T-Fal ActiFry Low Fat Multi Cooker FZ700251 Review
About.com Rating
January16, 2014
Let's face it, French fries are extremely hard to resist and not a healthy choice. That can leave you feeling guilty every time you enjoy them. But a fryer that uses only one tablespoon of oil for two pounds of fries, now we're talking a guiltless meal.
Product Description:
T-Fal® ActiFry® Low Fat Multi Cooker Model FZ700251
- Unique patented hot air circulation technology system with heat pulsing action evenly cooks at a constant temperature of 338degF; paddle gently stirs food
- Removable aluminum pan with ceramic non-stick coating
- 100% Transparent steam-free lid
- No preheating required
- Removable pan, paddle, filter and lid are dishwasher safe
- 1450 Watts
- Capacity: 2.2 lbs
- Countdown timer; audible end of cooking signal
- ActiFry spoon for oil
- Versatile for a variety of meals. Cooks vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, grains, desserts and fruits.
- Healthy: Little or no required oil
- Easy to use
- Closed cooking vessel provides safe splatter-free cooking
- Awarded the Parent Tested-Parent Approved seal
- Emits no frying odors
- Available in black or white
- Includes recipe book
- Learn more from the manufacturer: T-fal U.S.A.
- View video demonstration
- Search for more recipes
- MSRP: $249.00
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
How the ActiFry® Performed:
Out of the box, this appliance is large and bulky, but once you start using it, you can't help but concentrate more on the convenience of making meals, stir fries or side dishes with it and less about storage.
In fact, the more you use it, the more you'll want to make a handy space for it.
I really can't pick one best meal to suggest in this fryer because I have several favorites. French fries do really only need one tablespoon of oil, take around 40 minutes depending how brown you want them and you can indeed do two pounds at one time.
There is a small taste difference but huge improvement nutrition-wise, between these fries and the deep fried variety. But with the ActiFry, there's a healthier choice for those who want to keep the fries but trim the fat. And there's no hot oil to dispose of or store and no lingering grease odor. It's just much simpler and safer.
That means I can make a guilt-free poutine with this fryer anytime I want, so I'll gladly accept a little taste trade-off. And these fries do taste very good. Note that you should rinse and dry potatoes to remove some starch, before loading. This only takes a minute and does make a difference. I also prefer Canola oil for fries. Home fries are as easy and they can cook while you make the rest of the breakfast fare. This is very handy when you have guests.
This machine also makes the best and easiest chicken wings. We usually either split the two parts of the wing or if they're small, discard the (wing) tip. Leaving them whole makes them bunch up and get tangled together as the paddle rotates. Omit the oil; the skin has enough fat. And you can add barbecue sauce during the last couple of minutes. These are always a hit. Watch the time; they fry quickly and can go from perfect to crispy in short order.
You can basically fry any small pieces of seafood, pork, chicken, turkey, beef or wild game, so there's lots of possible meal choices. The main process is so simple - fry meat/poultry first, then remove to the side, while you fry the vegetables. Then return meat/poultry and add your choice of sauce or seasonings.
I've made curried chicken - a huge hit; sweet and sour pork and the sesame beef (recipe book). Vegetable stir fries are even easier and have become our mainstay. You can even make chili in the ActiFry, as well as Risotto or fried rice. But you do need to watch the liquid levels.
The beauty of this fryer is that from start to finish, you can do the whole entree or side in this machine. And it's reasonably quick too. Fries and home fries seem to take the longest, so you do need to start early to meet your serving time. Factory-pressed and formed meatballs are best; they hold together better. As mentioned in the manual, keep pieces uniform in size and grated garlic is better than chopped. It clings less to or under the paddle.
Rinse/wash the rotating paddle immediately after use. It's the only piece that sometimes needs a little soak. The rest cleans up quickly and reassembling is super easy. The nonstick finish is very nice. The beauty of this fryer is that it does the stirring for you, yet you can easily monitor progress.
I was impressed with this cooker when I saw the first ActiFry release in Canada a few years ago and I still feel the same after this test. It's a convenient and versatile cooking appliance. If you factor in the nutrition aspect alone - foods fried with less oil are better for you, you'll quickly see it as a worthy tool to eating better.
One design improvement I'd love to see on the ActiFry is an auto shut-off. As is, when the timer goes off, there's an audible signal but you must shut it off manually.
You'll also want to make veggie stir-fries more often, because they are so easy. And it does inspire the creative cook. Once you've made some of the recipes, it becomes obvious that you can get more innovative with meal variations.
Is this fryer best for two persons or is it a family appliance? It really depends what you're cooking. For two of us, I downsized some recipe ingredients. It can certainly do one-pan meals for two or more persons. A family might use it more for entrees and sides. One thing we learned from this test is a better understanding (though still learning) of what a portion really is - something we've kind of lost sight of the last few years. T-Fal has included a lot of helpful nutritional information in the recipe book.
The ActiFry reviewed is a U.S. model. This handy cooker is available in the U.S. and in Canada. Just follow: T-fal U.S.A.; T-fal Canada; T-fal International
Update January 20th, 2014: The dark grey paddle in the black ActiFry is very nice and doesn't stain from strong color spices such as curry. Just something you might want to consider when choosing a unit.
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