The Actifry & AirFryer Thread - Merged

Tar.Aldarion

Got the philips xxl for £80 recently from bargain alerts and it's class, never had one before and am loving it. Lovely baked potatoes from it this evening that were 3x faster to do.
Also finally crispy tofu.

mikegermany

What's the best thing to clean the sticky gunk off the basket?

There not as easy cleaned as I hoped ,don't have a dishwasher.

Dizzyblonde

mikegermany wrote: »

What's the best thing to clean the sticky gunk off the basket?

There not as easy cleaned as I hoped ,don't have a dishwasher.

If you have a friend with a dishwasher ask them for a tablet and dissolve it in hot water in the base, then leave the basket in it overnight.

Or put in a few tablespoons of bread soda and a squirt of Fairy liquid with very hot water, leave it to soak for a while and then scrub . You might have to repeat.

rubadub

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

Or put in a few tablespoons of bread soda and a squirt of Fairy liquid with very hot water

to get it hot as possible I add boiling water to the basket and then stick it back in the airfryer on full power to get boiling again. I then add detergents. You can heat again but it risks bubbling up -but I don't think dishwasher tablets would bubble up, not sure.

Tar.Aldarion

I can just use a dishwasher then as the best way?

Kat1170

Dishwasher probably the handiest after every use.

I don't have one so I use the kitchen degreaser from Lidl in the orange spray bottle and a 'white' non scratch scouring pad. Mine still looks almost new after two years and daily use.

km79

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

I'll have to find the notebook, but I think I cooked them at 160 and whacked it up to 180 for the last few minutes.

Also would like to know the timing for the goose fat roasties if you can post it thanks

Cheshire Cat

km79 wrote: »

Also would like to know the timing for the goose fat roasties if you can post it thanks

Preheat (important!) to 180C. Tip in the bag of roasties, fry for 15 minutes with an occasional shake. Then whack up to 200C and give it another 2 to 3 minutes to crisp a bit more. Depends mainly on the size of the roasties.

Casey78

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Preheat (important!) to 180C. Tip in the bag of roasties, fry for 15 minutes with an occasional shake. Then whack up to 200C and give it another 2 to 3 minutes to crisp a bit more. Depends mainly on the size of the roasties.

Are these frozen roasties?

Casey78

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

If you have a friend with a dishwasher ask them for a tablet and dissolve it in hot water in the base, then leave the basket in it overnight.

Or put in a few tablespoons of bread soda and a squirt of Fairy liquid with very hot water, leave it to soak for a while and then scrub . You might have to repeat.

Ask a friend for a dishwasher tablet? Lol. Can you not just buy a box yourself they are about 3 quid in Lidl.

Cheshire Cat

Casey78 wrote: »

Are these frozen roasties?

Yes. Specifically the Aldi Specially Selected Goose Fat Roast Potatoes.

ilovetorun

Just wondering if anyone has seen anything in the sales that you'd recommend? I'd love to get one but my budget isn't the best! Thanks a mill

Ryath

Made mash this evening so rather than waste the peels I thought I'd try them in the air fryer. Threw in a steaky rasher too. 9 minutes!

Bacon and Cheese potato skins

interlocked

Large one is back on sale on Amazon for £120

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00BS97UUA/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Muahahaha

Anyone done a loin of pork in the airfryer and how did it turn out? Was going to do one but worried that it wont get good crackling. Also do they fit okay or are they too close to the element? Using a 0.8l airfryer

Kat1170

I've done free range pork chops before and the skin came out lovely and crispy.

Gryffindor

Anyone have any experience or opinions on the Lidl Airfryers on sale tomorrow for €50?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=15054

rubadub

Gryffindor wrote: »

Anyone have any experience or opinions on the Lidl Airfryers on sale tomorrow for €50?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=15054

same model is on amazon with lots of reviews.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swan-SD90010N-Healthy-Fryer-Circulation/dp/B01D3FT5OK

3.2L sounds a decent size but I would definitely want to see one to get an idea, as manufacturers might use different sizing methods.

The large one I spoke of before is on sale on amazon for £99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073QVBHSZ?pf_rd_p=338d5482-a910-4f62-b1e2-a66912b500ea&pf_rd_r=F9288XG5R7KH71RH0PZR

it is a 5.0L size. The philips XL is 3.0L -but as I said it might not be directly comparable.

sdp

Thought I put this up,for anyone who want to try an air fryer, that's not a Philips.
as there not much about any other fryer of lower price .
I got the Blusmart Electric Air Fryer, 3.4Qt/3.2L 1400W, LED Display, Hot Air Fryer, in November from Amazon. cost €64.46 as it had a promotion discount . it has a big enough basket, as from reading posts, this seems to be the main advice and as I have never used one before, did not want to spend a lot till I knew if it would end up on counter,or in back of press . the Philips xl is very pricey just to try out. finding it very good, easy to clean and fast enough cooking, quite noisy, but then I have not seen another one in use to really compare. easy to shake basket, and seems sturdy enough,a big black egg! so far still on counter :rolleyes:, have tried many things mentioned in this thread, and it copes very well..its slowly taken over my mini oven, time will tell if this will hold up to daily use..

Shenshen

I just got mine delivered on Saturday, I went for a Swan as the reviews were decent and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend top Euro for something I have never used before.

So, when it arrived, I put it on the counter, plugged it in, washed the basket following instructions, and just out of sheer curiosity cut up 2 potatoes for our first go at chips. Wow!
Seriously, Wow!
I loved them. Granted, not the same as deep-fried, but to my palate they were actually better. The husband liked them, too. So, this will be our new way of making chips going forward. No more frozen and baked in the oven for us!

Then, for dinner, I had to try something else so I made us falafel. Again, the air fryer seriously impressed me. They were delicious, so much crispier than I ever had been able to do them in as frying pan.

So now I've a list of things I want to try over the next few days - onion bhajis, veg kofta, breaded mushrooms, samosas and seitan cevapcici.

Busy week ahead now

rubadub

Shenshen wrote: »

- onion bhajis,

I have done a version of these using silicone fairy cake cases.



Once they are set a bit you could flip them out.

I did wonder about making onion rings. I was going to try and batter them and freeze them. The idea was that the outside would cook and go hard before it got a chance to defrost and start dripping.

Another idea was to cut up a fully silicone ice cube tray, to get smaller pieces.

I have been cooking these tesco small roast potatoes in the airfryer and then frying them in oil in a pan after. They are like the "end of the bag" chips from a chipper, which I love.

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=282059833

Mollyb60

This thread is making me reeeeeeeeeeally seriously consider getting one of these. But my counter space is severely limited and my slow cooker already takes up a ton of space. I'm so torn.

Muahahaha

Mollyb60 wrote: »

This thread is making me reeeeeeeeeeally seriously consider getting one of these. But my counter space is severely limited and my slow cooker already takes up a ton of space. I'm so torn.

Airfryers do take up a bit of space alright but since Ive got mine a few weeks back it is in use virtually every day. I couldnt ever say that about the slow cooker which I used a max of once a week. I gave the slow cooker away to a friend when I got a cast iron dutch oven for €30 in TK Maxx. The dutch oven is stored inside the main oven when not in use, having it in there helps save some space in the presses.

Jezzabelle

Hi any opinions on the aldi airfryer on offer at the moment?

https://www.aldi.ie/ambiano-2-in-1-air-fryer-17l/p/087875263587700

Thargor

Jezzabelle wrote: »

Hi any opinions on the aldi airfryer on offer at the moment?

https://www.aldi.ie/ambiano-2-in-1-air-fryer-17l/p/087875263587700

Thats a halogen oven not an Airfryer.

dragona

Shenshen wrote: »

I just got mine delivered on Saturday, I went for a Swan as the reviews were decent and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend top Euro for something I have never used before.

Then, for dinner, I had to try something else so I made us falafel. Again, the air fryer seriously impressed me. They were delicious, so much crispier than I ever had been able to do them in as frying pan.

So now I've a list of things I want to try over the next few days - onion bhajis, veg kofta, breaded mushrooms, samosas and seitan cevapcici.

Busy week ahead now

OMG I live for falafel, and make regularly. RECIPE please!

Jezzabelle

Thargor wrote: »

Thats a halogen oven not an Airfryer.

Oh ok, thanks!

Thinking of buying one but don't want an expensive one until I know we'll use it regularly enough. Any recommendations for a good reasonably priced airfryer?

rubadub

Mollyb60 wrote: »

This thread is making me reeeeeeeeeeally seriously consider getting one of these. But my counter space is severely limited and my slow cooker already takes up a ton of space.

my airfryer sits on the hob, which is not used that often now. I use the extractor fan over the hob for it so makes sense to keep it there.

If people are unsure about getting one they should ask if there is any chance a loan from somebody they know with one. I would gladly give mine out to anybody I know, and have offered it a few times, as I know they would be converted and do not want them to be missing out. I have yet to hear anybody who has one who is not impressed.

Thargor

Jezzabelle wrote: »

Oh ok, thanks!

Thinking of buying one but don't want an expensive one until I know we'll use it regularly enough. Any recommendations for a good reasonably priced airfryer?

Aldi really shouldnt be selling those with airfryer printed on them, the halogen oven fad died out a few years ago but they obviously got a few cheap shipping containers full of them somewhere and decided to slap airfryer on the box...

Shenshen

dragona wrote: »

OMG I live for falafel, and make regularly. RECIPE please!

Well, it was kind of made up on the spot, but it roughly included:

1 can of chickpea
1 chopped onion
3 chopped cloves of garlic
salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
chopped coriander
chopped parsley
ca. 4 tbsp of chickpea flour

I blitzed everything in the food processor, adding chickpea flour until it had enough firmness to be formed into falafel balls.
Then I baked them in the airfryer for 12 minutes at 200 degrees, in batches (they wouldn't all fit in one go).