FEMAIL puts Lidl and Philips healthy fryers to the test to see if they really work

Everyone knows fried meals isn't precisely good for us - or is it?

A brand new breed of fryers are utilizing scorching air alone as a substitute of oil to supply good, golden and crispy fried meals with out the faff and security hazards of a deep fats fryer.

However can scorching air actually prepare dinner the right chip in addition to a conventional fryer? Clearly some individuals imagine in order dozens of fashions are on the cabinets for as much as £220. 

However wholesome meals needn't price the earth, with Lidl lately leaping on the air frying bandwagon and releasing a mannequin for simply £59.99.

We requested Femail author Joanne Gould to strive it out and see if it will probably carry out in addition to an £100 rival.

We requested Femail author Joanne Gould (pictured) to check out the brand new £59.99 scorching air fryer from Lidl (proper) to see if it will probably carry out in addition to an £100 rival from Philips (left)

I've eyed air fryers with curiosity for the reason that first fashions began showing just a few years in the past, and now these slick digital variations positively have my consideration. However, they don't come low-cost and I've learn blended critiques on-line, so I'm glad to have the possibility to check them out for myself.

Lidl have despatched me their mannequin – the Silver Crest Sizzling Air Fryer – which I'll be testing towards the main Philips Airfryer retailing at round £99.99.

Each are smooth, shiny black machines that sit on the worktop with a digital show (together with presets for common meals) and a detachable basket inside the principle frying part. Each are non-stick, dishwasher pleasant and appear fairly self explanatory.

I scour on-line boards and Amazon critiques to seek out one of the best meals to trial them with.

MEAL ONE: CHICKEN AND FROZEN CHIPS

Joanne mentioned each scorching air fryers cooked the rooster completely however they struggled to prepare dinner the chips, with Lidl's outperforming the Philips machine marginally

Joanna discovered that the new air fryers cooked the chips far faster than the packet directions counsel

That is apparently the holy grail of issues to prepare dinner in these machines, with customers on-line stating that the rooster turns into each golden and crispy but nonetheless completely moist and that utilizing frozen chips will ship a outcome much like these straight from a fryer.

Boards are awash with individuals recommending low calorie cooking sprays for these, so I get myself one and spritz it all around the rooster and chips earlier than seasoning. 

Annoyingly I don't suppose I can match each the rooster and chips within the machines on the similar time, so I prepare dinner the rooster first and plan to maintain it heat in a low oven while the chips prepare dinner. The rooster takes no time in any respect to prepare dinner (about 13 minutes for a big leg and thigh) and appears unbelievable.

I observe the directions for the chips (12-16 minutes at 200C) however after I open the basket after 11 they're actually overdone in each of the machines – the Philips appears sooner and warmer, in order that they've fared a bit worse and are too dry and exhausting. Subsequent time I'd verify them after 9 minutes. The rooster tastes nearly as good because it seems to be and I'll positively use it for this once more. 

Philips: 5/10

Lidl: 7/10

MEAL TWO: QUICHE AND ROASTED VEGETABLES

Joanne was shocked to seek out quiche could be cooked within the air fryers however she mentioned each got here out effectively, with Philips performing higher

Lidl's machine did not prepare dinner the greens evenly, with underdone courgettes and overcooked onions

I might by no means have thought to prepare dinner a quiche in one in all these, however I assume as a sort of mini oven, it is sensible and each recipe booklets specify that quiche cooks effectively in them. 

I've bought a mini quiche that may usually take 20 minutes to heat within the oven. These machines each halve the time with a stunning non-soggy backside, and the roasted veg that I've chucked in on the similar time (would usually take 30 minutes) takes simply 10 to prepare dinner too – although not notably evenly. 

The veg within the Lidl machine is a bit caught to the basket – perhaps I ought to have put it in a dish to prepare dinner? The courgettes are additionally underdone, however the onions are turning black.

Philips: 9/10

Lidl: 7/10

MEAL THREE: STEAK AND STUFFED MUSHROOM

Regardless of rave critiques about cooking steak in scorching air fryers, Joanne was upset with the outcomes from each machines

Joanne mentioned each machines overcooked the steak and that the meat got here out a wierd gray color

I'm sceptical about cooking a pleasant steak in these, however individuals rave concerning the outcomes on-line, so I give it a bash. 

I've bought two rib eyes and usually I'd simply flash them in a searing scorching griddle pan with some butter for a couple of minutes and depart them to relaxation someplace heat. The cooking information suggests 15 minutes at 180C however I feel a better warmth and fewer time can be higher, so go for six minutes at 200C. 

I haven't added any oil, however the Philips machine retains setting my smoke alarm off, which is annoying. On the finish of the six minutes, the fats has nonetheless not had an opportunity to correctly render down regardless of the excessive warmth, and the steaks lack the color and attraction they'd usually. 

The machines did not prepare dinner the steak correctly, and overcooked the meat till it was a gray color

I depart them to relaxation while I prepare dinner the mushrooms – they need to take 30 minutes in an oven, however thrillingly are accomplished in 11. They're properly roasted, the gruyere is melted and the breadcrumbs are crunchy and golden. Wonderful. 

It's a disgrace the identical can't be mentioned concerning the steaks, which haven't improved with resting. They're greyish and style of little or no – a disgrace because the meat is sweet high quality. 

The machines lack the direct warmth contact wanted to seal and sear the meat and ship the correct charred style and crust that I like in a steak, but nonetheless handle to prepare dinner the meat inside well beyond the purpose I like them.  

Philips: three/10

Lidl: 5/10

MEAL FOUR: PIZZA

Joanne was actually impressed with the outcomes of cooking pizza in each fryers, and gave each machines a 10/10 rating

Once more, as this looks like a substitute for a deep fats fryer reasonably than an oven, I wouldn't have naturally thought to prepare dinner a pizza in right here, however I've seen a recipe for pizza dough on the Philips web site, so give it a go. 

The primary downside is that each machines are so teeny that ordinary sized pizzas wouldn't slot in right here. 

I purchase some mini premade bases and high them with passata, mozzarella, chorizo and onion and guess at a cooking time of 5 minutes at 180C. 

They're good – I'm so impressed. Melted, golden and with a stunning base that's effectively cooked however not brittle such as you typically get within the oven. 

There is no such thing as a distinction between the outcomes of every machine for this take a look at.

Philips: 10/10

Lidl: 10/10

MEAL FIVE: BATTERED FISH AND HOMEMADE CHIPS

Joanne mentioned the machines cooked battered fish completely and that the fish tasted nearly as good as from a chippy

Joanne struggled to good chips within the scorching air fryers, regardless of utilizing the one cal spray advisable in on-line critiques

Persons are divided on whether or not breaded and battered meals do effectively within the air fryers. Some say it's a hearth hazard, and report smoke pouring out the machines, whereas others reward its potential to correctly crisp up the coating. 

I've bought some massive frozen battered cod fillets and take a look at them out – they solely simply match within the baskets and are presupposed to take 32 minutes to oven bake. 

I assume at 12 minutes at 180C and my goodness they give the impression of being and scent unbelievable. There is no such thing as a distinction within the outcomes for this one and each items of fish appear to be they may have come from the fish and chip store. 

For the chips, I've sprayed some Maris Pipers with the one cal spray everybody says to make use of with the air fryer.

I set them for 18 minutes as urged, and preserve checking them and shaking the basket each couple of minutes. The Philips machine takes much less time – perhaps two or three minutes much less – and the chips are a tiny bit extra golden and crispy than within the Lidl machine.

I'm not overly impressed with the chips – I feel extra trial and error is required to ship a extremely nice outcome, however I can't recover from how good the fish is. It actually is sort of nearly as good as from the chippy.

Philips: eight/10

Lidl: 7/10

MEAL SIX: ROAST PORK

Joanne realized you may prepare dinner roasting joints within the air fryer, however the outcomes weren't sensible in both machine

Apparently you may prepare dinner small roasting joints within the air fryer, which is information to me. 

I've bought two small butterflied pork joints and check out them out; the cooking time is halved, however some meats truly profit from slower cooking and that is one instance of that. 

The pork is harder than regular and a unique texture to what I'd count on. The truth that the Philips machine has a rack is useful on this case, however in any other case the outcomes are fairly related – the Lidl machine took perhaps 5 minutes extra to prepare dinner the meat via.

Philips: 6/10

Lidl: 5/10

MEAL SEVEN: CANAPES

Each machines cooked puff pastry canapes very effectively, with each machines getting a 9/10 rating

There are many recipes for pastry primarily based items, so I strive cooking just a few little frozen puff pastry canapes within the fryers. 

They take little or no time to prepare dinner as they're so small – and nonetheless roughly half the time acknowledged on the pack, with the Lidl fryer giving a barely much less golden outcome. 

However actually, if I'd have given them one other minute the distinction would have been imperceptible. A pleasant and fast method to prepare dinner pastry, leaving it mild and non-greasy.

Philips: 9/10

Lidl: 9/10

OVERALL VERDICT

Joanne was impressed with each merchandise, and mentioned the Lidl machine was notably good worth at £59.99

Total I'm fairly impressed with each merchandise. I feel in the event you use your oven incessantly for cooking a variety of frozen meals – particularly battered – then this may positively be a worthwhile funding, and the Lidl machine is especially good worth. 

My bugbears had been that the tray is so small that in the event you had been cooking for any greater than two individuals, you'd must do it on rotation which might be time consuming and annoying. 

Equally, in the event you're cooking just a few various kinds of meals in them one after the opposite, then you could discover you'll want to clear the fryer every time. 

Additionally, the good thing about these fryers is that the meals is so golden, crisp and light-weight coming straight out of the machine and also you lose that if you must preserve parts of your meal heat within the oven to prepare dinner the remainder. 

I misplaced rely of the occasions I needed to open my kitchen patio doorways to cease my smoke alarm going off from the warmth of the Philips machine - very chilly in midwinter!

The truth that it can save you a variety of energy and fats by cooking in these is a serious plus level.The velocity at which some issues could be cooked is kind of superb too – with the ability to roast greens in a matter of minutes is nice. 

One level to pay attention to is that due to how handy the air fryers are, I'd fear that you possibly can fall right into a lure of getting reasonably a variety of 'beige foo'' and pondering it's wholesome.

You'd must be conscientious about consuming contemporary, unprepared meals reasonably than simply reheating issues like wedges, nuggets and the like. Nonetheless, I feel I'm offered for the rooster alone. 

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