Judging from the numerous Philips air fryer reviews online, the Philips HD9230/26 digital airfryer with Rapid Air Technology is getting to be as popular as the earlier model Philips HD9220/26 hot air cooker.
The big question, though, is it worth the extra $100?
Philips Viva Digital Air Fryer Review
The HD9230/26 is the digital version of the Philips HD9220 air fryer which uses manual dials for setting the temperature and timer.
Let’s take a look at the special features of this digital hot air low fat fryer and what makes it so popular.
Philips Air Fryer Rapid Air Technology
Using patented Rapid Air Technology, food is cooked by hot air moving at great speed from all directions. The grill or heating element heats up the air and the fan blows the hot air all around the food.
The small size of the fryer plus the starfish design at its bottom maximizes the movement of air at all angles. The resulting food is uniformly cooked, crispy, crunchy and moist; cook with hot air moving at high speed.
Since the food is cooked by rapidly circulating heated air without the use of oil, the food is not greasy. In fact, excess fat in the meat dissolves and drips down to the bottom tray, making this Philips low fat fryer healthier than those that are deep fried in a large amount of oil.
Philips HD9230/26 Digital AirFryer Capacity
With the same food basket capacity of 1.8 pounds as the older HD9220 model, the HD9230 Philips hot air fryer has an extra double layer metal rack that is not included with the HD9220/26 frying machine.
The basket comes with a maximum line marker thus making sure that you will not overfill your cooking basket.
The silver color metal cooking rack offers an additional cooking surface, thus you can cook more at the same time. This is great for larger families or when you are entertaining.
You can also cook 2 different foods at the same time with the wire rack. It works better with flat foods such as burgers, fish fillet etc.
The 1.8 pounds capacity basket when used alone would be ideal for about 3 people.
Digital Controls
Philips Airfryer Digital Controls
Timer up to 60 mins and highest temperature of 390 degrees
The Philips airfryer HD9230 has touch screen temperature and timer control. The interface has an up and down icon for lowering or raising the temperature from 180 degrees to a maximum of 390 degrees F. The timer can be set to a maximum of 60 minutes.
Preheating the fryer for 3 minutes is recommended. Then only take out the basket from the fryer to put in your food. Push the basket back into the fryer and start cooking.
The timer will gives a beeping ‘ready’ signal when cooking is completed and the air fryer will automatically shut off. This is a great safety feature to prevent over-heating and over cooking of your food.
Being able to adjust the digital temperature and timer means better precision control and excellent results.
Digital control might not appeal to those who dislike to program the controls before cooking, for example the elderly. To this group of people, a simple on/off button would be better. In this case, they might prefer the Tefal Actifry with a simple on/off power button and a timer or the manual control of the HD9220 Philips hot air fryer.
Cooking Modes
With the Philips hot air cooker, you can fry, bake, roast and grill. It is like a hot air deep fryer, convection oven and grill all integrated into one hot air frying machine. It looks like just this one machine can handle most of your cooking needs.
Philips Air Fryer
1.8lb cooking basket capacity
French fries, chicken wings, grilled asparagus, chicken strips, hamburger patties, fish – yes, all can be cooked using the Philips digital air fryer with rapid air technology.
All you need is a tablespoon of oil or less for that crispy, crunchy texture. For frozen foodstuff which are already cooked with oil, then no oil is needed when cooking in the air fryer.
The air fryer is also great for reheating leftovers. Crispy chicken will still turn out crispy.
This Philips viva air fryer makes it possible to eat fried food minus the greasy flavor. Compared to the convection oven and grill, cooking in the airfryer is very much faster. In fact, cooking time is reduced by almost half for most food such as French fries and frozen grilled chicken.
Check Philips HD9230 air fryer with open black box price here
Check out the refurbished air fryer
Air Fryer Safety Features
The HD9230 Philips hot air cooker has an auto shut-off feature that prevents over cooking of food as well as over heating of the appliance. Once the cooking time is completed, the timer beeps out a ready signal and the power shuts down. This is a great feature as over heating might lead to a fire.
The handle of the cooking basket stays cool throughout the cooking process. However, it is not locked into the machine while cooking is in progress. This might pose a danger to kids who can easily pull out the hot basket.
The fryer with its non-slip feet ensures a stable positioning on the counter top. When not in use, you can store the 2 feet 6 inch long power cord at the bottom of the frying machine. This helps to keep your counter top neat and tidy besides eliminating the danger of accidentally pulling on the cord and sending the machine toppling over.
Speed And Ease Of Use
It is really simple to use. Press the power button, set to the highest temperature of 390 degrees F and preheat for 3 minutes. Pull out the basket, put in the food and place it back in the fryer. Then press the timer button to set the time and set the temperature you need for cooking. There is a temperature jump of every 30 degrees, from say 300 degrees to 330 and then 360 degrees.
Halfway through the cooking process, it is recommended to give the food in the basket a toss so as to ensure even cooking.
You can even roast 1 whole family size chicken for 30 minutes and the end result is moist and succulent chicken. Roast pork turns out crispy and moist too. Hardly any cooking skills is involved. Put in the whole chicken, set the timer for 30 minutes and ‘beep! beep!’, chicken is ready half an hour later.
A single layer of fries just needs about 12 minutes of cooking time, grill chicken about 20 minutes depending on the sizes. Yes, cooking time is fast and this is so important to busy moms or hungry teenagers back from school.
To cook more food at one go, you can make use of the included metal wire rack insert. (Skewers are not included with this wire rack) Meat patties or fish fillet and fries can be cooked at the same time, a time saver compared to when you have to cook one after the other.
The recipe booklet that comes with the unit will give you some ideas for cooking your favorite foods.
With the grill and baking tray insert, the varieties of food that can be cooked in this Philips rapid air fryer is only limited by your imagination. Any food that can be cooked in the oven, grill or deep fryer can be used in the hot air fryer.
You might need a bit of trial and error to get the most out of the fryer. Grill, bake or roast all in one small kitchen appliance, once you get the hang of it, you can cook to the best results each and every time.
The need to shake the fries halfway, then raise the temperature to the highest to finish off the cooking for that extra crispy texture, how much to adjust for the time and temperature when wire rack is used, what best to cook on the wire rack and what to cook on the frying basket below for optimal results; practice and patience will give you the best results.
According to the manufacturer, the airfryer can be used by children 8 years and above as well as those with reduced physical, sensory and mental capabilities.
Cleaning Up
Most times, cleaning up is no big headache. Soak the basket and dripping tray in hot water with detergent added. Whatever oil or food stuck on the basket will come off easily.
On the rare occasions when stubborn food gets stuck on the wire rack, I’ve used a small toothbrush to remove the food with satisfying results.
All removable parts are dishwasher safe and this is another easy option to clean up.
Warranty
Limited 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
Philips HD9230 Dimensions
Dimensions : 11.2″L x 12.4″W x 15.1″H
Appliance Weight : about 15.4 pounds
Power Global: 1425 W
Voltage : 110 V (USA)
You can get it in black or white.
Pros
- Minimum oil or no oil healthy frying
- Easy to use digital controls
- Auto shut-off safety feature
- Can be used to cook a wide variety of food
- Fast cooking time
- East to clean and dishwasher safe
Cons
- Small cooking basket – larger portions need to be cooked in batches
- Additional accessories ( grill, mesh variety basket and non-stick baking tray) have to be bought separately
- Need to experiment a bit in order to use the appliance to its full potential – to get the correct time and temperature for all your favorite food
- Not cheap
Philips Air Fryer Accessories
These 3 accessories can be used with the HD9230/26 USA model. Theses are optional purchases.
Baking Tray (HD9925/00), black
The Philips airfryer baking pan/tray is an optional buy and specially designed for the air fryer.
The non-stick Philips baking tray measures 6.7 x 7.1 x 3.3 inch and is dishwasher safe.
Whether you wish to bake a cake, lasagne or a loaf of bread, the Philips air fryer makes the job seem so simple. Any food that is liquid based such as curries or those with sauces can also be cooked in this easy-to-clean black baking pan by Philips.
Do take note that you have to put the tray inside the basket and it gets real hot so careful handling with oven mittens is necessary when removing the baking tray.
Some customers reviews mentioned about the rather small size of this tray. Well. it needs to be put inside the basket with space all around for hot air circulation. So the tray needs to be in a smaller size than the basket.
So, larger families might not be so interested to invest in one unless they don’t mind baking in batches or they use it for liquid based food whereby smaller portions are normally cooked to add variety to their lunch or dinner menu.
Philips HD9910/21 Fry/Grill Pan, Black (HD9910/21)
Black color non-stick grill pan with a ridged perforated surface for grilling your meat and vegetables. This is an optional buy with your Philips HD9230/26 hot airfryer.
The perforated surface enables good air flow, enhancing the grilling properties. Now you can get pan seared fish, steak, pork chop, sausages or meat patties just like when using a grill pan over the gas stove.
Breaded foodstuff cooks better on the grill pan than the basket and is definitely easier to clean out the pan when cooking is done.
It is easier to clean compared to the cooking basket and you would most probably find yourself using it more often than your basket.
No more oil splatters as when you grill on the gas hob. If you grill a lot, then this is an excellent addition to your Philips air fryer digital HD9230/26.
The grill pan can be washed in the dishwasher and is very easy to clean.
Some of you might prefer the baking tray for grilling your fish, meat etc. as the baking tray retains the juices that flow out compared to when using the 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.
Who Should Buy The Philips HD9230/26 Digital Air Fryer
Anyone who loves fried food minus the grease will find the airfryer appealing as the hot air fryer promotes healthier frying using less than 1 tablespoon of oil.
Busy moms, teenagers or anyone who has limited time cooking in the kitchen will love the Philips viva hot airfryer as the machine cooks fast, with most food ready in 10 to 20 minutes. On top of that, you do not have to stand and watch over the food as it cooks inside the fryer.
Families with small kids will love it too as their little ones will now have healthier fries and snacks.
Smaller families, singles or college students will certainly benefit from the air fryer with its ability to cook various types of food in small batches.
Cleaning up is easy whether you do it in the sink or dishwasher.
If you compare it to the toaster oven or convection oven which can cook some of the food with just as good results, however, the air fryer cooks faster and with more even cooking.
Preheating just takes 3 minutes compared to about 10 minutes for the oven or you can skip the preheating and just add an extra 3 minutes to your cooking time.
You can cook small amounts in the air fryer but this is not practical in the oven.
It can replace your deep fryer, microwave oven, oven and pan frying. On top of that, the food is not greasy. The Philips HD9230/26 hot air fryer is like a hot air multi-cooker and great for those who do not wish to have a lot of cooking appliances or with limited kitchen space.
Philips HD9230/26 vs Philips HD9220/26 hot air fryer
The price difference between these 2 models is about a hundred dollars US. So, is it justified to get the Philips HD9230/26 digital air fryer over the HD9220 manual control model?
Cooking capacity for basket remains the same at 1.8 pounds. The digital HD9230 comes with an extra wire rack insert offering a second layer of cooking surface which you can use together with the basket. If you buy it separately for the HD9220 fryer, you have to add additional cost of twenty plus dollars. However, this twenty plus dollars wire rack comes with skewers which is missing in the one included with the digital model.
The HD9230/26 digital hot air cooker comes with a 60 minutes timer whereas the hD9220 has a timer up to 30 minutes maximum. Since majority of the food can be cooked under 30 minutes except perhaps for a whole roast chicken which might need slightly more than 30 minutes, the 60 minutes timer doesn’t really offers that much benefits.
Digital technology offers a more precise and accurate control over the temperature and time. Turning the dials by hand might result in some pluses and minuses. However, do you really need to be so accurate in cooking your food?
Well, when you’re baking, then perhaps a more accurate temperature control will produce better results. In most cases, I would say that precision digital control would not make that great a difference in the taste as compared to manual control. The air fryer rapid air technology still works great in both models.
So, it comes down to more of a personal preference. Some might prefer touch screen controls as compared to turning the button or dial by hand. On the other hand, some are more than happy with the manual control as I’ve mentioned earlier under the digital controls heading.
If you have teenagers using it often, then the digital fryer with the temperature clearly displayed on the screen might be more ideal or should I say more appealing?
Other than the wire rack and control mode, all features remain the same, even the air fryer color of black or white.
White Smoke Problem When Cooking Food High In Fat
A common complaint of the Philips hot air fryer is the problem of white smoke escaping from the air vents of the appliance and setting of the smoke alarm whenever fatty meat such as bacon is cooked. Excess oil when heated up can produce white smoke.
When white smoke starts appearing, switch off the fryer. Pull out the basket and dripping tray, release the basket from the tray and soak up excess oil drips using kitchen paper. Put back the basket onto the dripping tray and continue cooking for the remainder of the cooking time.
You can try cooking under the kitchen exhaust hood or near windows for the smoke to escape out.
However, high fat food is not recommended for cooking inside a hot rapid air fryer.
Conclusion
Judging from the reviews by the customers of this Philips hot air fryer HD9230/26, I would say that the hot air cooker or fryer does a good job where frying in minimum oil is concerned. Food is crispy and tasty. This is especially true when using the frozen varieties.
If you are always cooking in small portions, then it is just what you need.
If you are always in a rush, then you would love the Philips air fryer. You do not have to stand by the stove to watch over the cooking.
If you have a small kitchen where storage is a problem, then the home hot air fryer will suit you just fine as you can grill, fry, bake and roast inside the air frying machine. You can cook a wide selection of recipes using just this one hot air machine.
If you are still unsure, perhaps reading through more Philips hot air fryer reviews will help you to understand more about its pros and cons and whether it suits your needs. Its main selling point is convenience, fast and healthy cooking.
Amazon does offer a digital air fryer plus grill pan package but you will have to do your Maths. to check whether it’s worth it buying the package. This will depend on the sale price of both items if bought separately.
A Video On The Philips Digital Hot Air Fryer