Air fryers or hot air fryers make many people salivate. More and more of us are therefore interested in these devices which allow us to prepare fat-free fries (but not just fries). Cooking in a healthier way, yes, but also without the disadvantages of an oil bath, that’s what theAirFryer 7000 XXL Series of Philips which has just been awarded the Marmiton 2024 Prize in the “Smart Kitchen” category. Is this distinction deserved? For the knowledge, 20 minutes tested it.
– Philips
Massive, but good capacity
The AirFryer Series 7000 XXL (ref: HD9880) is, as its name suggests, XXL. Quite massive. Measuring 33.5 x 44 cm side by 35 cm high, the device takes up a very significant space on a kitchen worktop. This is a point that should not be overlooked, especially if you want to use it very regularly, so leave it in place continuously.
Advantage however, its cooking basket with a capacity of 8.3 liters (compared to 6.5 l for Smart Air Fryer from Xiaomi previously tested) is placed on a telescopic rail which slides up to 40 cm and which does not have need to be above the work surface, but can remain above the void. The system is, as we have observed, very practical to use.
Manual, pre-programmed or connected
This basket has markers. Engraved inside, they allow you to perfectly adjust the cooking time according to the quantity of food you wish to prepare: fries (obviously!), but also meat, fish, vegetables… with the promise cook with up to 99% less fat. Also on the menu: making desserts.
On the front screen, it is possible to select a manual cooking mode. And there, it’s up to you to adjust the settings, with a cooking time of 1 to 180 minutes and a temperature of 40 to 200°. Alternative: select a basic recipe on the screen in the “Automated cooking programs” section.
This second option is recommended for air fryer novices who, at first, like us, will not really know how long to heat their food or to what temperature. There we find fries (homemade or frozen), potatoesmeats, snacks… Depending on the food or dish and its volume placed in the basket (hence the importance of the marks!), the cooking time will adapt automatically. Alas, no integrated balance which would have been a good help in refining the settings…
To go further, Philips offers NutriU, an application (free, but optional) adapted to its air fryer, which connects via Wifi. Dozens of recipes are included, including many vegan. Nothing to do with the principle of the Thermomix where the chosen recipe is displayed step by step on the food processor screen.
Here, the application provides ideas (from fries to cheese, to chocolate coulant, to grilled chicken fillets), listing the ingredients and the steps to prepare them. Once your preparation is complete, all you have to do is place it in the air fryer and press the “Send settings” button on the screen of your smartphone.
This works perfectly well as we observed by starting the cooking of frozen dauphine potatoes “remotely” (18 minutes at 180°). The advantage is that you can follow the remaining cooking time on your smartphone screen, while being alerted when it’s time to eat.
Note that for each recipe in the NutriU application, its nutritional values are mentioned (kcal/portion, volume of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids). A good point if you want to stay vigilant or if you are following a diet.
For meat and fish, the 7000 XXL Series also has a probe. This handy little accessory (even if you don’t have to use it) allows you to fine-tune the cooking of a piece where you expect it to be cooked with onions, according to your preferences (blue, medium, etc.). .
Lack of accessories
For our tests, we used the AirFryer Series 7000 The taste is there (the roast came out particularly tender). The crunch too: the potato and sweet potato fries we made were really good and not dry at all, as one might have feared.
We used both its manual and connected functions; appreciated its large capacity (the counterpart of its relative bulk!); its measured noise (57 dbA on our sound level meter, which is not much); its ease of use; the ease of cleaning of its basket and its bowl (which are dishwasher safe); but above all its ease of use.
The Marmiton prize awarded to it seems perfectly justified, even if we do not know if other air fryers were in the race…
However, we regret that despite a very high sales price (449 euros, that’s not nothing!), Philips did not see fit to provide, in addition to the basket mentioned, more accessories adapted to the making pasta, gratins, soups, and even pizzas. Without putting the entire collection in the box (each accessory is sold for 24 to 44 euros), the mold for lasagna… and pastries would have been welcome, because it is versatile. As is, no nightmare in the kitchen: for the fries, this air fryer, it’s a piece of cake!