Air fryers are more in demand than ever, with no signs that the craze around the gadget is slowing down.
According to research by Which?, air fryers are “up to three times cheaper than ovens to run, with equally good or better cooking results for popular foods.”
If the prospect of saving money makes your tastebuds tingle, we’ve found the best ones for you from one of the leading brands, Tefal.
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What is an air fryer?
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that uses hot air to cook food instead of oil, making it a healthier alternative to traditional frying methods. Heating elements warm the air, and a fan circulates the hot air around the food to cook it evenly. This results in a satisfying crunchiness akin to traditional deep-frying.
Nowadays, air fryers are multi-purpose appliances. Some even come with a whole host of other settings, including roast, grill, bake, broil, dehydrate, toast and reheat.
What are the benefits of an air fryer?
According to research, air fryers have significant health and energy-saving benefits. Tefal claims their air fryers cook 30% faster, which can save you up to £158 on your annual energy bill.
The health benefits include:
- Lower fat levels: Air dryers require just one tablespoon (15ml) of oil.
- Lower acrylamide levels: Acrylamide is known to be a cancer risk for humans. According to a study, air frying can reduce acrylamide intake by up to 90%.
- Less risk of chip pan fires: Chip fan pires are a huge risk in the home. Replacing your oil-based fryer with an air fryer can almost eliminate this risk.
The energy-saving benefits include:
- No preheating: An air fryer is only on when you are actually cooking food, as opposed to an oven, which would require pre-heat and cool-down time.
- Quicker cooking time: Air fryers have a much smaller space to heat than a conventional oven, which means that it takes less significantly less time to cook your food..
What type of air fryers does Tefal sell?
Air fryers are the most versatile kitchen appliances, and Tefal has a wide variety of ranges to cater to any requirement.
All Tefal air fryers work with the free Tefal app, which has over 300+ recipes. Tefal air fryers come in three colours (white, black and stainless steel), depending on the model, and all are dishwasher-safe.
Healthy fryers
Tefal offers a range of health fryers as a healthier alternative to deep-fat fryers. These gadgets use health air fryer technology to replicate the crispiness of fried food. They use a small amount of oil to coat the food, which then crisps via circulating hot air.
Easy fry
The easy fry range has a range of settings, allowing you to combine your air frying with steaming, grilling, and much more. Tefal offers combinations in a 2-in-1 (with two cooking trays), 3-in-1 (for air frying, steaming and grilling) and 9-in-1 (air fry, bake, grill, broil, roast, toast, dehydrate, rotisserie and reheat).
Best Tefal air fryers if you have a large family
If you are lucky enough to have many grandchildren, it’s easy to think air fryers are not convenient when cooking for the whole family. Fortunately, we have found the perfect air fryer for you.
Tefal Easy Fry 3-in-1
If you’re having plenty of people around for dinner, this air fryer is the best option. The Easy Fry 3-in-1 can prepare or cook meals for up to 8 people.
The huge 6.2-litre ‘XL’ drawer makes this the best option for large families. Plus, the digital air fryer, grill & steamer allows you to cook three different items of food three ways at once.
For example, if you’re cooking salmon, you can use the gadget’s Sizzling Grill Plate to emulate a BBQ for all the grandkids while simultaneously steaming salmon for the adults.
Best Tefal air fryers if you have a small kitchen
It’s easy to avoid buying an air fryer if you have a small kitchen. However, due to the versatility of air fryers (and their dishwasher-safe parts!), their presence in the kitchen could save you room in the long term.
Tefal ActiFry Genius+
This option is perfect for small kitchens. Usually, cooking appliances can take up a lot of space if you need to make a dish such as meatballs. You need to use chopping boards for your veg, a saucepan for your sauce and a frying pan for the meatballs.
However, the Genius+ comes with nine automated programs that allow you to simply press the button and let the machine do the cooking and timing for you.
Tefal Easy Fry 9-in-1
The 9-in-1 is an excellent multicooker option if the size of your kitchen holds you back from cooking a Sunday roast. This gadget comes with its rotisserie fork, so you can replicate crispy roast chicken without turning the oven on.
The device also comes with multiple trays, meaning you can cook three meals simultaneously, all in different settings. There’s even a viewing window to check your meal progress!
Best Tefal air fryers if you live alone
It can sometimes be frustrating cooking an entire meal for one. However, several Tefal air fryers can make the process as easy and time-saving as possible.
Tefal Easy Fry Precision
If you live alone, this air fryer could completely transform your cooking. This air fryer comes with eight automatic cooking programs, including:
- Fries.
- Nuggets.
- Roasted Chicken.
- Pizza.
- Meat.
- Fish.
- Vegetables.
- Dessert.
This makes cooking much simpler and more effective, as the air fryer does the hard work for you.
Tefal ActiFry 2-in-1
The ActiFry 2-in-1 is perfect if you prefer to cook without a fuss. The ‘2-in-1’ branding comes from the device’s double shelving, with an air fryer and die-cast grill plate. The gadget also comes with pre-set timings, meaning you enjoy a cup of tea while the Tefal cooks hassle-free steak and chips.
There’s even a ‘keep warm’ mode, so there is no need to reheat using the microwave.
Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer & Grill
This unique Easy Fry offers dual drawers so that you can create a complete meal in just one appliance. This gadget has an 8.3-litre capacity with two drawers in two sizes (5.2 litres and 3.2 litres).
You can cook a whole meal in the larger drawer if you're having a large dinner or batch-cooking. Or, you can use the smaller drawer for lesser portions to minimise the washing up.
Alternatively, you can use the XXL zone for the ‘flexicook’ feature. This means you can cook a roast dinner or meal-prep jacket potatoes for the week without having the oven on for hours.
Best Tefal air fryers if you are a budding chef
If you’re looking for more professional results from your cookware, an air fryer can still be an expert option. This means you can replicate the unique fry, sear, grill and roast taste that you get from other kitchen appliances.
Tefal ActiFry Genius XL
This Tefal ActiFry is a self-proclaimed ‘genius’ in the kitchen. This gadget is very versatile, claiming also to be ‘healthy & 30% faster’.
The Genius XL offers something many of the other Tefal air fryers do not: the option to replicate slow cookers with its ability to cook curries and sauce-based dishes.
This air fryer is a whizz at one-pot cooking and even comes with a stirring paddle and measuring spoon, so you never need to worry about cookware taking up too much space.
Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer & Grill
The dual air fryer and grill offer the space and flexibility for you to cook different food in different settings at the same time.
If it’s too rainy to BBQ outside, you can use the device’s XXL grill drawer to grill your vegetables, meat or fish. The 5.2-litre drawer is so large you can cook a 1.4kg chicken while cooking your sides in the smaller drawer. There is even a ‘SYNC’ setting, so you can time both meals to finish cooking at the same time.
According to Tefal, grilling indoors with the Easy Fry will produce 98% less smoke than a classical grill.
Best Tefal air fryers if you are on a budget
A top-of-the-range Tefal air fryer that’s not too expensive will cost close to £100, even in the sale. However, if you choose the right gadget, you can ensure you get the maximum benefit for your money.
Tefal Easy Fry Precision
The 2-in-1 Air Fryer & Grill is a simple and nifty gadget for everyday cooking. However, this doesn’t make the air fryer any less versatile. You can grill your protein of choice at the same time as frying your carbohydrates.
Even better, you don’t have to buy potentially expensive oil to replicate the same taste and texture.
Tefal ActiFry Advance
This air fryer is a perfect option if you’re looking to save on pennies and time. This one-pot wonder goes one better than the slow cooker with quick cooking times on all dishes.
If you want to simply grill some vegetables, the grill setting will do this for you in 5-6 minutes. For bigger meals, you can cook up to six portions without the need for different cooking appliances.
Tefal ActiFry Genius XL 2-in-1
Whilst not the cheapest air fryer on the website, this one has a unique 2-in-1 technology to cook two combos simultaneously, such as quiche and roasted vegetables.
This ActiFry also comes with an in-built air fryer oven setting, with 54 combo settings for popular dishes. Handily, auto pre-sets take care of stirring, cooking time and temperature.
Best Tefal air fryers if you have dietary requirements
If you think you can only use an air fryer for fried food, fortunately, they offer a lot more nowadays! The Tefal air fryer range is so flexible you can use one even if you’re on a diet or have different dietary preferences from others.
Tefal Easy Fry 9-in-1
With the Easy Fry 9-in-1 option, you have three different drawers to cook with, which is perfect if you have grandchildren whose diets differ. If you have a vegetarian, vegan, and meat-eater round for dinner, you can prepare their proteins of choice on three different levels and cook at the same time.
Easy Fry Dual Air Fryer & Grill
Freshly preparing and cooking a dish such as a curry or a tagine can be a pain when different dietary requirements or preferences are involved. However, you can use the two separate drawers to cook the two dishes simultaneously.
Should I buy a Tefal air fryer?
In the world of modern cooking appliances, Tefal air fryers stand out as versatile options that cater to many needs.
Whether you're a health-conscious cook, a budget-savvy shopper, or an aspiring culinary expert, a Tefal air fryer could become a valuable addition to your kitchen, offering a convenient and healthier way to enjoy your favourite foods.
Image Credit: Shameel mukkath at Pexels
