T-fal FZ700251 Review
French fries are one of the most popular deep fried foods in the world. Who knew that taking the humble spud, slicing it into thin strips and deep frying them to crispy, golden perfection would become an international phenomenon?
My only problem with fried potatoes is how fast I go through them. When I really get going I can put away more of those things than I care to admit in public.
Have you ever made a fresh batch of fries and put them on a sheet of paper towel to let them drain? If you’ve ever held that piece of paper up to the light you know how much oil comes along with the typical french fry meal. Don’t get me wrong, it tastes awesome but I know that kind of greasy food can’t be good for you on a regular basis.
If like me you’ve got to have french fries and other fried treats on a regular basis but don’t want the extra oil and calories, the T-fal FZ700251 ActiFry is a great option to consider. Along with being incredibly easy to use and clean up, this fryer only needs one or two tablespoons of oil to get delicious results on up to four servings of food.
Capacity
T-fal FZ700251 ActiFry
The T-fal FZ700251 has a 2.2 food capacity which makes it suitable to make medium sized batches a single go. This fryer is good for feeding groups of 2–4 tasty low-fat fried dishes quickly and conveniently.
With the ActiFry you only need to use 1–2 tablespoons of oil to give you delicious results on fried potatoes, vegetables, chicken nuggets and many other other bite sized foods.
The minimal oil requirement means you get to enjoy many of your fried favorites without worrying about the oil and fat content. Along with saving on calories, you also save serious cash over time by using less oil.
Temperature Control
The T-fal FZ700251 has a very straightforward one-button temperature control setting and doesn’t need preheating. Once you turn it on, the ActiFry quickly heats up and maintains a constant temperature of 338 degrees Fahrenheit which ensures perfect cooking results for a wide variety of foods. The built-in timer lets you set the cook time to suit each specific food (e.g. 15 minutes for vegetables and 30 minutes for french fries).
Ease Of Use
A major plus for the T-fal FZ700251 is how simple it is to use. These are the easy steps to operating the ActiFry once you have it assembled and ready to go.
- Place your frozen french fries or other food items into the fryer basket.
- Add a tablespoon or two of oil to the basket and close the lid.
- Turn the machine on and set the timer to your required cook time.
- Leave the ActiFry to work it’s frying magic.
- Once the timer buzzer goes off, turn the machine off, then serve and enjoy your low-fat fried dish.
Portability
The T-fal FZ700251 is made for indoor use and its safety features make for confident frying.
The lightweight and compact design of the ActiFry makes it easy to take it with you for convenient cooking in hotel rooms, RV’s and even on house boats.
Safety Features of The T-fal FZ700251
As much as I love fried foods I love being safe and happy even more. This brings us to the safety aspects of the T-fal FZ700251, which I am glad to say do not disappoint.
The ActiFry is extremely safe to use inside of your home and every feature of this machine is geared towards you and your family’s safety. Along with only needing a tiny amount of oil for frying, the T-fal FZ700251 is also completely enclosed during operation which prevents harmful hot oil splatter. The machine also features a cool-touch exterior, which means it won’t burn anyone’s hands if they happen to touch it while it’s on.
Dimensions
The T-fal FZ700251 ActiFry is an interestingly-shaped fryer with the following dimensions:
- Height: 9.4 inches
- Length: 13.6 inches
- Width: 16.7inches
- Weight: 8.9 pounds
The ActiFry is extremely cool-looking, but the unique shape of the fryer can make storage a challenge depending on the amount of space you have available. If you have a large kitchen and storage areas, this isn’t a concern. However, if you have minimal counter-top and storage space to work with this fryer may be awkward to use and put away.
Unique Features Of The T-fal FZ700251
- Rotating Paddle — The rotating arm is what puts the “Acti” (aka active) in ActiFry. This specially designed and unique feature of the fryer helps to distribute the small amount of oil throughout your food and helps it to cook evenly.
- Timer — The T-fal FZ700251 comes with a built in countdown timer and buzzer system that lets you know when your food is done.
- Available Colors — The fryer comes in a modern-looking black finish with silver accents.
- Non-stick basket and paddle — The slick non-stick coating on every inside surface of the T-fal FZ700251 makes it incredibly easy to clean no matter what you’re cooking.
Accessories
The T-fal FZ700251 comes with a recipe book that gives you a few ideas for meals and snacks you can whip up in your new machine. It also comes with a convenient measuring tablespoon that makes it easy to know exactly how much oil to use in the machine.
Consumers T-fal FZ700251 Opinions
A big part of my review process is reading everything I can get my hands on about what other real life users have to say about their fryer experiences. For this review I went through close to 300 reviews, and overall most of the T-fal FZ700251 ActiFry users really enjoy using this machine. However, for many there were a couple of issues with the fryer that really stood out.
The T-fal FZ700251 is a big hit when it comes to preparing tasty and low fat french fries that are just as good as using a deep fryer (especially if you use an extra tablespoon of oil than the fryer instructions call for). The simple and easy to use design of the ActiFry, along with the non-stick surfaces and easy clean up also scored points with most users. ActiFry users are making delicious morsels in the fryer like granola, stir fry dishes, chili, chicken wings and even roasted nuts.
The primary problem some people have with this fryer is that does not work well for making certain foods. If food isn’t firm or doesn’t hold its shape during cooking and stirring it doesn’t do well in the T-fal FZ700251 because of the rotating paddle. Another issue that some users had is the tendency for the paddle to get “stuck” while making certain food items.
To sum things up, this fryer is best for users that want to fry smaller quantities and only need to prepare certain types of food items. If you are looking for a high capacity fryer that can fry up any kind of food to perfection you’re better off going with another machine.
Note: A big fan of the T-fal FZ700251 fryer is none other than Oprah Winfrey herself. Now I’m not a fancy guy at all, but the way I see it if the ActiFry is good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for me!
Overall Rating : 4.1 out of 5
Pros
- The T-fal FZ700251 lets you make great tasting french fries with a fraction of the oil you’d normally use to deep fry.
- The fryer is easy to operate and clean which makes it simple to use.
- The ActiFry is easy to assemble and take apart and the basket, paddle and lid are all conveniently dishwasher safe.
- The machine is fully enclosed during operation so food odors don’t escape into your house.
- The stirring motion of the paddle lets food cook up evenly (and makes it very cool to look at in action!).
- The design and minimal oil usage with the T-fal FZ700251 means that it’s very safe to use in your home or anywhere else you have access to electricity.
- You don’t have to stir, flip or watch your food closely while it’s in the ActiFry. The combination of the countdown timer, automatic stirring paddle and single button temperature setting means you can practically “set it and forget it”.
Cons
- The ActiFry works very well for cooking french fries and stir fried vegetables but for many other foods this machine doesn’t do a great job.
- The rotating arm design and small capacity of the T-fal FZ700251 is best for preparing small meals and bite-sized foods but not large portion sizes.
- This fryer does not produce true “deep fried” results on most foods. If you’re making something that needs to be fried in a lot of oil for good results this fryer is not a good choice.
Price
You can get the T-fal FZ700251 fryer from a variety of retailers. I prefer doing my shopping online, particularly at Amazon.com, because they almost always offer a discount off retail prices and they deliver to your door at absolutely no extra cost. Click below to see today’s price on the T Fal Actifry Review.
T-fal FZ700251 Review Features Overview:
Feature
T-fal FZ700251 ActiFry
Brand
T-fal
Capacity
2.2 pounds
Watts
1400
Oil Requirements
Between 0 and 2 tablespoons
Overall Rating
4.1 out of 5
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