The Chinese company Proscenic, whose primary product up until this point has been cordless vacuum cleaners, has released its first culinary gadget, the T21 air fryer.
What will you see here?
A quick overview
Its sleek black shell has a squared-off appearance that rivals air fryer Instant Vortex favors. The Proscenic T21 can grill, bake, and roast in addition to air-frying. Even when cooking is finished, it can keep any item prepared in an air fryer warm for up to 2 hours.
The air fryer utilizes hot air to cook a variety of foods, including fries and chicken wings, with cooking times that are significantly shorter than those of a traditional oven due to the focused heat. While using the T21 will require some oil, Proscenic claims that it is about 80% less than that required when deep-frying, making it a considerably healthier alternative. Larger families can use it because of its 5.8 quart/5.5-liter capacity.
Over the past few years, demand for air fryers has skyrocketed. They are multifunctional, simple-to-use countertop equipment that is quicker and more energy-efficient than oven cooking. However, they have mostly proven to be successful as a healthier alternative to frying meals.
You can cook with far less oil since an air fryer can provide crispy, crunchy food with no need for shallow or deep frying. But their versatility extends beyond fish and chips.
Performance
Very close to one-click cooking as it is feasible to achieve is with the Proscenic T21. In reality, all you need to do is push one button if you employ the 8 pre-set programs.
An air fryer is more than just a frying substitute. You can cook a larger variety of meals in it than you may imagine because it is essentially just a little convection oven. The Proscenic T21 contains pre-sets for foods that are apparent, such as fries, shrimp, bacon, and chicken, as well as those that are less evident, including pizza, steak, and cake.
The pizza cooking function has a problem. Yes, there are internet recipes for both cooking frozen pizza and creating it from a base in an air fryer. But unless you wish to cook little, perhaps deformed pizzas one at a time, the basket’s size and shape just make it impossible. Even while you might be able to prepare a few slices at a time, it’s still a lot better option than reheating leftover pizza in the microwave.
The Proscenic T21 air fryer won’t let you down when it came to cooking, but it also won’t blow you away. The handmade fries, which the recipe book stated needed 1 tablespoon of oil for 1.1lb/500g, will be uniformly cooked and were delicious enough, but when they were a bit into, they lacked the requisite crunch.
Although you will be surprised by the lack of a warning to turn or shake the food halfway through cooking, the audio and visual notifications on the finish of cooking are useful. There is also a delay mode, which enables you to program the air fryer to begin cooking at a specific time; however, food must be left in the frying basket during this period.
Design and Features
The Proscenic T21 air fryer is a little bit smaller than the Instant Vortex Plus competitor, but it still occupies a lot of counter space at 12.4 x 12.4 x 12.8 inches. Although it has a little smaller capacity than the Instant Vortex Plus, it could still fit the standard number of fries as well as chicken wings.
The T21 features a square frying basket with an identical square form to its competitor. Before inserting it into the air fryer, the two pieces of the basket should be clipped together in a plastic holder. Simply click the button on the upper side of the basket’s handle to divide the two for simple serving. One can clean both the crisper basket, as well as the basket holder, in the dishwasher, making them quick and simple to clean. Any spills or smudges on the black plastic exterior may be removed with a moist cloth.
Remember to leave a 15 cm gap all around it when it’s running, giving plenty of areas for air to travel around the air entrance in the rear. You won’t want it too close to the edge of your counter where you could brush against it because the metal case can get hot to the touch.
But it does have every feature and capability an air fryer could possibly have. Additionally, it is quite simple to use. Simply remove the Teflon-coated frying basket-containing drawer, add your food, and select your cooking program using the LED touchscreen.
Price & availability
In the US and the UK, one may purchase the Proscenic T21 on the Proscenic website, you can get it for $129 in the US and £105.61 in the UK.
Additionally, it is available on Amazon in the US for $129 and in the UK for £83.30 at the time of writing.
Although the T21 is quite pricey for an air fryer, it is affordable for a device with such a high output.
Smart features and a touch screen air fryer
The Proscenic T21 is, of course, everything about its smart utility. There are a number of kitchen appliances that have needless smart functionality built right in that only appear to exist to set them apart from the competition.
The capacity to schedule things and control a gadget remotely are often the main advantages of smart features. These things often don’t go well with cooking since you need to be present when you’re cooking for safety’s sake. Furthermore, you may as well turn on the gadget while you’re in the kitchen using it to place your fried chicken.
You have access to all the similar controls via the Proscenic app as on the air fryer’s touchscreen. Therefore, you may start cooking via the app, select the temperature, utilize the pre-heat and keep warm capabilities, and choose from any of the pre-sets as long as you’ve loaded the basket with the recipe.
The remote capability isn’t really innovative, but it does allow you to start cooking from the couch if your meal is ready by hitting a few buttons on the app, or even using voice commands if you own a home assistant. The app does, however, also provide over 100 recipes, divided into sections for poultry, beef, sweets, veggies, and more. And this is where it really shines.
You can simplify your cooking process as a result. On the way home, go through the recipes on the application, then make a stop at the store to get the items you require. Once you’ve finished preparing your food in accordance with the recipe’s instructions, simply select “Start Cooking” on the app next to the dish you’ve chosen, and the T21 will select the ideal temperature and cooking time for you.
What do you do initially when using an air fryer?
Place the air fryer at least 8 inches far from a wall on a heat-resistant surface. One has to replace the grate and basket. Also, To allow the air fryer to be off-gas, some manufacturers advise running it for 10 minutes without using it for cooking.
Can aluminum foil be used in an air fryer?
When air-frying the meals, parchment paper is your best option because it is not a reactive substance, despite not being as simple to cut and mold as aluminum foil. Additionally, it isn’t as prone to stick to food as foil may. Otherwise, using foil in the air fryer is a good choice.
Does the Air fryer consume a lot of electricity?
No, is the swift response. Air fryers use a lot less energy than an oven or a stovetop that is heating up the oil. One of the main advantages of air fryers is their energy efficiency.
Can you use a bowl in an air fryer?
Yes, you may use your air fryer to cook food in ceramic bowls, ramekins, and plates. All one has to do is make sure they are oven-safe.
Conclusion
Smart functionality will never be really useful for cooking because you eventually have to place food in the machine, and you can just schedule the cooking for later. In addition, you shouldn’t keep an air fryer running while you’re gone from home or leave uncooked food in it for an extended period of time.
The Proscenic T21, on the other hand, is a large, effective, and simple-to-use appliance that offers everything you could ask for in a device of this sort. With its clever functionality, it’s a fantastic all-arounder for sluggish chefs.
