[18pcs]

I am thinking of buying on Actifry only to fry chopped onions brown . Does anyone have any experience if this would be able to brown chopped onions. I live in the EU so am not worried about how long it lasts, even if it lives out its warranty for me it would have served its purpose.

[nheather]

Seems an awful lot of money to fry onions.

Cheers,

Nigel

[18pcs]

Will it do the job ?

[dUnKle]

We have an actiFry which so far my other half just cooks chips in it, but more often than not they actually taste a little fatty and sometimes a little undercooked (despite being in there for awhile)

Also what else can we do in it

Anyone able to do a list of foods and how best to do them

Sausages, Bacon, Onions, Mushrooms etc

[fizzi]

Have a look at the cook book supplied with the Actifry. There are some lovely recipes in there and they do work. The chicken and pineapple one is especially nice and there is a vegetable stirfry type recipe in there (can't remember what they call it - something julienne?) but if you like meat, then add in some cooked meat 5 mins before the end.

I use my Actifry for various things as well as chips/roast potatoes/cubed potatoes. You can vary the chips and potato dishes by adding garlic (5 mins from the end) or curry powder (added in the oil at the beginning) or paprika or other flavours.

With chips - (I make my own so cannot say about oven chips) make sure they are dry before you put them in. give them at least 30 mins (if you are cooking for 2) longer for more chips/portions. increase it by about 5 mins per portion after that till you are sure they are done. Maris Piper spuds make the BEST chips/roast potatoes.

I would not do sausages in it - unless I had already browned them and started them off on the grill (then you can chop them into chunks and add them in halfway thru cooking some cubed potatoes.

I have also done corned beef hash, numerous stir fry meals, and several of the recipes from the book.

You can do any vegetable in it - but don't bother trying to brown onions. Onions will cook and tenderise as will other veg.

Dont add baked beans to anything unless it's less than 3 mins from the end - (the sauce dries up really quick!) but you can throw them into corned beef hash at the very end.

I'm on my 3rd actifry - the first 2 caught fire - but I would not be without mine. I never leave it unattended EVER and have had no problems at all with this one.

If you buy one - get it from Lakeland - their customer service is excellent!

I broke the paddle on my Actifry and they sent me a new one free of charge.

[DPinBucks]

Originally Posted by fizzi

Have a look at the cook book supplied with the Actifry. There are some lovely recipes in there and they do work. The chicken and pineapple one is especially nice and there is a vegetable stirfry type recipe in there (can't remember what they call it - something julienne?) but if you like meat, then add in some cooked meat 5 mins before the end.

I use my Actifry for various things as well as chips/roast potatoes/cubed potatoes. You can vary the chips and potato dishes by adding garlic (5 mins from the end) or curry powder (added in the oil at the beginning) or paprika or other flavours.

With chips - (I make my own so cannot say about oven chips) make sure they are dry before you put them in. give them at least 30 mins (if you are cooking for 2) longer for more chips/portions. increase it by about 5 mins per portion after that till you are sure they are done. Maris Piper spuds make the BEST chips/roast potatoes.

I would not do sausages in it - unless I had already browned them and started them off on the grill (then you can chop them into chunks and add them in halfway thru cooking some cubed potatoes.

I have also done corned beef hash, numerous stir fry meals, and several of the recipes from the book.

You can do any vegetable in it - but don't bother trying to brown onions. Onions will cook and tenderise as will other veg.

Dont add baked beans to anything unless it's less than 3 mins from the end - (the sauce dries up really quick!) but you can throw them into corned beef hash at the very end.

I'm on my 3rd actifry - the first 2 caught fire - but I would not be without mine. I never leave it unattended EVER and have had no problems at all with this one.

If you buy one - get it from Lakeland - their customer service is excellent!

I broke the paddle on my Actifry and they sent me a new one free of charge.

Ours is on even as I'm typing this, doing spicy potato wedges.

We use it a lot.

As you say, stir-fry type veg is great (peppers, mushrooms, aubergine, large chunks of onion, courgettes, etc), plus spices. Not so good for runny veg like tomatoes.

Does chicken a treat: cut into cubes and do by itself or with the veg as above.

We use tiny amounts of olive oil: don't bother with the measure and just sprinkle a teaspoon or less over the spuds.

Drying the potatoes before frying does make a difference. The easiest place to dry them is in the Actifry itself. Simply add the oil 5 minutes after starting.

To answer the question about onions: I agree with you that the machine is not ideal for browning.

[Terry1941]

Hi Everybody, Another update......the actifry has been working out since it came back....however.... the locking mechanism in the centre of the lid...one of the sides (plastic) has fallen off....!!!! These are very thin material and may have been affected by the heat.."they'll be difficult to chew".....so be careful...keep watching....!!!!!!!!!

[eric pisch]

well mines 15 months old now and is still working fine, 100-150+ loads of chips done

[18pcs]

Is it possible to cook chinese stir fry style food in the actifry ? I was also wondering if it is possible to add sauces/marinades directly into the actifry bowl ?

[fizzi]

Yes you can do stir fry meals. The recipe booklet supplied has one called something like Jardinere of Vegetables or something like that, but it tastes very much like Chinese possibly because of the bamboo shoots and soy sauce.

I use this recipe a lot and 5 mins from the end I also add some cooked chicken or lamb etc... or left overs from a Sunday roast joint.

Yummy!

[18pcs]

Originally Posted by fizzi

Yes you can do stir fry meals. The recipe booklet supplied has one called something like Jardinere of Vegetables or something like that, but it tastes very much like Chinese possibly because of the bamboo shoots and soy sauce.

I use this recipe a lot and 5 mins from the end I also add some cooked chicken or lamb etc... or left overs from a Sunday roast joint.

Yummy!

Thanks for your reply. Just took the plunge and ordered one. Lets just hope it doesnt end up in the cellar.

[pentops]

We bought one last week and have been trying out the recipes and am very impressed so far. Just had a chicken curry tonight combining their advice with my own recipe.

Actify Curry
3 to 4 chicken breasts sliced
½ of actify scoop of veg oil
4 heaped teaspoons curry powder
4 to 5 garlic cloves chopped
Mix together in a bowl to coat chicken pieces
Heat 1 chopped onion in a little oil in actify for 2 to 3 minutes
Add coated chicken cook for 20 minutes
Meanwhile make sauce
100ml chicken stock
1 pot single cream
4 tbls natural yogurt
2 tsp tomato puree
Add to chicken and cook for about 10 minutes

* Fresh coriander to add to top is nice

[fizzi]

Mine has been temporarily retired. It has a broken paddle! Lakeland no longer sell the Actifry and parts now have to come from another firm - which say take up to 28 days!

So I'm rediscovering other meals now whilst waiting for my paddle.

[onlyme2010]

Hi,

Great forum. I'm currently trying to determine whether or not to buy the actifry and hope that you can help me with some questions I have.

How much chips would 1kg of potatoes produce?

How much potatoes are required for a similar amount of chips to a regular portion fo Mcdonalds fries? How long would it take?

Is there a difference between frying from frozen and not?

Is the Actifry easy to clean?

Many thanks in advance.

[dog-man]

I can answer some of your questions.

In my opinion it will only do enough chips for 3 people max. It states 4, but they will be very small portions.


It is very easy to clean and is dishwasher safe.

Takes around 20 -25 minutes for chips but does depend on the liquid content.

You should always attempt to dry the chips / raw potatoes in a tea towel.

You can also cook frozen chips including oven ready chips.



dog-man

[fizzi]

Having now had the displeasue of trying to deal with Tefal over trying to get a replacement paddle I have to say I will not be buying another Actifry or paddle.

My experience this week has lead me to say that Tefal have NO customer service whatsoever - I say this because I went to their website in the hope of buying a new paddle - and it leads you to another supplier - the ONLY ones to do parts for the Actifry.

I placed my order for the paddle - only to receive an email saying it will be up to 30 working days at least till I received it.

After 2 weeks I rang Tefal and they refused to chase it up or find out why it was taking so long - the person I spoke to was so unhelpful I could not believe it. She appeared to be guessing why it would take so long - given that their supplier are the only ones who do parts you would think the way these Actfrys pack up there would be a steady demand. She finally said it is a special order for the paddle - from China!

So I've cancelled my order for my paddle and that's my love affair with the Actifry well and truly over.

It's a wonderful bit of kit - when it's working. But having recently discovered the lack of customer care from Tefal and the woeful lack of parts in a timely manner I now would not recommend anyone buy it.

[fivenecks]

hi all

friend has one ...uses it every day and say that i am impressed and still thinking about it, but still have thoughts about the fire aspect but think it is great. the other thing is that it does get cleaned after every use in the dishwasher but i would like to know what you would use to get the stubbourn stains off without causing damage.

with already using a halogen oven this would also have to be part of my kichen equipment and still i do not use the conventional oven at all yet for the past year....lol

[DPinBucks]

Originally Posted by fivenecks

hi all

friend has one ...uses it every day and say that i am impressed and still thinking about it, but still have thoughts about the fire aspect but think it is great. the other thing is that it does get cleaned after every use in the dishwasher but i would like to know what you would use to get the stubbourn stains off without causing damage.

with already using a halogen oven this would also have to be part of my kichen equipment and still i do not use the conventional oven at all yet for the past year....lol

Don't bother about the stains. They won't come out and do no harm. The manual tells you about this. Just get all the obvious removeable bits off (dishwasher is fine for paddle, filter & pan).

fizzi: I've recently ordered a replacement paddle from Wesco: was that the place you tried? They also say 28 days delivery, and they seem on the ball. Personally, I'm prepared to live with that. We like our Actfry so much that the alternative is a new one, so we'll see how it works out.

[dog-man]

In what way did the paddle fail?




dog-man

[fizzi]

My paddle just broke. It broke at the thinnest part. The Actifry made a bit of a noise as though something was stuck under the paddle - when I check nothing was under it. A short time later the end bit sheared off.

It was Wesco that I ordered from but the delivery time seemed to get longer and longer.

Delivery time for any spare parts should never be longer than a week when you are the UK's ONLY supplier and have no competition.

I even looked on ebay. I do miss the Actifry but but would not get another because it's so hard to get parts and because Tefal are so bad for customer service.

I bought one on impulse from Argos when they had them on offer.

Before it decided to set its self alight, It did make nice chips eventually, I think it took about 45 mins to cook a full load of chips which didnt even go around 3 people.

Awful customer service from Tefal, basicaly didnt care / want to know / not interested.

Thankfully Argos where a bit more aproachable and understanding and gave me a full refund.

[DPinBucks]

Originally Posted by dog-man

In what way did the paddle fail?




dog-man

It actually broke twice.

The first time, one of the little lugs underneath, which clip it to the pan, broke off. That wasn't too bad, as it worked fine with just the one. It's a combination of design weakness and getting the knack of removing it properly. With the next one, we'll be a little more careful.

This latest time, the narrow neck on the arm broke, as fizzi described, leaving a shortish stump. It still works, after a fashion, but you have to give the contents a bit of a shake every so often.

I know this sounds like a lot more trouble than it's worth, but when you get used to a gadget as we have, you're prepared to soldier on. If necessary, we'd even buy another.

[Phil57]

Still very happy with mine.

[18pcs]

Exactly a month old and used 4 times in this period. This morning lots of smoke came out and a burning smell. Disconnected it and put it in the balcony to get rid of smoke. So it was a short lived experience. Lets see what Tefal Service have to say about this.

[DPinBucks]

Originally Posted by 18pcs

Exactly a month old and used 4 times in this period. This morning lots of smoke came out and a burning smell. Disconnected it and put it in the balcony to get rid of smoke. So it was a short lived experience. Lets see what Tefal Service have to say about this.

Don't go to Tefal. They have no responsibility to you. You should take it back to where you bought it.

[18pcs]

Originally Posted by DPinBucks

Don't go to Tefal. They have no responsibility to you. You should take it back to where you bought it.

I bought it online, so have to take it to Tefal Service. I wonder if it could be food stuck in the heating elements and burning ? Should I turn it on in the outdoors and see if it burns it out. Has anyone had this problem before ?

[18pcs]

Originally Posted by 18pcs

I bought it online, so have to take it to Tefal Service. I wonder if it could be food stuck in the heating elements and burning ? Should I turn it on in the outdoors and see if it burns it out. Has anyone had this problem before ?

Just got a report in writing that there is some oil stuck on the heating element which is causing the smoke and this has to be replaced but it has to be paid for ? I wonder what Tefal expects one to use in the fryer if not oil ? What should I do ? Anyone has had a similar problem

[fizzi]

You should contact Consumer Direct - 08454 04 05 06 - for up to date advice before parting with any money for repairs.

[eric pisch]

Originally Posted by onlyme2010

Hi,

Great forum. I'm currently trying to determine whether or not to buy the actifry and hope that you can help me with some questions I have.

How much chips would 1kg of potatoes produce?

How much potatoes are required for a similar amount of chips to a regular portion fo Mcdonalds fries? How long would it take?

Is there a difference between frying from frozen and not?

Is the Actifry easy to clean?

Many thanks in advance.

1) 1000grams, cut to my special size that 96.48 chips

2) 4 super large spuds

3) 1 super large spud or 30 tiny tiny spuds, about 20 mins to cook but they wont have any sugar, chemically extracted oil, MSG, preservatives (check out the youtube vid where maccy Ds fries wont rot after 8 weeks!!!) rat poop or any of the other crap they put on them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-ljW5YEdao

4) yes the frozen ones are much colder than the others

5) Very easy to clean, 30 seconds

[DougWeller]

My paddle broke yesterday - one of the clips broke. Bought a new one, the black one, at CostCo, £117.99. Much better construction, the paddle comes off through a locking/unlocking mechanism, pan looks better, different filter,etc. And a vastly different cookbook with loads of recipes for chicken, beef, pork, rice, seafood, etc.
Doug