Smeg, a brand known for its stylish retro-inspired kitchen appliances, has entered the air fryer market with the launch of its first standalone model, the AFC01 Dual Flavour Air Fryer. Priced at £199.95, the appliance is positioned as a premium option, available in Black, White, Emerald Green, and Storm Blue, emphasizing both aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Designed to complement kitchen countertops, the air fryer features Smeg's characteristic rounded design and branding. A key design departure from many other air fryers is its upward-opening lid, which activates at the push of a button to reveal a removable basket. This mechanism requires sufficient clearance above the unit for operation, a consideration for kitchens with limited overhead space.
The appliance boasts a 7.3-litre capacity, advertised as suitable for cooking multiple portions simultaneously. Its operation is managed via a high-tech yet user-friendly touchscreen display. Users can select cooking modes through a menu icon, and initiate, pause, or stop the cooking process with a start arrow. A notable feature is the integrated cooking window in the lid, complete with an internal light, allowing users to monitor food without opening the unit and disrupting the cooking temperature.
The AFC01 offers two primary cooking functions: 'Crispy' for achieving a golden crunch, and 'Juicy+Crispy' which combines hot-air circulation with a steaming system to keep food moist internally while crisping the exterior, particularly suited for meats. Additionally, a manual mode allows for custom temperature and time settings, alongside seven preset programs for items like chicken wings, meat, fish, shrimp, chips, vegetables, and roast chicken.
In testing, the air fryer demonstrated its utility with vegetables. The 'Vegetables' preset on the Crispy function, set to 180°C for 20 minutes, included an automatic prompt to turn the vegetables halfway through. This feature was noted as particularly helpful for removing the guesswork from cooking. Broccoli, cooked for 15 minutes on the same preset, also came out with slightly crispy edges without being overcooked.
When used for Yorkshire puddings at 180°C for 20 minutes, the air fryer successfully produced golden and crispy results. The cooking window proved useful for monitoring progress, and the appliance was able to keep the Yorkshires warm and crisp even when left in after the initial cooking cycle, a convenient, albeit unintended, use during testing.
While a 1kg chicken was found to be too large for the air fryer's capacity, Smeg states it can accommodate up to that weight. The appliance also features a delayed-start function, allowing cooking to be scheduled from five minutes up to 24 hours in advance.
Cleaning is reported to be straightforward. The basket and rack are dishwasher-safe, and the exterior can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. The basket is described as having a non-stick ceramic coating made without PFAS, and Smeg recommends using an absorbent kitchen towel for the cooking window.
Despite its premium price, the Smeg air fryer is considered a worthy investment by reviewers for its ease of use, effective presets, functional cooking window, and automatic food-turning reminders. The quality of the cooked food, particularly the crispness achieved, also contributes to its appeal. However, potential buyers concerned with cooking larger items, such as a full roast chicken, should consider the unit's size limitations.