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It was on for about four minutes when black smoke started coming out, then a second later it burst into flames right there on the bench in my kitchen.
Lucky I was in the kitchen when the flames started, if I had of stepped away for just a minute my house would have burnt down.
I grabbed my cotton rug off the floor, picked up the flaming airfryer and run with it throwing it out the front door into the yard, turning back to look in my kitchen there was still three fires going, two along the floor where i ran with the unit and one on the kitchen benchtop, all melted burning plastic.
Once I extinguished those i went back outside to see the air fryer still on fire, i had to put the hose on it for a few minutes to stop it burning.
It has been sent back to Phillips for investigation and has been reported to the Australian house hold goods authority.
It was a petrifying experience and still haunts me each time I use the new air fryer (NOT a Philips), i don't leave it alone now and I even pull the plug out of the socket when its not in use.
For the few weeks i used the XXL air fryer I actually found it quite annoying to use compared to the slightly smaller XL Philips air fryer I had upgraded from (which was my second Philips, the digital controls died, and they had already been repaired once under warranty). Due to the make of this new model the unit it would put oil into the little gap inside the top of where the handle sits in the basket and oil would come out of the basket around the lip it was very annoying as you would have to fold a paper towel and keep sticking it inside the gap until it soaked up the oil. If you didn't do that you would get oil running down the outside of the basket. I actually though "this is going to be Very annoying for the new few years while i use this new machine" but it catching fire to itself saved me from that!
I have had 3x Philips air fryers over the past 10 or so years until the new one caught fire. The smaller versions seem to cook much better. The best chips I ever made (from scratch cutting up my own potatoes) was in the original small Philips, as I bought the larger more expensive units they never cooked them as crispy or good (until i got my new cheaper brand airfyer).
The bigger the air fryer the more power it should have to heat up that extra space.
so a 7litre air fryer should be at least 1800w. Anything less and it wont cook as well as the smaller ones will. Also you don't want to fill the basket to the brim with chips as the air fryer needs "air" circulating around and between the food to get everything crispy.
I went through quite a few air fryers inbetween the one on fire and the one i use now, a few lessons i learnt:
1. make sure the handle is attached to the basket by metal with a bolt, not moulded plastic or any kind of plastic mount as they brake.
2. ensure that other than the metal chips basket (the one with the slats/holes you put the food in) there should also be a second bottom oil catching basket (which the chips basket sits inside of). Some of the air fryers do not have that. You need the second basket to catch all the oil and to be able to clean it properly.
3. Not a huge biggie but its better if the digital display (if it has one) is ontop of the air fyer, not the front as sometimes the front one can get hot and foggy when your opening it to check on your food, making it harder to read.
For cleaning of the bottom oil catching basket: I wait until the oil cools slightly (but is still runny), then tip it into an empty vinegar bottle, wipe the inside with paper towel and then sit it in the sink to wash. This way keeps you from putting oil down your sink and into he water ways.
For the past 12 months I have been using a fantastic 7litre airfryer that was only $119 - Much easier to use and cooked a lot better than any of the Philips ones did, it is also much easier to clean. Unfortunately i can not say where i got it from as my review has already been removed by amazon once advising "it contained promotional material" So no names Sorry.
As it was so cheap i was able to get a second smaller air fryer from the same K store. and i use that for other foods that need a different temperate so i can cook them at the same time. Its really handy.
I do recommend using "Reusable Air Fryer Liners" you can get them in round or square and they protect your non stick surface, plus your food never sticks to the basket. I purchased mine from Amazon.
If you have found this review helpful could you please give a helpful vote below : ) Cheers
