Ilo Air Fryer Review

A good quality of a consumer is careful consideration of the products they want to use. They should be open on newer, bolder, exciting products that could potentially shift the industry their way but also skeptical about the proper application and consumer-friendliness of the newest innovations. This way I can be able to differentiate the potentially original and groundbreaking commodity over those that can be a probable scam or faulty products designed to entice consumers on buying it on a whim before realizing its uselessness.

The Ilo Air Fryer is definitely one of the products that I am at first, unsure of which side of the spectrum it belongs to. Deep frying creates delicious foods, mostly the
“crispy on the outside, tender on the inside” type of food. However, deep frying’s biggest detriment is the fact that for the longest time, it just takes too much space, that it is entirely cumbersome to deep fry on your home. Not to mention pretty unsafe, especially when there are kids around. So when I first saw this online I am immediately intrigued. A cooking machine that can fry, cook, bake, all at the comfort of my home. Not to mention the fact that it looks really slick and can fit in any kitchen setup. The idea of an air fryer is nothing new in 2022, however it has failed to produce mass adaptation and I believe it is because that the invention simply is not good enough for most consumers… Until now.

In terms of this price range, the Ilo Air Fryer are is pretty much as good as it gets. The Ilo Air Fryer cooks at a great pace while maintaining crisp texture, desirable temperature and accessibility. The products parts are the main frying body, the detachable 2.2L food basket, the oil rack, and the recipe book/machine manual. All of these will be used to cook all your favorite foods. At around ₱1,900 you can have a very versatile cooking equipment that can perform well on all of its advertised functions.

Of course while this product great, it is most certainly not perfect. All appliances have their pros and cons and if you are thinking of purchasing the Ilo Air Fryer then there are a few things that you would have to consider first. Let’s list down the pros and cons of this innovation:

PROS

• Multi-purpose as it can fry, grill, bake, and roast
• Very accessible as the product is not super complicated and has a manual for desired use
• Cooking Basket is coated by aluminum therefore does not affect food quality. Non-stick. Non-toxic
• Reduces oil while cooking food by around 80 percent.
• The air fryer itself is made with PTFE coating which is very durable and very thin.
• Easy to remove grease residue, food particles, or burnt parts. Very easy to clean.
• Can fit in any kitchen setup. Glossy and painted very well.
• Great for its price, can be purchased on discount at many stores.
• Quality of life improvements such as non-slip feet and built-in air vent for better heating.

CONS

• Basket for cooking is only 2.2L. Good for cooking for 1 or 2 people but may need to use multiple times if cooking for more.
• PTFE is reliable enough material for coating but ceramic or titanium (or an infused version of the two) is considered the more superior material.
• Needs precise timing for frying otherwise it is extremely easy to burn or char food.
• Color options are limited as it only comes with black with silver option.
• Baking is an option but the space for baking is too small and unstable for dough/mixtures.

The product’s design is definitely multi-purpose and there are definitely good things to be had when using this product but once again, consider its drawbacks when purchasing.

Among the things in the pros section that I mentioned, I believe the key factor is its accessibility and its ease of use. Cooking is one of humanity’s first ever activities and over the millennia and generations that has passed, it has evolved greatly. Cooking products and instruments has gotten significantly better for every decade that passes. However, in contemporary times there has been significant skepticism with regards to the new innovations on the culinary industry. And I understand that skepticism, what fix what is not and never has been broken. Heat, a knife and a pan is all you really need for majority of cooking methods. Therefore, there will definitely be some reservations when it comes to cooking using an air fryer. Apart from the masses being unsure of what it really does, they are unsure how they can use an air fryer. After all, what does frying using air actually mean? Let me give you guys a rundown on what it means and how to use the Ilo Air Fryer.

How to Use Ilo Air Fryer

First thing is first, what does an “air fryer” do? Does it cook using actual air? Not necessarily. An air fryer is a convection oven that uses hot air to cook food. It does not do the traditional frying of food but mimics the results of a fried meal. It uses very little or no oil at all, although if you want that oily feeling you can definitely put a few in there. The Ilo Air Fryer contains a high-powered fan that circulates rapidly, collecting hot air and would maintain it in the machine at the desired temperature to bake, fry, grill or roast your meal. How would one do that? Simple. Follow these steps.

1. Remove the cooking basket from the machine, similar to removing a cup from a coffee machine.
2. Make sure that the oil rack is placed right down the bottom of the basket. Place your food inside the basket.
3. Add all the spices that you want. Do not be afraid of taking advantage of all the space provided.
4. Put the basket inside of the main body of the Ilo Air Fryer.
5. Make sure the Ilo Air Fryer is plugged and running. Set the desired time and temperature. The Ilo Air Fryer would mostly cook at around 5 to 20 minutes, though you can extend that.
6. Let the food cook. No need to pull the food out during cooking time to flip or turn. Just wait for the given time.
7. Take the food out. Eat your heart away. Enjoy.

As I said very simple. You can treat it like a microwave that fries/roasts/grill instead of baking/heating. Although to be honest, there is room for experimentation on what else you can cook here.

How to Clean Ilo Air Fryer

Many air fryer products, especially before, are difficult to clean properly and cleaning it wrong may damage the machine or hurt its wiring. I am pleasantly surprised to say that this is not the case for Ilo Air Fryer, it is not difficult at all. In fact it feels like cleaning a toy at times that even a kid can be relied on to clean it properly. Product is not easily damaged as well as pieces are put tightly into their place. In order for the skeptics out there to believe in how handy and easily maintained this product is, I have written the steps on how to clean the Ilo Air Fryer:

1. Pull out the basket, soak it with water at least 3/4ths full.
2. Put the oil rack in the soaked basket, scrub the nooks and crannies to remove food bits. A bristle brush or a sponge should do the trick.
3. After washing and scrubbing, remove all water and let the basket dry out.

This should be done after every time you use the air fryer but every once in a while the main body should be cleaned up too.

1. Make sure the machine has cooled off before cleaning its insides.
2. Remove the basket, take a look at the spots with grease and grime inside of the main body, which would usually be found atop the cooking area.
3. Get a sponge and put a bit of dish soap in it.
4. Scrub the sides properly and wash it off with dry cloth after.
5. Put the machine upside down then scrub the grease parts with a damp cloth or sponge.
6. Dry the machine.

Once again, fairly simple and it shouldn’t take too much of anyone’s time. Just make sure that you clean the main body every once in a while so that the grease and grime does not accumulate to the point that it becomes hard to clean.

How Much is Ilo Air Fryer?

I have seen the Ilo Air Fryer originally come around at a price of ₱2,495 and while it seems fairly decent for what it can do, these days that price has basically come down to ₱1,995 which is a huge bargain for anyone interested in trying out an air fryer. Online stores typically come up with their own discount or shipping vouchers too, so you can really get this item for a great price point. I have looked around on the internet, there really is no other product on this price range that caught my eye and definitely not another product that has received as much 5 star reviews as the Ilo Air Fryer.

Conclusion

In conclusion, all my skepticism when I first grabbed the Ilo Air Fryer is basically gone now. It works, it cooks great, it has a great price, it tastes good, it is very easy to use, it fits my kitchen setup, and it can cook meat or fries without me doing anything apart from putting it in and setting up a timer. One Youtube video and one advertisement of it on the TV and I already got the gist of it. Honestly, there is good fun trying it out and understanding what kind of food I can cook there and what spices I can blend in the cooking basket. There is really not much more I can ask with this cooking apparatus.

If anyone is looking to try out an air fryer, you will not go wrong picking this one as your first step into a more flexible cooking space. I would highly recommend the Ilo Air Fryer, especially for its price and especially if its discount season.