Gourmia has been a fantastic partner this year by sending us various air fryers to check out, and frankly, I was surprised by how different the various styles are. However, non has become as valuable of a part of our kitchen ... and indeed our Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meal plans as the Gourmia 43L XL Air Fryer Oven that is available right now exclusively at Costco. From roasting turkey to baking pizzas, reheating leftovers, and even baking cookies - this machine handled everything we threw at it like a champ!
In case you are new here, this has been a weird year - I have a brand new beautiful kitchen in our condo with premium appliances, including a double oven. However, I've been living in Toledo helping to support my father-in-law as he recovers. Unfortunately, one thing missing from his kitchen is an oven, and while we should probably just bite the bullet and replace it or have it looked at for possible repair - those costs are prohibitive for his limited budget.
So, when Gourmia offered to send me this unit to check out for Thanksgiving, I was excited to give it a whirl. After all, one of their selling points was that it could fit a 20 lb turkey or even a 15" pizza. In total, it has 19 different functions, 6 rack positions, and I've even mixed and matched - for instance, toasting some English muffins while baking egg bites in a silicone mold.
This honestly is the do-it-all kitchen appliance that every family needs during busy holiday meal prep times but it would also be the perfect item for your man cave since if nothing else it does a GREAT JOB at pizza and fried food without making a mess.
Even casseroles and cookies come out perfect here, and because I like to push the limits - since my turkey breast cooked perfectly for Thanksgiving, we're going to do a Prime Rib Roast with it for Christmas.
Specifications
- Capacity: 45.44 Quart
- Maximum Temperature: 450 F
- Minimum Temperature: 90 F
- Dimensions: 18.5" x 21.26" x 12.8"; Weight 23.15 lbs
- Energy Usage: 1700 Watts, 2750 Rpm
- Cooking Presets: 19 cooking presets: Air Fry, Fries, Wings, Bacon, Vegetables, Snacks, Seafood, Toast, Bagel, Bake, Convection Bake, Roast, Broil, Pizza, Reheat, Keep Warm, Dehydrate, Slow Cook, and Popcorn.
At $149, this is a heck of a deal, but while it is versatile and insanely capable, I feel like it's only fair to share my criticism, too. Specifically, the build quality isn't always the best. This is not a premium appliance designed for decades of use.
For example, the hinges on the door and the overall feel of some metal areas are a bit "cheap" compared to some of the more premium toaster oven-style air fryers that I used in the past but it would be unfair to compare it to those when this one works so very well. Likewise, it's pointless to compare to the exponentially more expensive full-sized appliances.
This fits a niche and it fits it extremely well. Plus, at this price point, it also makes a great wedding gift or housewarming present for guys who might be living alone who are moving into their first apartment.
But that's ok! This is something that every family needs, and indeed, every man needs it for his tailgating arsenal. Heck, because of its portability, you could even keep it in the garage (make sure to clean thoroughly to avoid attracting pests) and use it beside the grill for toasting buns and keeping sides warm without taking space on the grill.
