Healthy eating is something that’s incredibly important to me as a mom, and I’m always looking for ways to recreate delicious classics at home with healthier ingredients. I’d been toying with the idea of an air fryer for some time, but wasn’t quite sure it was for me.

When an opportunity to test run the Philips Digital AirFryer came up, I had to satisfy my curiosity, and I’m so glad I did.

I don’t know exactly how the fancy proprietary Rapid Air Technology works, but I do know that the Philips AirFryer fries, bakes, roasts and grills with little to no oil, making it a perfect solution for fast, tasty and healthy meals and snacks. I’ve already used it to make sausages, fried chicken, plantains, and more with amazing results. (Stay tuned for some recipes!) 

In the summer when I don’t want to turn the oven on to cook and I start to experience barbecue fatigue, the Philips AirFryer is my new go-to for quick and easy meals. It does throw off some heat, but it’s so much less than if I were to turn the oven on — and it preheats in just 3 minutes! I can get it set up with my meat and while it’s cooking (often less than 20 minutes) I can get a salad ready or wrangle my boys during that dreaded dinnertime witching hour.

I love how easy the digital display is to use, and that it offers an audible feedback. The built-in timer is a great feature that allows you to set and forget certain items, automatically shutting off the machine when the time is up.

I did find the instruction booklet to be a bit confusing and hard to follow (English is the third language listed in my booklet) but because the machine itself is so intuitive and easy to  use, I was able to create healthy homemade meals for my family with less fat in no time at all.  The included recipe booklet contains 25 delicious recipes — from fries to appetizers and dips, and even dessert! Plus, there’s a free downloadable app for both iOS and Android devices for even more recipe inspiration. 

I’m still working on mastering homemade fries (both regular and sweet potato) but the success I’ve had with breakfast, side, and main dish items already has been well worth it! I did a run with bagged fries from the grocery store and the results were bang on. You don’t have to add any extra oil for pre-made fries, which is cool — and being able to use your favourite cooking fat for homemade items is amazing. I was able to use parchment paper cut to size to help prevent the breaded coating from falling off my fried chicken recipe — just don’t put it in for the preheat without weight on it or it’ll fly up and get toasty, setting off your smoke alarm. (Whoops!)

I love the mesh basket for getting even and crispy results, but it is a bit cumbersome to wash by hand, just due to the shape and fine mesh. The removable drawer and food basket do however feature a non-stick coating that is dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean — but I’ve always found that washing non-stick cookware in the dishwasher (even on the top rack) is a recipe for cutting short its longevity and I’ll almost always take the time to hand wash.

Overall I’ve been thoroughly impressed with my Philips AirFryer, despite not having mastered the homemade french fry yet. (And is it really the worst thing to have to keep making fries over and over again? Especially when they’re so healthy? I think not.) It’s compact, easy to use, easy to clean, and versatile for use with so many dishes that you just can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for a healthier way to cook your family’s favourites, it’s definitely worth considering adding to your kitchen. The only downside is my lack of kitchen counter real estate.

Suggested Retail Price: $299.99

Available at major retailers including: Hudson’s Bay, Williams Sonoma, Canadian Tire, Amazon.ca, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Costco.ca, Home Hardware, Linen Chest, London Drugs, Home Outfitters, Cayne’s, The Shopping Channel, Personal Edge.

Note: I did not receive compensation for this review but I did receive the Philips AirFryer in order to review and create content. All opinions are my own.