The latest Tefal TV adverts started showing in the UK last month – there’s a non-stick cookware advert and one for the ingenious Actifry, Tefal’s low fat fryer.

The Tefal non-stick ranges include the best selling Jamie Oliver and Preference cookware ranges, which feature the Thermo-Spot heat indicator that tells you when your pan has reached the optimum temperature to seal in the flavour.

The other product featured in Tefal’s advertising campaign is the superb Actifry low fat fryer. The Actifry allows you to cook enough chips to feed a family of four with just one spoonful of oil and only 3% fat! This makes it much more economical to run, as well as safer and easier to clean. And not only can it cook chips, but also a whole range of other meals including stir-fried vegetables, meat, fish and even pudding! It’s a surprisingly versatile product and we’ve been impressed enough to install one in our canteen, as well as giving a couple away in a recent prize draws.

Rosie in our sales department had this to say:  ’I was very sceptical about the Actifry when I first saw it. Imagined it was just another gadget that was kept in the kitchen cupboard to cover in dust. However, I absolutely love this machine!

Chips aside, even sausages are easy to cook. No need to stand by the grill constantly turning them over, you just place them in the Actifry and switch it on for about 12 minutes. The Actifry does all the turning for you and you can add other ingredients to make a sausage casserole. I also like to make crumbles and didn’t realise that this machine can also cook fruit. Now I just put the fruit in and let the machine do the work while I make the topping and there is no mess!

The Actifry is extremely easy to clean. The bowl just lifts out and as there is very little oil, all it takes is a quick run round with a cloth. Love it! This is definitely staying on my kitchen counter!’

Steve, our Operations Manager, is also a convert: ‘After winning my Tefal Actifry I must admit I was quite sceptical… after all, who wants healthy chips?!? Christmas present for mum I thought, but having got it home and placed the box in the kitchen, every time I walked past it kept on whispering to me “try me… try me”. My will power not being what it used to be, I have to shamefully admit I caved in, peeled some spuds, cut the chips and added 1 spoon of oil as stated. Turned on the Actifry and then left my chips to “healthily” cook for 40 mins. I know… 40 mins for a job that would take me 10 in my deep fat fryer… Ah well, time for a game or two of Call of Duty!

Since then I’ve tried various things in my Actifry: from sausages – pierce well and don’t put in too much oil, as the actify will healthily drain all the fat from your sausages – to making chilli con carne from scratch.

I must admit for a sceptic I’m now sold and converted. It really is a multi purpose machine, simple to clean, easy to use and no having to drain out dirty oil and dispose of. Oh and needless to say, mum will be getting my old deep fat fryer for Christmas instead!’