Customer Reviews

Tefal ActiFry AL800040 Low Fat Electric Fryer, 1 kg Capacity, White

5 star:		(601)
4 star:		(132)
3 star:		(59)
2 star:		(44)
1 star:		(90)

 

 

I bought one of these 21 months ago and was delighted with it. Chips were great even oven ready ones cooked evenly and crispy.
Then one day whilst cokking chips I was alerted to a burning plastic smell. I detected the source, the Actifry was melting, it was glowing red and black smoke poured from it and some flames started to appear. I switched off at the mains. it terrifies me to think what might have happened if i had not been in the kitchen at the time.

I went on the web to track down Tefal to report the problem and was amazed at the number of reports of the Actifry catching fire, it was even reported on Watchdog as being a problem. Tefals response so far has been we can sell you another one for 30% discount or give you an address where you can get it repaired (at my expense).

Please please if you are going to purchase this be very careful, especially if you have children around.

Like a couple of the other reviewers I haven't deep-fried a chip for years because of the smell and mess of a traditional deep fat fryer, never mind the dangers of the old style chip pan.

I actually first found out about this product by watching the Gadget Show and was blown away by the idea. First thing I did was check out the Internet for reviews and much to my surprise it seemed like the real deal. If it's getting praise on the Delia Smith forums you know you're onto a winner.

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and it's been a joy. So far I've done wedges, chunky cut unpeeled chips and skinnier peeled chips. The chunky unpeeled chips were my favourite - delicious with garlic and herb dip. The trouble with wedges being that they have too many points and edges which with the constant tumbling leads to "chipping" as they crisp. I've also used it to cook Aunt Bessies frozen chips and it does a far better job than the oven and only takes about 25 minutes. Don't add extra oil when doing frozen chips!

I haven't tried anything exotic meatwise, just some thin sausages. Throw them in at the same time as skinny chips or a little later with chunkier ones. Top it off with some onion at 15 mins to go and mushrooms for the last five minutes. Straight to the plate and slap a fried egg on top. Bliss.

On the bad side it is pretty noisy and takes up about a foot by a foot and half of bench space but it's so easy to keep clean I just stow it in it's box on top of the cupboard when I'm not using it. And because there aren't a couple of pints of boiling oil being used I'm confident enough to just set it tumbling and go and watch TV/read a book/work on my opera while it does its stuff.

This is the first kitchen gadget I've bought for ages that's actually exceeded my expectations.

Wonderful chips, If there are any critisism it is that the timer buzzer is faint and not very audible over the actifry when running, also it would be helpful if the timer turned it off. However sill a superb piece of cook ware.

UPDATE
I have now used for a few weeks and am still impressed however a few minor comments, For things like mince you can not leave it unatended but have to stir occasionaly (to be fair it does say this in the book) also the paddle stains easily (again in the book) however the thing to be most careful of is locking the paddle in place, you soon know if you have not as it makes about 4 times the noise and any sauce leaks through to under the pan (only did this once)

UPDATE 15th OCTOBER 2009
Still working well I have added this update as people have complained about it being fragile. The only thing that has broken is a clip that holds the metal mesh filter in place on looking at this closely I can not understand how they expected it to last, however the mesh still stays in place. No problem with other aspects of it although I agree it looks very fragile.
UPDATE 25th November 2010
Just went pop and packed up on inspection the element had blown. So the life is not very impressive and I am dropping the *rating to 3

Haven't been able to cook real chips for decades. Deep fat fryers are a pain, and the smell may be attractive before, but it lingers. This thing will cook chips using any kind of oil - we like olive oil, but sunflower and sesame are also good. And you only need a tablespoon (or 2) of it.

The chips take longer than regular deep fat frying, or oven chips, but the results are clean and as crispy as you like. I reckon it uses less electricity than a fan or conventional over would to make the same number of oven chips. Basically it's a 1400 watt fan oven with a device for tumbling the chips to spread the oil and the heat evenly. The cooking cavity is closed so there is no smell, and the whole thing comes apart for cleaning (which you can do in a dishwasher if you like).

It says you should rinse and dry the raw chips before cooking, and that's tedious but worth it. I also give the chips a minute or two in the fryer before adding the oil, which appears to dry them finally.

You can spice up your chips with paprika, herbs, or curry powder added to the oil before you sprinkle it on.

The only downside is the cost (high because there is no competition, I guess) and the redundant timer which as another reviewer said is too quiet plus it doesn't actually stop the cooking anyway. Other than that, if you can afford the space and the money, I'd recommend it.

The Actifry is a can't live without kitchen appliance, however expect it to break. Many of the great reviews are from recent purchasers, I agree that this is a fantastic machine that does exactly what it claims. I am a careful person and have owned my Actifry for 15 months, the lid broke (hinge cracked and fell off) after 6 months luckily this was within the Tefals warrantee period, as they usually cost £40 + P&P for a new lid. Now the paddle has just broken, the Actifry won't work without it, they cost from £17.95 + P&P to replace, I'll have to pay for this, as Amazon won't cover this. I have read many reviews and have spoken to other owners, many have reported faults with cracked/misted/scratched lids, stained/fractured/snapped paddles, and sparks/fires from the machine. So make sure you buy from a retailer who offers an extended warrantee, if they charge it's worth paying for, just read the negative reviews on the internet, they're all about the poor level of manufacture rather than the machines ability to produce great food. I shall be buying a new machine (more money than sense I guess), I've decided to pay a little more and get it from John Lewis or Argos, I'll just wait for a good offer. If you're concerned that this appliance is expensive, then I wouldn't recommend you buy it, as you'll need to buy spares to keep the machine operatng, these are expensive, they amount to nearly the same price of the appliance.

While the concept of this item is fantastic and the cooking results are as stated by Tefal & other uses,the build quality is abysmal.

My 13 month old actifry is very carefully used, but has a crack in the hinge/coupler of the lid, non-stick is coming off the pan & now the paddle has broken in 2 places(1 of the clips and the end of the paddle has now snapped off) rendering the cooker unusable until I can find replacements. I also would not recommend putting it in the dishwasher as stated by the company.

Due to the capacity and length of time chips take to cook, this product is not suitable for a family meal but is ideal for a couple. Having said that, it will cook a chilli or mince based recipe for a family of 4.

I would not rate this item due to the quality price with the budjet materials & build quality.

I purchased the actifry about nine months ago. I love it for chips, onion rings, crispy bacon, reheating pizza, heating nans etc. etc. Great device. However I am now on my second machine and third lid. The first machine started to go backwards and then the lugs that hold the lid closed fell off ( too brittle for the heat generated). Got a replacement machine with no fuss. Second machine is now on its second lid as yip, the lugs that hold the lid closed broke off. As stated this is a great device but durability issues affect the lids closing lugs and also ( according to various reviews) the rotating blade also gets brittle and breaks. If tefal could overcome these two outstanding issues then this would be a 4 or perhaps 5 star machine!

I have owned one of these for a couple of months and have not regretted it for a moment. I do not like deep fat fryers so have previously relied on oven chips or baked my own chips in the oven, until this great item came along.

The chips really do taste like they have been deep fried and take about 40 minutes to cook. The quantity you can produce is reasonable for two people, probably three, and you do only need a spoonful of oil to do so.

It is really easy to use and wash up (the tray lifts out and the lid is removable). It comes with a recipe book that indicates you can cook lots of other things in it, such as chicken, but even if you only make chips I'd say it is a good buy.

Other than the size, which seems a little on the bulky side, the only other drawback is that the noise of the timer is drowned out by the noise of the machine when it is working. The machine is not noisy overall; you do have the sound of the air circulating around the food but I would say it is no more noisy than the sound made by my fan oven in operation. The 'problem' is that the timer is just too quiet to be heard unless you are standing right by the machine and the actifry stays running and cooking the food until you switch it off. I have overcome this by using my oven timer to alert me when the food is ready but I think it is a small design fault (I sent one actifry back as I thought the timer was so quiet it was faulty, but the replacement is exactly the same).

Best bits: the food produced and it is easy to use and clean.

Not so good: timer seems redundant and it is a bit bulky.

See my comment below about the longevity of the design.

I read up a lot about this product and got very mixed opinions. However I went ahead and bought one and love it!

You can cook so many things in it and they have all turned out lovely so far. There are no smells from it and it is so easy to clean.

Practically all of my family have tested the food from it and everyone has been very impressed - so much so that several of them have purchased one for themselves.

Tefal ActiFry Low Fat Electric Fryer

Firstly, I'm delighted with my Actifry, the results are great if you can stand the wait, 30 minutes or so for a plate of chips. It's all in the timing with the rest of the meal, and you soon get to grips with that. It can cook other things too, though I haven't been very experimental yet.

However, I can only describe the machine as flimsy. With care there should be no problems, but if you're the sort of person who reels out of the pub shouting "Okay lads, back to mine for some chips!" then you'll soon break it!

I actually carry them on my lorry for a well-known kitchenware company. I bring a lot back too, and almost invariably it's because the little plastic tabs which hold the lid closed have broken off. They're more expensive from us than Amazon, but the no-quibble guarantee may be worth the extra.

I researched the product before buying it, but failed to find any reviews explaining just how it works, so here goes =

It has what's basically a frying pan, with a clear plastic lid which closes to keep the heat in. There's a hole in the middle of the pan, into which you stick a 'paddle'

The paddle revolves about twice a minute, and is shaped so that when it reaches the food, the food climbs up over the top and falls down the other side a different way up. This is helped by a 'pintle' on the side of the pan which helps push the food over the paddle.

So the food is carried around the thin layer of oil in the pan, eventually becoming coated on all sides. The oil can be whatever you like, and you can add herbs and spices if you wish. I bought some Walnut oil today.

The cooking is done by what is in effect a fan heater, which takes the temperature to around the 200c mark, making the spoonfull of oil in the bottom of the pan bubble.

One reviewer said they had heard reports of the electric motor breaking down, causing the machine to overheat and set fire, "So I wouldn't dare leave it unattended!"

What sort of fool would leave ANY chip pan unattended?

Other reviewers compained about the quiet timer buzzer. I don't use the timer, I just glance through the clear plastic lid to see if they're brown yet.

Hope this review helps. Zippy.

Update = The product lasts a year at best, which makes it an expensive purchase. Lakeland have had every one returned under warranty and no longer stock it. The acrylic lid can't stand the 200°c temperature and the drive mechanism wears out quickly.