I love preparing tasty and preferably healthy food and kitchen equipment that can help me with that. After 8 years of using the airfryer of another brand almost daily, I was now allowed to try out the latest airfryer from Philips (HD9860) for a few weeks and it has become an indispensable part of our daily life. From breakfast to evening meal and something savory/tasty in between; the air fryer helps us with that. I always thought these hot air devices were a healthier replacement for the deep fryer, but the air fryer can do so much more!
The airfryer replaces our powerful quality oven and combi microwave for 99%, the only reason to still use it for very large dishes, so capacity. If you are wondering what you can prepare in it? Really everything! Here are some examples, but I'll keep it short because there are still many recipes to be found via the 'Philips NutriU app'.
Baked-off bread rolls, croissants, toast/sandwiches. Meat: lamb chops, chicken wings, roulade, burgers, shawarma. Fresh fish; sardines, shrimps (gambas al ajillo). Everything deliciously tender and juicy on the inside with a slightly crispy crust/edge on the outside.
Fries (fresh or frozen), potato wedges/slices (delicious with some herbs!). Carrot fries, grilled vegetables, stuffed peppers, marinated tofu, falafel, roasted garlic. puff pastry recipes; empanadas, sausage rolls. Oven dishes such as lasagna, meatloaf, fish dishes, nachos, etc. Sweets: muffins, fruit pastries.
Frozen products: fish fingers, spring rolls, croquettes, pizzas, frikadellen, cheese soufflés, etc.; everything in the air fryer!
Nowadays there is a lot of choice in the supermarket in snacks specially developed for airfryers (note the airfryer logo on the packaging).
Taste difference with the fry? Yes! I like them better from the air fryer; they taste great and have no greasy/oily aftertaste. No frying smell in the house, no replacement frying oil and no cleaning work involved.
The airfryer has a fat-removing system so that fat leaks from meals and is collected at the bottom, so you don't eat excess fat and eat healthier. In addition, the airfryer has the Rapid Air technology; the airfryer is very fast, without preheating! I bake bake-off breads faster and just as tasty, without preheating, in the airfryer as from our quality oven. Bitterballen ready in 8 min, casserole 20-25 min ready. We eat HelloFresh regularly and always use the airfryer instead of the oven when cooking; much faster, more efficient and just as tasty.
The airfryer has 5 frequently used programs (fresh fries, frozen fries, fish, chicken parts (wings/legs) and whole chicken) where the temperature and time settings are already pre-programmed.
The latest airfryer XXL is also equipped with 'Smart sensing technology'; the airfryer calculates the airfryer, by means of sensors, the baking time and temperature of your dish. And if necessary, the airfryer also adjusts these during baking. I was skeptical at first, but it works! I have made a few dishes (including casserole with fresh fish, roulade) and everything is deliciously cooked, without burning or drying out, prepared automatically. So don't worry about it! Food in the basket, start and ready!
The keep warm function is also useful if you cannot eat your dish immediately. It can't get any simpler can it!?
Cleaning: all parts that get dirty can go in the dishwasher and fit well without your dishwasher being full right away. But washing dishes by hand is just as easy; no small edges that you cannot reach, etc. If necessary, let the basket soak (it is fine in the drawer box of the airfryer itself) after, for example, having made chicken/fish. We use the airfryer so often every day that, if necessary, we quickly wash it manually in between. You have to take into account the fragility of its non-stick coating when using and cleaning. I don't know how long it will last if it goes in the dishwasher every day.
The capacity: my advice: buy a large size even if you run a 2-person household. We use the airfryer so regularly and versatilely that I make the most of this extra capacity, especially for casseroles. We have purchased the divider/rack that is available as an accessory, which makes it easy to prepare several dishes at the same time, but separately in the airfryer. Just think of your gyros/shawarma, your bell pepper/onion and your fries or pita bread. The outside of the airfryer gets warm and not hot, which is also very important to me.
Conclusion; the airfryer makes fast, tasty and healthier food that we would normally prepare in the oven, grill or pan (baking, roasting, grilling & frying). I don't have to worry about much during the preparation, especially with the smart sensing technology of the latest airfryer. The food can all be prepared with much less oil/butter than we used before, and is at least, but often tastier! Cooking with the air fryer also saves me a lot of washing up. A point of attention is the non-stick coating, which must be handled with care. Due to the high ease of use, our airfryer is used several times a day and is standard ready for use on the counter. I would recommend the airfryer to everyone, young & old, 1-person or family household, it makes cooking simpler, faster, tastier and healthier! With my experiences that I have now gained with the airfryer, I have become convinced of its versatility.
