When I started researching this Philips HD9220/26 air fryer review, it became obvious consumers had a couple of major questions when they considered buying this for their own kitchen.
First, is this really just a convection oven in disguise?
Second, can it really “fry” foods with less oil and deliver the same flavor and experience we’re used to getting from deep fried foods?
Philips Hot Air Fryer with Rapid Air Technology
The Philips HD9220/26 hot air fryer comes fitted with a grill and convection fan at the top part of the appliance. It’s patented rapid air
technology works by using the fan and grill to rapidly circulate hot air at high speed all around the food.
The food is never in contact with any hot cooking element but is cooked by the rapidly moving hot air from all directions. The Rapid Air Technology is further enhanced with a raised, starfish shaped bottom floor. Food ends up evenly cooked, crispy and brown on the outside, moist and juicy inside.
It does seem to cook using technology that mirrors that of convection cooking – basically, it moves very hot air around the oven very quickly in order to deliver a crispier exterior and yet provide evenly cooked food inside. Both a convection oven and air fryer differ from a conventional oven where there’s no air movement. We’ll get into more of a discussion about how this model compares to a convection oven in a bit and I’ll also help you understand what to expect from the air fryer in terms of taste.
Philips Viva Collection Airfryer, HD9220/26 black,white
Let’s check out the unique features of this Philips hot air frying machine that have some customers commenting that this single small kitchen appliance has turned them into professional chefs.
Disclosure: I may be compensated through the links in the post below but at no extra cost to you. The opinions are my own
Philips HD9220/26 AirFryer Capacity
This Philips hot airfryer features a 1.8 pound cooking basket capacity which is not very high capacity. Most air fryers in the market are between 1.5 to 2.5 pounds food capacity.
For singles, couples or a family of 3, you can have complete meals cooked to perfection at one go. However, for larger families, you will have to cook in batches, which might cause some inconvenience. However, a friend of mine was so pleased with her Philips hot air fryer that she bought another one so that she doesn’t have to cook in batches for her family of 5.
Another way to cook more in one batch is to buy separately their additional cooking wire rack or baking tray insert. With another layer of cooking surface, you can cook more at the same time.
If you’re having fries and fish or chicken, you’ll have to cook them in separate batches, another inconvenience. This is because the HD9220 air fryer does not come with a separator dividing the cooking tray into 2 sections. The separator is not included in the US models. However, you do have the option of buying a second cooking rack insert.
Do take note that cooking sausages or even bacon might result in some smoke filtering out of your air fryer caused by the high fat content of the sausages. You might end up with your smoke detector going off. In fact any food with a higher fat content or if too much fat or oil drips onto the bottom tray, the unit may emit smoke.
Philips Airfryer using 120V is meant for US markets compared to 220V for European markets.
Controls & Cooking Modes
Manual dial timer 30 minutes maximum
This hot air frying machine comes fitted with 2 dials, one for timer and another for temperature control. You can set the timer to a maximum of 30 minutes and at the highest temperature of 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
When cooking time is reached, the timer will set off a beeping sound and the fryer will auto shut-off thus preventing over-cooking of the food.
Fry, bake, grill or roast in your Philips hot air fryer. Fancy roasted broccoli or roasted capsicum with minced meat and cheese? Put them in the airfryer and these will turn out crispy and delicious.
It makes a wonderful hot air french fries frying machine, churning out delicious crispy fries just like those deep fried in oil and results are consistently good. Do shake the basket half way through cooking time for a more even cooking of the fries. In fact there are customers buying this solely for low fat French fries.
Airfried cheese sandwiches ready in just 5 – 10 minutes; fast, simple and easy way to prepare for breakfast or snack.
Frozen nuggets take just 10 minutes, hungry little stomachs can’t wait too long, right?
With the temperature control button, you can cook delicate meat such as fish without fear of burning them.
Check out Philips HD9220 AirFryer with Rapid Air Technology
The Philips HD9220 comes with a recipe booklet with 25 recipes to get you started.
AirFryer Safety Features
The handle stays cool throughout the cooking process. However, do take note that there is no lock-in feature for the handle during cooking. It can be easily pulled out by young kids.
The outside walls of the fryer can get warm while cooking is in progress. This is due to the inside hot air radiating to the outside walls. But rest assured that the handle, buttons and knobs are still cool to the touch even when the fryer is on.
You do not have to worry about the fryer slipping or toppling as it is well-constructed and comes fitted with non-slip feet.
Cord storage is conveniently and neatly located at the bottom, making your counter top looks neat and tidy.
Speed and Ease of Use
It is great for making delicious crispy fries just like those deep fried in oil and results are consistently good. Yes, tasted just like those fast food fries and in just 12-15 minutes cooking time.
Raw salmon just needed 10 minutes cooking time.
Your fried chicken breast or chicken drumstick will be ready in about 20 minutes. Put it in the frying basket, sprinkle some seasoning and just let the fryer cook. Turns out as good as those baked in an oven.
Breaded raw calamari takes just about 12-15 minutes for that crispy texture.
It is really so simple and easy to use. You do not need to watch over the food while cooking. Just get the cooking time right and the beeping timer will let you know when the food is ready. Besides, the fryer will auto shut-off, thus no worries about burnt or overcooked food.
To detach the basket handle from the basket, push down on the button and then lifting it up. No twisting is required.
Cleaning Up
Philips AirFryer Bottom Drawer
All removable parts can be washed in the dishwasher, so that’s a plus point. This simplifies the cleaning up process.
Soaking the basket in hot water in the sink is another easy way to clean it. Add in some oil-dissolving detergent and scrub gently with a non-abrasive sponge. Try removing stubborn fat stains with a liquid degreaser.
The tray beneath the frying basket is best cleaned immediately after cooking. Whatever oil that has collected at the bottom can be soaked up using kitchen paper. Oil that has cooled down and condensed is much harder to clean.
After reading through some of the reviews on the Philips HD9220/26, I came across some consumers commenting that the star fish shaped bottom floor of the airfryer seemed harder to clean. Well, you get better air movement and control, thus more crispy and tasty food.
Check out Philips AirFryer with Rapid Air Technology
Optional Philips Air Fryer Accessories
The Philips HD9220/26 airfryer has some really cool accessories to double your cooking surface area as well as cooking options. All these accessories are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. These are compatible with the Philips airfryers available in the United States. All the air fryer accessories are optional purchases.
Double Layer Cooking Rack Insert (HD9904/00)
The silver double layer rack maximizes the Air fryer’s cooking surface
Measuring 7.1 x 7.1 x 3 (H) inches, the double layer accessory metal cooking rack insert offers additional cooking surface. The rack even comes with skewers making it easy to cook vegetables or meat kebabs.
Chicken wings cooked using the wire rack turns out great too.
Excess oil drips down to the tray below and chicken turns out juicy and crispy, minus excess oil.
Or you can fry more food at one go using the double layer rack as well as the basket. Flatter foods such as burgers are recommended for this rack.
If you have the Philips digital airfryer HD9230 model, then you do not have to buy the rack separately as it is included in the package. Do take note that skewers are not included with this package, only the metal rack.
However, with the Philips HD9220, it is not included and you will have to buy it separately.
Click here to check price for double layer rack HD9904
Baking Tray Insert (HD9925/00)
The Philips non-stick baking tray (black) allows you to bake cake, bread, quiche and more, in a quick, easy and healthy way
The baking tray insert is great if you love to bake. Lasagne, cake, bread and just about any food you would like to bake can be done using the non-stick baking tray insert which measures 6.7 x 7.1 x 3.3 inch.
Besides baking, you can cook food that comes with liquid such as curries. Omelet turns out great too according to some customers’ feedback.
Another advantage is that whatever food you cook in the baking tray will not result in any oil or sauces dripping down to the batch in the frying basket below.
Cleaning is easy due to its non-stick surface. This baking tray is highly recommended as a great addition to your hot air fryer.
Now, you really have more choices of your favorite foods to cook in this low fat air fryer.
The baking tray is not included in neither the Philips HD9230 nor HD9220 packages. You will have to buy it separately if you wish to use it in your air fryer. I would think that it is a good investment in the long term as you can cook so many more varieties of food with this extra addition.
Click here to check price for baking tray
Fry/Grill Pan, Black (HD9910/21)
The Grill Pan’s perforated surface creates ideal air flow while grilling
Measuring 5.9 x 9 x 13.3 inches, the fry/grill pan has a perforated surface that allows optimal air flow for grilling.
Great for searing or grilling vegetables and meat stuff such as steaks, fish, chicken, meat patties etc. Preheating first before cooking will give your food a good sear just like when grilling. Excess oil drips down to the basket holder tray below.
It is very easy to clean.
The grill pan has to be bought separately for both HD9220 and HD9230 airfryers.
Click here to check price for grill pan
Philips HD9980/20 Airfryer Variety Basket, Silver/Black
13.3 x 5.9 x 9.1 inches Variety basket consisting of 3 detachable parts
This variety basket consists of 3 detachable parts namely the splatter proof, multifunctional lid, the stainless steel main body and the honeycomb mesh bottom with non-stick coating.
With the splatter proof lid, you can now cook food such as popcorn or tortilla chips. The lid prevents such food from jumping around the fryer.
The non-stick nature of the basket and mesh bottom means that food do not stick to the parts easily. It is easier to clean.
The variety basket measures 13.3 x 5.9 x 9.1 inches and weighs about 2 pounds.
These detachable parts are dishwasher safe.
This is an optional purchase and is not included with the main air fryer package.
Click here to check out the Philips air fryer accessory variety basket, silver/black
Dimensions
Dimensions: 11.2″ L x 12.4″ W x 15.1″ H
Appliance weight: about 16 pounds
Materials
Plastic construction with non-stick interior
Cooking basket has a mesh bottom with black color metal sides. (7.5 x 7.5 x 3 inches)
Cooking basket sits on a hard plastic tray/drawer with a button control to lock the basket onto the tray.
Warranty
Limited 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
Pros
- Reduce calories without compromising on taste and texture of food
- Low to no oil added
- Easy to clean
- Easy to use
- Fast cooking
- No need to defrost frozen food
- No hot oil splatters
Cons
- Small cooking capacity
- Food separator not included in US models
- Double layer rack and baking tray has to be bought separately
- Bits of food get stuck to basket – however spraying it with non stick spray seems to solve the problem, shaking the food halfway through cooking helps too
- To use it to its fullest potential, other accessories have to be bought separately
- Once timer is set, there is no off button to switch it off. When set to less than 5 minutes, the timer does not produce any beeping sounds when time is up.
- Not cheap
Philips HD9220/26 AirFryer Review – My Personal Observations
While this is an air fryer, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t use oil at all. It seems it requires some oil in some cases and, in fact, people had better browning of their food if they used at least a light coating of Pam. A low fat air fryer would be a more appropriate name.
The recipes in the book even call for some amount of oil. That seemed to be confusing to some of the consumers. While it does use some oil in some cases, it doesn’t require as much as deep frying AND, if I understand it correctly, it allows for excess oil to drip off of the food which doesn’t happen in a conventional oven, right? That means your fried food is certainly much less greasy compared to deep frying in oil, as much as 80% less fat as stated by Philips.
Fries and snacks turn out great in the air fryer, crispy outside, soft inside. Oven-ready snacks turn out great when cooked in the airfryer. In fact, the less fat in the snack, the crispier the end result. As for home-made breaded snacks, a little bit of oil is needed for a crispy golden skin.
Judging from the airfryer reviews by customers, some of them did not get the crispy texture when doing snacks. It seems that oven-ready ones turn out better than those meant for deep frying. It is also recommended that there is only a single layer of snacks in the frying basket. Smaller batches cook best and a 3 minutes preheating is necessary or a longer cooking time if there is no preheating.
As for meat, chicken and vegetables, they are not as crispy as when done in a deep fryer. However, a light brushing of oil on the surface of these foods before cooking result in a crispier outside. Tempura is out. This is because batter coated food (home-made) is not suited for air frying. A way around this would be to first shallow fry in a pan on your gas stove, then only putting it in the fryer. Frozen breaded ones work great though.
What about its grilling, baking and roasting features? Most meat dishes that you would normally fry, grill or roast can be done in this air frying machine. Oil need not be added if you’re cooking fatty meat or those that come with skin such as chicken. There is a slight crisp to the outside of the cooked food. Adding a little oil will make it crispier and more moist.
The Rapid Air Technology is further enhanced with a raised, starfish shaped bottom floor. Some people commented that this made the air fryer harder to clean than some other models. The trade off is – supposedly – better air movement and control.
Diverse Customers Comments –
As part of my research, I read through tons of reviews written online by consumers who purchased the product. I want to understand how people felt this air fryer performed. It was hard to ignore the fact that while most people truly thought this appliance made their lives easier and helped them cook healthier versions of foods they love, there were some who felt the complete opposite and didn’t like anything about the Philips air fryer.
In my opinion, those who complained the most strongly probably did so for one of the following reasons:
- Lifestyle wasn’t ready for or capable of handling the time it takes to adjust to a new type of cooking. Any time you add a new cooking appliance to your kitchen it takes some practice to get things right. When we first moved into our new house, it took me a good few months to figure out that my new conventional oven ran a few degrees hotter than the stated temperature. I went through a lot of meals that came out darker and drier than I expected until I made the necessary adjustments to how I set the oven temp and timer in order to get things back on track. An air fryer is no different – just be prepared to experiment for a bit before you get things right.
- That person’s unique needs were not met by this air fryer – and might not have been met by any air fryer. If a person already owns a convection oven and was looking for an air fryer to do a better job than the convection oven at heating up frozen French fries, they might have been disappointed because they didn’t notice any difference between the results of the two. However, if you don’t have an alternative fast and healthy cooking option, then you might be thrilled with the air fryer’s performance.
Just my perspective on how I’d decipher these diverse comments.
Compared to the convection oven, using an airfryer is faster, great news to busy moms with hungry kids to feed. Cooking smaller portions is definitely faster and more practical with the airfryer.
It’s not practice-free – you have to spend some time getting used to how it cooks and trying to figure out the right temperature and timer settings for new recipes. Lots of people commented on having great success with all kinds of cooking and a wide variety of foods so it does seem it’s possible to use it for just about everything but only if you take the time to work through getting settings right. May take some trial and error and you should expect a period of adjustment if you want to do more than just fries and nuggets.
Conclusion
Compared to conventional deep frying, there is no big mess to clean up. Most important point would be having healthier versions of your favorite fried food with taste and texture intact.
Added to these, cooking with the hot airfryer or hot air multi-cooker as is sometimes called, is fast and convenient. It frees up your cooking time for other things.
If you’re very much into the strong flavor of oil fried food, then the conventional deep fryer might be a better option for you. But for those who wish for less greasy fried food, then this greaseless air fryer would be just excellent.
Healthy home made chicken nuggets and fries are a healthier alternative to the fat soaked commercial ones sold at fast food joints. Food taste great with hardly any mess to clean up.
Food does turn out tasty and crispy, especially frozen food such as frozen French fries, the staple of most American diets. You can cook frozen chicken wings straight from freezer to air frying machine.
But with a small cooking capacity of just 1.8lbs., larger families might have to cook in batches. However, cooking is fast and you can do 2 batches of, say, chicken wings in about 30 minutes.
Philips Avance Digital Airfryer, X-Large
Philips has come out with a bigger size large capacity model which was first released in the European and Asian markets.
The Philips HD9240/34 Airfryer Avance XL, White and the Philips HD9240/94 Airfryer Avance XL, Black Have finally arrived in the States. These come with the extra large 2.6 pounds cooking capacity.
The Tefal brand, Tefal Actifry comes with a bigger size capacity of 2.2 pounds compared to the smaller size Philips model.
Is it considered a value for money airfryer? Well, if a second cooking rack is included, then it is certainly a good buy. Food turns out good and with 2 layers of cooking tray, it is so much faster.
Even without the second rack, it is still a godsend for those who love tasty fried food but on a low fat diet or someone with not much time to cook or clean up. Everything is done fast with hardly any mess left behind.
Difference between HD 9220 And HD 9230 Airfryer
The Philips digital airfryer HD9230 model does come with the double layer cooking rack, 60 minute timer and digital controls compared to the HD9220 model which has a 30 minutes timer, manual control dials and no additional cooking rack insert. The cooking capacity remains the same at 1.8 pounds (800gm.). The price difference is about 100USD and the price of the double layer rack cost around twenty plus USD.
Both the HD9230 and HD9220 airfryers are available in black or white. (USA market)
Well, it would be more economical to get the HD9220 and buy the rack separately if you do not mind manual controls and a 30 minutes timer.
Should I Buy The Philips HD9200/26 AirFryer?
Well, if you do not have or want a convection oven but wants a healthier cooking option that will let you enjoy the taste and texture of fried foods you love, the air fryer is ideal. The majority of folks were pleased with the taste of most of the foods they cooked.
It’s also ideal for singles, smaller households or for someone who has a couple of small children in the house and wants to be able to make healthier versions of the ever-kid-popular fried foods they get at fast food restaurants.
Yes, I would say go for it. Whether it is the HD9220 or HD9230, an air fryer is a great addition to your list of fuss-free modern cooking appliances that promotes healthy cooking as well as saves cooking time in the kitchen.
Buy Philips HD9220 AirFryer with Rapid Air Technology
Video Showing How To Bake Cheesecake In The Philips Hot Air Fryer