The idea of being able to produce deep-fried food without all the mess, inconvenience and health risks connected with conventional deep fryers must appeal to all cooks. The flavour of good quality deep-fried food is a treat that is loved by so many, but all the downsides connected with it results in this particular type of cooking being to a large extent avoided - which is a shame. With the new generation of low-fat fryers, the problem seems to be solved.
The food to be fried is placed into a basket, and a stream of high temperature air is blown around the food. The basket is held in a drawer which slots into the front of the appliance - so no more lowering of food into hot oil. Simple rotary dials are used to set the cooking temperature and time. At the end of the set time, the cooker turns off and a bell tells you your food is done. To cook more than one food item, just use the basket separator - so a great deal of time can be saved by cooking a number of elements to the meal all at one go.
Users say they are great for roast potatoes, puff pastry, fried vegetables and many more. They can even be used to cook cookies and brownies - not items you would expect a fryer to turn out!
This underlines the usefulness of the machines. Perhaps it's best to think of them more as convection ovens which sit on the counter-top, and that happen to incorporate a basket for frying.
But, it's chip-cooking that will doubtless concern most of us. Here these fryers are in fact very impressive. As long as you make the effort to learn how to do this right - the best kind of potatoes to use, the exact cooking time and so on- you'll get great results. Another thing to bear in mind is that cooking is not actually fat-free. You'll need to add around half a tablespoon of oil each time. Your chips will be ready in around 15 to 25 minutes depending on the quantity you are cooking.
They occupy little more room than a regular sized food processor, and look very impressive and futuristic. The basket and the drawer can be put into the dishwasher when you've finished, so cleaning is no trouble.
A quickstart guide will help you to start cooking as soon as the fryer comes out of the box, and there's usually a useful recipe booklet for further inspiration.
These fryers without doubt perform as the manufacturers describe. The health benefits are unquestionable, and the convenience and usefulness of the machines striking indeed.
The food to be fried is placed into a basket, and a stream of high temperature air is blown around the food. The basket is held in a drawer which slots into the front of the appliance - so no more lowering of food into hot oil. Simple rotary dials are used to set the cooking temperature and time. At the end of the set time, the cooker turns off and a bell tells you your food is done. To cook more than one food item, just use the basket separator - so a great deal of time can be saved by cooking a number of elements to the meal all at one go.
Users say they are great for roast potatoes, puff pastry, fried vegetables and many more. They can even be used to cook cookies and brownies - not items you would expect a fryer to turn out!
This underlines the usefulness of the machines. Perhaps it's best to think of them more as convection ovens which sit on the counter-top, and that happen to incorporate a basket for frying.
But, it's chip-cooking that will doubtless concern most of us. Here these fryers are in fact very impressive. As long as you make the effort to learn how to do this right - the best kind of potatoes to use, the exact cooking time and so on- you'll get great results. Another thing to bear in mind is that cooking is not actually fat-free. You'll need to add around half a tablespoon of oil each time. Your chips will be ready in around 15 to 25 minutes depending on the quantity you are cooking.
They occupy little more room than a regular sized food processor, and look very impressive and futuristic. The basket and the drawer can be put into the dishwasher when you've finished, so cleaning is no trouble.
A quickstart guide will help you to start cooking as soon as the fryer comes out of the box, and there's usually a useful recipe booklet for further inspiration.
These fryers without doubt perform as the manufacturers describe. The health benefits are unquestionable, and the convenience and usefulness of the machines striking indeed.