Dash Air Fryer: Read Before You Buy!

Dash Air Fryer

Dash Air Fryer

Updated on 3/17/2024
Christie JamesBy Christie James
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There is a new way to prepare all your favorite fried foods with up to 75% less fat than traditional deep frying with air frying. Using AirCrisp Technology, hot air is circulated to fry without adding oil, so it's not just delicious but also healthier and easier!

 

There is no need to buy a considerable appliance to get crispy foods for small families. The Dash Compact Air Fryer is smaller than most air fryers, but it is also very reasonably priced. The basket is easy to use and clean, with only two dials for operation. Moreover, the basket has the advantage of being able to be cleaned in the dishwasher, where it won't take up too much shelf space. Additionally, it is available in a wide range of colors so that you can match it to your kitchen theme. 

 

However, you should keep in mind that it can't fit a whole chicken due to its compact size. It is one of the best air fryers you can buy if you prefer to cook smaller portions through air frying.

 

Types Of Dash Fryers

Dash Air Fryers

Cooking food with an air fryer is easy and convenient, with a single removable drawer cooking food to perfect crispiness. We offer the latest air fryer technology, from simple, single-dial power to deluxe, touch-sensitive digital interfaces.

 

Dash Air Fryer Ovens

You can bake, broil, toast, air fry, and more! With the AirCrisp Technology, our air fryer ovens are powerful countertop ovens that come with air-frying and crisping. Whether you need an all-in-one countertop oven for entertaining, serving large serving sizes, or if you need one for a large party.

 

Dash Compact Air Fryer Design

The Dash Compact Air Fryer looks appealing with its cylindrical shape and glossy finish. In all air fryers, the basket handle protrudes from the front. The control panel has two dials, one on the top for setting the temperature and another on the front for setting the timer. The unit will take up about the same space as a coffee maker on your countertop, measuring only 8.1 x 9.5 x 12.5 inches.

 

Dash Compact Air Fryer Cooking Performance

Our tests showed that the Dash Compact Air Fryer excelled at frying chicken wings, which is where it scored full marks. Although the results were not as crispy as some larger models, Brussels sprouts, frozen French fries, and breaded chicken cut well. Though it fell short on the cooking of scratch French fries, which we found to be neither as crisp nor as moist as other restaurants we had visited before.

 

Ash recommends preheating for three minutes before air frying. The oven does not have a preheating function; you set the desired temperature and set the timer to heat the oven before putting the food into it. After adding your food to the basket, you need to reset the timer.

 

Like most other manufacturers, Dash says that the capacity of an air fryer depends on how much food the basket can hold, in this case, 2 quarts. In general, we recommend cooking no more than one pound at a time to achieve even cooking results. The diameter of the basket is merely 6.25 inches, which means you will not have enough room to make fried chicken for more than two people at a time, especially since you get better crisping if you leave some space between the pieces for the air to circulate.

 

With the Dash, food took longer to cook than other models, considering its size, and the food did not brown or crisp evenly as it did in different models. As a result, we had to stop and shake more than once during the cooking process to ensure good results. The Brussel sprouts, frozen fries, and the breaded chicken turned out moist and tender but not as crispy as the larger models. I found the Dash to excel at cooking chicken wings, which came out browned and crisp at the same time as being moist and juicy in only 25 minutes. Even though homemade French fries were cooked for 24 minutes, their taste and texture were nowhere close to deep-fried French fries. There was one area where the compact air fryer failed to live up to our high expectations.

 

A whole chicken would not fit in this oven, and there is no mention of cooking one in the manual. There is only room for one hamburger at the bottom of the Dash. The meat was browned and juicy, but it took 23 minutes to cook, whereas most air fryers need ten to thirteen minutes to cook food.

 

Dash Compact Air Fryer Ease Of Use And Cleaning

There is no more straightforward or more obvious way to set the time and the temperature dials than by using the two dials together. In spite of this, because they're not digital, it's challenging to set them precisely. While there is a 400°F setting, there are others at 320°F, 250°F, and 170°F, none of which are the most commonly-used temperatures. In addition, there is no 350°F setting, which is the other temperature you're most likely to use. There is no difficulty in pulling the basket out of the unit and replacing it; the basket contains a small removable shelf on which food is placed. 

 

The bottom of the Dash gets quite hot to the touch throughout the cooking process, with the lower front side reaching a temperature of over 143°F. Even though the handle and dials remain at room temperature throughout the use of the Dash, you must still exercise caution when working with it due to this fact. Despite its size, the air fryer has a noise rating of 60.6 dBA, which we found to be somewhat surprising. As you can see, the reading here is much higher than what we got for a full-size air fryer. Compared to the level of conversation in the kitchen, it is roughly the same volume.

 

Dishwasher-safe nonstick coating makes the basket and its rack easy to clean. There is no difficulty in understanding the manual. Besides a short cooking chart, it includes a small selection of enticing recipes.

 

Dash Compact Air Fryer Verdict

The space-saving Dash Compact Air Fryer is an excellent choice for small families. Although it does not brown and crisp as well as larger models or as quickly, it can still produce good results with some trial and error. Although we can't deny its performance when it comes to chicken wings, we believe that it's a good choice if you like them.

 

On the market today, it is difficult to find a model that is less complicated, easier to use, or more intuitive than this one. Not only is the Dash compact, but it is also lightweight at only 5.6 pounds, so it is convenient to store if you don't use it constantly. However, this is the ideal model for you for those who have limited counter space.

 

Mistakes Everyone Makes With Air Fryers

There's nothing better than finding an appliance that seems to work like a miracle in the kitchen. It is like a piece of cake to prepare dinner; once you have this appliance no need to waste your money on take-out or pricey meal delivery boxes anymore. Then you get your new appliance, it doesn't exactly match your expectations. 

 

The air fryer is one of the hottest new kitchen appliances, but you can't just turn it on, throw food in, and enjoy. Before you start using your air fryer, you need to know a few tips and tricks. Otherwise, you could wind up with a broken machine and burnt food. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way.

 

Some of the most common mistakes people make when using an air fryer for the first time are listed below. What can you expect from your air fryer, and how can you avoid these pitfalls? It's all your favorite crispy, golden brown foods, but in a fraction of the time and less oil.

 

You're Not Adjusting For Cooking Times

Even though you don't need to build up a whole new recipe repertoire, assuming you can use your air fryer for old recipes while keeping things like temperature and cooking time the same is a pretty big mistake that could ruin dinner.

 

A Taste of Home report has found that countless recipes can be adapted to an air fryer with just a few adjustments. They say that a good rule of thumb is to remember to lower the cooking temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit when making a turkey. Make sure that you pay attention to the recommended cooking time as well. If you want to make the most of your money, you want to take about 20 percent off that. But there's a catch. 

 

To calculate how long it will take you to cook something in an air fryer, you have to keep in mind that the time is not always as valuable as if you were cooking something on a stovetop. Different types of air fryers come with other cooking times, so depending on the model of your air fryer, your cooking time might be a little longer or shorter. The Taste of Home website states that the cooking time for French fries, for example, can range between 10 and 20 minutes. If you are learning how to use an air fryer for the first time or trying out a new recipe, think of a cooking time more as a guideline rather than something that is set in stone, and know that it won't take the same amount of time as other cooking methods.

 

You Haven't Checked The Temperature Of Your Air Fryer

We take for granted a lot of things. We assume that the sun will rise in the morning and set in the evening, that the McDonald's ice cream machine will not display the right colors, and that Wendy's will always have a Frosty to satisfy our cravings.

 

Similarly, we tend to assume that the temperature settings of our kitchen appliances are correct, but that is not always the case.

 

Taste of Home states that the actual temperature of an air fryer is not necessarily what you think it is. They found out that different models run either hotter or cooler, which can make all the difference between crispy, delicious fries and fries that aren't so great. 

 

As you can see from the picture, double-checking the temperature of your air fryer is pretty easy to do and only requires the use of an oven thermometer (such as the one pictured). You don't have to worry; this won't just be a one-time purchase that will end up in a drawer down the line! You may notice that the dials of your appliances become looser and less precise over time. Our research has shown that it is best to check your oven's temperature at least once every six months to ensure you are cooking food at the temperature you think you are. You will be able to make adjustments as necessary once you know.

 

You're Not Using A Thermometer With Your Air Fryer

Food poisoning is the last thing any of us want to experience with our meal. Here's the thing: even though air fryers seem like a pretty foolproof way to cook, you should always make sure anything you're serving has reached the right temperature before serving it.

 

The Brains Report tested a variety of air fryers and found that they all took longer to cook food properly than most guidelines suggested. A slice of bread was recommended as a test to put this into perspective. Depending on the air fryer, it could be toasted in as little as 3 minutes, or as much as 10 minutes depending on the air fryer. In cooking chicken, this may not seem like a big deal, but it could mean the difference between enjoying a delicious meal and getting up close and personal with salmonella when it comes to dealing with chicken. 

 

When it comes to meat, you will want to make sure you do not just eyeball it but instead use an instant-read thermometer to check whether your meat is cooked all the way through. Let's take poultry as an example. According to the USDA, it is recommended that all poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. It is better to be 100 percent sure you are cooking at the proper temperature for food safety, especially when using a cooking method that varies so dramatically across the board.

 

You Don't Use Enough Oil With Your Air Fryer

It turns out that it is a bit of a misnomer to call an air fryer by its name because when it comes to cooking, it does indeed require you to use oil. For breaded items that you want to get crispy, you will only need about 1-2 teaspoons of oil in the air fryer, or up to 1-2 tablespoons if you plan to air fry them.

 

For this reason, although the hot air coursing through your machine will cook the things, without oil, they can end up dry, burnt, and leathery. Using just a tiny bit of oil can help your food crisp up. I believe this is especially true with fried and breaded items that you are heating up or cooking in your fryer, as the oil on the outside of the food gets heated by the air, thus helping to cook the breaded items to a crispy golden brown. 

 

Whenever possible, you should avoid adding fat to your diet, so it would be best to use a nonstick cooking spray or oil from a spray bottle to coat your food with just enough oil or spray. Make sure you spray your ingredients with a spritzer before you put them in your air fryer basket to keep your machine clean.

 

You Use Too Much Oil In Your Air Fryer

Since you now know that you will still need to use oil in your air fryer, it can be tempting to go too far in the other direction. For many people, the impulse is always to keep using the same amount of oil as we do in our traditional cooking methods to make sure that everything comes out of the air fryer crispy and delicious. 

 

In contrast with traditional frying, in which you want your food to be submerged at least partially in oil, with an air fryer, you only need a little bit of oil (1-2 teaspoons for most foods) - more than that can lead to soggy, burned food and is a fire hazard.

 

It is certainly possible that something else is causing your food not to be as crispy as you would like it to be. Hold back on the temptation to add more oil; it may be one of these other problems with your air fryer. 

 

Other Mistakes

  • The smoke point of the oil you use in your air fryer is not something you should ignore
  • Overcrowding the air fryer pan is not a good thing
  • If you don't give your air fryer room to vent, it won't work properly
  • You don't clean your air fryer frequently enough
  • You don't need to preheat your air fryer before using it
  • Seasonings fly out of your mouth as you let them go
  • There is nothing worse than setting up your air fryer and forgetting about it
  • When you use your air fryer, you try to use traditional frying batters
  • You may want to try cooking raw vegetables in the air fryer
  • When it comes to leftovers, you do not use your air fryer
  • It's only for frying "fried" foods that you use your air fryer
  • When you use your air fryer for baking, you're not baking
  • The air fryer you have is not equipped with any accessories
  • There's a chance that you aren't completely drying your air fryer
  • The air fryer you bought is a cheap one

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Dash Products Kid-Friendly?

Despite our efforts to make our products and recipes as family-friendly as possible, Dash products are NOT designed for children to use unsupervised.

Can You Open A Dash Air Fryer While Cooking?

The fryer can also be opened at any time during the cooking process in order to check if your ingredients are done.

How Do I Get A Product Manual?

A complete user manual is included in the box with every Dash product so that you can get started quickly. If you have lost your user manual or did not receive one, visit the "Warranty and Manuals" tab on the relevant product page on ByDash.com to download your user manual.

Is The Dash Air Fryer Worth It?

You can use the Dash air fryer if you like simplicity and do not need to cook much food. This device is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys cooking up a quick, tasty meal at the drop of a hat. We are a product review company with a singular mission: to simplify your purchasing decisions and help you save time and money. Thousands of hours are spent researching, analyzing, and testing products to develop the best picks for most consumers. Best reviews and its newspaper partners can earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.