T-Fal Actifry Fryer (FZ7000002)  When it comes to deep fat frying the T-fal Actifry doesn't exactly leap to mind. Most cooks have never heard of it and even fewer know how it works. Available in Europe for the past several years T-Fal are hoping that health conscious Americans will embrace the Actifry's innovative cooking method and make fried foods an acceptable dining option once again. But is the Actifry really poised to change the way we all cook and eat? Or is this just a clever marketing fad? Can fried foods really be made a healthy dietary choice? Read on to find out. First off this unusual product is not actually a deep fat fryer. Since it doesn't have a container of hot oil you can't actually deep fry anything. Instead T-Fal have taken a completely different approach to fried foods. One that virtually eliminates oil and all the headaches that go with it (safety, health, disposal, cost etc.), and yet still retain the taste and texture that is characteristic of deep fried cooking. So how does it work, and do you really need one?  The T-Fal Actifry can best be described as a combination of a convection oven and food mixer. A round non-stick pan sits inside a plastic enclosure. In the center of the pan is a paddle that rotates continuously as hot air is forced over and around the pan's contents. To start cooking you load the pan with food and add a tablespoon of cooking oil. The paddle acts as a food agitator, slowly turning the food items so as they mix with the oil and cook evenly. With such a small amount of oil there is no pre-heat waiting period or recovery time. The Actify also eliminates oil filtering, storage and disposal. You are cooking with fresh oil each and every time, helping preserve the food's original nutritional quality. For anyone that loves fried foods, but not the fat and grease, the Actifry can be a tempting option. The Actify does not need the careful monitoring that a conventional deep fat fryer would. You can set it running and busy yourself with other kitchen chores while the cooking takes place. If you have young children or elderly parents in the house this is a big safety margin. One word of caution: the built-in timer does not turn the fryer off automatically. You still need to do that yourself. At this point you're probably wondering what the food tastes like. Actually it's pretty good. A batch of test fries came out golden brown and crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. The results are not exactly the same as conventional deep fat frying, but they're close. We doubt anyone but die-hard aficionados would notice the difference. But be prepared for longer cook times. Two pounds of fries can take 30-40 mins. The Actifry can cook a wide range of food items but large or delicate things, like flaky fish, or anything in batter don't work very well. The constant rotating paddle usually reduces everything to mush.  The next area of concern is construction quality. The Actifry is a bit on the flimsy side. If you're careful it will probably be fine. For the more clumsy among us don't be surprised if you end up with broken latches, cracking lids and stuck paddles. The Actify comes with a one year guarantee and T-Fal are pretty good at sending replacement parts and making repairs, but for the money we were expecting something a little more robust. Speaking of money the Actify isn't going to win any awards on price either. This fryer is one of the more expensive models available. True, it uses a fraction of the oil compared with a standard fryer, and over time this will translate into substantial savings. But you still need to shell out those dollars up front. If you don't plan to use it very often it will take a long time to recoup your investment. Based on the Actifry's experience in Europe it is likely that US consumers will develop similarly mixed opinions with fans and detractors alike. It is one of those appliances that you either love or hate. For deep fry enthusiasts it is little more than a gimmick. For anyone watching their weight and concerned about their diet it opens up a whole new avenue of culinary options to explore. Specs
With its patented technology and eye-catching design the T-Fal Actifry could change everyone's image of fried foods forever. Useful Links: Tefal ActiFry Web Site Tags: , Actifry, deep fat fryer, T-Fal, |
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