Bella Pro Series – 8-qt. Digital Air Fryer – Stainless Steel

I’ve waited all this time to buy an air fryer because of price and uncertainty. My friend told me about this one which was only $59 at the time. I quickly ordered one and when it came in my Husband laughed at me because of how large it was on the counter. Guess who uses it everyday ? That’s right. The husband. I’ve cooked so much more than potatoes in it and I’ve been pleased with every recipe. I’m so glad I bought it. It has several pre-loaded times with icons and the ability to Adjust both temp and time. Maybe I don’t know what things to look for when it comes to air fryers but it has met my expectations and then some. When it goes on sale again I will buy more as gifts.

It has been a fun adventure to experiment with this air fryer. One of the best uses has been for roasted brussels sprouts, see photo. Simply chop in half, toss with a little oil, lightly salt, throw in the basket (after using the “P” preheat function), and then touch the “Fish” setting button. Half way through, pull out the basket and ‘scoop’ it in the air to toss around the contents, and return it to the unit to continue cooking. (The fan and timer stop when you pull out the basket to check the food.) When it beeps complete (10 mins, I think), you have deliciously roasted veggies that make any meal fancy. Washing the basket and the rack is easy, nonstick surface works well. I have not gotten the hang of the different preset buttons, so I often just ‘start’ it and then keep checking. Some of the preset settings use a lower temp, which is better for some foods. Only thing that did not work well was cheese-filled breadsticks cooked from frozen. The middle was still cold when the outside was getting too crispy. Foods are tending to work better when thawed at least a little, but frozen fries and smaller items still come out crispy and hot in the middle. We reheated some thin crust (take-out) pizza, and the crust was better reheated than when it was fresh from the box. There are tons of air fryer recipes and tips online, I’d suggest using them. I have not regretted this purchase at all, it’s great for re-crisping and reheating. And I would not want anything less than this 8qt basket size, otherwise it would be way too small. Consider that when choosing a model. 8qt sounds like a lot, but if reheating pizza for example, food sits on the rack in the bottom of the basket and this one can accommodate 2-3 pieces of take out (PapaJohn’s-type) pizza at a time. One 4-minute cycle of the “P” preheat button heats and crisps slices of pizza perfectly. If the pizza is particularly cold, it might take part of a second preheat cycle, but watch it closely to avoid burning the cheese or toppings such as pepperoni. Great to reheat/re-crisp things like biscuits, when microwaving them is a dud. Be aware that it does take a fair amount of counter space, and you need it clear in front of the basket to pull it in and out, but I think it’s worth it. This is a higher priced unit, but it was on a great sale here. My mom had a smaller one (3 qt, perhaps?), and it was so tiny it wasn’t worth the effort to cook such a small amount for 2 adults. She found the Paula Dean air fryer book to be useful.

I was looking for air fryer that is more the 4 Q, I got this 8Q Bella fryer on deal of the day for a great price. A Best Buy reward certificate made this deal even more attractive. The fryer work great, quite and the food cooks just right.