The Breville Air Fryer Chef™ Plus (model LAF600) is a versatile kitchen appliance designed for air frying, grilling, baking, roasting, dehydrating, and reheating a variety of foods. It features a sleek, modern design with a stainless steel finish and a user-friendly control panel with an LCD display.
Function Description:
The Air Fryer Chef™ Plus operates by circulating hot air rapidly around food, providing a crispy texture similar to deep-frying with significantly less oil. It offers multiple preset cooking functions, including:
- Custom: Allows users to set and save their preferred temperature and time settings.
- Grill: Ideal for grilling various items, such as chicken breast.
- Bake: Suitable for baking cakes, muffins, and quiches.
- Roast: Designed for roasting larger items like whole chicken or beef.
- Dehydrate: For drying fruits, vegetables, and meats at lower temperatures over longer periods.
- Reheat: Specifically for warming up pre-cooked foods.
- Specific Food Presets: Includes dedicated settings for Chips (Fresh and Frozen), Snacks (Frozen), Chicken (Wings/Drumsticks), Vegetables (Root), and Fish (Fillet, Prawns).
The appliance incorporates a "Shake/Turn Food Alert" for many presets, prompting the user to shake or turn the food in the basket to ensure even cooking and optimal results. The unit will beep twice and display "SHAKE/TURN" on the LCD screen for 1 minute as a reminder. If the basket is removed during this alert, the cooking cycle will pause and resume automatically once the basket is reinserted.
Important Technical Specifications:
- Basket Capacity: 4.8L large basket, capable of cooking up to 2.2kg of food.
- Power Connection: Operates on a 230V or 240V power outlet.
- Temperature Range: Adjustable, with specific ranges for each function (e.g., Custom: 90-200°C, Dehydrate: 40-90°C). Temperature is adjustable in 5-degree increments.
- Time Range: Adjustable, with specific ranges for each function (e.g., Custom: 1-60 minutes, Dehydrate: 1-12 hours). Time is adjustable in 1-minute increments for up to 1 hour, 5-minute increments from 1 to 2 hours, and 10-minute increments for the dehydrate function.
- Control Panel: Features a Function Indicator, Cooking Temperature (°C) display, Shake/Turn Alert, Cooking Time (HRS/MINS/SECS) display, Standby Mode Indicator, Function Dial, Start/Cancel Button with Light Ring, and Temp/Time Dial.
Usage Features:
- Intuitive Control: The Function Dial allows users to scroll through preset menu options, while the Temp/Time Dial adjusts cooking temperature and time. The Start/Cancel button confirms settings and initiates/pauses/cancels cooking.
- LCD Display: Clearly shows selected function, temperature, and remaining cooking time. The backlight illuminates white in standby and orange during operation.
- Safety Cover: The basket release button is protected by a safety cover to prevent accidental release.
- Standby Mode: The air fryer automatically enters standby mode after 10 minutes of inactivity, with "STANDBY" displayed on the screen. It can be reactivated by pressing the Start/Cancel button or turning any dial.
- Cooking Process Adjustment: Both temperature and time can be adjusted at any point during the cooking cycle.
- Cool-down Cycle: After cooking, the fan continues to run for 30 seconds to cool down the appliance.
- Baking Tin Compatibility: An 18-20cm round baking tin or a 12cm x 17cm rectangle baking tin (not included) can be used in the basket for baking tasks, ensuring adequate airflow around it.
- Food Preparation Tips:
- For crispier results, coat fresh potatoes in oil before air frying.
- Avoid overfilling the basket to ensure good heat flow and even cooking.
- Use heat-resistant utensils like tongs to turn food for better results, especially for heavier items that don't shift well with shaking.
- Do not dry lighter foods like kale or herbs in dehydrate mode, as they may be blown into the fan and heating element.
- For homemade chips, proper soaking and drying of potato sticks are crucial for crispiness. Floury potato types (e.g., Russet, Sebago) are recommended.
Maintenance Features:
- Easy Cleaning: The basket and pan should be cleaned after every use with warm soapy water and a non-abrasive soft scouring pad or sponge. They should be thoroughly rinsed and dried.
- No Dishwasher Use: No part of the air fryer should be placed in a dishwasher.
- Exterior Cleaning: The exterior should be wiped with a damp cloth.
- Cooling Before Cleaning: Always ensure the air fryer is turned off, unplugged, and completely cooled before cleaning.
- Avoid Abrasive Materials: Do not use metal kitchen utensils or abrasive cleaning materials on the non-stick coating of the pan and basket.
- Storage: Store the appliance cool, clean, and dry. Wrap the power cord around the cord wrap handle at the rear. Do not place heavy objects on top.
- Troubleshooting: The manual provides solutions for common issues such as the air fryer not working, food not cooking properly or evenly, pan not sliding in, white smoke, and issues with homemade chips. Error codes (E1, E2, E3) are also explained, indicating NTC open circuit, NTC short circuit, and overheat protection, respectively, with instructions to contact customer service if issues persist.
Safety Precautions:
- Always operate the air fryer on a stable, level, heat-resistant surface, away from walls, curtains, and other heat-sensitive materials (minimum 50cm clearance).
- Never fill the pan with oil or other liquids.
- Do not touch hot surfaces; always use insulated oven mitts when handling hot components or food.
- Do not cover the air inlet and outlet openings during operation.
- Ensure the basket and pan are correctly inserted and locked before use.
- Do not press the basket release button while shaking the pan; always place the pan on a heat-resistant surface first.
- Be cautious of hot steam and air when removing the pan.
- Do not immerse the power cord, plug, or appliance in water or any other liquid.
- The appliance is for household use only and should not be left unattended during operation.
- Regularly inspect the appliance for damage and return it to an authorised service centre if any damage is found.
- A residual current device (safety switch) is recommended for additional safety.