/60 Hz
dimensions 27×34.5×32.5 cm
Cord length 1.2 m
Weight 4.35 kg
Power, W 1300

Volume, l 2.6

Electronic control

LED display, touch

Timer 60 minutes

Cooking temperature, °C 80-200

Black color

Housing material: high-strength plastic

Removable bowl material: steel

There is a non-stick coating on the bowl

There are rubberized feet

Warranty, 1 year

Country of origin China

You won’t be able to buy this device in Russia for that price. The price starts at 6900 rubles, which is 2000 more expensive. So the choice is yours. But if you buy it, you definitely won’t regret it.

Bon appetit! Don't forget to subscribe to YouTube channel: Men's Recipe . There you will find a lot interesting recipes, and soon reviews of useful things. Also recipes for cooking in this Air Fryer.