When I saw the glass frying basket that came with the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer — I was sold. Why hadn’t anyone thought of the clear basket before? It's so useful to see the status of what you're cooking without having to open the appliance up and lose heat.
The Gourmia Fry 'N Fold air fryer lets you watch what’s happening in real-time. But don’t worry about keeping an eye to know when it's time to shake or turn its contents — it'll tells you when it’s time. When it's done, this air fryer stacks into itself, taking up less counter or cabinet space than any air fryer I’ve seen.
However, there are a few design flaws that stop me from calling this the best air fryer, including grates that let stray food fall through, a strange metal-look piece in the bottom of the frying basket, and sharp edges that you have to watch out for. Plus, it looks like a halogen oven.
Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer review
Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer specifications
What I thought of the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer
Its seven-quart basket size is what I'd consider to be the most versatile small air fryer size. It's big enough for two servings of fries without having to layer food. You can fit enough meat in there for four people, or two people with leftovers for the next day.
The FryForce 360° Technology cooked fries to crispy perfection, chicken thighs were juicy inside, and diced sweet potatoes were crunchy and delicious. I found this small kitchen appliance cooked food faster than the setting defaults, so it’s worth watching your food closely (through the glass basket) to know when it's ready.
Unboxing the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer
The Gourmia Fry 'N Fold air fryer comes mostly pre-assembled. It was securely packed — a major relief, given the glass. I removed the stickers and labels, popped the pieces together and it was ready to go. I cleaned the basket and crisper tray with Dawn dish soap (available from Amazon) and hot water first.
Gourmia includes a detailed manual as well as a recipe book. The latter had so many air fryer recipes, including how to make scones, coffee cake, and, grilled cheese using the bake function. Even the most seasoned user will be surprised about what you can cook in an air fryer.
Using the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer
While there are lots of buttons on the digital touch screen at the top of the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold: Don’t worry — it’s easy to figure out.
To set it up, put the crisping tray in the frying basket. It should fit snugly thanks to the grips on each side. Then, if you’re making fries (my first test dish), hit the fries button to start its preheat.
Once the preheat warms up, you’ll get a notification to “Add Your Food.” Put your food on top of the crisping tray. In theory, you do not need any oil in this air fryer, though I like to give my fries, chicken, or whatever it might be a light spritz — just for extra crisp.
Halfway through, you’ll get a notification to “Turn Your Food.” Of course, throughout this process, you can check on your dish by peering through the basket. If you need more light, hit the light button to get an even better look.
You can turn off both the preheat and turn reminder notifications — but I found them incredibly helpful.
Then, you just wait for the time to be up (or stop it early if the food looks done). I used the fries setting for my sweet potatoes and for the chicken thighs, I customized the settings according to the recipe I was making. It was easy and intuitive.
Gourmia has a few air fryer do's and don'ts, such as making sure there is at least four inches of space around every side of the air fryer for ventilation. And, if you do add cooking oil, avoid canned sprays.
How to clean and maintain the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer
After you’re done using the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold, let it cool completely before cleaning the air fryer. This is extra important given the glass basket. You can, however, remove the basket to speed up this process.
The crisper tray can go in the top rack of the dishwasher, but the glass basket should be hand washed. If the rest of the air fryer needs cleaning, use a damp microfiber cloth (like these from Amazon Basics) with a small amount of dish soap if necessary.
You can also clean the inside of the machine that way. The cord folds up into the back of the machine, and the top of the machine flips over to store within the basket. It becomes half the size, which is perfect for small spaces.
Should you buy the the Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold air fryer
At $79.99, this seven-quart foldable air fryer provides great value for money and comes with a one-year limited warranty from the date of purchase.
If you’ve resisted jumping on the air fryer hype because of the space, money, or both, now's the time to join the club. Serial food burner? This glass basket will save you from a ruined dinner.
If the glass basket deters you, but you still want to see what's inside, the Paris Rhone air fryer (available on Amazon) is a great choice. We gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 in our Paris Rhone air fryer review.
How we test air fryers
The Gourmia Fry 'N Fold Digital air fryer was sent to me by the brand, and I used it over a several-week period. Here are a few things I like to look out for when test air fryers:
