Actifrys and the like

[ButterflySandwich]

Does anyone own one? I want to know if food tastes just as good cooked in that as it does fryed in oil but you can't try before you buy!

Any recommendations or advice? I'd be mainly cooking roast potatoes, chips, samosas and nun goras in it

[ItsTrueLefou]

I desperately want an Actifry but I'm slightly put off by the fact that they seem to be depressingly prone to bursting into flames

[ButterflySandwich]

What? Really? I hadn't heard of that!

[ouryve]

My actifry makes delicious chips (and even more delicious when I use a bit more oil than suggested!)

[ButterflySandwich]

I just love a gadget. At this moment I've got a whole chicken baking in the slow cooker, rice cooking in the rice cooker, I'm drinking a coffee from my tassimo machine and I'm catching up on Enders on the iPad

[ButterflySandwich]

Thanks Our. In comparison to fried chips and oven chips, how do they compare?

[scarfaceace]

They make really delicious chips but you have to e

[ilovepowerhoop]

Chips take about 30/40minutes to make (my sister got one). They were on watchdog a few years ago for going on fire but don't know if that is still an issue

[scarfaceace]

sorry!

...you have to experiment with different timings and different potatoes. Some potatoes make crispier chips than others.

I've also done sausages and chops in it, they're pretty good, and jacket potatoes (after a few minutes in the microwave) are really good. My husband does a thing with chicken in breadcrumbs and they are to die for! There's loads you can do - and you can take the paddle out and put in a round rack (I use my microwave one) to do things that you shouldn't move or they'll fall apart, like fish fingers or the chicken things.

[ButterflySandwich]

Oo thanks Scar, sounds good!

[ButterflySandwich]

Thing is, my DH is worried it won't taste the same ie not as nice as when fried.

[ilovepowerhoop]

they dont taste the same and my sisters children turned up their nose at the chips because they dont taste like fried chips.

[WildThong]

I've got one. Love it! We don't fry at all so it's been great over Christmas for roasties. The chips from it are 100% better than rank oven chips. Even my ultra fussy family enjoyed them.

[scarfaceace]

An afterthought - if you do decide to get one, get the larger one. It's definitely worth being able to cook larger amounts if you want to.

[ButterflySandwich]

Thanks everyone.

ilovepower, that's what I'm worried about, that it won't taste as nice. But then your nieces/nephews may not like oven chips.

Mmm. Can someone cook for me and then pop a chip in the post?

[FunnyFestiveTableRunner]

Main thing is don't use olive oil. My parents always do and I don't like their chips. Use other veggie oil or crisp and dry.

[NotJustACigar]

We have one and think the chips are gorgeous - a million times better than oven chips which are rank. The difference with chip shop chips is that actifry chips tend to be a bit crispier which we like. We cut them into wedges and leave the skin on. We also do roast potatoes and veggie sausages. I'm not sure samosas would work as they would break apart. For that you would probably need a Philips air fryer which I know little a out, other than they don't have the stirring arm like the actifry does.

I don't think they burst into flames anymore but they do tend to break just after the warranty expires so pay extra for an extended warranty. We're on our third and get them from Argos due to the ease of returns with them.

[ThermoLobster]

I have an Airfryer. It is a thing of beauty. You sound like me. I have used my slow cooker, food processor, health grill and coffee machine today. Chips do not taste like chip shop chips but are lovely. We use ours loads and it is much nicer looking than the Actifry!

[Mrswellyboot]

I have an am actifry. It is great. I parboil new potatoes, halve and add dried rosemary and garlic salt or paprika

Shop bought wedges are lovely as are breaded chicken pieces

I don't use it for much else. I must do roasties In them!

[ouryve]

Nicer than oven chips.

Bet spuds are rooster, Nicola or Maris piper. King edwardsvtastevgood but fall apart!

[ButterflySandwich]

Thank you all, you've been so helpful!
Is the air fryer a better option then d'ya think?

[ThermoLobster]

Because the Airfryer doesn't turn the food, you have to shake it periodically which would be a consideration if you were wanting to just be able to put something in and leave it for a set time, or if something was a bit more fragile and wouldn't survive shaking. For me, the smaller footprint of the Airfryer won over, as did the fact that there are no reports of it bursting into flames. Some say a cheaper but similar option is a halogen oven.