Air fryers are versatile appliances designed to make healthy food easy and delicious. However, an overabundance of features and models can quickly turn the search for an air fryer into a burdensome and confusing task.
Dash claims to have the solution with its 2.6-Quart Tasti-Crisp Air Fryer and Oven. This compact appliance, which is the perfect size for snacks and meals, is designed to be quick, safe and easy to use. As a bonus, Dash promises air fryer oven claims to reduce added fat by 70%-80%.
To see whether the Dash 2.6-Quart Tasti-Crisp Electric Air Fryer and Oven Cooker could make eating healthy food easy, we put it to the test. Here’s what we found.
We tested the Dash 2.6-quart air fryer by cooking a few different types of food, including meat, veggies, seafood, snacks and frozen waffles.
An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven. A heating mechanism warms up the air while a fan circulates that hot air around the food. The rapid circulation and being surrounded by hot air is what produces crisp food.
The Dash Tasti-Crisp Air Fryer Oven is a basket-style air fryer, which is smaller than an air fryer toaster oven combo, but typically takes less time to heat up and cook.
This compact air fryer is on the smaller side at 2.6 quarts, making it the ideal size to sit on a countertop or move around without hassle.
Upon receiving the Dash air fryer oven, the only assembly needed is to insert the grill plate. This air fryer has only two buttons or knobs, making it very user-friendly and straightforward. After loading your food into the basket, all that’s left to do is set the temperature and timer. You will need to look up the cooking time and temperature or follow a recipe, since the Dash Air Fryer doesn’t have any presets.
Cleanup is quick, especially considering the nonstick fryer basket is dishwasher safe. When you’re not using the air fryer oven, it’s small enough to leave on your countertop or effortlessly move it into a cabinet.
The main key feature of the Dash compact air fryer is its claim of reducing added fat by 70%-80% without sacrificing the flavor of your fried food. It’s also quick and energy-efficient, cooking in less time than it takes to preheat your oven.
Safety is an essential feature of the Dash air fryer. It has an auto shut-off function to prevent overcooking and to avoid being left on for long periods. The cool-touch housing and handle also make it safer to use. Dash claims the appliance is so simple, even your kids can use it.
This air fryer is considered compact, which is an advantage for apartments, smaller kitchens, college dorm rooms, or campers and RVs. However, Dash claims it can still accommodate one dozen chicken wings or one pound of french fries.
Here are a few other comparable air fryers worth considering.
This air fryer has a wide temperature range, from 105-400 degrees, and can cook foods with up to 75% less fat than traditional frying methods. You can also use it to dehydrate food.
Sold by Amazon
This is a healthy way to cook crispy food, with 85% less fat than traditionally fried food. It has 11 one-touch presets to take out the guesswork and has a dishwasher-safe, nonstick frying basket.
Sold by Amazon
Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Basket Air Fryer
It has six one-touch smart programs and an easy-to-use touch screen display. In addition to air frying, this appliance can broil, roast, dehydrate, bake and reheat. The four-portion capacity is perfect for small families and couples.
Sold by Amazon
The Dash 2.6-Quart Tasti-Crisp Air Fryer and Oven retails for $59.99.
The Dash Tasti-Crisp Electric Air Fryer and Oven is available on Amazon. It comes in black, white, grey, red, teal and aqua.
We enjoyed how straightforward it was to use the Dash air fryer oven and appreciated that there aren’t a plethora of buttons to decipher. The air fryer is compact and sleek, blending in seamlessly on our countertop. It’s the ideal size for snacks or cooking a meal for only one or two people. Every food item we tested was cooked to the perfect temperature and tasted great. Also, cleaning was quick and simple.
The only drawback we found was needing to air-fry several batches when cooking a larger meal. It’s better for just one person or appetizers. While we found it to be quicker than our previous air fryer since it doesn’t need to be preheated, some users found it was slow to cook.
Another issue is that the numbers on the dial can wear off after a while, making it difficult to know where to set the temperature. Additionally, some users found the tray difficult to clean and the power cord too short.
Based on our experience, we feel the Dash Air Fryer is a healthy way to enjoy crispy foods. It’s user-friendly and straightforward to use and clean. The compact size also makes it ideal for one or two people, or those with limited space. We recommend this Dash Air Fryer Oven to anyone looking for a way to make healthy food easy.
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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
