I first came across the Tefal Actifry a few years ago when someone was talking about a health fryer that made amazing dishes with very little oil, and the chips were out of this world. Then I saw an advert on TV a few months later. Then, gradually, more and more people were buying them, and more importantly, raving about them. I took to the internet to look into buying one, until I saw that they were retailing at around £200. As a student at the time, I could just about to afford to buy the potatoes, let alone a £200 gadget that turned them into chips. And with that, I just forgot about the Actifry.
With my diagnosis came a multitude of challenges. One of them was finding a decent portion of chips that hadn't been cooked in a fryer that was used for foods that contained gluten, dairy or egg. Generally speaking, it's not easy, and it started to get me down. I'm generally quite a healthy eater so I'm not one to eat chips every day, but when I fancied them I either had the risk of a reaction, or had to attempt to make half decent ones in the oven (that just tasted like miniature overcooked roast potatoes). When the Actifry made a revival on Instagram and I saw so many people eating amazing chips minus the trip to the chippy, I went back online. And within a matter of days, there was an Actifry delivered to my door.
Using the Actifry was surprisingly easy. Literally open the lid, extend the paddle handle and remove the Tefal spoon and fill the pan with whatever you're cooking, so in my case it was chopped potatoes. The guide that comes with it advices you how much oil to use according to the weight of the food that you're putting in there. I used 500g of potatoes, so I used half a Tefal spoonful of sunflower oil and evenly distributed it across the chips. Then I pressed the timer and set it for 30 minutes, the approximate time advised in the booklet, and turned it on. The Actifry took over and I went about my business. When the timer beeped to let me know the chips were done, they went straight from the Actifry to my plate!
PROS
- Uses very little oil yet still gives the 'deep fried' taste you crave for
- Cooked to perfection - crispy on the outside, soft on the inside
- Easy to clean
- Versatile and can be used for anything from chips to risottos
CONS
- Noisy (expected from an air fryer, but you generally forget about it once you've tasted the chips)
- Price, but I guess that depends on where you stand financially - I think the amount of use you can get from the Actifry makes it a fine investment
- A bit big, though if you've got plenty of storage this isn't a big deal
My advice would be to look at all official stockists; Tefal offer a list of them on their website. The Tefal store offers the 1kg Actifry for £194.99, but its listed Amazon stockist is selling it for £119.99 with free delivery. They offer different models to cater to your needs, so make sure you do your research and buy the one that's right for you.
RATING: ★★★★☆
