The advantages and disadvantages of owning a T-Fal ActiFry

T-Fal ActiFry® is a counter unit, whose main objective is, those who cook the traditional foods low in fat like so boldly. Its biggest advantage is the possibility to make homemade, low fat chips with only one spoonful of oil. It has a capacity of 2.2 pounds, with a nonstick interior. It is essentially a table of the furnace, which uses a rotary blade to constantly stir the food after cooking. Imagine how a convection Sofrito not require hands, shaking and turning food. You may have seen this device in the "Dr. Oz" popular TV show.

Plus:

• Although we do not know exactly how your fries fast food ones, is not really very good crispy chips with minimal oil. Make sure that raw potatoes washed and completely dry (as described in the product brochure), or you are using a soft result at the end.

• It is clear that other food is good with their movement sprang content work, such as vegetables, shrimp, pork, chicken and meat. Should be cut as if it were a traditional blow into cubes or strips.

• No need to preheat. Keeps freshness of the kitchen and consumes less energy than the oven.

• The parts are easily removed for cleaning and dishwasher. Shops including measuring spoons in the machine.

• The lid is clear so you can see the food while cooking.

• Stop at any time to foods that require less cooking time and add spices to add.

• it has a timer 99 minutes, although most cook in less than 30 minutes.

• The exterior of the machine remains cool to the touch when running, a safety feature. However, the cover can be very hot.

• The base of the cup is coated with a nonstick ceramic surface. No PTFE or PFOA.

• A booklet with 35 recipes recipes and basic cooking instructions for creating your own concoctions.

• The frozen chips do not need extra oil as they were pre-cooked. Most products like chicken nuggets, and can also be prepared in the machine.

Cons:

• It is expensive. The suggested retail price of $ 249, you will definitely want to use it for more chips!

• range of food, the good roast usually in a stirring limited. Soft foods can bend and crashed through the rotating blades.

• There is a bit of a learning curve in the cooking times of different foods. If the weather is good, you'll end up with overcooked food, some just and some raw. Timing is everything.

• With the exception of the fries, most meals need a sharp eye and care planning. It's not like a stew that you can set and forget.

• Everything is easy to clean, as promised, with the exception of the palette, you will little effort. If you use sauces with sugar in them, you can almost forget completely clean. (This does not affect the functionality.)

• The machine has a countdown timer and beeps when the time has expired. However, the device is not switched off. The audio signal is not very strong, so special attention.

• Only use a small amount of liquid. Again, this is not a soup or casserole pan.

• The product measures 16.7 13.6 9.4 inches and weighs 8.9 pounds. Plan ahead to take advantage of counter space and storage space.

• If you make a dish machine, plan for two adults to use portions. Just do not hold enough for a main dish to feed a family of 4.

• The machine has a unique set temperature: 338 F. is on or off.

• Small batches of food are not good. The food is shaken only by the pallet, rather than cook on all sides.

• Some foods are put in a rule to stay, which can cause burning and smoking. Do not let the appliance unattended.

• Do not use with fresh battered or breaded foods. The coating is clear.

• The risotto recipe in the book was a total failure during my tests.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for a machine to make low-fat and fried chips, ActiFry delivered as promised, but at a high price. The fries are tasty, but not very different from the traditional baked potatoes. The range eliminates the need to return the food, but you should always keep a watchful eye on the machine while it is running. One of the biggest drawbacks is the timer, the machine will not turn off when the countdown. I see this as a threat to security.

In general, the ActiFry does not work as advertised to work for French fries and fried potatoes. It's not a deep fryer. It is more of a hot air oven. I think it's too expensive for its functionality.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.