When T-Fal offered to send me a review sample of its healthier-than-frying device, ActiFry, I was intrigued: GeekDad Brad Moon had previously used it to make homemade, fryless French fries and Wired Gadget Lab vetted the science behind its health claims (more on that later) but I was curious what else it could do.
The Dutch-oven-sized appliance’s claim to fame is that it replicates the crispy deliciousness of frying without the splattering, sizzling mess, expense and general yuckiness of a huge amount of oil. In fact, it can make chicken wings with no oil, and two pounds of fries with just a spoonful of oil, which I found pretty impressive. A fan blows heated air at a constant 338 degrees through the chamber of the ActiFry, which is basically a deep, non-stick pan, while a paddle in the middle of the pan slowly stirs the food. Both pieces, along with the clear lid, are removable and dishwasher safe.
Armed with the recipe book that came with the machine, my family embarked on a week of ActiFry-ing to see how useful it could be.
Day 1: Hot wings
Following the recipe in the book, I arrange raw chicken wings in the ActiFry, set the timer for 30 minutes and push the on button. That’s it. When the timer shows three minutes remaining, I pour wing sauce over the brown, sizzling wings. I’m amazed at how easy it is, and everyone agrees the wings are restaurant quality. We’re also impressed at the ease of cleanup: Pop out the paddle, pan and lid, stick them in the dishwasher, done.
Day 2: Crispy kale
After the unqualified success of the wings, I envision myself as Molly Weasley, happily going about my business while dinner stirs itself into deliciousness. Feeling confident, I decide to try my own recipe rather than using the ActiFry book. My family loves crispy oven-baked kale, which is as crispy and delicious as potato chips, I kid you not. I usually toss the kale in olive oil before baking, so I try drizzling a bit over the top once it’s loaded into the pan. After about 20 minutes, the leaves are crispy, all right, but not very tasty. “Astronaut food,” my husband comments. He’s right: The kale tastes dehydrated, not fried. Maybe I’ll go back to the recipe book.
Day 3: Homemade pasta sauce
My Italian relatives would rotate subterraneously if they saw me making marinara in a machine, but I can’t help myself: If making homemade sauce is as easy as I think it will be, it will be a win. Unfortunately, the book is maddeningly vague on this and other recipes. It calls for “1 tomato paste” and “3 chopped fresh basil” without mentioning any units: can, tablespoons, leaves? I improvise. After 30 minutes of cooking, the hair-dryer noise of the unit’s fan gets old, as it’s drowning out my NPR, but all will be forgiven if this marinara is awesome.
The results are too chunky for my taste, which I solve with an immersion blender before serving. But we agree that the sauce is just OK, no better than jarred.
Day 4: Granola; Glazed apples
I must have seven recipes for homemade granola, none of which I have ever tried, because they sound like a pain to make. Storebought granola is expensive and often too sweet, so I have high hopes for this recipe. As it turns out, ActiFry’s recipe is easy and comes out well, although it’s not very flavorful or crisp. It’s good on yogurt, but not all I had hoped.
The apples, however, are an unqualified win. Because the ActiFry is on apple-stirring duty, I can focus on making the pancakes we’ll top with them. The apples cook perfectly, and the glaze, made from dried apricots, honey, cinnamon and a little oil, is far better than I could have made on the stovetop given my tendency to walk away and forget to stir. (I’m beginning to realize ActiFry’s potential for the absent-minded cook.) We all agree that the apples, like the wings, are a recipe we’ll keep. Dare I try risotto?
Day 6: Sweet potato fries; Risotto
I’ve been avoiding fries, even though they are the ActiFry’s claim to fame, for two reasons. 1) I find $1 drive-through fries perfectly acceptable: They can’t be beat for price or tastiness. 2) Although ActiFry promises healthier fries with less oil, I don’t think many American families’ diets are really crying out for more french fries. Nevertheless, I’m keeping an open mind, so we try the sweet potato fries at lunch. I use a mandoline to slice perfectly even fries, realizing that two pounds of fries sounds like an awful lot, but is really just two large sweet potatoes. They’re easy to make, but don’t get crispy no matter how long we let them cook. Verdict: meh.
For dinner, we cause my Italian relatives further posthumous discomfort by making risotto in the ActiFry. I have the highest hopes for this dish, because as much as I love it, I don’t love standing at the stove for an hour, stirring in broth or wine a bit at a time to get a creamy texture. I’m surprised that the ActiFry recipe has me dump all of the liquid in at once, and, no surprises, it doesn’t turn out as creamy as the standard method. I wouldn’t serve it to company, but as a shortcut on a weeknight, it’s not bad.
Day 7: Diced potatoes; Curry tofu
Although we love home fries and all manner of breakfast potatoes, we rarely make them because pan-frying raw potatoes takes forever. ActiFry solves this problem, cooking them in about 20 minutes and allowing me to focus on coffee.
At lunchtime, I try the Curry Tofu recipe from the book. I’m convinced the paddle will smash the cubes of tofu as it stirs (as I often do when cooking it on the stove) but it doesn’t. The dish turns out tasty, and with my rice cooker bubbling alongside, the meal is practically cooking itself. “Tea, Earl Gray, hot,” I say, but neither appliance obliges.
Pros: No hot oil splatter. This isn’t only true for foods you’d ordinarily deep-fry, but also for messy foods like bacon.
- Less oil. Wired Gadget Lab refuted the science behind this claim, arguing that only a small amount of oil is absorbed in the outermost layer of a food that’s deep fried. However, this assumes ideal frying conditions. Consider what I’ll call the falafel factor: Whenever I pan-fry falafel, I have to keep adding oil to the pan as the food absorbs it. This probably means I’m not cooking at the right temperature, but human error can’t be completely overlooked. With ActiFry, you never have to add more oil as you go.
- You’re not limited to the recipe book that comes with the appliance: Creative cooks can invent recipes or try other users’ suggestions at myactifry.com.
- No lingering frying odors (so yummy at first, so nasty by the next morning).
Cons: ActiFry’s marketing materials tout its ability to cook “all of your favorite meals using just one kitchen appliance,” but I can’t think of a single appliance I could do without after adding ActiFry to my arsenal. It’s useful for what it does well, but takes up a fair amount of space and doesn’t replace any other appliances.
- At $250, this is an appliance only a hardcore frying fan who’s looking for a healthier alternative is likely to purchase.
- This is not a set-it-and-forget-it type of appliance like a Crock-Pot. You can’t toss stuff in and leave it to its own devices. However, it does require less minding than a frying pan filled with oil, as it stirs itself and doesn’t burn or splatter. It’s worth noting that the onboard timer is just a timer: It doesn’t shut off the device when the time elapses, so you really have to keep an eye (or at least an ear) on it while it cooks.
