Tefal EY245840 Air Fryer - Review

The Tefal EY245840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1 Air Fryer is a deluxe multi-cooker from the trusted French cookware brand Tefal. As an air fryer, it uses rapid hot air circulation technology to produce crispy "fried" food using minimal oil. This large-capacity model can feed up to 8 people and offers over 300 pre-set recipes.

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL aims to be an all-in-one cooking solution for healthy homemade meals. It features a unique dual motion stirring paddle that rotates food for even cooking. The see-through viewing window allows monitoring without needing to open the lid. With a sleek black design and digital touchscreen, this multi-cooker will look great on any countertop.

Tefal is known for innovation and has sold over 16 million Actifry air fryers globally. This latest-generation model combines air frying, grilling, baking, roasting, stewing, sautéing, steaming, and dehydrating functions. It promises quick and convenient home cooking with minimal oil, making it easier to enjoy delicious fried food while being health-conscious.

Design and Appearance

The Tefal EY245840 Air Fryer has a sleek and modern design that will look great on any kitchen countertop. It has a rounded rectangular shape and is available in black, white, or red color options. The body of the air fryer is made from plastic with a brushed metallic finish on the top and front.

It measures approximately 32 x 28 x 31 cm, so it has a compact footprint that doesn't take up too much space. The frying basket has a 2.2 liter capacity and features a non-stick coating for easy cleaning. There is a clear viewing window on the top of the fryer that allows you to monitor cooking progress without opening the basket.

Overall, the Tefal air fryer has an attractive, contemporary appearance. Its rounded edges and metallic accents give it a stylish look. The range of color choices allows you to select the model that best matches your kitchen decor. And its compact size means it can fit well on most countertops without dominating the space.

While the Tefal air fryer has a nice design, some other models like the COSORI CAF-LI401S also offer great styling options. The COSORI air fryer has a very sleek look with smooth rounded corners and an LED touchscreen panel. It comes in black, white, red and gray color options to fit any kitchen aesthetic. This model is slightly larger at 12.7 x 12.7 x 11.8 inches but still compact enough for most countertops.

The COSORI air fryer exterior is made from sturdy plastic with a matte finish that resists fingerprints. The detachable basket and crisper tray are non-stick and dishwasher safe. The angled display panel provides a modern look and allows you to easily see settings. There is also a window on the top of the fryer so you can monitor cooking without lifting the lid.

In terms of appearance, both the Tefal and COSORI air fryers have attractive, contemporary designs. The Tefal is more compact while the COSORI offers a few more styling options with its LED panel and additional color choices. But they are both quality appliances that look great in a modern kitchen. Considering the design and aesthetics, you can't go wrong with either model.

Features and Settings

The Tefal EY245840 ActiFry Genius XL 2in1 has a number of useful features and settings that make it versatile for air frying and dehydrating food.

• Capacity: This air fryer has a large 8-portion capacity, with a 2.2 liter pan and 1.7 liter dehydrating tray. It can cook around 1.5 kg of fries or 800g of chicken wings at once. The spacious interior is ideal for families.

• Wattage: With a power output of 1500W, the Tefal ActiFry Genius XL delivers rapid air circulation and quick preheating. This high wattage ensures efficient cooking and crisping.

• Temperature Range: The temperature can be set from 82°C up to 200°C, providing a wide scope for different recipes. Lower temperatures are good for dehydrating fruits and jerky, while higher temperatures ensure perfect crispiness when air frying.

• Preset Programs: This model comes with 9 preset cooking programs including fries, chicken wings, drumsticks, steak, shrimp, cake, fish, and dehydrating for fruit and meat. The presets automatically adjust time and temperature for foolproof results.

The Tefal ActiFry Genius XL air fryer offers a lot of great features for convenient and versatile cooking. With its family-sized capacity, powerful wattage, and wide temperature range, it can handle a variety of ingredients and recipes. The preset programs make air frying and dehydrating effortless by automatically setting the optimal time and temperature. This takes the guesswork out of getting the perfect results.

Another air fryer to consider is the Tower T17021 model. This is a 12.7 liter digital air fryer with 7 preset cooking functions. It has a 60 minute timer with auto shut off and cool down function. The Tower T17021 air fryer can accommodate up to 3.5 kg of food at once, making it one of the largest capacity air fryers. It has a temperature range of 80°C to 200°C, along with a 60 minute timer and touch screen control panel.

The Tower air fryer comes with a detachable basket and crisping tray that are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. It uses rapid air circulation technology to cook food with little to no oil, resulting in quick and healthy meals. The 7 presets include warm, fries, meat, chicken, steak, fish and cake. These presets eliminate guesswork by automatically setting the time and temperature. An added benefit is the cool down function that prevents accidental opening right after cooking.

In summary, both the Tefal Genius XL and Tower T17021 air fryers offer large capacities, wide temperature ranges, preset programs, and powerful wattages for quick and convenient cooking. The Tefal model is specially designed for air frying and dehydrating, while the Tower air fryer focuses solely on air frying a wide variety of ingredients. Consider your cooking needs and preferences when deciding between these two quality air fryers.

Performance and Cooking

The Tefal Easy Fry Deluxe air fryer performs very well for air frying, baking, roasting, and reheating. The 4.2L capacity allows you to cook decent sized portions of fries, nuggets, chicken wings, and more. It heats up quickly and circulates hot air around food with its high-powered fan for quick, crispy, fried results using little to no oil.

I found it does an excellent job of air frying frozen foods like fries and nuggets. The results are crispy on the outside while keeping the insides moist and tender. It also makes homemade fries nice and crispy. Chicken wings come out juicy on the inside with crispy skin on the outside.

For baking, it evenly cooks items like cinnamon buns, cookies, and small cakes. I was able to roast vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts to perfect doneness. It also evenly reheats leftovers like pizza slices and fried chicken without drying them out. The turbo reheat function brings food to temperature very quickly.

Overall, it delivers outstanding air frying capabilities along with very good baking, roasting, and reheating - making it a versatile appliance. The large capacity allows you to cook meals for the whole family.

Ease of Use

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL 2-in-1 YV970840 air fryer is incredibly easy to use thanks to its intuitive interface and simple controls. The large LED display clearly shows the selected cooking function, temperature, and time remaining. There are just a few buttons to operate the machine - an on/off button, function button to select air fry, roast, grill, bake, dehydrate, or reheat modes, a time/temperature button to adjust settings, and a start/stop button to begin cooking.

Setting up the appliance is very straightforward. Simply place the food basket in position, close the lid, select your desired cooking mode and settings, and press start. The integrated handle and slide-out food basket also make it effortless to check on or remove food during cooking. And when you're done, all removable parts including the basket, pan, and lid are dishwasher safe for quick cleanup.

Overall, the Tefal air fryer is designed to be extremely user-friendly for even cooking novices. The intuitive controls and display, combined with the easy load basket, make it simple to start cooking right out of the box.

Accessories

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL comes with a number of handy accessories to help you get the most out of this air fryer.

It includes a paddle, which stirs the food as it cooks for even browning. No need to shake or flip your food manually! There is also a splatter guard that fits on top to minimize mess.

For cooking different foods, there is a multi-level cooking basket with a maximum capacity of 1.7 kg. The compartments allow you to cook two separate dishes at once. An added bonus is the included silicone cake mold and skewers for making desserts and kebabs.

You'll also get a cleaning brush to help keep the inside nice and tidy. The accessories are removable and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

For inspiration, a recipe booklet with 38 recipes comes included. This gives you plenty of air fried meal ideas to try out with your new gadget. From fried chicken to doughnuts to vegetable chips, there's something for everyone.

Overall, the accessories included with the Tefal Actifry Genius XL give you everything you need to unlock the versatility of this air fryer. From hassle-free cooking tools to recipe guides, you'll be set up for air frying success.

Noise Level

The Tefal EY245840 air fryer operates at a moderate noise level. The fan and heating elements produce a consistent hum during cooking that is audible but not overly loud or disruptive.

Some user reviews indicate the noise is quieter than expected for an air fryer, while others find it slightly noisy but not annoying. The noise level seems comparable to a small countertop oven or convection oven when in use.

The majority of noise comes from the internal fan circulating hot air. There is not excessive rattling from the basket or other loud sounds. The noise increases and decreases as the heating elements cycle on and off during cooking.

Overall, the noise produced by the Tefal air fryer is reasonable for a small kitchen appliance. It allows you to hold a conversation in the same room without raising your voice. While not silent, the hum of the fan and click of the heating elements are relatively unobtrusive. The noise level should not be an issue for most home kitchens.

Safety Features

The Tefal ActiFry Genius XL 2-in-1 has several important safety features that make it easy and safe to use.

• Overheat Protection: This air fryer has an automatic shut off function that prevents overheating. If the internal temperature gets too high, the heating element will shut off to avoid any risk of fire or damage. You can rest assured knowing the appliance won't overheat.

• Non-Slip Feet: The bottom of the air fryer has non-slip rubber feet to keep it stable on your countertop. This prevents sliding or movement during cooking. The feet also won't scratch or damage your counters.

• Cool Touch Handle: The handle stays cool to the touch even during cooking. You can open the lid safely without risk of burns. The handle also has an ergonomic design for easy gripping.

These useful safety features make the Tefal air fryer very safe and secure to operate in your kitchen. It has protection against overheating, won't slide around, and allows safe handling.

Pros and Cons

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL Air Fryer has several notable pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Large capacity - The XXL model can hold up to 1.7kg of food, making it suitable for cooking family-sized portions.

• Versatile cooking - The air fryer allows you to cook a wide variety of foods from fries and chicken to cake and gratin. It replicates deep frying without the oil.

• Dishwasher safe - All removable parts are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

• Digital interface - The touch screen control provides presets and adjustable temperature/time settings up to 200°C and 60 minutes.

• Automatic stirring - Food is stirred automatically for even cooking without having to shake or flip contents.

• Compact design - Has a relatively small footprint given the large capacity. Fits easily on a counter.

Cons

• High price - More expensive than many comparable air fryer models. Significant investment for a single-use appliance.

• Learning curve - Takes some trial and error to get used to functions and best cooking practices for different foods.

• Noisier than expected - The stirring paddle and fan make more noise than some buyers anticipated for a countertop appliance.

• Oil spills - The open basket design allows grease and oil to leak out and make a mess during cooking.

• Uneven cooking - Some users report that stirring paddle leaves certain areas less crispy. Food may cook unevenly.

• Bulky - Substantial size and weight make storage less convenient.

Conclusion

The Tefal EY245840 Air Fryer is an excellent option for those looking for a versatile and easy to use air fryer. It has a sleek and compact design that doesn't take up too much counter space. The digital touch screen interface is intuitive and allows you to easily adjust settings like temperature and cooking time.

Performance-wise, it does a great job at air frying foods to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside without using any oil. It's able to cook foods quickly and evenly thanks to the automatic air circulation system. The removable non-stick coated drawer and food basket make cleaning simple as well.

Additional handy features include the integrated timer, automatic shut off, cool wall exterior, and dishwasher safe parts. The only downsides are that the basket has a slightly smaller 3.2 qt capacity compared to some other models. It also lacks more advanced preset programs beyond the basic air fry setting.

Overall, the Tefal EY245840 is an excellent, user-friendly air fryer ideal for 1-3 people households. It delivers fast, crispy, and delicious air fried meals without the mess or hassle. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a reliable, mid-sized air fryer option.