Tefal ‎EY901840 Air Fryer - Review

The Tefal EY901840 air fryer is a mid-range model that offers a good balance of features, performance, and price. This 6.2L air fryer uses rapid hot air technology to cook food using little to no oil, resulting in healthier versions of your favorite fried foods.

With a sleek black and stainless steel design, digital controls, and dishwasher safe parts, the EY901840 aims to deliver convenience and ease of use. It can air fry, grill, roast, bake, and reheat an array of ingredients. The integrated timer and auto-off function allow you to "set it and forget it" when cooking.

While not the most affordable or fully-featured air fryer, the EY901840 hits a nice sweet spot for most households. In this review, we'll take a close look at the key features, real-world performance, and overall user experience of using this Tefal air fryer model on a daily basis.

Design

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL Air Fryer has a sleek and modern design that will look great on any kitchen countertop. It has a rounded oblong shape with a black plastic finish and stainless steel accents.

Dimensions: The air fryer measures 39 x 31 x 32 cm (LxWxH), so it has a decent footprint but doesn't take up too much space. It weighs 7.2 kg.

Color Options: This particular model only comes in black, but Tefal offers other air fryer models in different colors like white, red, and titanium.

Other Design Elements: The air fryer has a viewing window and digital control panel on top, which allows you to monitor cooking progress. There is also a pull-out pan with a paddle to stir food. The overall aesthetic is sleek and contemporary.

The black plastic housing gives the Tefal Actifry Genius XL Air Fryer a modern, minimalist look that will blend in seamlessly with most kitchen decors. The digital interface and LCD display also contribute to the high-tech appearance. At the same time, the stainless steel elements add a touch of elegance and sophistication.

In terms of functionality, the viewing window is a useful feature, allowing you to keep an eye on food as it cooks without having to open the fryer and release heat. This can help ensure even cooking results. The paddle is also designed for efficiently stirring and tossing food during air frying.

With its oblong shape, the Tefal EY245840 has a larger capacity than round air fryers, so you can cook bigger portions. The sleek exterior also makes the fryer easy to wipe down and keep clean. Overall, the aesthetics, viewing window, and paddle reflect careful attention to design details.

Features

The Tefal EY901840 Actifry Genius XL has a generous capacity of 1.7 kg, making it suitable for preparing meals for up to 6 people. The large transparent bowl allows you to easily monitor cooking progress.

Temperature can be precisely controlled up to 200°C, with an automatic shut-off function once cooking is complete. There are 9 automatic programs covering popular dishes like fish, steak, chicken, and french fries.

The non-stick bowl and paddle are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. The lid also features a viewing window so you can check on food without releasing heat or steam.

An audible alert signals when it's time to shake or stir ingredients. The stirring paddle rotates food continuously for even cooking with minimal oil. This makes the Actifry Genius XL a healthier alternative to deep frying.

The Actifry Genius XL offers a number of advantages over traditional deep fryers. With its large capacity and wide temperature range, it can cook family-sized portions of various dishes. The viewing window and audible alerts provide added convenience during the cooking process. And the automatic stirring function ensures food is cooked evenly using little to no oil.

However, for those seeking an alternative air fryer, the Ninja AF400UKCP is also worth considering. This 4.7L air fryer features multiple cooking functions beyond just air frying, including roasting, baking, and dehydrating. It reaches temperatures up to 210°C and also includes a removable non-stick basket and dishwasher safe parts.

The Ninja AF400UKCP has dedicated programs for cooking foods like fries, vegetables, poultry, and reheating. An included multi-layer rack helps maximize cooking capacity. The digital control panel is easy to use and includes a 60-minute timer with auto shut off. So the Ninja model offers comparable performance and convenience to the Actifry Genius XL.

When choosing between these two air fryer models, the larger capacity of the Actifry Genius XL may make it preferable for larger households. Its stirring paddle also sets it apart from most other air fryers. But the Ninja AF400UKCP gives greater versatility with its wider range of cooking functions. So depending on your priorities and intended uses, either could be a good choice for healthier frying and family meals.

In summary, the Tefal Actifry Genius XL offers one-step air frying thanks to its automatic stirring function. But the Ninja AF400UKCP provides added cooking modes and similar performance. The Actifry's higher capacity suits bigger families, while the Ninja gives more flexibility. Ultimately, your needs will determine which best fits your kitchen.

Performance

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL air fryer performs very well for air frying, baking, grilling, and reheating foods. The large capacity allows you to cook meals for the whole family.

For air frying, the hot air circulation system and stirring paddle evenly cook food with little to no oil needed. Food comes out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The automatic stirring paddle rotates during cooking to ensure even browning. You can air fry french fries, chicken wings, fish fillets, and more with excellent results.

Baking in the Actifry Genius XL also works great. The fan and heating elements evenly distribute hot air for perfect baking. You can bake small cakes, muffins, cookies, and more. Breads and pizza bake up nicely with a crispy crust and fluffy interior.

The grill plate accessory turns the air fryer into a contact grill. Just place protein or veggies on the grill plate and close the lid. The heating elements quickly sear and grill food to your desired doneness. Meats get nice grill marks and vegetables soften while getting charred edges.

Finally, the Actifry Genius XL reheats leftovers very well. The circulating hot air gently brings food back up to temperature without drying it out. You can reheat pizza, french fries, chicken, and more. Just adjust the time based on the amount of food.

Ease of Use

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL air fryer has an intuitive control panel that is very easy to use. It features a large LED display that clearly shows the cooking temperature, time remaining, and selected cooking mode. There are several buttons to choose cooking presets like fries, chicken, fish etc. You can also manually set the temperature from 140°F to 400°F.

There is a dial to adjust cooking time up to 60 minutes. The buttons have a nice tactile feedback and produce an audible beep when pressed. The display is bright and legible from across the room. Overall, the control panel is well-designed and allows you to operate the air fryer seamlessly.

Cleaning

The Air Fryer Tefal EY901840 is surprisingly easy to keep clean. The frying basket and pan have a durable non-stick coating that prevents food from sticking and makes wiping away any mess a breeze.

After cooking, the basket and pan can be removed and hand washed with warm soapy water. A soft sponge is all that's needed to scrub away any oil or food residue. The non-stick surfaces mean you won't have to scrub hard or use abrasive cleaning products.

Both the basket and pan are dishwasher safe as well for extra convenience. Simply place them on the top rack of your dishwasher and they'll come out sparkling clean. No need to hand wash or pre-rinse.

One of the best features is how little oil is needed when air frying, so there's rarely a big mess to clean up afterwards. Just a quick wipe of the interior with a paper towel or damp cloth is all that's required to keep the fryer looking like new.

The smooth surfaces and lack of nooks and crannies make cleaning very straightforward compared to traditional deep fat fryers. There's no need to filter hot oil or scrub at burned bits stuck to the bottom of a pot.

Overall, the easy to clean basket, pan, and interior make maintenance after each use a breeze. Just a quick wipe down keeps the Tefal air fryer in great shape for your next meal.

Noise Level

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL Air Fryer operates at a reasonable noise level while in use. The fan and motor produce an audible hum, but it's not overly loud or disruptive. You'll be able to carry on conversations and watch TV without needing to turn up the volume significantly.

Some user reviews do mention the fan noise being louder than expected, so noise sensitivity is subjective. But in general, the noise is comparable to an average countertop blender or food processor running. The sound is mainly from airflow and not mechanical rattling.

The noise increases as the air fryer preheats and initially gets up to temperature. But it quietens down once the set temperature is reached. The fan circulates constantly to move hot air, so the noise remains steady throughout cooking. But you won't get annoying cycles of the motor cutting on and off.

Overall, the noise output is acceptable for an appliance of this type. It's not whisper quiet, but it shouldn't be disruptive to have a conversation or watch TV nearby. Just don't expect the Air Fryer to be completely silent while it's operating and circulating hot air. But the noise is comparable to other small kitchen appliances.

Accessories

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL Air Fryer comes with several handy accessories to enhance your cooking experience.

• The main accessory is a stirring paddle that attaches inside the bowl to automatically stir food while cooking. This paddle ensures even cooking and prevents food from sticking or burning.

• A recipe booklet with over 38 recipes optimized for the air fryer is also included. The recipes cover a wide range of cuisines and dish types to inspire your cooking.

• For baking, a baking pan and plastic sieve are provided. The non-stick baking pan fits perfectly in the air fryer and the sieve is useful for sifting flour.

• Several skewers come with the unit for making kebabs or anything on a stick. The skewers are long enough to fit a good amount of food.

• A cleaning brush is provided to help scrub the bowl and accessories after cooking. The brush has stiff bristles designed to remove stuck-on food residue.

So in summary, the key accessories are the stirring paddle, recipe booklet, baking tools, skewers, and cleaning brush. These extras enhance the functionality of the air fryer and make it more versatile.

Pros

The Tefal Actifry Genius XL Air Fryer has several notable pros:

• Large capacity: The XL model has a generous 1.7L capacity, making it suitable for cooking family-sized portions up to 1.2kg of chips. This is a big upgrade from most standard air fryers.

• Multiple cooking functions: In addition to air frying, it can also roast, grill, bake, reheat, and dehydrate foods. The versatility allows you to prepare a wide variety of recipes.

• Dishwasher safe parts: The removable bowl, paddle, and lid are all dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The non-stick bowl also makes cleaning easier.

• Digital interface: An LED screen and touch buttons allow you to precisely control time and temperature settings. Pre-set programs are also available for commonly cooked foods.

• Safe and simple: The auto-off function turns the fryer off after cooking time is up for added safety. And the paddle rotates and stirs food automatically for even cooking without the need to shake or flip food manually.

Cons

The Air Fryer Tefal EY901840 has a few drawbacks to consider:

• Small capacity - The basket has a 3.2L capacity, which is only enough to cook about 3 servings of fries. This makes it difficult to cook meals for more than 2-3 people.

• No presets - There are no preset cooking functions or smart programs. You have to manually set the temperature and time for everything you cook. This can be inconvenient compared to air fryers with preset functions.

• Parts not dishwasher safe - The fryer basket and pan are dishwasher safe but the top cover and heating element are hand wash only. This means more cleaning effort is required.

• Noisy - The fan that circulates hot air can get quite loud when operating at higher temperatures. The noise could be disruptive, especially in open concept kitchens.

• Expensive - This Tefal model is priced higher than some other comparable air fryer brands and models with similar capacities and features. The higher cost may not seem justified based on the performance and capabilities.