I was really skeptical when I heard about it, but after trying it out, I’m really diggin’ the Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer.
These types of ovens are marketed as “air fryers,” but essentially they are mini convection ovens. This particular unit comes with a rotisserie spit and has a 6.5 quart capacity.
Air fryers are very versatile in the types of foods you can cook. True to its name, you can cook foods traditionally reserved for the frying pan or even a deep fryer, such as French fries, bacon, potato chips, chicken, and onion rings. But though “fryer” is in the marketing name, you can cook more than just fried foods: steak, vegetables, pizza, burgers, quiche, cupcakes, and cookies are just some examples of what you can cook.
These air fryers cook through a fan circulating air heated by an element in the lid. This means air fryers can cook foods much more quickly than in a standard oven. Because these air fryers are designed to be placed on a counter–overall dimensions are about 12" wide, 14" deep, and 11" tall–you don’t waste time waiting for your big oven to heat up. Because the air fryer has a lid, you don’t get grease splattered everywhere. And in general the food you cook is healthier for you than frying, since less oil is needed.
In the box you get the air fryer itself, as well as a non-stick removable inner liner (for easy cleanup), a stainless steel frying basket and rack, a non-stick baking pan, a rotisserie spit, metal tongs, user manual, and cookbook.
Inside the oven on the bottom is a main metal chamber on the bottom into which you insert the desired pans and food to cook. In the top lid is the heating element and fan to circulate the hot air.
On the outside of the lid is the control panel, which allows you to set the cooking temperature (from 250F to 410F) and time. There are also buttons for starting/stopping the oven, cycling through presets (there are 9 presets with different times and temperatures), adding 5 minutes to the cooking time, and reheating food.
To open the lid, just press the big button on the front of the unit. As soon as the lid opens, the heater and fan turn off, which makes it easy and convenient to turn food or remove the basket from the air fryer. Here, I just finished cooking chicken nuggets–delicious, simple, and no deep fryer or frying pan mess. Each batch of nuggets cooks in 10 minutes.
The rotisserie is a stainless steel skewer that fits into a special hole in the side of the main cooking chamber and rests on a notch of the inner liner. While you can fit a small chicken inside, it’s great for Cornish hens.
I’m really enjoying cooking new foods in the Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer. In fact, because it’s the summer where I am now, I can cook foods I love but didn’t cook on hot days in the past because I didn’t want to heat up the entire kitchen. Now I can cook without having to wait for the big oven to pre-heat. I love that the foods cook quickly and come out nicely browned (via the Maillard effect). I do wish the unit had a dedicated control for the light–you cannot turn/off the light to check on your food. Rather, the light will come on and then turn off on an automatic interval while your food is cooking. I also found the metal tongs awkward to use. They are essential to master though, since you will want to use them to shake the pan/basket periodically while cooking and to remove the hot basket/pan when cooking is completed. But overall this air fryer is a quick, versatile, and healthy way to cook delicious foods for each right and proper meal of the day (Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner, Supper). It’s great for snacks too!
- Pricing and Availability on Amazon: Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer
NOTE: I am an independent product reviewer–if I don’t like the product I say so, and if I do like the product I say so. If you end up purchasing something from a link on my site, I may receive, at no additional cost to you, a small commission. Thank you for your support!