How did I come to buy the R-2858 Smart Chef XL 2?

In recent years, air fryers (aka air fryers) have become a trend and a must-have kitchen appliance, as beyond the ease of cooking a large number of recipes, they also offer energy savings.

All this time, the popularity they have with the public and the positive comments they receive made me consider the possibility of buying an air fryer, with the aim of making my daily life easier, without however "compromising" the quality of my food, as I so often heard from friends' experiences. Many of them suggested that I buy an affordable appliance to start with (around €60-70), so I could see whether I would like the final result in terms of taste and whether I would find it convenient as a way of cooking/baking; however, I preferred an air fryer that would meet certain specific criteria and stand the test of time.

With the help of a member of my family (since I did not have much experience using an air fryer), who is a professional chef, and after market research, I ended up with two options, the Rohnson R-2858 Smart Chef XL 2 air fryer and the Rohnson R-2834 Smart Chef XL, which met the following important criteria for me: 

• Bowl material: I wanted the bowl to be made of BPA* and PFAS** Free materials, so that it would be as safe as possible for health. At this point, I should mention that unfortunately many manufacturers do not state the material of the bowl, which was a deterrent for me, leading me to reject some models I had singled out.
• Large bowl capacity: The Rohnson R-2858 has one of the largest bowls available on the market today.
• Wi-Fi connection: For greater ease of use and more options/functions. Below I will also mention 2-3 tips for an easier first connection of the device to Wi-Fi.

*  Does not contain BPA (bisphenol A), a chemical used in many plastic products and in inner surface coatings, and has been linked to potential health risks.

** Does not contain PFAS (Per and Polyfluoroalkyl substances), meaning it does not contain fluorinated coating substances. PFAS have been used in many non-stick and fire-resistant materials, but have emerged as potentially harmful to health and the environment.

Rohnson R-2834 Smart Chef XL or Rohnson R-2858 Smart Chef XL 2?

Differences I found between these two air fryers

To be honest, at first the differences between the two models were not very noticeable to me, as their main features are almost the same. However, by looking a little more into their functions, I noticed that the Rohnson R-2858 has Soft-Cooking technology, which sprays water on the food at regular intervals, creating a juicy end result. Externally, comparing the two models, I noticed that one device has a water tank with a capacity of about 200ml, while the other does not.

Another difference is that in the R-2858, the perforated grate of the drum cannot be attached in the middle, but only at the bottom of the drum, unlike the R-2834, where, as a friend who owns this model has told me, it can be attached there, essentially creating two cooking "chambers". I suppose this happens because, as mentioned earlier, the Rohnson R-2858 has the Soft-Cooking technology and it is not possible to spray water on the food that will be in the lower "chamber".

The latest difference I found is in the number of default cooking programs. Specifically, the R-2858 has 8 default programs (preset, chicken, steak, fish, cake, pizza, sausage, potatoes, and fruit drying), while the R-2834 has 6 default programs (cake, potatoes, pizza, chicken, steak, and fish).

Personally, because I was more interested in the food being juicy and since the price difference between these two models is very small, I preferred to buy the R-2858 Smart Chef XL 2 with Soft-Cooking technology.

At this point, before I mention some of the most important features of this air fryer, I would like to note that the use of this function is not necessary every time. For example, if I bake potatoes and want a crispier result, I simply don't activate it.

Advantages - Disadvantages of this air fryer

I bought the air fryer Rohnson R-2858 about 4 months ago and I use it on average 2-3 times a week. From the unboxing and the very first recipe (yes yes, of course you guessed right... fries, as you will see in my video) I realized that this was a very good purchase.

From my use so far, I have identified some points that I believe set the appliance apart from others and some others that, if it had them, would make me give the product an overall rating of 5/5.

Advantages

This air fryer has many advantages in its features, many of which I mentioned above. However, I also highlighted the following points, which impressed me:

• The Rohnson app offers a wide variety of recipes, detailing the ingredients I need, the quantities, and the steps needed to execute them. What is impressive about this is that no matter which recipe I choose, the fryer automatically adjusts the cooking time and the appropriate temperature, as long as I have placed the necessary ingredients in the basket.
• After several uses, the non-stick coating on both the grill and the basket has remained intact, as you can see in the photo above. However, be careful not to use wire during cleaning. In case of stubborn stains, I fill the basket with warm water, add a little dish soap, and let it sit for a while before washing it.

Disadvantages

• Although the basket is 8 liters and meets the needs of about 3 people, if you do not have a dishwasher (as I do) or the sink is small, washing it may be a bit difficult. The basket has dimensions L28 x W28 x H16 cm.
• Seeing the variety of available recipes in the Rohnson app (e.g. stuffed vegetables), I expected that the package might also include a tray for the basket. However, this was not a major issue as I purchased a silicone mold suitable for an air fryer that fits the basket dimensions.
• Cleaning the basket between the two panes of glass is not easy. During washing, water may get into the space between the 2 panes of glass and leave small marks, as shown in the image below, and to clean it, it must be unscrewed.

How to easily and quickly connect the air fryer to Wi-Fi?

As mentioned at the beginning, the device has Wi-Fi connectivity for easier use and more capabilities. The manual provides connection instructions, but I will summarize the steps for easier and immediate connection:

• I downloaded the Rohnson app on my mobile and created my account, following the application's instructions.
• I brought the air fryer close to my router (distance less than 1m). This only applies to the initial connection, as after that, I placed the device in its original position in the kitchen without obstructing the connection.
• I made sure my mobile was connected to the internet and accessed the Rohnson app. I chose to add the device from the corresponding button.
• I activated the air fryer and pressed and held the Wi-Fi symbol (3 buttons from the left) for about 5 seconds until the Wi-Fi indicator started flashing rapidly (about 2 times/second).

• On the app screen, my device appeared. I pressed the add button, entered the Wi-Fi codes, and the connection was completed.

As I was searching for information on how to connect to Wi-Fi, there were reports that I had to switch my Wi-Fi to transmit at 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz, but I didn't need to do that.

Small tips that may be useful when using the air fryer

• At first, the suggested cooking times seemed short to me, but after using it I noticed that they are quite accurate and the final result is very tasty and juicy. Of course, it is up to each person to adjust the final times, as there are different preferences when it comes to cooking. In some cases, I may slightly increase the cooking time (e.g. chicken) by about 4 minutes, while keeping the temperature recommended by the program.
• Having cooked fresh potatoes several times, it is quite important that they are cut into the same size so that they all cook evenly. For this reason, I have bought a potato cutter, which has personally been very convenient for me and gives me a crispy result. As for frozen products, such as vegetable patties, there is no need to thaw them first, as they cook excellently in the corresponding air fryer program.
• Of course, you can cook different foods together, e.g. chicken with potatoes, but care is needed, as each of them has different cooking times. In this case, I use the chicken program and if the potatoes are not done, I let them cook a little longer.
• It is important to wash both the basket and the rack after each use so that unwanted odors do not build up. This may be helped by the fact that at the end of each cooking session, once the basket has dried, I place it back in the air fryer, without closing it completely.

Impressions so far

From the use of the air fryer so far, I can say that I am quite satisfied with my choice and I believe that I chose the right model for me, as I was more interested in having a juicy result in foods such as chicken, steaks, and burgers, and a more crispy result in foods such as potatoes, zucchini, etc., which I believe this air fryer combines perfectly with the Soft-Cooking technology.

It was one of the few air fryers that mentioned that their basket is BPA and PFAS Free, while their capacity is ideal for me and the needs of my family. However, in my personal opinion, for 4 people and above, an additional portion of food will be needed, as the basket does not accommodate such large portions and ideally should not be filled to the top for proper cooking.

Finally, the size of the basket may be a bit tiring to clean, but I do not consider it a significant disadvantage, especially if someone has a dishwasher.

In general, the R-2858 Smart Chef XL 2 is definitely a value for money air fryer for me and I would recommend it to friends who want a tasty end result in minimal time with very little effort.