- Buy now from Karaca (£129.95)
Testing the Karaca Air Pro Cook air fryer
We scored the Karaca Air Pro Cook XL 2 in 1 Air Fryer on how easy it was to use, the cooking results, its value for money and the tech specs.
Tall, smart and available in three colours (Space Grey Black, Starlight and Ruby), the Air Pro Cook is surprisingly compact, which was a relief for me as so is my kitchen! I decided home-made chips were the best way to test this model as my kids love them, and cooking them in a conventional oven doesn’t make for the best results, as well as using more oil than I’d like.
This model comes with a ‘grid’ – like a grill plate – rather than a basket and this fits snugly at the bottom of the single cooking drawer, allowing the air to circulate and any excess oil to drip through. Also included is a small slow-cooking pot with a lid, which tucks inside the drawer for storage. The only set up required after unboxing was to give everything a wash in warm soapy water before my first use.
How to use the Karaca Air Pro Cook
With a button for each of its functions and up and down arrows to set the timer and temperature (which has a range of 60 to 210 degrees), it couldn’t be easier to get started. The instructions included in the box feature step-by-steps on using each of the six functions – as well as air-frying the Air Pro Cook can also be used as an oven/grill and has settings to reheat, slow cook, dehydrate fruit, vegetables and herbs and make homemade yoghurt.
There are also some helpful cooking tips, such as turning the machine on for 3 minutes to preheat before adding food for the best results. For air-frying newbies I would have liked a few basic recipes but a quick google search brings up plenty of air fryer recipes to help with timings.
Before cooking my hand-cut chips, I soaked them for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and then dried them as this removes some of the starch and, I have been reliably told, makes for crunchier chips. I then used just 1 tablespoon of oil, coating the chips with my hands, before placing them in the air fryer in layers – a bit like Jenga – as again, this should make for the best results as it allows the air to flow for even cooking
Then, I set the air fryer to 18 minutes at 200 degrees. The digital display makes it easy to track the cooking, half-way through I paused the cooking (pressing the start/stop button acts as a pause during a program) to give the chips a shake (this did mess up my Jenga) and then replaced the draw and pressed start/stop to resume cooking.
After just 18 minutes a beep told me my cooking program was finished.
Taste test
Without a deep fat fryer it can be hard to achieve a crispy hand-cut chip in the oven as they tend to soak up too much oil and mine seem to veer between soggy and slightly burnt. In contrast, my air fried chips were perfectly cooked – soft and fluffy on the inside with a delicious crispy coating and, having used just one tablespoon of oil, there was no greasiness or excess oil at all, making them a much healthier option too.
My kids’ verdict? Much better than shop-bought oven chips and could I please make some more. I’d call that a win.
Having since tested shop-bought oven chips and hash browns, these also taste better done in the Air Pro Cook as it fluffs them up in a way the oven doesn’t and makes them so much crispier.
How energy efficient is the Karaca Air Pro Cook air fryer?
The Karaca Air Pro Cook has a cooking power of 1550W and this, combined with the shorter cooking time in comparison to a convention oven, means that you can cook your meal with 74% less energy, making this an energy efficient device.
Should you buy it?
Easy and intuitive to use, the Karaca Air Pro Cook is a great energy-saving option and a healthier and tastier way to cook not just hand-cut chips but burgers, sausages, bacon and any meat that releases oil during cooking as the cooking grid means that excess oil drains away rather than coating your food. It’s also a life-saver if you need a quick dinner as it only takes 3 minutes to heat up and cooks quicker than a standard oven. So far everything I’ve cooked (whole chicken breasts, sausages and burgers) has been on the table in less than 20 minutes, ideal for mid-week meals.
This is a compact 4-litre model so it’s a great size for smaller kitchens with limited countertop space and best suited to households of two to three adults. With a single cooking drawer, you would need to cook in batches to make larger quantities.
While the drawer, cooking grid and slow-cooking pot are all dishwasher safe, I’ve also found them easy to handwash as the non-stick coating is really effective – even with baked on food – making it easy to keep the machine sparkling clean.
The stylish Karaca Air Pro Cook is priced in the mid-range for an air fryer and thanks to its energy efficiency it can save you money over time. Its additional functions make it good value for money and it comes with a 90 days guarenteed refund.
- Buy now from Karaca (£129.95)
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