Air fryers have become a staple in most modern kitchens these days, and for good reason. They are an easier and healthier way to heat your food up and get that crispy texture without needing to deep fry it in oil. Additionally, air fryers are capable of replacing your oven in many scenarios with modes for baking, broiling, or roasting.
Fortunately, I was able to spend some time with one recently when Dreo was nice enough to send out its Air Fryer Pro Max to us for review.
Design
One of the standouts of the Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max is the see-through window on the front. I’ve browsed a lot of air fryers, and typically, most of them lack a window. This won’t be a dealbreaker for some, but I really love the reassurance of being able to check on my food while it’s cooking to ensure it’s not burning. A see-through window with a built-in light makes this much more convenient than having to manually remove the basket.
Speaking of the basket, the Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max features a large 6.8QT nonstick basket and plate included in the box. The plate uses food-safe silicone to hold it in place and rests on the bottom of the basket allowing heat to circulate and cook the underside of your food.
While many air fryers put the controls on the front of the unit, the Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max places them on the top to make space for the transparent window. I found no issue with this during use though. All of the buttons are laid out well and the display is easy to read.
User experience
I’ve spent the past few weeks cooking food in the Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max and everything has gone perfectly. The manual suggests subtracting 25 degrees from the cooking temperature and 25% off of the cooking time because air fryers cook more quickly, which has saved me time while also producing crispy results.
I love the built-in window for checking food and the automatic shake reminder. Plus, food wipes off easily when cleaning the nonstick surface when it’s time to give it a wash.
My only complaints would be that the removable tray on the inside can be a little difficult to insert or remove because of the silicone protectors, and there is still a slight smell after several uses.
I followed all of the guidelines in the manual to remove any smells, but regardless, there’s still a hint of a plasticky smell. Thankfully, it usually gets covered up by the smell of the food cooking and I believe it’s getting weaker with each use.
Final thoughts
Air fryers are fantastic for retaining the crunch of fried food without having to deep fry in more oil. They are also great for baking, roasting, and cooking without heating up the kitchen the way an oven does. Furthermore, ovens take more time and use more power.
All of this makes an air fryer a great addition to your kitchen, and the Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max would be a great choice due to all of its many features.
For starters, it has a spacious 6.8QT basket making it easy to cook for large families, it’s easy to clean, it has a maximum temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and it features 5 different cooking modes and 6 presets. However, my favorite feature is the transparent window that allows me to check on food while it’s cooking.
The Dreo Air Fryer Pro Max is currently available from Amazon or Dreo’s website for $120 or less.
