‎Russell Hobbs ‎27170 Air Fryer - Review

Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years as a healthier alternative to deep frying. They use rapid air circulation technology to cook food with little to no oil, reducing fat and calories compared to traditional frying methods. Air fryers allow you to make all your fried favorites like french fries, chicken wings, and more with up to 80% less fat.

The technology uses convection, heating the air inside up to 200 °C/400 °F to quickly cook food using convection heat transfer. The high temperature helps create a crispy, fried finish using just a tablespoon or less of oil. This makes air frying a versatile and convenient cooking method for everything from frozen foods to homemade fries and chicken tenders.

Air fryers are ideal for people looking to reduce their fat intake or follow low-fat diets like Keto. The appliances also promote healthier eating by eliminating excess oil without sacrificing flavor and texture. With so many benefits, it's no wonder air fryers have become a must-have appliance for the modern kitchen.

Overview of the Russell Hobbs 27170

The Russell Hobbs 27170 is a mid-sized digital air fryer with a sleek and compact design. It has dimensions of 31 x 31 x 31 cm, making it suitable for most kitchen countertops without taking up too much space.

With a generous 3.2L capacity, the air fryer can hold up to 1.5kg of food at a time, enough to cook portions for 2-4 people depending on the recipe. It uses a powerful 1500W of electricity for fast and efficient air circulation and heating.

Some notable features of the Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer include:

• 8 preset cooking programs including fries, meat, fish, chicken, steak, pizza, cake, and dehydrate
• Adjustable temperature range from 80°C up to 200°C
• 60 minute timer with auto shut off and sound alert
• Dishwasher safe air fry basket and pan for easy cleanup
• Cool touch exterior housing
• Non-stick coated interior to prevent food sticking
• Digital touch screen for selecting options
• Recipe book included

Overall, the Russell Hobbs 27170 packs useful functionality and presets into a compact digital air fryer suitable for small households. The combination of size, power, capacity, and features make it a great option to consider.

Design

The Russell Hobbs 27170 has a sleek and modern design that will look great in any kitchen. It has a fingerprint-proof stainless steel finish that gives it an elegant, premium look. Despite its large 6.2L capacity, the fryer has a compact footprint measuring 31.2 x 31.5 x 33.3 cm, so it won't take up too much counter space.

The fryer features an easy-to-read LED digital display with touch controls. The display is clear and intuitive, allowing you to easily select from 1 of 8 presets or manually set the temperature and timer. There are also indicator lights for when the fryer is heating up or the basket is ready to be removed.

The frying basket has a non-stick coating and cool touch handle. The basket can hold up to 1.2kg of food, perfect for cooking for the whole family. The pan and basket are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Overall, the fryer is well-designed with quality materials and aesthetics.

Settings & Programs

The Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer comes with a range of settings and programs to suit different cooking needs.

It has an adjustable temperature range from 80°C up to 200°C, allowing you to precisely control the heat based on what you're cooking. The lower temperatures are good for dehydrating or proofing dough, while the highest settings let you properly crisp and brown foods like fries, nuggets, or chicken wings.

There are 6 preset programs built-in: fries, meat, fish, shrimp, chicken, and cake. These auto-adjust the temperature and time to optimize cooking for those specific foods. For example, the fish setting is fixed at 200°C for 10 minutes.

While there are presets, you can also manually adjust both temp and cook times to customize programs exactly how you want. The timer can be set from 1 minute up to 30 minutes.

Having a wide temp range and the ability to freely adjust time and temperature gives you a lot of versatility. You're not limited to just the presets. This flexibility is useful for trying new recipes or dialing in the perfect settings for your cooking preferences.

Performance

The Russell Hobbs 27170 performs very well as an air fryer. It circulates hot air rapidly around food to produce crispy results similar to deep frying, but with significantly less oil.

When air frying, it evenly cooks foods like fries, chicken wings, fish fillets, and veggie chips to a lovely golden brown exterior while keeping the interior moist. The variable temperature control, up to 200°C, allows you to adjust the heat to suit whatever you're cooking. The powerful 1500W heating element and fan deliver fast preheating so you can start cooking sooner.

In addition to air frying, the 27170 can bake, roast, reheat, and dehydrate. It bakes cakes, muffins, and more with excellent rising and browning. Roasting chicken, pork, or beef results in tender, juicy meat with nice crispy exteriors. Leftovers reheat quickly and evenly without drying out. Dehydrating makes homemade fruit rolls, veggie chips, and jerky.

Overall, the 27170 is a high performing multipurpose air fryer that delivers delicious results across a wide range of cooking functions. The rapid air circulation technology cooks food fast and evenly for crispy exteriors and moist interiors.

Ease of Use

The Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer is designed for straightforward operation and convenience. The control panel features an LED digital display with touch buttons to select cooking temperatures, times, and programs.

There are several preset options to choose from, including fries, chicken, steak, fish, and cake, taking the guesswork out of air frying. Each program is optimized for that specific food type. You simply add your ingredients, select the matching preset, and the air fryer automatically adjusts the temperature and cooking time accordingly.

The touch buttons provide a smooth and intuitive user experience. They are responsive and easy to clean. The LED screen clearly shows the cooking settings and countdown timer. It's bright enough to see from across the room.

The fryer basket and crisping tray easily slide in and out of the main compartment for smooth insertion and removal of food. The basket handle stays cool to the touch for safe maneuvering.

For added convenience, the air fryer comes with several accessories. This includes a multi-purpose baking pan that fits on the bottom crisping tray. You can use it for cooking things like fries, nuggets, and fish sticks. There is also a rotisserie spit and forks for making kebabs and roasts.

Overall, the Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer achieves simplicity and ease of use through its presets, touch controls, accessories, and well-designed cooking compartment. The controls are intuitive enough for everyday use, while still offering customizable options for more advanced cooking.

Cleaning & Maintenance

The Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer is very easy to clean and maintain. The food basket and crisper tray are removable and dishwasher safe, so you can simply pop them in the dishwasher after use.

If washing by hand, the non-stick coating means oil and food residue can be easily wiped away with a damp cloth. Warm soapy water is all that's needed for a quick clean. The crisper tray slots in and out effortlessly, allowing you to get into every nook and cranny.

One handy design feature is that the basket has a sliding release button to detach it from the pan. This gives you full access to clean the pan base thoroughly after cooking.

There are no awkward crevices or hidden grease traps that are hard to reach. Just wipe out excess oil from around the heating element and you're done.

Overall, the smooth surfaces and removable parts make cleaning and maintenance very simple. Just a quick wipe down keeps the Russell Hobbs 27170 looking as good as new.

Noise

The Russell Hobbs 27170 Air Fryer operates at reasonable noise levels that are comparable to other similar models. When the air fryer is preheating, it produces a moderate humming sound that is audible but not overly loud or disruptive. Once it reaches the target temperature, the noise levels go down as the fan circulates the hot air inside the cooking chamber.

When food is cooking, there is a constant whirring noise from the internal fan and heating elements. It's loud enough to hear in the same room, but you can carry on a conversation over the sound without raising your voice. The noise is similar to a low roar or whoosh of air. It likely wouldn't disturb someone in another room with the door closed. The noise levels remain consistent while cooking and don't get excessively loud.

Some user reviews mention the Russell Hobbs 27170 being slightly louder than expected, while others find the noise levels unremarkable. It seems to depend on individual perceptions and proximity to the air fryer when in use. But overall, the consensus is that the noise is acceptable for an appliance of this type. The sounds produced are comparable to other air fryer models and not disruptive enough to be a major downside.

Safety Features

The Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer has several important safety features to prevent accidents and injuries.

One key feature is the auto shut off, which automatically turns the fryer off after 30 minutes of inactivity. This prevents overheating and potential fires if you forget to turn it off. The auto shut off provides peace of mind if you get distracted while cooking.

Additionally, the air fryer has cool touch handles that stay cool to the touch even during and after cooking. The handles use a special coating that prevents heat transfer. You can safely grip the handles to remove the cooking basket without risk of burns. Cool touch technology is an essential for any kitchen appliance.

Between the auto shut off and cool touch handles, the Russell Hobbs 27170 prioritizes safety in its design. You can operate the air fryer without worrying about potential accidents. These thoughtful features make it safer for unattended cooking and easier to handle once cooking is complete. Safety comes first with this Russell Hobbs model.

Pros & Cons

The Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer has several pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Large 6L capacity allows cooking for the whole family
• Digital touch screen with 8 pre-set programs for easy cooking
• Adjustable temperature up to 200°C gives versatility
• 60 minute timer with auto shut off adds convenience and safety
• Dishwasher safe parts make cleaning easy
• Compact footprint doesn't take up much counter space

Cons

• Bulky and heavy, not ideal for moving around
• Fan can get loud when cooking at high temperatures
• Mesh basket doesn't hold smaller items like fries as well
• Short power cord may require an extension cord
• Exterior gets very hot to the touch during use
• Price is higher than some comparable models

Overall, the Russell Hobbs 27170 air fryer provides good performance and generous capacity in a compact design. The digital controls and dishwasher safe parts add convenience. Downsides are the bulky weight, potential noise, and high exterior temperatures. For the price, it's a decent mid-range choice for most households.