Review: Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer
Fry, Roast and Bake with the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer.
With Philips’ unique TurboStar rapid air technology, you can fry food using minimal oil and prepare delicious and evenly cooked dishes. There’s no need for preheating and with the new compact design you can still cook a large amount of food.
Key features of the Philips Vivo TurboStar Airfryer include …
Rapid air technology for healthier frying The unique technology of the Airfryer enables you to fry, bake, roast and grill, the tastiest snacks and meals with less fat than a conventional fryer, by using little or no oil! Philips Airfryer with TurboStar rapid air technology also creates less smell than conventional fryers. It’s easy to clean, safe and economical for your daily use. | |
50% more evenly fried food2 The innovative Philips TurboStar rapid air technology swirls the hot air rapidly through the whole basket. This results in more homogenous heat distribution and therefore 50% more evenly fried food. There is no need for turning- even when food is piled up. In addition, powerful direct heat from above quickly crisps the food. | |
QuickClean basket With the Philips Airfryer QuickClean basket which includes a removable non-stick mesh, cleaning becomes easier and faster. The removable non-stick coated drawer and the food basket are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The Philips Airfryer with TurboStar technology saves you and your home from the smell of fried oil compared to a regular fryer. | |
Large 0.8 kg capacity, 20% more compact3 The new Airfryer has been designed with compactness in mind (20% smaller) while still enabling to cook large amount of food (800 gr). With its reduced size it blends in perfectly onto the kitchen counter-top and serves delicious meals for the whole family. Its thoughtful size enables every day usage and a world of possibilities. | |
Over 200 recipes in app and free recipe book included The Philips Airfryer app is free and filled with delicious recipes and easy to follow step-by-step cooking instructions. Get inspired with quick, healthy snacks or meals for special occasions. | |
Universal removable handle – easily exchange accessories Philips’ new universal removable handle helps you to mix and match the right cooking accessory and achieve the best results for your key dishes- every day. Additionally it allows for compacter storage after use. |
See the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer in action …
Click here to find out more about the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer.
(1) Compared to fresh fries prepared in a conventional Philips fryer (2) Measured vs Airfryer without TurboStar with frozen fries, evaluated on browning and doneness (3) Versus Philips Viva Collection Airfryer, total capacity can fit 800g of fries.
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HONESTLY, IT'S FOR FABULOUS FOR BEGINNERS TO EXPERTS
by mom75925Combined rating
I'm not a great cook! But the TurboStar has helped me to cook Chicken, Meatballs, Sausages, Chips, Frittatas, Rice Pudding, Steak, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Lamb Rack, Cakes. I have cooked all these and more. Some things I cook from scratch and others like Yum Cha, Chicken Nuggets, Fish Fillets etc. I just pick up from the supermarket. It does the best Steak (even from frozen) I've ever cooked because it seals the outside all at once and retains the juices. I couldn't live without it!
Delicious wedges
by HuddysmumCombined rating
I was about to send my husband to the shops to get some hot chips and I remembered the air fryer! We haven't tried wedges or chips in it yet and it definitely didn't disappoint! I coated the potato in some spicy seasoning and put them in a bowl with about a tablespoon of olive oil. It took about 30 mins to make them crispy. They were amazing!
Try to make Lava Cake from Philips App
by mom79844Combined rating
I mainly use my Airfryer to cook frozen chips, but this time, I tried to bake with it! I've read some reviews about baking, I was little bit worried first. I don't have some accessories yet, and I couldn't find any cake pan which fit in the Airfryer in my kitchen. I had look Philips App, and I decided to try Lava Cake with using my ramekins. I completely followed the recipes. I had all ingredients in my kitchen, and the method is very easy as well. I divided the cake mixture to 4 ramekins, but I tried only 1 at first. The recipe says the cooking time is 5 minutes. I thought it's too short, but followed it. After 5 minutes, open the Airfryer... it looks cooked! I scoop it, the top is baked well, and gooey inside! Maybe little bit sweet for me, but I liked it! But I wanted to stock in freezer rest of cakes for having as lunch/morning tea later, so I set for 12 minutes for rest of 3 cakes. I think 10 minutes might be enough because it was little bit dry, but it's like normal chocolate cake:) I'm not sure it will bake like oven if I use whole tin, but I think it works in small cups. We totally love Airfryer, especially cooking frozen food. Easy to use, no mess, and importantly, we can cut off oil intake. Thanks again for giving me an opportunity to test the Airfryer!!
Comparing with the Philips XL Airfryer
by AmandaCombined rating
I was asked to review the new Philips TurboStar Airfryer, as I have previously used the older model Philips XL Airfryer. The XL has been around for around 2 years now, and while it has a larger capacity, there have been people that have been reporting excessive smoke, and a few problems with the coating of the insert. So how does the TurboStar model compare? Well, both have their advantages to be honest. What I like about the XL model in particular, is the digital display, which means I can see from across the kitchen just how long something has left to cook. The Turbostar in comparison has a dial setting, which you really have to walk up to to see. The XL has push button controls on the digital display, and particulary for the temperature setting, that is quite easy to set at the correct temperature. The TurboStar again has a dial to set the temperature. As many things are cooked at 180 or 200, and not many things at very low temps, I think that the temperature settings on the dial could be more spread out to give greater accuracy in selecting temperature. The capacity of the XL is probably more useful for my family of 5. Sure the Turbostar can cook enough chips for example, in one go, for the whole family. But something like chicken pieces needs more juggling to get everything cooked. The draw mechanism is also different between the two. The basket of the XL sits in the insert and the insert slides in on runners, where as the Turbostar has a basket that actually clips into the insert and the whole piece is slide into place. This means that for example, to give the contents of the basket a shake throughout cooking, who are actually shaking the whole basket and insert together, or you have to unclip the basket. As the insert is not on runners, you do need a bit of cleared bench space to put it down (whereas with the XL, the insert could sit there like an open drawer). Now to the coatings and cleaning. The coating on the insert of the Turbostar is far better than that on the XL. Very easy to clean, and seems quite resistant to scratching. The wire mesh of the basket is easily unclipped for easier cleaning as well. I am looking forward to being able to buy the grill pan attachment, as the grill pan for the XL was never available to purchase in Australia. So in conclusion, truely my dream airfryer would be a combination of the two machines. I would like the capacity of the XL, the digital display, temperature and time setting could be by dials just with a bit more spacing between measures, but I really like being able to see the time remaining from across the room. I love the easy clean features of the TurboStar, and think that in the long run, there will be less reported problems with smoking etc than with the XL model.
Mini Pizzas!
by HuddysmumCombined rating
I needed to whip up something quickly for my 2 year old for dinner tonight.. I had some bakers delight pizza dough, cut it into 4, topped with some pasta sauce, ham, olives, sundried tomato, pineapple, capsicum and grated cheese. 7 mins in the Airfryer and it was done! He absolutely loved it and we ended up having the same. So quick and easy this Airfryer is amazing!!
reheat leftover food
by mom79844Combined rating
This time, I used Philips Airfryer to reheat my leftover chicken for lunch. I thought I cooked these chicken in Airfryer the day before, but I needed to cook lots, so I gave up and cooked in the oven. ( I think I need to buy double layer rack if I cook lots) I placed baking paper in the basket, (then I don't need to wash basket later!lol) put the chicken, and set 140c for 20min. It's quicker to reheat in the microwave, but crumbs are getting soggy. It may take same length to reheat in the oven, but I need to preheat the oven first. The chicken in Airfryer is just like as reheat in the oven. Still crunchy outside, and reheat & still juicy inside, but I could save time cuz I don't need to preheat! Airfryer is good for not only cooking, but also reheat leftover foods!
Salmon Fillets
by HuddysmumCombined rating
I decided to give one of my favourite meals a go in my new Philips Airfryer and I wasn't disappointed!! I coated the salmon in soy sauce and sesame seeds and popped it in the Airfryer for 10 mins. So easy and so healthy it cooked perfectly! I was worried it may be dry but it was so lovely and juicy it just fell apart! The next best part about it was the cleanup, just put the basket in the dishwasher!
crispy outside, juicy inside
by mom79844Combined rating
This time, I cooked frozen buffalo chicken wings in the Philips Airfryer for quick lunch. The instruction of the packet suggest to use oven, but when we followed the instruction and used oven, it wasn't successful. It was cooked inside, but not crunchy outside. My husband likes crunchy and crispy outside, so we usually cooked it with deep fryer. But yes, after cooking buffalo chicken wings in deep fryer, the oil is getting dirty, and getting too oily! I put some chicken wings in the basket, and set 180c for 15 minutes. While cooking the chicken, the white smoke (not stinky smoke, just like steam) came from the back! After the beep sound, open the bascket... wow! it looked it was cooked in the deep fryer. It looked crunchy outside and still sizzling. It cooked perfection! Hot and juicy inside, and crispy outside. My husband said it should cook 5 more minutes because he likes really crunchy, but it was enough for me. No mess, don't need to worry about changing oil. And I was surprised some fat (oil) come from chicken! Thanks again for choosing me to try the wonderful products. Now it sits on the bench every day!
RESTAURANT QUALITY FOOD, AT HOME!!
by someonesmotherCombined rating
My cooking skills are still developing, added to this my husband is actually an extremely fussy eater! When you combine the two it can actually be quite challenging... Within the first week of cooking using the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer I received the greatest compliment my husband has ever given me over something I've made - "This is restaurant quality food" he said!! The chicken was cooked so perfectly and the spices had infused straight through the meat. It was truly delicious and something which neither of us would have expected to be enjoying in the comfort of our own home ✔️ the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer cooks food faster ✔️ the results are tastier ✔️ the cleanup is easier than anything else I own Added to this, you are provided with FREE HEALTHY RECIPES via an AWESOME app!! You are given a shopping list, step by step preparation guide and the entire process is just incredibly easy to follow Food is something we enjoy everyday of our lives, the preparation process, and the end result needs to be enjoyable and something which you look forward rather than viewing as a chore. The Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer takes an everyday task and not only makes it more enjoyable but you get better, quicker, HEALTHIER results- and it even saves you time cleaning up The Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer makes every single meal a tastier one which you actually look forward to preparing!!
No oil, but still crispy
by mom79844Combined rating
I tried to cook chips (from frozen) for snack with my Airfryer for the very first time. I put the frozen chips in the basket, set 180c for 15 minutes. I opened once in the middle of cooking time, shake a little bit, and back in Airfryer. After the beep sound like microwave, the chips was perfectly cooked. Crispy outside and still soft inside. My husband was surprised it as well! We usually use deep fryer. It looks cooked in a deep fryer, but we don't need to clean around the machine and don't need to change oil anymore! It's more easier to cook chips for kids as well. But the basket goes very hot, so I wonder where to put the basket on... And I also thought it's more convenient if it has a "cancel" button.
Please download the FREE Philips Airfryer App!
by someonesmotherCombined rating
Day 2- Today I downloaded the FREE Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer APP! It's available for both IOS and Android devices and it is a fantastic place to get started! If you are unsure whether the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer would be useful in your home on a daily basis or curious about how many things you can make in it besides fried food, then the easy to use free application is a excellent tool in helping you to see how convenient it is to own one of these awesome Airfryers! It took roughly 3 minutes to set up AND you don't need to own the Airfryer to be able to download the app which is wonderful if you just want to get an idea of the vast number of dishes you can make in it! Added to this my husband sent me a text today with a YouTube link which was by Philips demonstrating how to make one of his favourite dishes- Tandoori Chicken! Video tutorials are extremely easy to follow and the app as well as YouTube are loaded with amazing recipes which cover a wide range of cuisines from all around the World! Download the app and have a look at the MASSIVE amount of choices that are available, I am extremely impressed and I absolutely love how easy this application is to use AND it even has a shopping list feature! I love the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer and the app! And I'm really looking forward to trying some of these new recipes!
Cook in less time than preheating the oven!
by someonesmotherCombined rating
Our Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer arrived today and within FIFTEEN MINUTES it was out of the box, set up on the bench with enough chunky chips to feed a family of seven! The chips themselves only took 15 minutes to cook FROM FROZEN! With NO preheating needed as I usually would have to waste time doing when cooking them in the oven. Each chip was cooked to perfection and so crispy on the outside that you would think they were deep fried! I LOVED the fact that I didn't have to place the chips in a row nor turn them like I would have to do in the oven- and even then they don't turn out even half as perfect as what they did out of the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer. Now I know we are just talking chips here, BUT for my first review I wanted to let you know how SIMPLE and EASY the Airfryer is to set up and use- did I mention that it is a dream to clean!? Because it is! So for Day 1, fresh out of the box I can confirm that the Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer makes: ✔️ Frozen chips ✔️ Fish and ✔️ Sweet Chilli Chicken PERFECTLY! In less time than it takes me to preheat the oven, with far better results AND it's big enough to use for a family of seven! I can't wait to see what I make tomorrow! A MASSIVE THANK YOU to the lovely team at Mouths of Mums and Philips for giving me this absolutely amazing opportunity! All mothers LOVE seeing their children eat, but it's even more spectacular for me because two of my little ones are tremendously fussy eaters, today was just SO easy with them, and I am truly grateful that we were selected for this awesome review, thank you!
Rich Roast Tomato Pizza Sauce in minutes
by NicNacNooCombined rating
Friday night is usually pizza night at our place - homemade pizza bases and I usually use a store bought pizza sauce. This week I had no pizza sauce but plenty of tomatoes and fresh herbs. So I quickly roasted 6 of them in the Airfryer (15 minutes at 180) then blitzed them in the food processor with some fresh herbs for a few seconds. This was the most delicious pizza sauce ever so will do from now on. Next time I'll add some garlic cloves when I roast the tomatoes. I've put the recipe into Real Recipes in case you want the details (RICH ROAST TOMATO PIZZA SAUCE).
Amazing Macadamia Crusted Lamb Rack!
by HuddysmumCombined rating
I just got the Philips Viva Turbostar Airfryer after wanting one for years! I wanted to make a special meal for my family that everyone would eat so I decided to try the macadamia crusted Lamb Rack recipe that I found on the Philips Airfryer App (which is great btw!) I was surprised at how quickly it cooked, only 35 mins and it was done! And my husband who is normally fussy with Lamb said it was the best lamb cutlets he had ever had! Very easy to cut from the bone, soft and juicy on the inside and the crust was lovely and crunchy. The only thing I would change is that we needed to add another 5 mins at 200 degrees to the recipe to get the lamb to med. Can't wait to try it out again!
Daily Use!
by mom70876Combined rating
I am so in love with my air fryer. Someone in this house uses it on a daily basis. We are so used to it now, we wonder what we ever did before it. It is so small (easy to pack away), energy efficient, quick to heat up and cook food - or just warm up food. I love that food is healthier using it, and that they taste restaurant quality.
The best thing in my kitchen
by mom70876Combined rating
I was not one of the people chosen to review this airfryer, but I actually won it one month from the members rewards. It has changed my life. You can cook so much in it. We use it for everything. Quicker and better than the oven, food tastes amazing - like you're eating out. The only downfall is how pricey any attachments you want to buy are. And it's a little bit annoying to clean. But I would thoroughly recommend it.
Reheats to perfection.
by NicNacNooCombined rating
One of my sons works at KFC a couple of shifts a week so gets to bring home chicken sometimes. Normally I toss it if it's not eaten right away but decided to test reheating in the AF Turbostar ... Awesome and just like it's straight from the shop fryer! Not the healthiest but so tasty!
No mess, no splash sausages
by NicNacNooCombined rating
We would usually cook sausages on the BBQ only as I hate the smell lingering in the house. Last week it was raining so couldn't cook outside. I decided to use the Airfryer Turbostar to see how it went and squeezed them all in (a tight fit for my family). I wasn't sure but they were a hit - the kids said they loved the way the skin was crispy and the inside juicy. Turned them twice in the 20 - 25 minutes they took to cook.
What to try first?
by AmandaCombined rating
I thought it might be good to suggest some "first try" things for people new to airfrying Frozen chips - easy comparison with oven cooking. Throw them in and cook. Frozen spring rolls - beautifully crispy. Steak - I know it might sound a bit odd, but trust me, I can't cook a steak this good in a frypan! (I recommend scotch fillet, porterhouse, rump cuts) Roasted vegetables - spray with oil and shake over a bit of seasoning. Pork belly - crackling anyone? No? More for me! Roast nuts - can roast pine nuts, or any other nuts quickly and easily (I always burnt them in the oven!) Taco shells - 5 minutes on 160C no preheating the oven needed.
Chicken WINGS!!
by mom201672Combined rating
My kids LOVE chicken wings (but I don't share the love). So I tried doing some wings and chips for the kids in the sir flyer, whilst I made something else for myself. I had the wings marinading in a garlic/honey/soy marinade for a couple of hours before following the cooking instructions on the app. My oh my, the delicious, smoky, charred flavour that these wings had pretty much had me a convert to chicken wings. They were perfectly cooked on the inside, crispy and crunchy on the outside - but not a tiny bit dry!! Winning. Once the wings were done and were cooling to 'kid-temperature' I did a batch of chips. Then in the final 2 min of the chips, I added the wings back to the basket to ensure they were not soggy. The marinade did make a bit of a mess at the bottom of the basket, but after soaking in water for half and hour, it wiped out easily. No different to a decent non-stick pan as far as ease to clean. Seriously - yum. I will make this dish again and again. And this time I will eat it too.
Apple ring chips -need basket cover (lid)!
by mom79844Combined rating
After trying to make potato chips, I decided another chips -this time, I made apple ring chips! Just slice apple with slicer, get rid of seeds, and put in the basket. I set 140c for 10 minutes, and check inside, pull apart if it's stick together, and set 100c for 20 minutes. I opened couple of times to check, and I found a couple of slices stick to the upper heat element and burnt!! Yes, as like potato chips, it's so light, moving around with air, and some of them stick it... So I looked around the kitchen, and set small metal rack over the chips, then not to move around too much:( Apple chips were good, and good for healthy snack. But I really thought I need lid if I cook chips (potato, apple, vegetables...). I saw they sell basket cover(lid) in some countries, and so we can cook something light such as potato chips, veges chips or even popcorn. They should sell it in Australia, too! (or basket cover and double layer rack should be in the box as accessories, not paying extra money!)
Still going strong - just two tiny suggestions I would make.
by NicNacNooCombined rating
So we're into week two of our review and surprisingly using the Airfryer almost every day. Even all my kids are thinking about what they can use it for themselves. What I've found with regular use is just a couple of things I would change. 1. There is a 'handle' at the back that you can wrap the cord away for neat storage however it always comes undone. I've solved that with a rubber band so it's fine. But I'd suggest Philips think about something that actually secures the cord in place (my photos shows what I mean). 2. I tend to cook quite a lot without using a recipe so have discovered that the timer can make this tricky. If I put the timer on for say 30 minutes and then check the food after 20 minutes and decide it only needs another 5 minutes, I can't decrease the time left on the timer. I have to set my own separate alarm to remind me to come back after 5 minutes rather than relying on the 'ding' from the Airfyer. Also if I take the food out after the 25 minutes, it continues to cook with nothing in the Airfryer for 5 minutes (or I can switch it off at the wall and the timer just keeps going until it dings). A dial that can move both ways would be perfect.
Best crunchy noodles ever!
by NicNacNooCombined rating
So tonight we had San Choy Bow and the kids normally add Changs Crunchy Noodles. But we had none so I air fried some other egg noodles we had and they were awesome. Just 5 minutes with no oil whatsoever. Yum!
If time is of the essence.....airfrying is for you!
by AmandaCombined rating
As busy mums, we sometimes find ourselves walking in the door, needing to feed hungry children as quick as possible, so they can get off to bed, and get good sleep, ready to start the next day. What with work, and after school activities, this us almost every night. Well, the Philips Airfryer is for you! Got something thats needs cooking in the oven, but it will take to long to preheat it? No preheating needed with the TurboStar! And crispy results everytime! Fancy a steak but its not BBQing weather? Who would have thought - but the airfry cooks a perfect steak! And need i say Pork Belly??????......I will not elaborate on that, you know what I'm talking about. And if you need to interest the men folk in your life any further......BACON!
The best product on the Market
by SharnaCombined rating
This has been the best trial for me! I am noticed a massive improvement with my body, now that the oil we are using is slashed by 80% i am finding that i am enjoying food better, as i am not feeling sick after meals! The Airfryer is easy to use... it looks incredible on the bench ! Tonight we are going to make chips for the first time in it... I am enjoying cooking so much more! There is not much to clean, and the products come out tasting incredible. It is worth the investment ! I love that there is an app to use with the product making it ten times easier!
Fast cooking
by RaaqiCombined rating
Philip's Viva TurboStar Air Fryer exceeds expectations! Its TurboStar technology cooks food evenly and crispy, with minimal oil. Easy to use, clean, and versatile, it's perfect for healthier frying, grilling, and roasting. Delicious results, every time!
Only one thing what I concern
by mom79844Combined rating
So, I love this Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer so far, but I have only one thing what I concern about. It's easy to clean the basket or handle, but there's little gap on top and back which the air come out. I often clean there with paper towel or vacuum cleaner, but it's very narrow and I can see there's some dust which I can't get rid of. I wish it couldn't catch fire or have trouble later.
quick & easy lunch = Airfryer
by mom79844Combined rating
Our Airfryer doesn't take rest at all. We cook chips, chicken balls, squid ring, buffalo chicken wings, spring rolls, chicken tenders... anything we used to use deep fryer before. Airfryer is really easy to use, easy to clean, save cooking time, and safe to use. I surprise the result all the time. Never let me down.
Great product
by mom103111Combined rating
I would definitely recommend this product and the food comes out delicious. It is great for emergencies and it is quick and easy. The food comes out crisp and juicy and ever so tasty. This is easy for the whole family to use and use don't have to use any fat in it so a healthier choice.
Great
by IsmaCombined rating
Dont knw where have i been without it... making dinners easier and less messy... all recipies with puff pastery are a complete treat... completely minimised the use of oven after having it... luv luv luv u need to have one if dont... of course a bit pricey but worth it if ur unteresred in a healthier lifestyle plus if you are fedup of takeaways or dining out... i just marinate and freeze everything... and then its just the matter of putting in and food in served...
still on the bench!
by mom79844Combined rating
Since I received Philips Viva TurboStar AIrfryer couple months ago, It's still sit on the bench in our kitchen. We used to use deep fryer to make frozen chips, wedges, nuggets, spling rolls or chicken wings, but it totally replaced to using Airfryer. I don't need to change dirty oil anymore, more safety, and more healthier. Cooking time is the same or shorter, but Airfryer doesn't need to preheat. The food turn crispy and looks golden brown all the time. We love Airfryer and truly recommend if you use deep fryer a lot!
Fast and Free of Frying
by mom215589Combined rating
I just took my Airfryer camping and it was awesome. Crunchy fries for the kids , a lamb roast , chicken enchiladas , chorizo & filo pastry . By the end of the 12 nights a few friends were googling the Turbo Airfryer . I just set the time and socialise and it really is easy to clean . I'm very happy ????
Homemade potato chips
by mom79844Combined rating
I've never made homemade potato chips, but I tried to make it with Airfryer. I sliced potatoes, soak in the water for 30 minutes, drain, and put in the basket. I set 180c for 20 minutes. It looks my slicer doesn't slice thinly enough.lol Potatoes were getting balloon, but it was crunchy. It tastes good, not taste like artificial flavour. But I thought I should rub little bit oil before putting in the Airfryer. (I put salt after, but it didn't stick to the potatoes) Next time I make potato chips, I will slice the potatoes more thinly, rub the oil before heating, and make more!
Hot chips!
by mom201672Combined rating
Mr Fussy 5 y/o usually only likes 'oven chips.' The kind that come frozen in a packet from the supermarket that have a tonne of additional fake number ingredients to help them crisp up in the oven. I understand why he prefers them - they are usually much crispier and tastier than any fresh cut potatoes that I oven bake myself. Until now..... I followed the instructions for oven baked chips form the Airfryer app - peeled, sliced & placed in water for 30 min, then dry them off and toss in a tsp oil prior to cooking. Yes, a few more steps involved than buying a packet of frozen oven chips - but the results are really impressive. Fresh, crisp, golden chips just like the frozen chippies, but with zero additives. The verdict from Mr Fussy 5 y/o - "These are yum Mum." Happy kids = happy mum.
Every day use.
by mom70876Combined rating
This Philips airfyer is a very versatile machine, which almost has daily use in our household. Great for cooking oven food - like sausage rolls and pies, fatty food - like chips. And for reheating food. It is quick, convenient and food tastes amazing out of it. I love that we are eating healthier. I can not live with this machine anymore. Doesn't take much space on the bench or in the cupboard. OTehr attachments are a bit expensive though.
Makes leftovers so fresh & crispy!
by NicNacNooCombined rating
Mexican chicken strips - just coat in the mix then spray with a tiny bit of olive oil. Easy, quick and much healthier than shallow frying in the pan. Juicy inside too!
Schnitzel - healthy style
by mom201672Combined rating
Another crowd favourite that I tend to avoid cooking due to the fat content is Schnitzel. Let's face it, we all love a schnitzel - but I cringe at the thought of how unhealthy this is for me and my family so I only tend to cook it as a treat every now and again. This time, I had a go at a Paleo-Crusted pork schnitzel. Initially, whilst the meat was cooking, the crust was looking more soggy than crispy, so I found that I needed to paint each schnitzel with a touch of oil just to get the nice crust I was after. Then, it worked. If I had a spray oil, either olive oil or coconut oil it would have worked better, but as a first time schnitzel hack, the results were pretty promising. In the last minute or so I threw in a handful of asparagus spears, which seared nicely. I also tried some shoestring fires but I cooked them for too long so they were VERY crispy!! Another rookie fail - not the machine's fault, rather the user. I would certainly make the schnitzel again, only this time would ensure they were individually oil-sprayed. Also, I had the schnitzels separated by a layer of baking paper which I rotated them every few minutes. I think if I had the shelf-accessory they would have cooked more evenly without so much intervention from me. Nevertheless, I am impressed with each and every meal I am making in my Phillips Airfryer. I now have it permanently placed on my bench top as I'm finding it so useful for quick additions to our dinners. Thanks so much for choosing me to review this wonder-machine. I love it :)
Makin' Bacon
by Kathryn313Combined rating
When my husband reached for the frying pan for his usual weekend breakfast, I stopped him and said "Did you know you can cook the bacon in the Airfryer?" So that's what he did, after a quick (and I mean very quick) lesson on how to use it, just two dials, his response was, "Is that all??" Approx 10 minutes later and he had lovely crisp bacon, a much healthier way to cook it. I was amazed at all the fat that had dripped to the bottom of the airfryer. He claimed the bacon tasted heaps better too! I have found cleaning the airfryer incredibly simple too, some kitchen towel to soak up any fat and then a quick wash in soapy water. No more overcrowded frying pan trying to make way for the eggs on the weekend now!
Wow, so excited to try more!
by mom93671Combined rating
Received my Philips Airfryer on Friday. First thing I used it with was shoestring chips. It went so well and made them just as crispy as the deep fryer. Next day we tried some frozen prawn gyoza. Wow! crisped up so well and cooked so quickly, no preheating, no boiling. They were amazing. So far the only thing I haven't gotten right is homemade sweet potato fries but I'll keep working on it. I have attached a photo of the chicken schnitzel I made in it last night. Cooked so well and left the chicken very juicy. So impressed. Tonight we did filo parcels which also worked really well in it.
I'm very excited...The Philips Airfryer has arrived!
by PopMCombined rating
I was thrilled to have been selected to review the Philips Airfryer Turbostar and even more so when it was delivered today. I didn't waste any time unravelling the package as I've always been curious about this product and how it works. It certainly is a handsome looking appliance that you would proudly show off in your kitchen. The sleek black unit with the silver trim would fit in perfectly in any kitchen. I read through the leaflets and then noticed they have an application you can download straight onto your Apple or Android device. This app is brilliant. You select the model of your Philips Airfryer and it shows content suitable for your model such as quick hints and tips. The best thing about the app is the many recipes and videos you have at your fingertips for the Philips Airfryer. Too easy... I spent so much time looking through the recipes and videos thinking about what I would try to cook and still trying to comprehend how it works without all that oil we are accustomed to using when frying foods. I watched many of the demonstration videos available on the app stunned at the results with little to no oil. I think I'm going to love using this product. Now to work out what's for dinner.... #MoMAirfryerReview
Easy to use
by t.bursleCombined rating
The Phillips Viva Turbostar Airfryer is so easy to use It is quick to heat up and cook food. The Phillips Viva Turbostar Airfryer saves me a lot of time. I don't have pre-heat a huge oven which wastes a lot of power and in summer time makes the kitchen so hot to then have to cook in. I recommended The Phillips Viva Turbostar Airfryer to anyone that wants healthy food cooked in less than 1/2 the time.
Sauce.....and more!
by jak05Combined rating
After reading another review on here – Thank You Nicoletta!! – about the homemade pizza sauce I copied the idea and gave it a go. Previously, I had been thinking of how to use it without using anything else but this has opened my eyes to a whole lot more (eg dips, pastes, sauces, marinades, jams). So, with tomatoes, onion, capsicum, garlic & zucchini, I used the Airfryer to roast them (20 mins at 160) and then blitzed them all together. My “rich roast tomato pizza sauce” was more like a “tomato & veg sauce” but holy guacamole it was good! Oh, should I have added guacamole to the top of the finished product (being chicken, bacon & mushroom pizza?? Maybe next time…..). As a side note, being able to read other reviews on here is very inspiring so thank you to all the Awesome Airfryer reviewers!
Chips, Chips & More Chips
by jak05Combined rating
The Airfryer works a treat when cooking potato chips / wedges from scratch but also using frozen chips. Found chips, whether frozen or fresh, turned out the same. Wedges however were best using the Airfryer recipe on the app - especially with the paprika!
Recipes for a newbie - the app is great!
by jak05Combined rating
So, not really knowing what to try and where to start I thought I would give you my suggestions: Download the Philips Airfryer app and start with the following: Crispy Potato Skin Wedges - could have been spicier for the adults but with kids they loved them. Spicy Drumsticks - takes "winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!!!!!" to a whole new level (& oh so easy) Baked potato - YUMMO!!! And we changed the filling for each person and we each "constructed" our own Chunky fries - make them as chunky as you like and they are crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside - no more oven-baked, soggy sticks of potato! Kale chips - I now get what all the fuss is about.
Extras
by jak05Combined rating
With a family of 5 I decided we needed a little extra food to be prepared at once and purchased a rack to use in the Airfryer - well worth the $$ (I got mine from the Good Guys but think you can purchase them at a number of places - just make sure you get the right size). This rack allows "layers" to be added and also comes with 4 skewers (yet to use these but can see the potential!). Next purchase will be the grill I think....... Stay tuned
So much better then I thought
by mom81879Combined rating
When I saw this, I though "oh yeah, yet another kitchen gadget to push to the back of the cupboard." I have been pleasantly surprised by how often I use it. It's so easy to use with a massive range of recipes to cook in it. It's fast and so do healthy. The whole family enjoyed the meals I cook with this. A fantastic addition to my kitchen
From chops to chips, from steak to cake
by mom93671Combined rating
I am loving my air fryer. I have tried so many things in it. We have cooked steak, chops, chicken breast, chips, potato gems, dumplings, and even reheat fried foods. It works so well for so many things. My next thing to buy is the baking tray attachment so that we can start baking in it. Can't wait to see how they turn out.
Crispier Crispy Skinned Salmon
by 3xmumCombined rating
I am not a lover of Salmon at the best of times, but my family love fish and having 4 pieces in the freezer that is what became dinner tonight. I brushed a Moroccan marinade over it and set the temperature to 200 degrees and set the timer to 15 mins. I had to do two separate batches, but the skin was so very crispy and the fish nice and succulent in the middle. It has been a long time since I have eaten fish, but I enjoyed it tonight.
The second dish: baked potatoes
by mom201672Combined rating
This is the first dinner I've made in the Airfryer. Baked sweet potatoes (skin on). They cooked beautifully and only did a tiny drizzle of oil on top about halfway through the cooking process. The skin was crisp but not burned, and the flesh was soft, sweet and almost pulpy Luke mash! In the final 10 min of the potatoes cooking, I tossed a handful of sliced bacon on top and a few asparagus spears. No extra oil added. I must say, I am really impressed. This dinner would normally have used several tablespoons of oil. I managed to make this with around 1 tablespoon. And it was just as tasty and delicious as if I had cooked it in the conventional way. And the washing up...so easy!! A meal like this would normally leave me with at least one oven tray, plus a frypan or two for the bacon & asparagus. The kitchen was clean within minutes!! Yay! I'm really loving this. So keen to get the extra accessories & try a few more unusual dishes.
My first impression of Philips Airfryer
by mom79844Combined rating
I received Philips Viva TurboStar Airfryer yesterday. I was very interested in the Airfryer after seeing it at the store or on TV, but I wondered how does it work. I don't really want to cook oily food and don't want to use deep fryer, but my husband and step-kids love such a kind of food! So I'm very happy to test it! I just opened the box and read through the instruction, so it's my impression before using Airfryer. The body is very simple. Not too many complicated button and looks easy to use. Then read through the instruction. It's a little bit disappointing. There're two instructions, one is words without any pictures (in some languages), and another one is only pictures (drawing)! It's little bit hard for me to understand. But APP is very good and resolve this problem. In the APP, there are lots of menu, not only recipes but also how to use, how to clean, tips, about accessories...etc. I think they should make a booklet from Tips & Tricks (with both pictures and instruction) and put in the box as well! It's really easy to read and helpful. I can't wait to cook with it!
The Philips Airfryer APP is awesome!
by NicNacNooCombined rating
So while the small recipe book that comes with the Airfryer is great to get started, the APP is fantastic. Filled with recipes but also VIDEOS which I love. You select the Airfryer model that you are using, what country you are from and can scroll through and either find exactly what you're looking for or some inspiration. So easy to use even the younger kids in my family are getting involved in deciding what's for dinner!
First impressions
by Kathryn313Combined rating
I think my husband was the most excited out of everyone to be trialling the Philips Viva Turbostar Airfryer! In preparation for its arrival I downloaded the app and had a look at some of the recipes available. I wa very surprised by the range of things it can cook! I found the tips and tricks section of the app particularly helpful, more so than trying to figure out the pictorial instruction booklet that came with the machine. I found the machine incredibly easy to use, essentially just two dials, not much you can get wrong there. First up we tried some spring rolls (the frozen kind), they were ready in less time than it took to heat the oven up! I can already see how handy this is going to be after a long day at work and picking the kids up from childcare/ school, the kids are normally so tired and hungry that unless they fed within 15 minutes of getting home, serious meltdowns start to happen! After the spring rolls we tried some fish fillet which were cooked perfectly in under 10 minutes from frozen. Very impressed so far, can\'t wait to try out some more recipes.
It's only day two and I'm loving my Airfryer...
by PopMCombined rating
So after admiring the Airfryer and working out how to use it, I hit the ground running and started to put it to the test. I started with the frozen French fries and it didn't disappoint. I just happened to have a pack in the freezer, what luck, and so I just opened the pack and popped the chips straight into the basket. I made sure not to fill past the max line that is indicated on the basket. Slid the basket into the unit, set the timer and away I walked. 15 minutes later when the unit pinged to indicate cooking was finished I pulled out the basket to see a batch of perfectly golden, crispy fries. I seriously couldn't believe how easy and quick it was to prepare a batch of beautifully cooked fries for the kids. Even better than that, it is the best no-mess way to cook fries with a very easy clean up. I think I'm already falling in love with the Philips Airfryer and cooking again. #MoMAirfryerReview
Super fast set up & easy to understand
by NicNacNooCombined rating
So our Airfryer TurboStar arrived last Friday while we were away. My oldest son (who was home with his two young adult boy cousins) immediately called and asked if they could start using it! You can imagine they'd be living on hot chips for the weekend. I said "No Way" it's for me to check out first for Mouths of Mums which is what I did the minute I got home Sunday afternoon. Because we were in a rush to get organised before school went back, I didn't have time for much but did give these sweet potato and capsicum chips a go. I didn't read any recipes, just chopped them up, gave a quick spray of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and threw them in for 20 minutes on 180. The Airfryer is so refreshingly devoid of buttons and digital displays. I love that all I have to do is twist a dial to get the temp and turn a knob to get the time. They were lovely and tasty - not crispy like they'd been deep fried but perhaps if I'd cooked them a little longer or maybe used a bit more oil, they would have been crispier. That said, they only lasted 2 minutes before they were completely gobbled up!
Airfryer
by mom62894Combined rating
I think this is great so must faster then the oven. Cooks everything evenly I cooked crumbed chicken in mine and it was not dry it was great!!! I love mine!
Deliciously crispy sweet potato chips!
by Kathryn313Combined rating
It's taken quite a few attempts to make crispy sweet potato chips, something we eat a lot of in our family and I have never quite mastered it in the oven. Tried for the third time in the Airfryer and finally got there! There is a bit of prep involved in soaking the chips in water, honestly the longer the better to remove as much starch as possible. Then they need to be dried and tossed in a little bit of oil and corn flour. You can't cook too many at once so normally in 2 or three batches. I first cooked them at a lower temperature around 170 for 8-10 minutes then turned the temp up to 200 and cooked until they were crispy and slightly browned. Perfect and quicker than the oven!
Final thoughts
by mom93671Combined rating
Thanks again MoM for letting me review this product. I am in LOVE with my Philips Air Fryer. Not only can I cook enough food for my family all in one easy to use appliance, but its cooking healthy food, letting all the fat drip away, while keeping everything moist and full of flavour. Looking forward to trying new things all the time, I want to try chicken wings, burgers, and try and perfect sweet potato fries. One of these days!
success or fail???
by mom79844Combined rating
Originally when we cook sweet & sour pork, the recipes says "deep fry pork first". But it's too much work for me, so I usually do shallow-fry in the frying pan. But I decided to try to cook pork in the Airfryer. I cut pork and coat with flour as usual, and put them in the Airfryer. Unfortunately it fits only half of batch. ( I need double layer rack!!) Set 180c for 20 minutes. I opened to check pork in the middle, then the flour scattered everywhere!!! After beep sounds, the outside of pork started burning, but I could see white flour outside. I gave up rest of batch, and shallow-fry in the frying pan as usual. I mixed up Airfryer-cooked pork as well. (in the picture, Airfryed pork has dark colour) Usually pork is very tender in this recipes, but Airfryed pork is bit hard, especially outside. For me, it's the biggest regret to cook with Airfryer, but my husband said that it's different from usual, but he liked grilled-like pork (little bit burnt outside, but it had flavour). Ummmm, I'm not still sure it was good or not. But only one thing I can say is the Airfryer itself was coated flours, and it made big mess in the bench!!! It was very hard to clean:(
Happy to review this!
by SharnaCombined rating
I was sooooo happy to be chosen to review this for Mouths of Mums! I had to have my gall bladder removed nearly 8 years ago and have to be really careful the level of fat in my diet. I was so impressed when this came to our house. I would highly recommend that you download the app associated with the product. It was fantastic little pocket recipe book. I found great recipes to use and step by step guide. We firstly did our chicken wings in the air fryer. I was so impressed how little oil was needed. The chicken wings came out packed with flavour and just so juicy! It was simple to use and i found cleaning was just as easy! We next tried sweet potato chips... i am now a convert! It was easy, only the smallest amount of oil was needed. I was impressed how crispy it made the sweet potatoes!
So easy and quick
by mom93671Combined rating
I've been using the Philips Viva Airfryer for a few weeks now and loving it so much. We cook in it every day. Meat, veg, dessert. Its just so handy and doesn't need preheating which is my favourite thing about it. If I want something quick and easy for lunch or dinner I can just stick something in it and its done in a flash. LOVE LOVE LOVE my air fryer!
A better result than the oven!
by NicNacNooCombined rating
I had to make some muffins for school morning teas this week so thought this would be a good trial for the Airfryer. I didn't have the accessories I apparently need to 'bake' but thought I'd try it out anyway. I made a normal muffin mix and cooked the majority of them in the oven but tried out 3 muffins in oven proof ramekins - just to compare. I cooked them for 5 minutes on 180 degrees then reduced the temp to 160 degrees, sprinkled a little brown sugar, coconut and walnuts over the top and cooked for another 15 minutes. It wasn't the most efficient way of cooking (only fitted 3 ramekins at a time) but they did cook beautifully - each muffin had a beautiful crunchy crust and were moist inside. They also rose a lot more than the ones in the oven. I might try and find some smaller ramekins so that I can fit 6 (enough to feed my family).
The Maiden Voyage - Baked Apples
by mom201672Combined rating
My Viva TurboStar Airfryer arrived yesterday afternoon. I already had dinner planned for the night but was so keen to try something, that I immediately downloaded the app and found a recipe for baked apples - perfect for dessert. First of all, let me mention how easy this thing is to set up. It really is plug-and-play. Second of all, it looks really nice on the kitchen bench with its smooth black surface. Anyway, back to the apples. All in all, it took 15 minutes from prep to on-the-plate. The recipe called for Granny Smith apples - I only had Lady William's. The apples were baked right though, but were still a bit crunchy - I suspect more to do with the variety of the apple rather than the appliance. Like any cooking, it's worth understanding your ingredients if you're going to stray from the recipe. However, the honey & nuts that were stuffed in the apples were baked beautifully. The honey had created a chewy toffee-like consistency and the nuts had a lovely crunch about them. The machine is super easy to clean with a quick wipe with a damp cloth. I'm excited to try more things so maybe tonight I'll do baked potatoes, or prawn gyoza...or chicken schnitzel... I'll need to buy the other attachments so I can try grilling fish (a favourite in our house) and I'm also very interested to see how this appliance handles cake baking. Early days, but so far, so good.
Almost like a mini oven!
by Del ClarkCombined rating
I wasn't selected for this review but after reading what other mums thought, I grabbed one this week. So far so good - I've already cooked three dinners. I love how compact it is and that it slides so neatly into my storage cupboard.
Made perfect nuggets etc, not the best chips
by mikaelawCombined rating
I finally bought one of these. It made fantastic frozen nuggets etc for the kids, however they didn't really like the chips. I did put corn cobs, bacon etc in there too and it seemed to cook them up well. I wrapped the corn cob in foil and put some butter in it, it was delicious. I probably should try to do chips again, maybe some wedges. i was hoping that I could do home made chips and see how they turn out.
Another quick easy healthy meal
by PopMCombined rating
I really am surprised at just how easy to use the Philips Airfryer is. In a matter of minutes you can whip up a delicious meal the whole family can enjoy. I had some marinated chicken tenderloins and decided to try these out in the Airfryer. I popped them in for about 20 minutes, and then added an extra 5 or so minutes just to be sure. I popped these aside covered and then cut up some capsicum, zucchini and eggplant. I drizzled with some olive oil then seasoned with salt pepper and some dried oregano. Gave it a quick mix then popped into the Airfryer basket. Set the timer to 15 minute and walked away. I ended up creating a delicious meal the whole family enjoyed. The chicken was so moist on the inside and cooked perfectly. Clean up was a breeze too as I popped all the basket components into the dishwasher along with the rest of dinners dishes and done! I really am loving this product and feel very fortunate to have been selected to trial it.
Coles buffalo drumsticks
by mom186631Combined rating
I found a tray of "Buffalo Coated Chicken Drumsticks" in the chiller at Coles and decided to give them a try in the Airfryer. Unsure of the cooking time, I opened the app and found two recipes for drumsticks but each had a different cooking time: one said 25 mins and the other said 45 mins. I probably ended up giving them closer to 50 minutes. But they were fantastic! The outside was crispy and the meat was so juicy. I would definitely cook these in the Airfryer again as it was so easy. Add some steamed veggies and it was an easy no fuss dinner. Once the meal is cooked the whole tray of the Airfryer just pops apart and goes in the dishwasher. Done! I have also found that it is quite often easier, (and faster!) to simply hand wash the basket, then I can use it again straight away without waiting for the dishwasher to run its cycle.
turbo fryer
by mom170269Combined rating
A family member has one of these, it got me intrigued, so I asked about it they said saves time especially when you got kids, so I bought one myself and I always use it great for those afternoon snacks like chips so much healthier easy to clean, my husband even uses it. Now he does the cooking.
Quick, convenient (lazy) without the guilt
by mom239557Combined rating
I love the airfryer and that you can cook just about anything that you would in an oven or deep fryer in less time and without adding a thing! Meat comes out moist and not dry as I find it does in the oven, and frozen chips taste naughty even though they're cooked without adding any oil. Would definitely recommend, especially to busy mums. I even cook party pies for the kids and puff pastry triangles in it.
Great Quick Meals
by 3xmumCombined rating
Since receiving our air fryer we have used it a good couple of times a week. As we are living in a renovators delight (aka doing up our kitchen that is taking wayyyy to long). It certainly has been a great go to machine for when I haven't prepared anything. I have cooked fries, gems, wedges, kransky, pies, sausage rolls, crispy skinned salmon, and I have even tried out cakes which didn't cook evenly. The outside of my cake cooked but not the inside and I wonder if I had the propper extra attachments it may have made a difference. But my favourite thing to cook is crispy skinned potatoes. They are great to top with all sorts and my kids just love them. All round it is a good machine and healthier to cook with for sure.
Frozen Sausages.... No worries with the Philips Viva Turbostar Airfryer
by PopMCombined rating
What to do when you get home from school pick up and the kids are starving and starting to look for something to eat?.... my last favourite time of the day. I looked in the freezer and saw a pack of bbq beef sausages, always a hit with the little ones. Could I put them in the Airfryer frozen? Would they actually cook before they burnt... I really wasn't sure if it would work but thought I'd try anyway. I placed them in the basket, set temperature to 180 and turned the timer to 20 minutes. After the timer ended I checked the sausages and was shocked to see that not only had they defrosted but they were cooked. I turned the timer on for about another 5 mins just to get them a bit more browned just in case they needed more cooking inside. I couldn't believe that it had cooked the sausages perfectly from frozen. They were so moist and looked like they were cooked on the bbq. The amount of fat that had drained from the sausages into the base of the unit during cooking was also quite surprising. Definitely a healthier way to cook sausages for the family, and the fact that the Airfryer cooked them so well from frozen won me over even more.
First impressions
by mom186631Combined rating
I've been looking at Airfryers since they came on the market, and was thrilled when I got the chance to review this one! This is a very modern, stylish, sexy little machine! It has a very small footprint and would make itself perfectly at home in almost any kitchen. After giving the knobs and handle a good workout I can confidently say it feels like a very solid, quality unit. My one gripe would be that the paperwork that comes with it needs some improvement. The "warning" leaflet folds out like the New York Times, and the so called "instruction booklet" doesn't really tell you anything you need to know. Luckily a quick google search will rectify that problem. A small recipe booklet is included which is great to get you going, but the Airfryer App is a must have. It is FABULOUS! Over 200 recipes from all culinary genres, step by step instructions, videos, and drool-worthy photos. I've already "favourited" about 20 recipes! I'm so excited to get stuck in and give this bad boy a work out!
2nd Trial - Frozen DimSims
by pottsyCombined rating
Frozen dimmys not quite as successful as my frozen spring rolls (see my previously posted review) I had to take a wild guess at the temperature and time to cook, using my previously cooked spring rolls to work that out. They were a lot thicker than the spring rolls but I didn't cook near as many of them. Result = I under-cooked them ! (as shown in photo) I put them back into the airfryer for a few more minutes. They were ready the next time the machine went DING! ;) Quite crunchy on outside and boiling hot inside. Hubby was very pleased with them but I always prefer my dimmys steamed so this one was not a tick for me. I found them a bit chewy on the outside and dry inside. There was no residual oil in the bottom of the tray. When I cook them next time I will cook them on a cooler temp (180?) for 10 minutes instead of 200 degrees for 8mins. Maybe even baste them with a light spray of oil before I put them into the airfyer. *Family of 3: Was disappointed to realise I need to buy a special insert to bake in the fryer and also would have loved the Double-Layer Rack to cook pork chops for our dinner tonight. The fryer is just not wide enough to cook three large pork chops (hence the need for a rack). I can buy them online or in store for a reasonable price though. So hopefully I'll get those in the next few days. To get the most out of my airfryer I really think I need these extra accessories! You can also buy a non-stick grill pan accessory for grilling meats. Will consider that as well. Forgot to take the after shot of the cooked dimsims so this is how they looked after I rolled them over when they were still half-cooked.
First Trial - Frozen Spring Rolls - 8mins on 200 degrees
by pottsyCombined rating
Love the simplicity of the machine! No pre-heating and the basket slid easily in and out. It was a lot quieter than I expected. Just a small fan noise and a 'ding' when ready. Machine automatically turned itself off at end of timer. Thought I'd try something simple for my first attempt. Frozen spring rolls. Placed one layer into bottom of basket, slid them in, set temperature, set time and off it went! After 8 minutes they were perfectly cooked! Crispy, hot and enough for a snack for three people. I could have placed a lot more into the basket and I presume if I had, that it may have paid to stop the cooking half way and given them a shuffle to turn them around a little. As I didn't have many I didn't need to turn them at all. There was about a teaspoon of oil in the bottom of the tray after cooking. This had come out of the spring rolls. I hadn't added any. *Initial thoughts on reading the instructions and supplied recipe book was one of confusion. I found the instruction pictures less than clear and needed to go watch online videos before I knew what I was supposed to do. The supplied recipe book had only about 20 recipes in it. I wont be making most of those as they are a little too fancy for my family's tastes. Would have preferred a booklet with more basic cooking ideas and a lot more recipes to choose from. * I downloaded the suggested app to my mobile and discovered for this Model No. there were only 12 recipes to read! The videos were of more use but I decided to go turn my PC on and watch video on a larger screen instead of peering at my little iPhone screen. (No! I don't own an iPad) I had more success googling recipes online than using the app. I really don't like having to use apps in my kitchen. Rather have a recipe book that has easy to read large font. *The cleanup afterwards was very easy. A wipe with papertowel to remove the oil from the bottom of the tray, then a hot soapy rinse for tray, basket and rack. I imagine if I'd cooked something like chicken wings, then clean-up make have required more of a scrub in the sink. Booklet says the removable parts are able to be put in dishwasher but I rarely use one of those! Excited to try some baking and more complicated recipes during the next few days. I'll be back to post further reviews. Thanks again for the opportunity MoM!! :)
the Holy Grail of Kitchen Appliances
by mom172677Combined rating
My mother in law introduced me to this beauty, fries up anything and you can feel free to enjoy without a guilty conscience. Im a pretty good cook, but sometimes being time poor is my downfall. Great that I can fallback on this beauty. ps. where have you been all of my life?! There is one thing I dislike though and I use the aid of my husband when it comes to cleaning this beauty as it can be beastly, the oil seeps down the bottom and can have quite a yucky grease smell.
Buy Accessories!
by pottsyCombined rating
After receiving my airfryer and seeing what it could do, I really wanted to get the most out of it, So I purchased the baking pan, rack and grill plate. Rack (Harvey Norman $23.95) Grill Plate (Harvey Norman $47.95) Baking Pan (The Good Guys $34.95) *The rack allows you to add extra to the airfyer without it touching other food items (refer my photo of bread) It really adds 'extra space', which in this model (Philips Turbostar - Viva Collection HD9621) I think you need. If I had the bench space, I would buy the XL model which is a considerably bigger capacity AirFryer. The rack also comes with skewers. *The baking pan has been very valuable but you can really just put any metal pan inside the airfyer. I have made several cakes in it. *I haven't used the grill yet. It helps to fry, brown or sear things like meat or fish Having these accessories helps to open up the potential of the machine and allows for a much greater variety of dishes to be made. It's a pity they don't come standard when you buy the fryer.
Healthiest chips we have had
by mom201806Combined rating
Well my first Airfryer attempt... It was so incredibly easy to use. Popped my own cut potatoes into the basket with a light spray of olive oil. Set timer and heat setting and got on with the rest of dinner. 25mins later crunchy healthy chips ...
Fails and successes!
by mom186631Combined rating
The Airfryer never leaves my benchtop. It has its own little corner that it sits in, awaiting its next use. I use it at least once, if not twice, every day! It's easy to use, ridiculously easy to clean, and cooks so perfectly! Most of the time.... I have had two failures since using the Airfryer. The first was frozen chips. After ready everyone's reviews about how well the Airfryer cooks frozen chips my husband couldn't wait to try it out. He loves his hot chips but hates oven cooked ones, I don't like deep frying them due to the oil content. So we popped some in the Airfryer and waited eagerly! After the recommended time at the recommended temperature we pulled the basket out only to find that the chips were only slightly crispy and still uncooked in the center. I put them on for another 5 mins and they came out slightly over done. Neither of us was particularly impressed. So this was a fail for us. HOWEVER!! The next time we tried making chips (potato gems actually), I left them on the bench for 30 mins to thaw first. Then popped them in the basket at the same temp and for the same length of time as recommended. They came out perfectly!!! They were soft and fluffy inside while having that loud crunchy "snap!" That you look for in a good hot chip (or equivalent frozen potato product!) The next failure was my attempt at making chocolate brownies. I used a box mix and put them into a cake tin and then into the Airfryer for the time recommended by the app recipe for brownies. When I heard the Airfryer "ding" I raced into the kitchen eager to see the results! I pulled the tray out only to see the brownie wobbling in its tin like jelly! I put it back in for another ten mins, and then another. By which time the top was slightly black and the middle still raw batter. The only cake pan I had that would fit into the Airfryer was pretty tall, so even though I only used half of the batter it may still have been too much. So it's probably more my own fault than any fault of the machine! A big success was ordinary Coles brand frozen chicken nuggets. After a long and trying day at work, when my 2yo is screaming at me for dinner (which is already late) and telling me that she only wants chippies, I opened the freezer and pulled out my emergency box of chicken nuggets. Following the cooking instructions on the back of the box (which said something like "oven for 20 minutes at 200C") I put them in the Airfryer and after only 15 mins at 200C we had amazing chicken nuggets! They were super crispy on the outside but so moist inside. And these were just the cheap Coles brand ones! Happy (and quiet!) toddler, time for mum to relax. Thank you Airfryer!
Day 1 lets give it a run!!
by 3xmumCombined rating
I was super excited to get my Airfryer and knowing I had some food ready to cook in the kitchen, I opened the book/lets and I must admit I was baffled. They really aren't very informative or even descriptive. I then proceeded to download the app and trying to find the model number of our machine was also a task in it self. By the time I got a grasp on it all it was a touch late to cook the chicken I had to prepare. However the next day my hubby was hassling me to cook some curly fries, so after a quick run to the shops I came home, crumbed the chicken into nuggets and 11 mins later they came out crispy, juicy and delicious. I was looking forward to making, baking and grilling in the machine but there aren't all the relevant attachments to do anything really than frying. But there are plenty of recipes on the app, over 200 I believe. I will certainly look forward to cooking and reviewing some more aspects of this wonderful machine.
Crispy Pastries
by 3xmumCombined rating
So the other night I was lagging a bit on preparing dinner so I looked in the freezer and "ding" there were some chicken and veg pies. So I popped the vegies on the cooktop and popped a defrosted pie into the fryer basket and set the timer. However the pies didn't heat through so I microwaved them for a minute and popped them back in the air fryer. I could only do one at a time but they certainly crisped up really nicely. And the kids absolutely loved them. A simple trick to make your pastries crispy in minutes.
Quick Snack Maker & No So Brilliant Baking Attempt
by pottsyCombined rating
After several weeks of trying different foods/meals/snacks and failing miserably at working out why the video I took is sideways (LOL)....I now present my third review. I have a family of three and I have found that the airfryer is really only suitable for making small meals and snacks. I would recommend buying the XL size if you want to make a whole family meal in it. It's ok for e.g. cooking 3 bits of fish to have with a salad but something like a family sized lasagne is never going to be large enough (in this smaller model) to feed the family a whole dinner unless you are happy to keep putting it on repeatedly to cook individual portions. Over the weeks I have become used to how it works, so I've become better at 'guessing' temperatures and times to cook things. I still wish they had supplied a cookbook or more detailed heating guide with it. I've watched a few videos online but when you are in the kitchen cooking, having the pc in another room is a problem. I've tried to read the mobile app recipes but frankly my phone screen is so small it drives me nuts. I started keeping a diary of everything I heated or cooked, so that I have a record of times and temps which are suitable. I keep that next to my machine I purchased three accessories to go with my Airfryer. (Wish they came with it!) - Baking Dish ($34.95): Really you could put any metal dish inside but this non-stick pan is great for things like small cakes - Two tier rack ($23.95): Came in very handy the other day when I cooked herb bread for three people - A grill plate ($47.95): Haven't used yet ***BAKING!!!! Oh boy! LOL - I've had a few disasters with this. Some recipes I read said to bake a cake by splitting the batter in two and cooking 2 separate halves....other recipes just had 'reduced size' recipes and said to cook the batter altogether. I decided to try a whole banana cake packet mix at once. As you can see from the photo it was a little burnt on top but as the skewer came out clean I thought it was ready. WRONG! As soon as I flipped it over to cool, it broke open and the raw centre poured out. I cut it in two and put it back into the airfryer for few minutes and the sponge was so moist! My 2nd attempt (chocolate cake mix), I split the raw batter in two and baked each half separately. I could have just cooked it in the oven whole for the same amount of time......so not really a time saver using the airfyer for cake....but it was so yummy and moist! I think I'll stick to cooking cakes in my gas oven but I'll try a few other smaller baked goods like brownies or something in the next few weeks.
A few things I have learnt
by Kathryn313Combined rating
All has been going well with the Airfryer so far so I decided to try out a family favourite, the chicken schnitzel. The Airfryer has a few accessories that you have to buy separately, one of them being a double layer accessory which would have been handy as I needed to cook 3 schnitzels. I ended up only managing to fit one in the basket so cooked the other two in the pan as I'd normally do them at the same time. I followed the instructions and put the schnitzel on some grease proof paper in the basket and cooked for 12 minutes. Although the chicken was cooked perfectly and the crumb coating on the top side was crunchy, the underside was still soft, I think had the schnitzel been placed directly in the basket it would have cooked better. I also think a light spray with some oil might have helped. I'm not sure I would cook schnitzels in the Airfryer again, the taste was just not the same and it took about the same time as the pan fried ones.
Great fryer!
by teegsCombined rating
I really love using my airfryer all the time. I find it has a great ability to cook diverse meals and it is pretty simple to clean. Philips is a great trustworthy brand and this dryer certainly does not fall short of their reputation. It is fabulous that it is a healthier alternative to other fryers which when you have a health conscious family this goes a long way!
Amazing for specific food only
by Analiese_Luey_LondonCombined rating
I bought my husband the turbo airfryer for Christmas and we have struggled a little with it. Firstly we tried making our own zucchini and sweet potato fries but they never crisped up (thick and thin) and were always soggy. Then we tried frozen pre cut sweet potato chips and they turned out fantastically, and so did battered fish. We have managed to cook chicken breasts well as well but only if they are battered rather than plain. We have done a lot of research and there doesn't seem to be many recipes to accommodate other foods as of yet.
The Phillips Turbostar Airfryer. Not for baking.
by mom186631Combined rating
So far I have had zero luck when it comes to baking in the Airfryer. I was originally very surprised that you could bake in it, but there are numerous different recipes in the app from cakes to muffins and brownies. But after numerous failed attempts I'm reluctant to keep trying for a positive result. I tried making brownies (from a box mix) and they were a spectacular failure: burnt black on the outside and completely under cooked (raw batter) on the inside. I tried again with a "from scratch" recipe and got a slightly better result: the outer 2 inch shell was perfect! Chewy and delicious and everything a brownie should be. But the center was, again, completely uncooked. I've tried muffins with the same result and today I tried a packet mix mug cake (as I had one in the pantry). It took about 15 minutes in the Airfryer, is nicely done on the outside, but is once again raw inside. And after 15 minutes in the Airfryer he mug is so hot you can't touch it anyway haha!! Two minutes in the microwave would have been so much easier! I love the Airfryer for "frying", but I won't be using it again for baking.
Final thoughts
by mom186631Combined rating
I have enjoyed my time with the Airfryer. I was so excited to be given the opportunity to review it. But would I buy it? Probably not. I feel it is a bit of a "gimmicky" kitchen item, and a very expensive one at that. I had a few successes with my Airfryer but also an equal amount of failures. First, the negatives. The "instructions" (or rather lack of) that came with the machine were essentially useless and I had to google what I was actually doing. To be able to cook enough food in it I would need to purchase the double layer rack, as a single layer doesn't allow for enough food to feed my family in one go. Having to cook in batches is a little annoying and time consuming. I was quite disappointed in the hot chips that come out of the machine, I feel they are no better than oven cooked chips. Most of the things I cook in the Airfryer I can cook in the oven. And in greater quantities. I tried baking in the Airfryer and that was a complete failure. I feel it may have been more successful if I had the baking tin accessory but that's just another thing to buy. I would also have liked a way to turn off the timer, without having to leave the machine on if I've taken the food out early. And some positives! It's quite a compact, sleek and modern little unit and with only one dial for the timer and one wheel for the temperature setting it's very simple to use. It was good for quick frozen snacks: spring rolls, chicken nuggets, fish cakes, if only cooking small quantities. I found it great for cooking any kind of chicken items: nuggets, crumbed drumsticks, chicken wings, schnitzel. It also makes AMAZING bacon! Any food I put in it was always cooked evenly, even without me taking the basket out and turning the food. I really like that any oil that comes out of the food you're cooking falls through the basket and is collected in the bottom, and you aren't cooking food in its own fats. Clean up is a breeze, wether by hand or in the dishwasher. The app was a fantastic accompaniment to the machine with over 200 recipes for inspiration. I will continue to use my Airfryer but it won't be an every day occurrence. It is good for cooking quick snacks, and for making sides to have with dinner. But it's not really big enough to feed the family, and a lot of the foods I've been cooking in it I'll go back to cooking in the oven. Thanks for opportunity Mouths of Mums and Philips!
Mini pizzas!
by mom186631Combined rating
After seeing another reviewer had made mini pizzas in her Airfryer I decided to give it a go. I used some English muffins as the base, put some tomato and BBQ sauce, ham, salami, olives, pineapple, and cheese on and stuck them in the Airfryer for 3 minutes at 200C. They came out brilliantly!! The English muffin base was crispy, the cheese was a golden brown. Slightly annoying as only two fit in the basket each time so it takes a while to make enough for everyone. But it would be good for an afternoon snack, if you were only making 2-4. The double layer rack would be good here.
Another item that would clutter my cupboards
by donkey12Combined rating
After losing 47kgs, I don't ever eat fried food as it no longer agrees with me. My family and I eat very lean, only using spray oil from my oil pumper. I was really interested in finding out whether we could attempt to have some air-fried meals to vary our standard weekly recipes. The first thing that striked me was the size - where was this going to fit?! it's bulky but the capacity of the machine is relatively small. In the first week I gave 3 recipes a go, standard potato & sweet potato chips. I was impressed with this and the amount of oil was relatively low compared to standard chips. They were crispy and were okay on our super healthy bodies. We tried a KFC style chicken, because of the extra oil in the skin of the chicken we found it greasy and it wasn't as crispy as I remember KFC - but it has been years! We gave wings a go. Marinaded overnight for extra taste too. But again, the extra fat on the chicken combined with that in the machine was just too greasy for us. Last week, we passed the machine onto our neighbour who isn't a health nut and she has used the machine twice. She thinks it's great! I suppose it depends if you are used to fried food or not. If you're healthy and want to try fried food, it's probably not great. But if you're a normal (non-gym junkie) family I think you'll love it! Thanks for the opportunity!!!!
Philips Airfryer - Review one: It's not everything I had hoped it would be.
by Eclectic MummaCombined rating
2 out of 5 I would like to thank Mouths of Mum’s for giving me the opportunity to review this device. I was sent a free Philips Airfryer in exchange for at least four reviews and so this will be the first of four over the next few weeks published to both my own blog, as well as to the Mouths of Mum’s site. Please note that my rating for this product may change in each review as I get to know the device more, learn the tips and tricks and so on. For now, the current rating of 2 out of 5 is my initial response to the device. Another please note – this review is long, even for me. I would like to think my next few won’t be as long so, sorry about that! I had a lot to cover. Okay, so where to begin? I did my damnedest to qualify to review this airfryer as I’ve wanted to see what one is like for a long time. The videos shown had women not just frying, but grilling meat, cooking multiple items with a rack, BAKING cakes in it and all sorts. So, yes I was VERY excited when I was picked for the review! I was also very excited with the airfryer arrived… but as I unpacked the device my excitement and enthusiasm waned as, well, the device wasn’t everything it promised to be, sadly. Now I knew I was only getting the little Viva version – the 0.8kg basket capacity and not the XL version that holds over a kilo… I could live with that, yes it wasn’t suitable for my family of five – too small – but I was getting it for free so no grumbles there! However, when the airfryer arrived and all over the box was advertising it could fry, bake, grill and all that… until you open the box up and find: An airfryer, and a colourful sign listing all the accessories that come with the airfryer – none of which I got. Yes, the grill tray, double layer frying rack and baking tin are ALL ACCESSORIES and NONE of them came with my fryer. What got me really upset was the cute little pictorial sign advising me that not all these accessories came with this device was hidden UNDER the first lot of flaps at the top of the box. So, in other words, you didn’t know your device didn’t come with the accessories advertised on the box until you actually opened the box, saw how empty it was and noticed the hidden sign. VERY disappointed and if I had actually paid to buy this item I would have returned it and sent a rather grumpy letter of complaint to Philips about false advertising. That is seriously a BUYER BEWARE! moment there and then! So question the sales assistant where you are buying it from and, if you want these accessories, ensure you check your airfryer comes with them. I mean, yes you CAN buy some of them from the official Philips website – but not all as the device I am reviewing is an older model and so the accessories are no longer available. And the ones I could go and buy… well, that would be adding another $100 give or take to the price of the airfryer. So if you really want one – research it first! Ensure the model and type is large enough to suit your family’s needs, ensure everything it says it comes with – it actually comes with – and ensure it’s not a model that has accessories already no longer sold by Philips if you DON’T buy one with accessories. Seriously, if I had bought this device I would be extremely annoyed right now. I wouldn’t have used it; I would have taken it back, demanded a full refund and looked around for something better. But, I didn’t buy and was instead sent it to review – so I took it out of the box and took it for a spin. Before using my Philips airfryer I looked through all the paperwork. It is the usual hard to read, poorly translated into English and formatted to be read like an ordinance map rather than a booklet sort of thing. But I am used to that with Philips devices, the paper work isn’t their best strength. The cookbook was okay… though most of the recipes in it require you to use the accessories that didn’t come with the device, and so not that helpful. There is, however, an app – available on iPhone and Android – that you can install and have a play with. The app has a better range of recipes that only use the fryer option – as well as the accessories I didn’t get – but the English is of the same poorly translated level as the cookbook and other paperwork. Yes I know I am not perfect with my spelling and grammar… but I am not a huge globally recognised company that should at least make an effort to check their recipes make sense and use correct English. You can stumble through the recipes – if you know what you’re doing – but I do wonder why you are asked to choose the model of airfryer you have before you can look at recipes as the airfryer I have isn’t the one shown in the pics, I couldn’t find a preheat setting – no where am I taught HOW to preheat my airfryer – and that whole “Away” section is just confusing and seriously not needed. If the recipes were better written and clearer to understand, novice cooks will have a better chance of enjoying the app. Right now, it is a nightmare to use as a lot of guess work as to what it actually means is required… Or maybe that was just me? Here’s a cheat – there is a light on the front of your airfryer. When it goes out, it is my assumption the airfryer is preheated… judging on the fact ovens and other devices have lights that indicated it. You’re welcome. All the same, we put the airfryer through its paces. On the first day my eldest made hot potato chips in it. I feel we should have preheated the airfryer first, but the recipe didn’t say to so we didn’t. They were nice… but a little undercooked. We followed the recipe on the app for this… it helped but I would need to tinker with it to make the chips the way we prefer. We then went rogue and made something there was no recipe for. Apple chips. I mean, I did some googling and looked at other people’s recipe ideas - not the Philips ones as the app is near impossible to search on unless you use the exact name it has. Don’t search for apple and expect all the recipes on apples, it found nothing – and in the end tried some ideas for myself. Again, it was nice… but nothing I couldn’t do easier in my fan forced oven. A few days later we bought some locally pre-made then frozen dim sims. Not having any instructions on how to cook them nor any idea from the app, I just went with my 30+ years of cooking experience and had a go. 10 minutes at 200C, then 10 minutes on 160C – perfect. Could not have made them any better in the oven. The only way they would have been as yummy as they were was if we had actually deep fried them. So the airfryer was good at, well air frying the dim sims. And we weren’t all greasy afterwards. Maybe I am asking too much of it? Maybe I SHOULD just let it be a fryer and go back to making chips and other things in the oven? During my google research on this device many people raved about how awesome it is at making popcorn… yeah, don’t. The corn pops and shoots up into the heating element and burns, or makes it through the element to the fan… which promptly turns it into popcorn confetti it then spews out its vents. Oh, and the popcorn KEEP POPPING when you pull the basket out when you smell burning. So, yeah, we got popcorn all over the kitchen… and I do mean ALL OVER. I cracked up laughing and was glad I saw the funny side. But, seriously DON’T make popcorn in the airfryer! That is, unless they make a popcorn accessory… that they then leave out of your model, making you have to buy it online. Catty, me? A little. ;-) Would I recommend this item to others? From my first week with it? No, not really. What can I say? Do I think this device is worth it? Well, so far… not really. Yes it make simply amazing dim sims… but I’ve have to spend about an hour using the airfryer to make enough to feed my family or to feed friends if entertaining. My oven might not do as good a job, but it holds a lot more and is just as hot (and fast) in cooking. Would I buy this item for myself? Not from my first impressions I wouldn’t. Maybe if I had the accessories too, but from my initial play, no I wouldn’t. In summary: There are some amazing devices out there that are great time savers in the kitchen… for me; the airfryer isn’t one of them. So far it has come across as a cooking gimmick and not something I can see myself keeping. Maybe week two will fare better… once we get all the popcorn out of it. ;-)
Wekk 3 review - it has some minor potential...
by Eclectic MummaCombined rating
3 out of 5 stars. I would like to thank Mouths of Mums for giving me the opportunity to review this device. I was sent a free Philips Airfryer in exchange for at least four reviews and so this will be the third one published to both my own blog, as well as to the Mouths of Mums site. Please note that my rating for this product may change in each review as I get to know the device more, learn the tips and tricks and so on. For now, the current rating is 3 out of 5. Okay… so this week I did more ‘from scratch’ cooking with this device and wasn’t as displeased with how it handled as I thought I would be… that’s me giving it a compliment by the way. ;-) Basically, what I did was chat to foodie friends who already own an airfryer of some sort and ask them what they liked cooking in it. Whole food suggestions only, no snip and serve rubbish. They told me pork belly, chicken, bacon (we know that one), veggies and so on. So this week I tried a few things. Firstly - some marinated pork belly ribs from Barossa Fine Foods – they marinated them, not me. I love their marinated spare ribs, been a fan for years and usually grill them for half an hour 45 minutes and then have a lot of messy grease and oil to clean up afterwards. Sooo yummy… but very messy too. But doing them in the airfryer? Done to absolute perfection within 15 minutes. Still moist and juicy (not dried out and burnt like what sometimes happens in the grill), crispy crackling rind and I have to say the best way I’ve cooked them in all the time I’ve been eating them. Better still, cleaning up! Once the airfryer had cooled down, just wiped it out with some kitchen paper – that then went in the compost – and into the dishwasher with the airfryer parts– came out clean first time. No excess grease, mess, oil, etc. Far easier way to clean – so win win on the round airfryer! I will, however, add that I cooked five small ribs in it in that time… as my kids don’t like them and they were just for hubby and myself. My kids had sausages and I would have probably had to spend an hour cooking those in batches in the tiny fryer basket so they were put in the oven. So yes it won pork belly ribs… but lost as a way to easily cook the whole family a meal. The second recipe to try was my Asian style fried chicken… This is chicken breasts (or thighs for a budget) cut up and rolled in cornflour that has been seasoned with “pink” salt, freshly ground pepper and Chinese five spice. I usually deep fry it in coconut oil… which is yummy, but another messy experience and quite time consuming to do. Airfryer version? Well, I had to cook in batches – but have to when deep frying too so no biggie there – and tried cooking the first batch without oil… Super dry and a bit dull… but still tasty. The remaining batches I sprinkled with some local extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and then cooked –much better. Just had to come and remove and shake the basket every few minutes rather than spending an hour standing over a pot of boiling oil. Nice change. The chicken still came out a bit dry, but not so bad and the kids and hubby yummed it up with some rice. I added some sweet chilli and tamari soy sauce to mine. Yum. So, it took about as long to cook as if I deep fried it, but I didn’t have to be there and be on my feet (which is great with my current bad back) for that whole time. Cleaning was a breeze too. Another wipe out with kitchen paper – then composted - and into the dishwasher. Not pan of used coconut oil to dispose of, no oily splatters all over the place – nice, simple and easy. My goodness? Two things from scratch the airfryer is doing amazingly well… who would have thought it?! I feel I have proved to myself I was wrong about the Philips airfryer to some extent. Yes it is still best suited to do snip and serve reheat pre-made foods… but it CAN be used for from scratch and it does it in a less time consuming, cleaner fashion. Just too small to do a decent family sized meal using just the airfryer to cook the meat. Though, I will add, the recipe app for Android is STILL BROKEN since their update. I’ve reported it half a dozen times and even left a poor review on the apps page (and I am not alone with my complaint either from all the other people reporting it). It’s been three weeks now and the app has not worked since that update. So that has helped keep my score low as, quite frankly, a product with next to no decent customer support – which this shows – is a poor product indeed. Next week I will be trying to cook asparagus in it, as well as see how it goes making another household favourite – tamari almonds. The whole roasting of nuts side of things has so much potential it is almost exciting to see what it can do! Would I recommend this device to others? If I am honest, the jury is still out on this as I have had such a hit and miss reaction to using it. I, personally, still feel it is better suited to those wanted to cook (reheat) pre-made foods from the frozen food sections at the shops… but do have to admit it cooks pork products – from scratch – pretty well. I would list the pros and cons and let the person decide if it’s for them. As it is an item that takes up a lot of space while not actually being able to cook a lot at once… and if you already have a cluttered kitchen and a large family to feed… you might still want to think twice about it. I would also strongly advise the check what it is they are purchasing so they don’t end up with the one like me that lists all the fantastic things it can make… but then comes without any of the accessories, and so all you get is something that fries… I’m still frustrated over that, as it really does come across as false advertising! Would I buy this device for myself? I really don’t know… I am still undecided. It has been suggested I try buying the baking tin accessory and taking it for a spin. But as that is money I can’t afford right now, and I am perfectly happy with all the cake tins and my fan-forced Smeg oven right now, I don’t have a huge desire to go buy it. The airfryer is honestly just too small to bake something for my whole family anyhow. Though, one day, I would like to try bread. In summary – it’s starting to show some promise, and I can see us using it to cook small batches of things in it, but still not a device I can easily cook a whole family meal in. Too small, too time consuming.
Still not a fan despite it cooking some things really well.
by Eclectic MummaCombined rating
3 out of 5 stars. I would like to thank Mouths of Mums for giving me the opportunity to review this device. I was sent a free Philips Airfryer in exchange for at least four reviews and so this will be my fourth and final review published to both my own blog, as well as to the Mouths of Mums site. Please note that my rating for this product may change in each review as I get to know the device more, learn the tips and tricks and so on. For now, the final rating is 3 out of 5. The last week reviewing the Philips Airfryer, have I changed my opinion of it? Not a heck of a lot really. I tried a few things out and have come to the conclusion it does meat items well… veggie items – not so well. Earlier in the week I made veggie chips for dinner. It was really a “let’s clear out the root vegetables” meal and consisted of potato and sweet potato chips. I first seasoned some oil with salt, pepper, sumac and savoury yeast, I then rolled the chipped veg in this oil and airfried them. It took…. Sooooo long! About two hours to do all the batches of veg. So the rest of the meal was stone cold when the last lot of chips was done. And, no matter how much I let them sit on paper towel, they did not crisp up and stayed soggy. So not so much chips as, well, cooked soggy veg. And the constant loud, droning noise of the airfryer for the two hours it took? Headache making and just added to the misery. Seriously this wasn’t a good meal no matter how photogenic it looks here. This morning I did two final meals with the Philips Airfryer, just to see if it could do them and, well, it could. Firstly I made Tamari almonds – which is just a cup of almonds tossed in a couple of teaspoons of wheat free tamari soy sauce and then roasted. This went well, took me half the time it usually would and the airfryer is definitely easier to clean out after making them than the tray for the oven would be. I then did a fry up as, what else should an airfryer be cook at than frying food? It took me 20 minutes to fry up 5 long rashers of Kanmantoo Bacon, half a Torunska (a Polish like Kabana) and 2 large mushrooms. And at the same time I was able to make toast, scramble some eggs and make a cup of tea – and not burn or ruin any of it! So, unsurprisingly, the airfryer was good at a fry up. But as fry ups are an occasional meal in my house – not a daily or weekly occurrence – I can’t say whether this is a bonus or not. I mean, it was faster, easier and much easier to clean up after… but as it’s not something I do daily or weekly, was the airfryer a lifesaving kitchen device? No, not really. But we do eat Tamari almonds weekly - if I bothered making them – and I will admit the airfryer did make them quickly and easily… so maybe my family will start getting Tamari almonds more often now? I also do still wish the airfryer came with all the accessories it was advertised at having as, quite frankly, I would have loved to have tried making my granola in it, as well as bake bread and cakes… none of which I can do when all you get is just the basket. Would I recommend this device to others? After the four weeks? No, I really don’t think I would. It really does still come across more as a kitchen gimmick than something that would be a time saver in the kitchen. For a family my size and for the sorts of whole foods - no pre-made rubbish – that we eat, there are far better cooking appliances out there. An example would be – a decent sized fan forced oven with some cook cooking racks and trays. Would I buy this device for myself? No I wouldn’t. I am still in two minds as to whether I will keep this one given to be as a freebie or give it away to someone more into the types of foods it seems more designed for – reheating pre-made stuff. I will admit it was great at cooking certain types of meat, and much easier to clean… but the size of the basket versus the size of my family meant I needed to cook multiple small batches of food over a long period of time. And, to feed my family on time, I would much rather just use my oven and have the not so perfect pork belly ribs or similar… just so we all got to eat at the same time and eat a hot meal at that. I don’t want to spend hours waiting while cooking so many batches – which is exactly what I had to do with this airfryer. It is noisy too and after having it on for so long the silence of it switching off it about the only nice thing I can say about it. And, I will add, I’m an owner of a Thermomix and I am saying this is loud… that says a LOT! In summary: The airfryer is great at cooking some things, not so good at cooking others. The basket size is too small to cook large enough portions for a family of 5 and it takes way too long to cook all the small portions to feed us. I feel far more suited to people wanted to reheat pre-made foods for snacks and parties than someone looking for a useful kitchen device to help them cook wholefood meals for their entire family.
Still not a fan of this device, despite it making the perfect bacon.
by Eclectic MummaCombined rating
3 out of 5 stars. I would like to thank Mouths of Mums for giving me the opportunity to review this device. I was sent a free Philips Airfryer in exchange for at least four reviews and this is the second of the four - published to both my own blog, as well as to the Mouths of Mum’s site. Please note that my rating for this product may change in each review as I get to know the device more, learn the tips and tricks and so on. For now, the current rating of 3 out of 5 is my current response to the device. Okay, so week two and we tried a few new things. To be honest, I’m still not a fan of this device and still see it as more of a kitchen gimmick than a useful tool… but that is just my opinion. Oh, and no I am not anti-Philips! I love my Philips All-in-one cooker (another generous Mouths of Mums gift) and use it daily. Plus my old stove just packed it in and as I rarely use a stove, rather than replace the whole thing (which I can’t afford anyhow) I simply bought a Philips portable induction cooker hotplate – also from the Viva collection - and so far a wonderful addition. I just want people to realise I am not anti-Philips nor anti devices used in the kitchen to make life easier. I have a Thermomix, the all-in-one cooker, waffle maker, sandwich press, toaster, and microwave… the whole kit and caboodle. So – I’m not anti-devices just not a fan of this particular item. We good? ;-) What did I make with the airfryer this week? Well, I wanted to run an experiment to see how it did with reheat and serve pre-made (junk) vs cooking from scratch. We started with the pre-made and I made up these chicken tenders and oven fried chips. Still not a fan. Basically, I don’t usually buy, cook or eat this sort of “food” – the term is used very loosely I can assure you. It is junk, full of all sorts of crap we generally don’t eat and all in all the nicest tasting thing on my plate was the salad – not made in the airfryer! The chicken tenders came with deep fryer instructions saying to cook them in a deep fryer for 5 minutes at 180 C. I pre-heated the airfryer to that heat, cooked them in batches (one packet was three batches in this tiny basket) and it took about 12 minutes a batch to actually cook them all. I had them resting in my Thermoserve to stay hot between batches! Sad but true!) And they are pre-made, pre-cooked items I was really just reheating! It took me three batches to cook the chips – which didn’t come with deep fryer instructions so I winged it – and they took about 15 minutes a batch. So, all up, this pre-made reheat and serve “quick” meal took me over an hour to make! If I had made it in my fan-forced over – maybe 25 mintes to half an hour to make tops. The next night I was going to put the airfryer through its paces and try making honey soy chicken pieces, sausages and homemade root veggie chips… but I just didn’t have the time or energy to spend probably 4 hours making it all! So cooked it all in my oven in about an hour. One of the biggest initial hurdles I had was I had no recipe on how to cook raw chicken in the airfryer. The paper cookbook that came with the device was useless and the app had recently updated and since then crashes any time you try and open a recipe. I have reported the fault… it has been over a week now and the app is still broken. So the only help I can find is by googling and looking at other people's recipes and ideas. None of which I found that helpful. So I just stuck to cooking the meat in my oven as – especially with chicken – I like to ensure it’s cooked all the way through before serving it to my family. So – the experiment was a failure. Yes I could cook (reheat) pre-made foods in the airfryer, but it took twice as long as expected and this sort of “food” isn’t something we usually eat, so the airfryer wasn’t a helper. It was also too small and too slow to cook a family meal from scratch and so I just used my normal oven. To end on a positive – it needs at least one, right? – the airfryer is excellent at cooking bacon! I put 5 rashers of Kanmantoo (award winning, local and good quality bacon – not cheap and nasty supermarket crud) in the airfryer. Set it to 160 C and had the perfect bacon in 8 minutes. Yes we took it out and shook it several times to ensure it was all cooked… but it have out perfect. Gorgeously crispy crunchy bacon rind and cooked to the right level of yum meat. Sadly, I do not need a device - that takes up so much space in my tony kitchen – just to make the perfect bacon in 8 minutes. So this was a little too late to make me a fan… but did aware the airfryer an extra star for this week’s review. Would I recommend this device to others? The answer is still a definite NO. It really does come across as nothing more than a kitchen gimmick. It’s too small to cook a decent, from scratch, meal for a family of 5, it takes a lot longer to do things than it says it should and it’s online cookbook app has been broken for over a week and so is of no help. Would I buy this device for myself? No, not even for 8 minute perfect bacon would I go out and buy it. I mean, it’s great that my kids can use it (with my supervision) and it might be of more use if I could bake in it as I feel it would make great bread… if it was bigger and came with the baking tray/tin… but as it is, it’s just a gimmick. I’d much rather my kids had a popcorn maker to play with as we’d get far healthier things out of it in larger quantities and faster speeds than we do the airfryer. In summary: This device really does come across as a time wasting kitchen gimmick. I have devices that are far more helpful at making far healthier meals. Yes it makes the perfect bacon in 8 minutes… but do you really need to spend hundreds of dollars on such a one trick pony? Until next time, Janis.