Our old toaster oven was a very handy device. When you're cooking for one or two, you do almost anything you can to avoid turning on the oven, especially in the summer. What a waste of time and energy! If you're doing something not appropriate for the grill -- although many grill buffs believe everything is appropriate for the grill, including ice cream -- the toaster oven is an efficient means of cooking. And it toasts!
The new model we got, from Black & Decker, is a little different from a standard toaster oven.
The Crisp 'N Bake has a little something special going on with it -- it is an air fryer as well as a toaster oven. The idea with an air fryer is that you can deep-fry foods like fried chicken without actually deep-frying them! No grease, no mess, no excess fat! Genius, right?
WRONG!
That's not really how it works. As Sue Stetzel at Taste of Home writes,
What can you make in it? Air fryers do a fantastic job cooking up frozen foods that are meant to taste deep-fried—think frozen french fries, chicken wings and mozzarella sticks. They also do a great job with similar recipes made from scratch. Maybe best of all, air fryers can bake, too.So, I have to tell you, after having this little appliance around for months, I'm still confused by it.
What can’t you make? You can’t make anything with a liquid batter (unless you freeze it first). You also can’t make anything in large quantities, so if you’re feeding a family, be prepared to cook in batches.
Not to say it doesn't work well; for baking, cooking up frozen things, broiling (just did some delicious steaks in it the other day), and yes, toasting, I'd say it works as well as our old Cuisinart toaster oven. However, it is smaller inside, making it difficult to fit some items, and it doesn't have any electronics. Normally I'm in favor of the non-smart appliances -- I don't need or want an Internet-connected toaster oven -- but I liked the Cuisinart's warning beep to tell me when it had reached the programmed temperature or when the toast was done. Yo, I'm a busy guy. I can't just stand there watching the toaster oven.
But when I tried it as if it were a fryer -- and the thing comes with a little mesh tray for that kind of thing -- it was a disaster. Badly cooked chicken that denuded itself of coatings, just as Sue Stetzel warned above.
You know what would have been really helpful? What one item, common with cooking appliances, would have made learning the functions and limitations of this appliance painless? A recipe booklet. But there was none.
Let's check the comments on the Black & Decker site for this product:
CarolMarie
Would be great with better instructions/recipes
maxdoggy
was really excited to see this in store and have always trusted Black and Decker, but this is a disappointment. Not impressed with lack of instructions regarding cooking times, and recipes. Recipes for the air-fryer would have helped a lot. Feels like this has to be a guessing game as to how long to cook anything.
Judy F319
I received this product with very few instructions and/or recipes.Would love more info on use.
Jeffery No recipes, no info except how to cook fries or tenders. I can make toast. I gave away a better toaster when I bought this. Sad
Loanis Can I please also get a guide as to how long to airfry items, etc. I see that you send an email to people who ask this and would like to request one.
Teacher 35 Very Disappointed
I brought the Crisp 'N Bake with great anticipation of using the air fry function. Very disappointed that there are no instructions/ time table/ recipes for this product; not even online information from your company. All other products that I have purchased that involve food preparation have always included time tables and recipes.
And on and on. Despite these ongoing remarks, the company still has not addressed the concern. It may seem like a minor thing, but it isn't. Every appliance I have that makes food came with recipes -- toaster ovens, food processors, mixers, microwave ovens, slow-cookers, and so on -- but not this. It is how we learn to love our cooking machines.
It really does make a difference, Messers Black and Decker. I'll be checking in with you on this before I buy anything else with your name on it.
It really does make a difference, Messers Black and Decker. I'll be checking in with you on this before I buy anything else with your name on it.
4 comments:
We have a regular air fryer, makes the best buffalo wings I ever had.
Separate the wings, I toss the tips and just use the drumettes and flaps.
Salt and pepper the wings, cook for ~ 20 mins at ~ 360 degrees, then up to 390 or max temp for the last 5 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, melt butter and Srirachi in a pan (about 1/2 cup of each for a batch of 20 or so wings).
When wings are done, toss with the sauce, serve w/ chunky blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Air fryer also makes the best tater tots (from frozen).
When I think of Black and Decker, I don't think of small kitchen appliances, but things like drills, hedge clippers, string trimmers and the like. I have several of those items by B & D and they work great. B & D toasters is like John Deere blenders or Ford bread-makers, it just doesn't sound right.
Possibly because frying, by definition, is not done with hot air.
We might need a toaster oven.Kenmore, last of the V8 interceptors. Thanks for bringing up the subject and review. I like the one we have, but the keyboard in quirky now and drives the missus buggy.
I go with Tanthalas39, we have a deep fat fryer for you know, frying. I bought it mostly to make taco shells.
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