Relatively a new name in the Malaysian market but based in Southern California, COSORI launched their first air fryer model in 2018.
And now, COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer is their solution for those seeking an air fryer with a larger cooking capacity.
Recently, we got our hands on the COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer. This is not a sponsored article, by the way. Is it worth the price? This is our review for the COSORI Premium Max XL air fryer!
COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
Pros
Premium & attractive build quality
Comes with a 100-recipe cookbook
Highly customizable temperature/timing settings
Dish-washer safe
Large LED touch display
Easy-to-read user manual & quick reference guide
2 years official warranty
Cons
Safety lock/disengage feels flimsy
Pricey for an air fryer
Relatively small 5.5L capacity for the price
Strange, plastic smell during first use
Features Of The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
- 5.5L Basket With Non-Stick PFOA-Free Coating
- 11 One-Touch Pre-sets
- Shake Reminder Function
- Keep Warm Function
- 360° Circulating Heat
- 1700W power output
- Time Control (Up to 60 minutes)
- Temperature Control (75°to 205℃)
- 304 Food-Grade Stainless Steel
- FDA Certified, BPA Free w/ CE/ROHS Certificate
- 2 Years Official Warranty by COSORI Malaysia
First Impressions Of The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
Packaging
The packaging is excellent and very securely wrapped when purchased from the official Shopee store. The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer is securely packaged in air bubble wrap all around and stored within another box to prevent dents.
Inside the actual air fryer box, there is further Styrofoam packaging to protect the air fryer.
The air fryer is a little heavy, weighing in at 5.4kg. The air fryer itself is still light enough to handle but the overall package may prove difficult to carry for some people.
What’s In The Box
Inside is a packet with the user manual, Quick Reference Guide, and recipe book. As someone who’s never owned an air fryer, these were welcome resources.
The user manual is very reader-friendly. There are tables, pictures, and information on types of food/settings to use. It explains everything you need to know and is very comprehensive.
The Quick Reference Guide pamphlet provides vital information on how to use the air fryer with easy-to-digest pictures and descriptions as well.
Moving on to the recipe book. It’s pretty comprehensive for a free recipe book. There are recipes for baked goods, sides, breakfast, entrées, and appetizers.
Other than these documents, you also get a free apron. The single cable you need to power up the air fryer is already attached to the air fryer.
Setting Up The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
Once you get everything out of the box, you need to do a few things before you can use the air fryer.
Firstly, locate an appropriate place to put the air fryer. It’s pretty big and will take up a good chunk of space in your kitchen.
You’ll also need to position it away from the wall since the ventilation openings are at the back of the air fryer.
Keep it too close to the wall or your cabinets, and your air fryer might overheat. The air fryer also emits hot steam from the rear vents so be careful not to burn yourself.
Once you’ve positioned the air fryer, simply plug it in and switch it on. You’ll notice the blue power button light up to indicate it’s on.
When we first used the air fryer, we noticed a strange, plastic smell. We had already removed all plastic/packaging in the air fryer but we figured it might be the non-stick coating on the stainless steel.
The smell only went away by the third or fourth time we used the air fryer.
In our reasoning, there shouldn’t be much cause for alarm since COSORI uses 304 food-grade stainless steel and non-stick PFOA-free coating.
This might be something you can prevent/ minimize if you wash and dry the basket thoroughly before use.
Before you start cooking, it’s a good idea to preheat the air fryer too. This ensures food is thoroughly cooked. The user manual tells you exactly how long you need to preheat depending on the temperature.
Review Of The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
Build Quality Of The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer feels and looks very ‘premium’. It uses sturdy materials and has a sleek, slightly textured finish.
It looks better than the typical plastic bodies on cheaper air fryers.
There are three colours to choose from – red, white, and black. We got the red variant and we have to say it’s striking in contrast to other kitchen appliances in our kitchen.
The basket is made of non-stick stainless steel. You can easily detach the basket from the outer basket that catches oil/crumbs with a press of a button located on the handle.
But here’s where I find a slight problem with the design:
The air fryer basket has a plastic button guard. The guard prevents you from accidentally pressing the basket release which drops the outer basket.
Initially, we felt that it was a little too flimsy and could potentially break over time. But without the guard in place, it isn’t as secure. Especially if you have kids that like to press buttons.
We wish this button guard was a little more securely fastened so we don’t have to worry about it breaking off. Otherwise, there’s nothing to complain about the build quality and design.
Using The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
The COSORI Premium Max XL features a plentiful array of 11 pre-set modes with varying temperatures and timings. Having these options takes out a lot of the guesswork when using the air fryer.
These are the available pre-sets for cooking:
- Steak
- Chicken
- Seafood
- Shrimp
- Bacon
- Frozen Foods
- French Fries
- Root Vegetables
- Vegetables
- Bread
- Deserts
There’s also the Pre-Heat button to automatically pre-heat the air fryer.
In terms of pre-sets, we think there’s plenty to choose from. And the selection cover a wide variety of foods.
If you’re cooking something that doesn’t match to any of the above pre-sets, find the closest thing and make adjustments according to the recipe.
Temperature/Timing Controls & Capacity
Besides the preset functions, the COSORI Premium Max XL has a wide range for the timing and temperature controls.
You can adjust the temperature between 75°- 205°C and can change the timing between 1 – 60 minutes. We found this to be a sufficient range of temperatures and timings for most recipes.
There’s also a Keep Warm button that keeps the air fryer at a default temperature of 75°C. You can adjust the timing/temperature as necessary, but we found the default settings kept food at a warm & toasty temperature without overcooking the food.
On another note, we find that the COSORI Premium Max XL’s 5.5L capacity is perfect for households of 3 – 5 pax. More than this, and it feels inadequate.
Considering there are other options for 9.0L air fryers at a fraction of the price (like the Philips AF602D), this does feel limiting.
Unique Features Of The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
One unique feature we loved on the COSORI Premium Max XL is the ‘Shake Reminder’. COSORI claims this is a feature “unique to COSORI”.
The Shake Reminder as the name implies, reminds you when to shake your food during the air frying process.
It does this by emitting 5 beeps and blinking the word “((SHAKE))” on the display. If you forget to take out the basket and shake it within 1 minute, it will beep one more time and show a solid “((SHAKE))” on the display.
You should shake/flip your food once at the half time of cooking. So, if you’re cooking for 10 minutes total, you should shake at the 5-minute point. The Shake Reminder does this automatically so you don’t need to manually time it.
However, this function is only available on certain pre-sets (e.g., Shrimp, Frozen Foods, French Fries, Vegetables, and Root Vegetables). Regardless, it is a very welcome, and useful feature. We just wish it was available on other pre-sets and settings.
How Easy is it to Clean The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158?
Cleaning the COSORI Premium Max XL air fryer is straightforward:
Remove the basket and press the basket release button to separate the inner and outer baskets for washing. Do this while the outer basket is set on a stable surface and not when holding it.
The outer basket is super easy to clean since there are no crevices/spaces for crumbs and oil to seep into. We gently wash it with a non-abrasive sponge to ensure we don’t scratch the non-stick coating.
The inner basket is a little trickier to clean.
You can easily soap up and clean the base of the basket, but it’s hard to reach into every nook & cranny of the basket. Since there are multiple angled vents on the bottom and sides of the basket, it is difficult to remove oil/food particles stuck to the edges.
It’s doable but can be a pain with harder grease stains.
You can also clean the inside of the air fryer and the heating coils with a slightly damp cloth or sponge. We haven’t had to just yet, but we’re happy to note that we can safely clean the inside without damaging anything.
The COSORI Premium Max XL is also dishwasher safe which makes cleaning even easier.
Verdict For The COSORI Premium Max XL Air Fryer CP158
Overall, the COSORI Premium Max XL air fryer is everything we needed. It has a bunch of pre-sets to choose from and it’s easy to use.
It’s a premium brand with a price tag to match. But for the “shake reminder” and excellent build/design, we don’t mind the slightly higher price tag.
Still, there are some things we’re not fans of. Like the flimsy button guard, hard-to-clean basket, and smallish capacity. There are a bunch of other air fryers that have a bigger capacity, for less.
But the good news is, none of these problems are deal breakers. Unless you do have a big household or plan to cook big batches of food in the air fryer.
Get the product on Lazada or Shopee:
Or, see more recommendations for air fryers in Malaysia.
