About the Tefal ActiFry Express XL
The Tefal ActiFry Express XL makes crispy and tasty chips using just one spoon of oil.* Not only that but it can be utilised for a variety of meals (including vegetables, meat, fish and even desserts). It comes with a recipe leaflet included and for more recipes and videos there is the My Actifry app, free to download on the App Store and Google play. It is also approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute 2016 so I was keen to see if it was as good as it sounds.
First impressions of the Tefal ActiFry Express XL
The Tefal ActiFry Express XL is well packaged but without unnecessary packaging – which is easily recyclable. The unit itself is stylish looking black with a small amount of green – and I feel easy to fit into ay kitchen colour scheme. I like how it comes complete with a matching green spoon for measuring the oil. Also provided are visual instructions – but the Tefal ActiFry Express XL is very straight forward even without them: It is even simple enough to use unsupervised from eight years old. There is a safety booklet is provided, which also includes times and amounts of oil for different food products.
Use of the Tefal ActiFry Express XL
To use the Tefal ActiFry Express XL you simply put the food inside, add the required oil and set the timer. The cooking can be started and stopped at a touch of a button. There is a transparent lid so you can see how things are progressing – and cooking stops when the timer ends – so you do not need worry about food being overcooked.
Things I like most about the Tefal ActiFry Express XL is how there is so much less risk of accidents from burning (which would come with cooking in an oven); that the food is stirred automatically (so need to keep watching, stirring/shaking whilst waiting); that there is no preheating required; there is less oil required (so much healthier) and that it has dishwasher safe removable parts (making it much easier to keep clean, but also means no pans of oil sitting around for ages at a time).
Verdict of the Tefal ActiFry Express XL
I like the versatility of the Tefal ActiFry Express XL and think it is a good, healthier, way of cooking. The unit itself is quite bulky but I think that what it can be used to cook makes up for this. Both my children and I love its simplicity, which means that they can become the chefs for the night! I like how we can use potatoes from our garden without having to drench them in oil. That the Actifry Express rotates the chips so that they cook evenly. As per description there is an odour with first use, but this does not impair the flavour of the food. I would recommend this product.
* Only 3% fat, 1 spoon of oil is enough for 1.5kg of fresh 10x10mm chips.
I received a Tefal ActiFry Express XL for purposes of review. All words and opinions are honest and my own.