Phillips Air Fryer

[maytagmike]

Holiday greetings to all, As a present to me I bought myself a Phillips Air Fryer what a great small appliance. Christmas day I fixed fried chicken turned out very good, last night I had salmon again very good, and tonight I an going to fix a steak will let you know how it turns out. Mike

 

[chachp]

I use mine alot for chicken and salmon

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">This thing makes the best wings.  You'd think you fried them in oil.  A batch takes 18 minutes which is about the same as if you were deep frying them.  I also like thighs in it.  I've done potatoes and even made little quiches.  How did your steak turn out.  I made one once in it but I let it go too long so it was a little overcooked.  No fault of the machine just simple user error.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The customer service is phenomenal.  I accidentally dropped the basket on mine and the front got cracked.  I called them and they sent me a brand new one under the warranty.  What I like best is the whole thing goes right in the dishwasher and cleans up beautifully.</span>

 

[whirlcool]

I've never heard or seen one of these. How does it fry if it uses no oil? What is the principle of operation. Looks interesting to say the least!

 

[philr]

I thought that these would have been branded Norelco in the United States.

 

[launderess]

Similar to TFal's Actifry

What you've got a hold of here is a small convection type oven. That is the things use a fan to blow hot air around the chamber to cook foods faster and so forth compared to a regular oven. Both of my countertop convection ovens (Maxim and Cuisinart) give directions for broiling and frying. Indeed every convection oven one has seen from small to commercial have the capability to "fry".

Broiling obviously uses high heat (usually the highest temp setting) just as with regular ovens.

Frying however depends much upon what sort of coating is used in addition to the temp. IIRC the Phillip's model runs at only one temp (390F). What then has to be sorted is what sort of coating (oil and or breaded. Like to do chicken thighs in an egg and breadcrumb mixture in my Maxim oven, and yes they come out wonderfully "fried" without using large amounts of oil.

For non-breaded/coated items YMMV. Don't think for instance you'll get "fried chicken" by simply putting uncoated bits into these or any type of oven like you would using frying with oil on a range or deep fryer. What you'll likely get is baked chicken.

 

[maytagmike]

Steak

My steak turned out wonderful, tonight I'm doing Cajan shrimp. I have a GE Profile counter top micro/conv oven doesn't work as well as the Air Fryer does. Mike

 

[launderess]

Where most if not all microwave/convection ovens fail is they aren't "true convection". That is a heating element located in front of a fan which in turn circulates heated air. Rather MC/C ovens usually have just a fan that circulates heated air (often the element is located elsewhere.

Only problem one has with using convection ovens for any sort of meat, poultry or fish is that you have a short period of time between "done" and a dry/hard tasteless brick. *LOL* That is if not careful that powerful force of heated air will dry out whatever one is cooking.

It is no surprise then that many convection ovens can be used to dehydrate things.

 

[chachp]

Phillips Temps

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I don't know about the other models but mine goes from 200 something to 390 (travelling at the moment so can't validate).  Actually for cooking fish and those little egg things I think I cooked them at about 270.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">My Jenn Air Oven is true convection as is this little fryer but my oven won't do what this little guy does.  I suspect it's because there is so much concentrated air in a small space.  Besides I like that I only heat up this thing and not the entire oven.  I have never used a countertop Convection oven that works as well as this although I know there are some out there that are true convection.  I just never wanted one of those big things on my counter.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">When I was looking for an Air Fryer I looked at both the TFal Acti Fry and the Phillips.  I chose the Phillips because the TFal was always rolling and moving the food.  I felt that for some foods, like a piece of salmon or breaded/battered anything, this would be a problem.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I'm very happy with this purchase.  I've had it six months or so and use it at least once a week if not more.  They have a smartphone app with many videos and recipes.  In my opinion it is well worth the money.</span>

 

[petek]

I saw a similar looking B&D one at Walmart the other day. I'm intrigued but fraid to bring one home. LOL

 

[countryguy]

I ordered one last night. The Home Shopping Channel had them on sale for $100 off the regular price plus free shipping and 6 no interest payments....it was too good to refuse LOL. I'm anxious to try it out.

Gary

 

[chachp]

I hope you like it as well as I like mine.

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I had a feeling these things would catch on more for this holiday season.  If I hadn't received an E-Mail from Williams and Sonoma I wouldn't have known anything about them.  I found mine at Best Buy on sale for I think about $160 which at the time seemed like a good deal.  As I stated earlier I researched this one and the T-Fal.  I'm happy I picked this one based on some of the reviews I have read on both of them.  Oprah prefers the T-Fal I guess but she can't always be right.  LOL.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">If you haven't already done so, download their Smartphone App.  Has some great videos and recipes and some neat things like building a shopping list, etc.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Since I bought mine they have come out with some additional accessories that I may check out.  </span>

 

[countryguy]

I'm anxious to try it out. I don't have a smartphone so I won't be downloading any apps

 

[a440]

Thanks for posting this.
I have wondered about these ever since they came out.
Sounds like you all really like them. I think I will get one.
Brent

 

[iheartmaytag]

Just wondering

Do you use a little bit of oil to coat the item or is it only air that does the frying.
I have a jet stream oven and you mist the chicken etc with oil otherwise the coating doesn't do anything.

 

[chachp]

I don't add any oil.

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I did the first few times I used it but found it really wasn't necessary especailly for chicken which is what I use it for the most.  I have made salmon and steak in it and not added oil either time.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I don't eat white potatoes so I don't know about those fries but I have made sweet potatoe fries in it and added a little oil before hand but I don't think it was really necessary.  The sweet potatoes come out a little on the soft side but they do from the regular convection oven as well.   The next time I make them I may leave them in a little longer and see what happens.  What I like about this machine is I don't have heat up my big oven and it's so easy to clean up.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I just spray it well with Pam before I add anything and that works just fine.   When I made the little egg things I sprayed the cups well with Pam and they came right out.  They have come out with a grill pan since I bought mine and I may order that. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I think there are so many things that can be made in this thing and I think I have only scratched the surface on how versatile it really is.  I saw an informercial the other day and they were making grilled cheese sandwiches, brownies and all kinds of things I have yet to try.</span>

 

[maytagmike]

I spray a little Crisco on every thing I cook Its helps to brown everthing nicely. Tonight it is going to be bacon wrapped scallops. Yum. Last night I did a cornish hen with a crab cake coating, browned very nicely and very moist and tender.

 

[countryguy]

I was reading the manual on the Philips site and it says that oil only is required for French Fries. After soaking the potatoes for 30 min. in water, then drying them, use about 1/2 tbsp of oil to coat the potatoes before putting them in the fryer.

Gary

 

[kenmoreguy89]

These things are around from awhile from Moulinex IIRC, Tefàl and other makes.....and as a chef I can only say that frying wheter in a pan (shallow) and  or  the deep frying  is anyway  what you do in beautiful hot pot of fat and always will be...and nothing will substitute the frying for sake of what frying means and is.
All the rest enters in  the  "baking" category and is simply different! And baked  fries  for example as well as other sorts of things are made by ages in the ovens from  and for those "no no if  it's fried I don't eat it",  people i don't absolutely blame, and   that may well have their  super valid  reasons for not wanting fried stuff, but no reason to call fried what's not !  They are rather  baked and  even though almost-like really fried,  and in most of cases anyway  pre-fried like frozen chicken beasts, fries and such.. they will never be  the same as if they were really fried start to finish, they change!  So not eligible to be called fried! Not for sure homemade stuff you make from the start.
We have washers pretending to wash using no water... I wonder if now it's time for fryers ??? LOL

What these "new fryers " do  is no different than what  those portable table top ovens  with the top fan, that they used to sell on TV for  decades ,  did , ...nobody wanted  them as they were called  ovens but now because you call something "no- fat/no-oil" and "air" amd misuse the word frying and fryer  you  will sell  tons?  This let you understand how the world goes  .... and think these fan ovens had even more versability in one appliance than these new fryers will ever do, they reached even more temperature  280 celsius than those 200celsius the philips plastic thing says to  reach at max... they could be used for lots of  other stuff  more and even be easier  to clean. too... 

Etc....

But this is baking folks! Not frying! Much difference! Calling this frying is a culinary blasphemy!

Sorry for the little outburst! But these things gets me mad...I'd be very disappointed in getting something said being fried while it's not....

[this post was last edited: 1/1/2015-05:19]

 

[aquarius1984]

Freddie have you ever used a Philips air fryer.

Your post suggests not.

Don't worry I have copied your post so you cannot edit it to suggest you have in order to back yourself out of this.

I have had a Philips air fryer for close to 2 years and am here to tell that Chips/Fries do Indeed come out 'Fried' and are every bit as good as if not better than using a pan of oil to fry them without the waste and expense of oil and the energy used to heat it.

The powerful fan ATOMISES the fat in the heat and coats everything in a fine mist of oil that then really does 'FRY' the surface of food. All food surfaces get coated very evenly in oil which is the same as what they do in a pan of it.

Perhaps you keep out of discussions where you don't know the truth and have not used the appliance in discussion.

p.s Im also a trained chef with years in the industry and qualifications and experience to back it up.