Review : Philips Airfryer model HD9220/20
Bought : Autumn 2013
Price (for me) : £80
My cooking skills : Almost zero
My use : cooking fatty foods, usually from frozen
Quick verdict :
Good idea and cooks well but needs improvement and is way overpriced. I can't recommend at that price unless you really want it. I keep having fat smoke incidents but I am reducing these with strategies.
Good points :
Seems a sound idea. It looks better at intense convection cooking than other fat-free alternatives I have seen
Very simple to understand and use
Very intense heat
Not too noisy
Certainly cooks things thorough if you can get the settings right
Should be especially decent for making things crispy outside but well cooked inside, such as breaded meats or 'oven' chips. I would say moreso for things with 'bulk' inside.
Fat-free cooking. Quite a lot of fat drips down to the bottom of the tray.
Bad points :
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| Philips HD9220/20 Airfryer |
I keep setting off the smoke alarm due to fat burning incidents
Very difficult to get maximum heat setting right for fatty food resulting in smoke
The more fatty the food, the more likely I am to get smoke. Very fatty uncovered foods like beefburgers seem impossible
No power on-off switch
Manual timer that can't be changed or reset other than to increase time
Manual temperature control
Only for small portions really (0.8kg max)
A bit of cleaning involved if you don't use a dishwasher
Very short power cord (0.8m)
Verdict :
The airfryer seems a good idea and the most attractive option for me as an alternative to a full-size fan-assisted convection oven but this model (the first version ?) seems too blunt. I often have smoke incidents, the controls are manual and basic, the portions are small and it's way overpriced. I would expect if the airfryer production continues then they will improve the models and tris will be seen as a prototype. The principle seems good but the end product has a lot of issues that need improved. I would only buy this if money is no issue and you really want it.
Specifications :
Manual timer dial. 30 minutes max. Swtiches off when time complete.
Manual temp control dial . 80 degrees-200 degrees
Power rating : 1.425 kw (most countries)
Power cord length : 0.8m
Weight : 7kg
Size : Width 29cm, Height 31cm, Length 38cm
Philips UK Airfryer page : link
Philips USA : link
About the HD9220/20 in particular :
This model no longer seems to be on the Philips website, so I am guessing it is an older model. I guess it's an 'entry' model, and presumably won't differ much (if at all) form the newer entry model (manual controls etc). It's very sturdy and easy to use. If you want to buy an airfryer I would suggest the 'digital control' one which has a RRP of around $100 more ?
Price :
The Philips airfryer seems to be a heating element and a fan, acting as a mini fan-assisted oven. Personally I think it should be about £40, but the RRP is £180. So in most cases it is way overpriced for what it is. If you look around you may be able to get it for 50%-70% the price.
Cooking :
I have been using it to cook fatty foods. I would say it's best at cooking fatty foods intended to be crispy outside but 'fluffy' inside. Such as fish in breadcrumbs or chunky oven chips. My main problem is that I tend to have smoke incidents. Beefburgers I found impossible due to smoke. Maybe I am doing things wrong. But I have too many problems with smoke incidents and feel it can take quite long to cook due to having to set the temperature lower.
Techniques (update) : Regarding cooking and smoke incidents, I find that I now coming up with strategies to avoid smoking incidents. Originally I was cooking things at a very low temp to avoid smoke (around 120 degrees) but this took a long time to cook. One new technique I use is to set the temperature high (around 180 degrees) and always set the timer for about 5 minutes. This way I can keep checking and turn the temp down if I expect smoke. After 5 minutes I might turn the food over so that hopefully fat does not splash up from the food to the element. I am now finding I can avoid most smoking incidents. But I still haven't found a way of cooking 'exposed' fatty foods such as beefburgers without smoke, which generate so much splashy fat.
Heat capability :
The listed power rating is around 1.4kw, which is a lot of power. The heat is pretty intense. I find that I set heat at lower settings than suggested. The fryer is well insulated but it can be hot to touch at the sides. It is basically a hairdryer, with a fan and heating element. That's what a fan-assisted oven is I guess. The heat element does not seem to glow red, which I presume means it doesn't 'grill' things, which is good for a convection oven.
The 'rapid air technology' and starfish shape is supposed to make cooking ergonomically ideal. It does seem to cook well, though I still feel the need to turn food over though for protein foods it says this is not necessary as the starfish shape spreads the heat underneath.
Using the basket and tray :
The handle does not become hot, which means it's east to take the basket and tray out and in. It may not be obvious how to clip the basket out the tray. Best to watch the video for that, as you could break it if you don't know how. Perhaps the clip may be a weakpoint for breaking, but I hope not.
Capacity :
800g capacity for food. I find the capacity is very small, perhaps moreso in length and width. I have difficulty getting 2 chicken quarterpounders to fit, but they still cook ok. For chips it looks to me more ideal for one portion. 2 portions would seem pretty cramped. I would say this is more for one person.
Controls :
The controls are manual and quite blunt, which is disappointing. It has no on-off switch, meaning you need to switch the plug power off. The timer is a 30 minute clock timer which you can't move once set (except to make a longer time). The temperature control is a manual dial. For something at £180 this is ridiculous, especially for something that has intense heat. The timer pings when time is up.
Power cord :
0.8m. This is very short. I have to keep the fryer very close to a plug socket. The cord has a -storage compartment.
Noise :
The noise is a bit like a hairdryer in another room. Not too noisy at all, but still noticeable.
Odours :
As there is no fat involved, the odours are pretty limited and nowhere near as bad as a deep fat fryer. Perhaps fish can permeate a bit. Overall though, it's pretty good for being limited odours.
Cleaning :
You clean the basket and tray. It is dishwasher friendly, so I guess that's easy. If you don't have a dishwasher it could be a pain to wash, especially in trying to remove stubborn stains in the basket. I don't clean it everytime, and also mainly just clean the fat away at the bottom of the tray.
Exhaust at the back :
There's not that much air that comes out the exhaust at the back but over time it can dirty whatever is behind, such as kitchen tiles.
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