It’s not unusual for air fryers to include different cooking capabilities resembling bake and dehydrate. However because the title suggests, the Tefal Simple Fry 3in1 FW201827 Air Fryer, Grill & Steamer has the distinctive capability to each grill and steam meals in addition to air fry.
At slightly below £200 it’s not the most cost effective you should purchase, however the 6.2-litre capability will can help you cater to as much as eight individuals. Plus the grill and steam capabilities imply you’re getting three home equipment in a single, which helps keep away from the dreaded kitchen muddle.
The downsides are that it is massive and ponderous so it received’t be appropriate for smaller areas, plus the directions lack element so that you’ll should be comfy with a little bit of trial and error. That mentioned, I attempted it out for 2 weeks in my own residence, cooking for 2, and as soon as I bought used to it, I used to be impressed with the efficiency, and could be joyful to rank this as one of many best air fryers. Every part I cooked was a hit, I even made a scrumptious crumble.
Like most home equipment, it’s not with out its quirks so learn on to see what I loved most and what I believe could possibly be improved.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
- Materials: Plastic
- Color: Black
- Capability: 6.2 litre
- Modes: Air fry, grill, steam, fries, nuggets, rooster, fish, roasted meat, greens, dessert
- Weight: 7.9kg
- Energy: 1900 Watts
- Dimension: (H)39.9 x (W)32.4 x (D)40.7 cm
- Cable size: 120cm
Helen McCue
Helen is an everyday contributor to Very best Dwelling, reviewing home equipment to tell us what they’re value. She lives in a village in Buckinghamshire and reviewed this air fryer from her personal kitchen, which is in a Seventeenth-century cottage with unnervingly low beams that make her glad to be brief. She was despatched this air fryer by AO.com (opens in new tab) and examined it by utilizing it to prepare dinner all kinds of on a regular basis meals for herself and her husband. AO.com (opens in new tab) have been joyful for Helen to donate the air fryer to a worthy trigger after the overview.
Unboxing the product
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
The Tefal Simple Fry 3in1 is a big capability air fryer so I wasn’t shocked when a hefty field turned up. I used to be nonetheless, disillusioned to open it up and discover it was sandwiched between two giant chunks of hard-to-recycle polystyrene and I can solely hope Tefal are planning to observe many different manufacturers who’ve managed to change these protecting inserts for cardboard variations.
Now, I’ve reviewed plenty of air fryers, together with giant capability fashions and I’d say that after I bought this one on the kitchen worktop, it felt like one of many greatest. In precise truth the footprint most likely isn’t a lot totally different to different giant capability air fryers, however as a result of it’s so tall, it seems to be a lot greater total.
The black plastic exterior could be very shiny and reflective, it’s managed by way of the contact delicate LCD show, so when switched off there are not any seen buttons, this makes for a modern, uncluttered look. One of many first issues I seen was that pushing the cooking drawer again into place after opening is awkward and clunky, it must be lined up completely, which suggests it’s extra fiddly than most. Admittedly this grew to become simpler the extra I used it.
It’s equipped with two interchangeable inserts for the cooking drawer, one for air frying and one other, heavier grill plate. And since it can be used as a steamer, on the highest there’s a detachable water tank.
First impressions
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
On condition that the inclusion of a grill and a steam perform make this air fryer a bit extra sophisticated to make use of than most different standalone air fryers, I used to be disillusioned with the instruction guide. It’s principally footage, with little or no written info. There’s a leaflet containing some cooking time and temperature tables, however even right here, the totally different meals are proven as illustrations which aren’t all the time straightforward to interpret.
Fortunately the management panel is fairly intuitive to make use of and the clear time and temperature symbols subsequent to plus and minus indicators made it straightforward to determine the right way to regulate the settings. Though to regulate these throughout cooking, it’s a must to hit the pause button first, which took me a minute to determine. And my normal first impression is that there can be a little bit of trial and error concerned in utilizing the grill and steam settings to start with.
I just like the blue color of the LCD show, however a few of the symbols for the preset modes aren’t very apparent, for instance the one for nuggets appears a bit like sliced potato to me. After enjoying round with them, I used to be happy to see the time and temperature settings throughout the presets are adjustable. Nonetheless, it’s not all the time clear what cooking mode every preset makes use of and it took me some time to determine that the vegetable preset makes use of the steam perform, whereas the fish and the roast meat presets each use a mixture of steam and air fry. A extra thorough instruction guide could be actually helpful and undoubtedly would have saved me time making an attempt to determine the assorted settings.
There’s a QR code equipped which takes you to a web-based recipe e-book containing 30 recipes, together with starters, mains, and desserts. And regardless of not essentially eager to strive all of the recipes, I did discover it helpful for further steerage when deciding on time and temperature settings, so would advocate taking a look.
Utilizing the air fryer
In case you’re the type of person who hates home equipment with noisy beeps, you ‘ll love this one. The beep to sign the tip of cooking is so quiet I typically missed it even once I was in the identical room. When it comes to different noise, when air frying it’s round 55dB which is barely quieter than my kitchen extractor fan on its center setting.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
Air frying
I attempted plenty of meals utilizing the air fry mode. One of many issues I really like most about this air fryer is that it doesn’t ask you to preheat it first, so it’s fast to get began.
Air frying bacon took 8 minutes at 190oC, there’s simply sufficient area for 4 slices, however in the event you overlap them barely you may most likely squeeze in six. I turned the bacon after six minutes and when it was cooked the fats had rendered completely and the meat was succulent.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
One other favorite of mine is the air fried cheese toastie – don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. I set it to air fry at 190oC for 10 minutes and put in two sandwiches, with the surface of the bread buttered. After a flip halfway via, I used to be rewarded with crispy, crunchy bread on the surface and oozy melted cheese within the centre. Plus, it’s good to have sufficient room to suit two sandwiches aspect by aspect.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
To prepare dinner some frozen breaded rooster tenders, I opted to strive the nuggets preset for ease. It cooks at 200oC and the preset time is eighteen minutes. I turned the tenders after 7 minutes and took them out after simply 12, which is much faster than the 20-25 minutes they’d have taken in my oven. To not point out the truth that the coating was completely crisped and golden.
To provide the dessert preset a strive I defaulted to the recipes which can be accessible by way of the QR code. There’s one for apple crumble, so I gave it a go. It’s value noting that you just want a dish that’ll match contained in the air fryer for this one. First the fruit will get cooked within the dish for quarter-hour utilizing the dessert setting, you then add the crumble topping and prepare dinner for a similar time once more.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
When making recent chips I soaked them in water for half-hour earlier than drying and coating in a single tablespoon of oil. I used the chips preset and gave them a shake after quarter-hour. Then after 23 minutes, when the chips have been near being completed, I pushed them to at least one aspect and added in some frozen scampi. Six minutes later I turned the scampi items. On the finish of the 35minute preset time, the chips have been crisp and golden as was the scampi. Air frying totally different meals collectively is a good way to benefit from a big capability air fryer like this one while you’re not cooking for many individuals.
Grilling
One of many few issues made clear within the directions is that the grill will should be preheated for quarter-hour earlier than you add any meals. This does make it much less handy than air frying, however it permits the grill plate to get good and sizzling, and means you’re extra prone to get the chargrilled bar marks in your meals. However annoyingly, in the event you open it in the course of the 15 minute preheat, the timer goes again to the beginning.
First, I attempted grilling a collection of chopped greens, together with onion, pepper, courgette and mushroom. I typically prepare dinner this choice in a griddle pan, so wished to see if this could obtain comparable outcomes. After the preheat I piled in 1.3kg of veg – so rather a lot – and began it up.
Numerous steam was emitted from the again throughout cooking, and I opened it up twice to stir the veg earlier than taking it out after 20 minutes. I had hassle with the timer resetting each time I opened the drawer, which was irritating, and I couldn’t determine why it was occurring.
The end result was just like once I roast veg within the oven, properly cooked with a number of charred edges however it wasn’t actually bar-marked. Plus, fairly a number of items had fallen via the grill plate and a puddle of liquid had accrued below there too, so I couldn’t tip the veg out for worry that the liquid would include it and I needed to fish the remainder out of the puddle, which was a disgrace.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
On a separate event I grilled two giant Barnsley lamb chops. After the preheat I set it to 200oC for 10 minutes and positioned the chops on the grill plate together with a few lengthy purple peppers. The peppers have been completed after 7 minutes, they have been gentle with slight charing on the edges, however little or no in the way in which of bar marking.
The lamb chops took 10 minutes, and I turned them mid-way via. The end result was two superbly cooked chops with barely blush meat within the centre and crisp, nicely rendered fats alongside the sting. Any extra fats dripped down under the grill plate and the chops had some bar marks, however they weren’t very distinguished. Nonetheless, they tasted nice.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
Steaming
To steam broccoli, I made use of the vegetable preset, which is 100oC for 25 minutes. There was no indication that it’s best to preheat it, so I reduce an entire head of broccoli into florets, popped it on the air fry plate, stuffed the water, and began it up.
Aspect be aware, the directions advocate that you just use purified water within the water tank, like we’ve all bought a few of that kicking round. At finest you may use water from a Brita filter, however I didn’t, I used good outdated faucet water.
Throughout steaming it’s very quiet, I’d describe it as a low purring sound (it was round 40dB). I used to be reluctant to verify on progress too regularly as I didn’t wish to let all of the steam out, however I did verify a few occasions and provides the broccoli a stab with a fork to see how nicely cooked it was. I took it out after 14 minutes and it was properly cooked with al dente stalks. Little or no water was used on this time, and none ended up within the water assortment drawer on the base.
(Picture credit score: Future/Helen McCue )
Steam air frying
The fish preset makes use of each the steam and air fry cooking modes, so I gave it a go along with a few salmon fillets. It wasn’t totally clear whether or not it was steaming or air frying first or whether or not it was doing each together. So I didn’t mess with any of the settings. I merely added the salmon pores and skin aspect down – once more, this was a guess as I wasn’t certain which manner as much as put it – and began the fish preset.
I left it for the complete 11 minutes and on the finish the salmon was simply cooked sufficient, it was moist, flaky, and nonetheless just a little pink within the centre. The pores and skin hadn’t crisped, perhaps I ought to have put it pores and skin aspect up, or more than likely the addition of steam means it received’t crisp up both manner.
Cleansing
Not one of the detachable elements can go within the dishwasher, which is a disgrace. Granted, the drawer is so massive it will take up a great deal of area in your dishwasher, however I wish to have been in a position to put the detachable grill and air fry plates in. Every part is non-stick, so none of it’s too tough to clean by hand, however the grill and air fryer plates have plenty of fiddly grooves and holes which can be finest cleaned with a brush.
On the base of the air fryer, under the cooking drawer, there’s a small pull-out drawer that collects extra water throughout steam programmes. So this can even want emptying and cleansing after steaming cycles.
There’s a self-clean perform, it makes use of water from the water tank and takes round half-hour, I attempted it out and I didn’t actually see the purpose if I’m being completely trustworthy. Nonetheless, by including water and vinegar to the water tank, it additionally works to descale the interior steamer elements, which is vital to keep up optimum efficiency, so I might use it for that cause. However once more, the pictorial directions lack detailed info resembling how typically to make use of this perform.
Comparisons
The closest comparability that I’ve tried is the Ninja Foodi Well being Grill and Air Fryer, which can be a mixture air fryer and grill. The Ninja is a good air fryer and grill, however it doesn’t have the steam perform, as an alternative it presents bake and dehydrate capabilities. Plus, the Ninja is dearer with a smaller capability.
In case you’re on the lookout for a multi-functional cooking equipment, the subsequent smartest thing could be a multi-cooker. One instance is the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-cooker which presents 9 cooking capabilities together with air fry, steam, sluggish prepare dinner, stress prepare dinner, grill, bake and extra all for simply £60 greater than this Tefal air fryer. However, the Tefal nonetheless presents a bigger air frying capability, so all of it comes all the way down to what you want.
Do you have to purchase the Tefal Simple Fry 3in1 FW201827 Air Fryer, Grill & Steamer?
If you would like a big air fryer and also you’re doubtless to make use of the steam and grill capabilities, then it’s a good multi-functional addition to your kitchen. If nonetheless, you don’t assume you’ll get a lot use from the steam and grill capabilities then it might be unnecessarily cumbersome.
Given the capability I believe it’s pretty priced and just about every little thing I made in it was a hit. However, you’ll solely actually get one of the best from all of the capabilities in the event you’ve bought the arrogance to experiment, as a result of the instruction guide is sparse and lacks detailed steerage, so trial and error is important till you get the dangle of it. After that although, you’ll have an ideal equipment that can be utilized for all method of meals.
About this overview, and the reviewer:
With years of reviewing family home equipment below her belt, it’s superb that Helen nonetheless loves cooking and nonetheless manages to seek out home equipment that shock her. When she’s not within the kitchen she’s normally both doing a little type of DIY or exercising.
