The Power Airfryer XL, As Seen On TV, is a portable miniature convection oven. Aimed at those who like fried foods but need to avoid oil, there is plenty of cooking space to produce crisp, healthier foods.
Additionally, the Power Air Fryer XL allows you to cook two dishes at once, but does the Power Air Fryer XL work?
Features & Specifications
Cooking Space
The 5.3-quart basket of the Power AirFryer XL will hold a chicken. Be aware that you will need to remove the basket and turn the chicken.
For safety, you must check with a meat thermometer on the inside of the bird cavity to confirm the meat has reached a safe temperature.
For smaller dishes such as french fries, roast vegetables, fish fillets or shrimp, you can use the basket divider and cook more than one dish at a time.
There have been some concerns about the action of the fry basket; it can be challenging to re-insert after you’ve removed it to check on your food, and handling a hot basket can be a challenge.
However, you can place the basket back in the Power AirFryer with a scooping motion, rather than trying to force it. This seems to be a matter of perspective more than product failure; perhaps a little practice before turning on the heat could save you anxiety.
Electronic Controls & Noise
The Power Air Fryer XL features seven presets on an easy to use digital control panel. You can also manually set the temperature if you prefer.
If you do need to open the cooking basket to check on or turn your food, the timer and heat stop automatically until you get the basket settled back into the fryer.
The Power Air Fryer heats up extremely quickly, and the air movement begins almost immediately. Just choose your program, load the basket and food into the Air Fryer, and press start.
Because you’ll need to stay close to your Air Fryer to monitor it, be aware that it’s noisy up close. However, if your guests or family are not nearby, you should still be able to communicate with them without shouting.
Food Quality
If you’ve ever deep-fried at home, you know that one of the greatest risks to the quality of your food is crowding. If you overcrowd hot oil, your food will emerge greasy, less than crisp and possibly under-cooked.
Air Fryers experience these same failures when over-crowded.
Take the time to cook in small batches so the hot air – essential to air frying – can move around and through your food.
Additionally, avoid opening the appliance unless you have to turn your food. While the timer quits when you open the basket, so does the heat and fan.
What about frozen foods? You can cook frozen foods inside your Power Air Fryer.
- Be aware that the hot air cooking process may start browning your chicken breast before the center is thawed.
- If the cut of meat is thick, consider thawing it in cool water before putting it in your Power Air Fryer.
Clearance Space
There is a steam vent at the back of this unit to allow moisture from roasting vegetables or cooking meat to escape. Take care around this vent, so you, your family, and your guests are not exposed to steam burns.
Additionally, be aware that this unit heats up extremely quickly. Because of the air movement required to successfully crisp foods in your Air Fryer, handle anything going into or coming out of this machine with great care.
Accessories & Recipes
The Power Airfryer XL accessories are simple but very useful. It’s a fairly self-contained unit. The heat source and fan blade are contained within the body of the cooker, and cooking racks and divider are included in the air frying basket.
Your cooker will include a book loaded with Power Air Fryer recipes. You can find more great recipes by Linda Larsen with her Complete Air Fryer Cookbook.
With the Deluxe Package purchase, you’ll also get a cake pan and tongs for easy handling of your hot, freshly crisped foods.
Safety
No Power Airfryer XL Review would be complete without reminding users of the auto-shutoff feature. If you’ve ever left the house and wondered if you remembered to turn off the stove, you can relax a little.
This unit is programmable, but once the timed cooking cycle has completed, you need to restart it to get it hot again. Your risk of inadvertently roasting your home instead of your vegetables is practically nil – unless the device fails.
However, it’s critically important to monitor any tool that cooks at high heat, particularly a unit that features a steam vent.
Rule of Thumb: Never walk away from a deep fryer or an air fryer.
When viewed from a distance, escaping steam may look like smoke. Anything in your cooker that has started to burn will be evident by smell before smoke escapes from the tool.
Pro’s and Con’s
Pros
- If you like fried foods, this appliance can help you reduce your fat intake while still enjoying crispy French fries.
- For those who don’t care to fire up the oven for just one or two people, an air fryer is a tiny convection oven. It may take some experimentation, but you can cook your entire meal in this small tool.
- The presets make selecting the right cooking time for your fried shrimp, chicken tenders or fish fillets a breeze.
- The double cooking tray makes it easy to put together a full meal in a short amount of time.
Cons
- Your own breading may not stick to your fish or chicken in the Power Air Fryer
- This fryer is over a foot square and almost 16 pounds. If your kitchen space is limited, you may struggle to store this appliance.
- The manufacturer’s instructions suggest cooking options that are not covered in the recipe book provided. If you don’t have time to experiment, you may get bored.
- The digital control panel is right above the handle. If you do need to pull the basket to turn or check your food, this panel can get very hot before you can re-program as required.
- The quality of manufacturing and longevity of this product may be questionable; after a relatively short time, the coating on the basket may start to flake and fall off, and replacement baskets are difficult to come by.
Not interested in the Power AirFryer XL? Check out our guide on the Best Air Fryers for more product ideas. Alternatively, the Phillips Air Fryer is a similar competing product that you might enjoy.
Other Important Information
Cooking Tips
- Never layer meat; any portion of the cut of meat not exposed to the moving hot air will not cook well.
- When possible, arrange foods to allow for plenty of air circulation. Don’t line foods up touching side by side, and don’t stack any food product directly on top of another.
Clean-Up Tips
Some parts of this tool are dishwasher-safe, and some are not. Take care to review the instructions before placing any of the plastic components in your dishwasher.
To compare how simple cleanup is, check out our guide on cleaning a deep fryer.
Final Thoughts
The Power Air Fryer XL is a tiny oven. If you already have a convection oven in your home, you know how efficient they are and the excellent quality of food they produce. If you don’t have a convection oven, the Power Air Fryer may be an excellent choice for you.
You can enjoy the delicious flavor of foods cooked from the outside in. French fries with a crunchy crust, fried shrimp with a brown crust of breading, or vegetables roasted to perfection. Hot air is a great cooking medium!
