Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I had a very good friend who was very talented in many ways, just not in the kitchen. She used to tell me that she didn't really cook meals, she "assembled" them. I always thought that was funny but for a lot of people it really is the way that they cook for their families. The food industry now caters to them and you can find all different types of frozen or refrigerated prepared meals at the grocery store or at stores like Costco and Sams now. Foods that are usually already cooked or are partially cooked and just require some "assembly." Although the Actifry sort of bills itself as a replacement for a deep fryer (which it really isn't) I see it as a perfect device to heat/cook a lot of the prepared meals that are on the market. As a long-time foodie it's not the way that I cook, but I certainly see it being very helpful to those that see cooking more as a chore rather than a hobby. I decided to make this video showing just a few of the things that I think that it does well. In addition to the few dishes that I make for the video I have also made: * Roasted new potatoes with garlic, thyme, and Parmigiano Reggiano * Fried rice with chicken breast and herbed chicken sausage * Chicken and vegetable potstickers with a Thai peanut sauce * Beef Korma with coconut milk, roasted cashews and Thai basil * Texas beef chili (no beans) * and more. This is really not a deep fryer, it's more of a cross between a skillet and a convection oven with an automatic stirrer built in. There are some ways in which it can take the place of deep frying a food (like with fries) but more delicate, breaded foods, still do better when immersed in hot oil. When I make Belgian fries for Pommes Frites it can take hours. I peel and then slice extra long Russet potatoes with my Bron Mandolin; soak them in two separate bathes of cold water to reduce the starch content; dry them; deep fry them in peanut oil or lard at a temperature of 325 degrees until cooked through; let them drain and cool; then deep fry again a 375-400 until crisp; drain and serve with a garlic mayonnaise. Certainly not an everyday event. However, there are some good frozen fries on the market and if you are just making them to go with some burgers they are not bad. The Actifry handles them well. The included cookbook was brief but well designed. I have made most of the things in it with the Actifry. If you are looking for more ideas there are videos made by professional chefs--sponsored by T-fay, of course--on YouTube. The instruction "book" is cheap and poorly made. I wish that there was a professional version of the Actifry, one that was bigger and better made. I already dented the pan and chipped the coating on it. I am not too sure how it would hold up to regular use. Still, I think this is a great item for people like my friend who want to make a nice meal without a lot of fuss. I hope that this video is helpful to you!