Since the Philips XL (same as the XXL) air fryer was released years ago, air fryers themselves have improved a lot.
But in a testament to the company's quality engineering standards, this air fryer has continued to beat out its competitors, right up to the present. Why? Because no corners were cut in making the thing. The build quality is high. The features are premium. The warranty is fittingly long.
But is it the air fryer for you?
Table of Contents
- Summary
- What’s Interesting About the Philips XL Air Fryer?
- What Do Reviews of the Philips XL Say?
- How Do You Use the Philips XL Airfryer?
- How to Clean the Philips XL Airfryer
- How Does It Compare?
- Where Can I Get Replacement Parts and Accessories?
- Where Can I Buy a Refurbished One?
- Verdict: Is This Airfryer for You?
Summary
The reason Philips' XXL air fryer costs more than other air fryers is because of the heating technology (it heats up in seconds so no pre-heating is needed) the large, square basket (for maximum capacity), and wide temperature range (so it can roast as well as it can dehydrate). If that feature set is appealing to you, from a premium brand, with a 2-year warranty? Then yeah, this air fryer is for you. In fact, we doubt you'll find a model cheaper.
What’s Interesting About the Philips XL Air Fryer?
The Philips Avance XL Digital Airfryer is a countertop appliance designed to replace your standard deep fryer. However, it can also bake, roast, and grill. The Philips XL Airfryer uses Rapid Air technology to fry foods with little or no added oil. The company calls its design a "starfish", but of course, this is just a glorified pod-style air fryer. Different from its oven-style cousins, this circular shape combines fast-circulating and superheated air to produce a healthier result more quickly. Fried foods come out crunchy on the outside but remain moist and tender on the inside. Within the line of Philips Air fryers, the Philips Airfryer XL model has an extra-large capacity and can hold an impressive 2.65 pounds of food. It is designed to hold enough food to serve a family of four people. The Rapid Air technology allows you to cook a (small) whole chicken in as little as 30 minutes with very little preparation effort. A basket of sweet potato fries can be ready in 18 minutes. Because most foods can be cooked in the Philips XL Airfryer with no added oil, the Airfryer can often remove excess oil that is in the food. This excess oil ends up in the bottom of the food drawer and can be poured off at the end of cooking. The Philips XL Airfryer has a digital touch screen that is very user-friendly. The digital controls include a timer that accommodates cooking times up to 60 minutes. This is rare. Many lower-priced air fryer timers only reach 30 minutes (see the Gowise 5.8qt for example). It also has a ready indicator and an auto-off function. The temperature control is completely adjustable to the desired temperature between 150ºF and 390ºF. The controls feature a number of presets for cooking your favorite foods quickly and easily. Optional accessories can be purchased for the Philips XL Airfryer, including a grill pan and a tiered rack with skewers, for layering larger batches of food in one cooking cycle. Aesthetically, the Philips XL Airfryer unit contains the frying smell better than a typical frying appliance. It comes in black or white exterior colors to suit your kitchen decor. The appliance has some great safety features, including an auto-off function and cool-to-the-touch exterior, which makes it ideal for a family environment.
What Do Reviews of the Philips XL Say?
A majority of users love their Philips XL Airfryer. Some say it is the best appliance invented since the microwave. Several users have indicated there is a learning curve with the Philips XL Airfryer. Like any appliance with the broad functionality of this air fryer, you will need to spend a bit of time and experimentation to learn the best cooking times for different foods. You will want to figure out how often to turn or check items. The XL comes with a basic cookbook to get you started, but as you become more efficient at using the air fryer, you may want to expand your knowledge with a new cookbook. Several users suggest this appliance works best for those who use a lot of frozen foods and quick foods in their cooking style, though many users report success with fresh vegetables, meats, and fish. One user reported that if you pause the cooking to check the food and you leave the drawer open too long, the timer will reset. At slightly more than 15 inches square and almost 15 inches high, this is a fairly large appliance that will take up a good bit of counter space. Some users report that fats and oils that drip into the bottom of the pan will cause the air fryer to smoke. It has been suggested to put Kosher salt into the bottom of the drawer to prevent this. Here’s a nice video showing you the machine in action.
How Do You Use the Philips XL Airfryer?
The Philips XL Airfryer is fairly intuitive and easy to operate. You open the drawer and place the food item you wish to cook in the food basket. Close the drawer and use the digital touch screen to set the temperature and the time to the desired values. You can stop the cooking occasionally to check the status of your food and turn the items if necessary. Once cooking is complete, you can easily clean up the Airfryer by placing the basket and drawer in warm, soapy water.
How to Clean the Philips XL Airfryer
The manufacturer claims that the basket and food drawer of the Philips XL Airfryer are dishwasher-safe. However, some users have reported that the non-stick coating has come off in the dishwasher. The best recommendation is to remove the drawer and basket immediately after cooking and soak gently in warm, soapy water. After the meal, when you are ready to clean up, the non-stick coating makes any food easy to wipe off and you can wash the items in soapy water. A few times a year, you should turn the machine upside down and use a scrubby and a disposable cleaning cloth to clean the elements and the drawer cavity. You may have to do this more often if you use the Airfryer very frequently and you are experiencing smoking during use.
How Does It Compare?
Philips Airfryer XL vs T-fal ActiFry
- Philips Airfryer XL uses a food drawer that is placed into the side of the unit, whereas the T-fal ActiFry loads the food into the top.
- Philips Airfryer XL cooks up to 2.65 lb of food. T-fal ActiFry cooks up to 2.2 lb of food.
- Philips Airfryer XL is around 15 inches square and 15 inches tall. T-fal ActiFry is 16 inches by 13 inches and about 9 inches tall.
- Philips Airfryer XL does not allow you to see food without opening the appliance. T-fal ActiFry has a window in the top to observe food while cooking.
- Philips Airfryer XL allows you to choose the cooking temperature, while T-fal ActiFry does not.
- Philips Airfryer XL has a timer with auto-off function that turns the unit off at the end of the cooking cycle, whereas the T-fal ActiFry does not.
- Deep cleaning the Philips Airfryer XL involves turning the appliance upside down due to the horizontal orientation of the cooking drawer. The T-fal ActiFry can be completely cleaned in an upright position.
- The Philips Airfryer XL generally costs more than the T-fal ActiFry.
Philips Airfryer XL vs T-fal ActiFry 2 in 1
The same comparisons as the T-fal ActiFry with the addition of: Philips Airfryer XL does not come with the second-tier cooking rack; however, this can be purchased separately as an accessory. The T-fal ActiFry 2 in 1 comes with a two-layer system that allows you to cook two different dishes in the same cooking cycle.
Philips Airfryer XL vs Philips Viva
- The Philips Avance Airfryer XL is very similar in features and function to the Philips Viva Airfryer. Here are some differences:
- The Philips Viva comes in Digital and Analog models.
- The Viva has a smaller capacity than the Philips Avance Airfryer XL.
- The Viva comes with the second tier rack, whereas the Philips Airfryer XL has an optional accessory rack available for purchase.
- The Viva has an optional baking pan accessory that can be purchased.
- The MSRP of the Viva is less than the Philips Airfryer XL.
Where Can I Get Replacement Parts and Accessories?
A limited number of replacement parts are available from the manufacturer for the Philips XL Airfryer. Some of these parts are available on Amazon, which you can see below. You can also purchase several accessories for the Philips XL Airfryer, including:
Where Can I Buy a Refurbished One?
If you are excited to see how the Philips Airfryer can fit into your healthier lifestyle but don’t want to invest in a completely new one, you may be interested in purchasing a certified refurbished model. Several models and colors are available on Amazon.
Verdict: Is This Airfryer for You?
The Philips XL Airfryer is considered one of the best air fryers on the market today because of its large capacity, versatility, and highly adjustable digital controls. If you are already convinced that an air fryer is an appliance that will suit your cooking style, the Philips XL Airfryer has a load of great features that would make it a great buy for the air-frying enthusiast versus the other models and brands. If you are feeding a family of four or more, you will definitely want the large capacity. If you want flexibility in cooking temperatures to cook a broader range of foods, you will want the adjustable digital controls. If you are concerned about safety, the auto-off feature and cool-to-the-touch exterior are very compelling. Overall, the Philips XL Airfryer is a great air fryer that gets great reviews from users all over the world.
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