This air fryer is a game-changer for small kitchens.
We recently got the Tefal Easy Fry Compact, EY145810, for our kitchen, and I'm super stoked about it. This thing cooks great, fast, and takes up hardly any space. I mean, especially when you think back to how air fryers looked about 5 years ago. They were huge glass bowls with an equally large lid that had all these integrated knobs, buttons, heating elements, fans, and a power cord. It looked pretty ridiculous and took up a lot of space when storing it on the countertop or inside a cabinet.
We wanted to get one of these after watching videos and reading reviews on social media because it allows you to cook without oil. The idea of cooking healthier without sacrificing flavor is a big plus.
We ended up choosing the Tefal Easy Fry Compact, EY145810, because of its compact size and sleek design. Even though our kitchen isn't small, it's still tight on space, and this air fryer fits perfectly.
The body is made of matte black plastic with a glossy control panel on top. The design is pretty sleek, if I do say so myself.
This air fryer isn't the largest one out there. It has a 3-liter basket, which is perfect for one, two, or even three people. For a big family, it might be a bit small, but it's ideal for our needs.
The basket is non-stick and comes in two parts. That's the 3-liter basket itself and a removable mesh insert with perforations. This insert leaves some space between the basket and the food during cooking, allowing for air circulation. Any excess liquid from the food, like oil or juice, drips down into the basket, and the food doesn't steam.
I've gotta say, taking the grill out of the basket is a breeze. Even with the food stuck to the bottom, it's easy to just flip the basket over a plate and let everything slide out. The grill stays put, no issues. Super convenient and practical.
The non-stick coating on the basket makes it a cinch to clean up after use. Just be patient and wait for it to cool down.
The top has a sensor panel for controls. The sensor is super responsive and works flawlessly. No complaints whatsoever. Each press is accompanied by a nice sound effect.
There are only 5 control buttons:
Program selection - with 10 options to choose from;A button to switch to time and temperature adjustment;A start/stop button for cooking;And + and - buttons to adjust the time and temperature after pressing the central button with a thermometer and clock icon.Super simple and easy to understand. Even a complete newbie can figure it out without needing to read the manual to death.
That being said, it's still a good idea to read the manual, at least to get a sense of what this thing does, how to use it, and how to take care of it. There's also a table with recommendations for food quantity, temperature, and cooking time.
Plus, the manual has a QR code. If you scan it with your smartphone camera, it'll take you to a book of recipes with ideas for snacks, main dishes, and even sweet treats. We haven't tried baking yet, but the feature is there.
I've got to say, the preset cooking times and temperatures for specific products are a big plus. For instance, the default settings for boiling potatoes are 180 degrees Celsius and 20 minutes. But don't worry, you can adjust the time and temperature to suit your needs and the amount of food you're cooking. If you're making a small batch, you can cook it for less time, or add more ingredients and increase the cooking time if you want to get a bit adventurous.
Now, let's talk about the best part – cooking!
I used the following ingredients:
500 grams of young potatoesSeasonings2 tablespoons of olive oil (you can use vegetable oil instead)2 chicken breast fillets0.5 cup of kefir (100-150ml for the marinade, the rest you can drink)Half a small onion, sliced into rings8 button mushroomsI used young potatoes that I washed thoroughly and then cut into wedges.
For seasonings, I used paprika, salt, pepper, and a spicy pepper blend – I'm a fan of spicy food, so I went for the bold option.
You can adjust the amount of seasonings to your taste, of course.
After adding the seasonings, I also added 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mixed everything together. I got the idea of adding oil to the potatoes from the user manual – it's always a good idea to read the manual before using a new appliance, and you might pick up some useful tips and tricks.
I was pretty stoked to see how quickly the diced potatoes cooked with all the spices in the saucepan. After just 15 minutes, I gave the potatoes a quick stir and put the lid back on for another 10 minutes.
Check out the result.
Next up was the chicken breast with mushrooms. I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and marinated it in a mixture of yogurt, salt, onion, and pepper for a couple of hours.
The cooking time was the same – 25 minutes.
With 10 minutes left on the clock, I flipped the skewers to get a nice even sear on both sides.
Here's how it turned out.
The chicken was perfectly browned, and the mushrooms were super tender and soft.
And finally, here's the end result – a delicious and pretty easy meal for two.
We really enjoyed the aerogril with my partner. It's an interesting and useful thing to have in the kitchen. It cooks faster than a regular oven, and you don't have to wait for it to heat up - as soon as you turn it on, cooking starts right away. The food turns out delicious, and you can make tasty fries or roasted potatoes without using any oil. Plus, you can cook a lot of other dishes, like sausages, burgers, or vegetables, just like you would on a skillet or in the oven. The best part is that the cooking process is more autonomous, fast, and oil-free (or with just a little oil), depending on your desired result and personal taste preferences.