The Actifry & AirFryer Thread - Merged

I got one of these in dealz for 1.50.



I plan on cutting it to size so it will drop into the airfryer main basket (with no mesh) with the usual basket with handle removed. It will be cut in a rectangle so it goes up just 2 of the sides, forming a U shape. I plan on using it to easily remove a roast chicken, and to give it a bit more support, hold the 2 bits going up the sides and lift out. It will have to be cut so it does not touch the element.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toastabags-CM-14-Quickachips-Tray/dp/B001TNEPF8

Silly me only copped that burger buns toast very well and very quickly in the airfryer. Had always been turning on the grill to toast them until last night I dumped two into the airfryer along with Aldis chicken thigh burger. They came out perfectly toasted in under 2 minutes. Grill is now going to be virtually redundant

OmegaGene wrote: »

Now you mentioned buns it reminded me of putting Mediterranean wraps into the xl, the shagging things flew up and stuck to the heating ring

The fan is very powerful alright. If putting in a wrap you can weight it down by putting 2 or 3 teaspoons resting on the wrap on the outer edge. I have metal pins I use too, and to stick stuff down on pizza, like slices of pepperoni. You just have to remember the spoons or other items will be roasting hot so use tongs to take them off.

another tip is not to be pulling the drawer in or out while it is running, as this can really cause stuff to go flying. If I am doing pizza with grated cheese I now microwave it a bit so the cheese has just started to melt, then press it down a bit so it fuses together. Or else you can preheat it to the max and then put it in for a few minutes and the residual heat will do the same job.

I also use my metal pins to hold a filled wrap together, if you brush some veg oil, or put some butter on the outside of a filled wrap it comes out lovely. Without the pins it can just fall apart.

I’ve marinaded chicken loads of times and it’s fantastic

I cook pork chops quite often in mine and about 12 minutes is plenty, I don’t bother with oil just some seasoning
Han joints are spot on either on its own or coated in a marmalade, works out better and cheaper than buying packet ham

Muahahaha wrote: »

so no problems with the fan blowing marinade into the element or anything?

No

If you’re using a yoghurt based marinade then brush it on thinly and leave in the fridge for a while to set and pre heat the air fryer
I did a full chicken coated in chilli and garlic yoghurt mix and I had no problems at all, it was mixed into a thick consistency and brushed on and left in the fridge for 2 hours first then brought to room temp

Muahahaha wrote: »

I wonder how just wrapping the marinated chicken pieces in tin foil would work out. Presumably it would cook the chicken well but you wouldnt really get any charring?

I did something similar to this and it all just stuck to the tinfoil, I went to unwrap to get it charred. You can get nice browing through the tinfoil. I have made batches of burrito type wraps and wrap them in foil and store in the fridge or freeze, I leave them in the tinfoil and stick in the airfryer and turn halfway through. If you smear oil on them before wrapping in foil they come out lovely, sort of like giant springrolls or chimichangas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimichanga

I was thinking of making a cover, like a metal umbrella to go over the food at the start so it is not blowing directly on them, once cooked a little and set I can take it off. I wanted this for pizza but would do the same for tandoori chicken etc.


I have heard of some cutting spatter guards (for frying pans) to size to cover fatty food to stop oil hitting the element and causing smoke. The spatter guard would also protect it from the strong fan.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Regards battered fish maybe the way to go there is like how the chippers do it by partially frying the fish in hot oil to form the outer crust and then chill and freeze it for later use in the airfryer. Probably only worth your while if you are batch cooking a large amount,

Yes, I wanted to make a batch of chicken balls like that. Have a small pot with only a small bit of oil, then pop in 2 or 3 at a time and cook just until set, I was going to cook the chicken beforehand to have no worries about it. Some could go in the fridge or else be frozen. I also wondered if instead of oil they could be done in water like a dumpling, once set you roll in oil, the batter might have to be really thick so it does not just dilute into the water.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Thats a pretty good idea. You could wrap one of those meshes you bought in Dealz with tin foil to put it as a shield over the food for the first half of cooking.

It might be too light, and lift up from the bottom. I remember having an empty metal cake tin and even it lifted and was spinning around like crazy. Might just need a knife or heavy spoon placed on top too.

I wondered about 1 of these, put in upside down, it would at least shield some of the moving air.

Muahahaha wrote: »

yeah would of those would work well. Problem would be finding one that fits,

Because that steamer thing folds/fans out you can place it in and it would find its own fit, but the basket is already small enough and this yoke would minimise the usuable area even more.

Look at this thing
https://www.philips.ae/c-p/HD9980_20/viva-collection-airfryer-variety-basket-with-quickclean-removable-bottom

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Can you post a photo when you have done that and report back on the success?

dealz thing worked very well for me.

It is cut to size, same original width and I think cut to 20cm the other way



chicken was 1560g, in breast side down (chicken is raw, yellow is as it is corn fed and has loads of salt & pepper on it)


after 30mins 180C, was easy to take out, I used a knife on one side to pull the mesh away from the hot basket, it was not stuck just needed to get a finger down the side. As the mesh is not metal it is only warm to touch. I poured some juice & fat out into a cup for basting.


the chicken was easy to rollover while on the plate, esp. since it is non stick. With the metal mesh the skin used to fuse and cook onto the mesh, and all pull away from the meat.


The indents on the chicken disappear after cooking. This, below, is after another 30mins, 15@180C 15@190C, basting every 6-7mins, I take it out onto the plate again and poured in the fat in the cup again, this was enough for 2-3 bastes. Breast was tested and was 75C




when rolled over the underside was not crisped up, this could be put back in again, or skin removed and cooked on its own.


(Nothing new in those "attached images" below, its just the same pics)

That looks great. I predict mesh sales will increase significantly!

frozen chips are pre fried in oil already so if you want the nice chips and healthier start peeling spuds

Grandeeod wrote: »

I've done the peeling spuds thing already and perfected it. Including roasties. Beautiful. I'm really talking about a quick fix when time is of the essence. Nice to have a back up.

the speciality ones are nice in aldi for emergency

OmegaGene wrote: »

i just put a 1.9 kg chicken in for this evening, not bad for €4 in aldi this week and should be ready in an hour

Just so anybody else reading knows, this would be in a XL or XXL frier. I had said before I cut the breasts off larger ones and save or freeze, then you can squish the rest in the standard size one.

The chicken in my photos was in a standard philips and was sold as 1.1kg but actually weighted 1560g, I checked my scale was working right but I knew it was big as it did not fit in the basket. This was a "tesco finest" one, usually the weights are more accurate.

I see now my "mesh post" is missing several photos so I will try and sort it, they worked earlier on another PC.

Ben Done wrote: »

I prefer the Tesco - the skinny fries

skinny ones are very like mcdonalds, and really cheap per kilo without having to buy a bag that would feed an army.

Chicken is almost ready, hear up to 200 now for ten minutes

OmegaGene wrote: »

white potatoes from lidl or aldi if i am in there or wilsons in supervalu
peel and chip to the desired size ( i like them fat )
soak for half an hour changing the water once then steam for 8 minutes
pat dry and use flavoured spray oil or regular oil, stir so they are evenly coated and in the air fryer for 10 minutes on 160 then up the heat to 190 for around 8 minutes depending on how they are fairing out colour wise
season and eat

i just put a 1.9 kg chicken in for this evening, not bad for €4 in aldi this week and should be ready in an hour in the xxl

I get white potatoes from Aldi or Lidl and cut them in to wedges, no peeling. I soak them if I have time or otherwise just rinse them.

I shake off the excess water and put them in to the air fryer for a few minutes until they are dry. I then tip them in to a large bowl and season with a bit of salt and oil and then back in for 15-20 min at 200. My whole household is addicted to these and will moan if they get the normal shop bought fries. Skin is the best part!

Antibac wrote: »

Is there any major difference in them? Can’t find anything online to differentiate the models

not sure about the xxl, have you the numbers you are considering?

With the standard one the number can refer to being manual or digital. The numbers can vary for very similar models and just refer to the colour or I think if the plug is US/EU/UK/AUS etc.

Antibac wrote: »

HD9750 is the one I’m looking at it’s 194e on Amazon.de From what I can see it’s the digital one which seems a good deal?

Google images shows the hd9750 as being the non digital version

Antibac wrote: »

HD9750 is the one I’m looking at it’s 194e on Amazon.de From what I can see it’s the digital one which seems a good deal?

As said it seems to be the manual one, which I would go for over a digital as I reckon it is less likely to break and if it broke I know I would have a good shot at repairing it myself or getting it going another way.

I saw it at the price you mention yesterday and has seemed to have dropped again. EUR 183,92

Down the page a bit it shows the digital one on the right

https://www.amazon.de/Philips-HD9750-90-Airfryer-Hei%C3%9Fluftfritteuse/dp/B07J21FPXM/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cr_simh_0_3/261-6700728-9299418?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07J21FPXM&pd_rd_r=94f53847-2d99-4120-83d6-b4587317dd00&pd_rd_w=1NNFR&pd_rd_wg=LfPMW&pf_rd_p=5cbcab74-6b15-441d-b203-79c1adae5780&pf_rd_r=4D8JTR5TT1MRGTPMKY8G&psc=1&refRID=4D8JTR5TT1MRGTPMKY8G

I’ve had nothing end up as mush in the xxl, if I’m doing burgers in the air fryer and want to do something like chips I normally do the burgers first and stick them in a bit of foil, it all depends how many you’re cooking for tbh
I cooked sausages rashers pudding and hash browns in mine for four people on Sunday no problem
The size difference between the xl and xxl isn’t that much and worth checking on google images before buying

Ben Done wrote: »

Have been waiting for a price drop on the xl for what seems like ages, for a colleague.

Would be grateful if anyone spots a deal and posts it here.

Go to www.camelcamelcamel.co.uk and you can track prices. AFAIK you can set it to email you if there is a price drop. Also keep an eye on Argos, I got mine for €90 there in January.