Air fryers are the hottest thing in the kitchen since the microwave and Instant Pot. These clever contraptions have come a long way in just a few years. What began as a “healthy” way to make crispy chips has evolved into a multi-talented kitchen companion that can cook, bake, grill, roast, toast, reheat and even defrost.
With Diwali around the corner, homes across the country are about to become deep-frying arenas — samosas, pakoras, potato cakes, chicken wings and whatnot. It brings us neatly to the Bosch CrispMaxx Air Fryer, currently parked on my kitchen counter for review.
At first glance, the pod-like appliance looks like a gadget straight out of a sci-fi film. It works through convection baking, meaning powerful fans circulate hot air to heat and crisp food efficiently. But does it really work faster? Do your fried favourites come out golden and crunchy? And is it truly any different from a good old oven?
The different stages of making 700g of French fries
Compact but mighty
The Bosch CrispMaxx, from BSH Home Appliances, is compact, easy to operate and even a little bit fun. There’s no tedious preheating involved; it’s remarkably quick, and it’s perfect for small households or snack enthusiasts. If you’re someone who avoids using an oven — maybe because of space, heat or just sheer laziness — this could be the gadget for you. But before rushing to add it to your cart, let’s understand where an air fryer actually fits into your lifestyle.
Choosing your champion
Before you splurge, decide what kind of air fryer suits you best. Basket-style air fryers are the crowd favourites. They take up less space, are easy to handle. Then there are dual-basket air fryers, designed for the overachievers who want to cook two dishes at once. Finally, we have air fryer ovens, the multi-taskers of the bunch. They’re ideal for those who enjoy baking or want to experiment with rotisserie-style cooking.
One of the most common questions about basket-style models concerns the non-stick coating. Bosch uses a solid, durable layer that seems ready to handle regular cooking without any problem.
As for capacity, remember this golden rule: Never fill the basket beyond two-thirds of its volume, or you’ll curtail the airflow and end up with soggy chips. For most families, size matters: Up to four litres for two people, four to six litres for three to five people, and seven litres or more for larger households or enthusiastic snackers
The Bosch CrispMaxx offers a 7.2-litre basket, making it suitable for family dinners and Diwali feasts alike. You can easily whip up 1.2kg of fries or roast a chicken weighing nearly 2kg. Handy when unexpected guests arrive — or when your teenage children suddenly bring home the entire cricket team.
Controls and temperature
CrispMaxx comes loaded with the usual presets — frying, roasting, baking, grilling — but presets are more like polite suggestions than strict rules. Once you get the hang of temperature and timing, you’ll happily improvise. For example, that frozen chips packet may say 200 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, while Bosch’s preset suggests 180 degrees Celsius for 23 minutes. Either way, experimentation is part of the fun.
Cooking speed is driven by wattage. Budget models with lower power take longer to cook, while dual-basket machines need extra wattage to divide energy between chambers. For most dishes, 30 minutes of cooking is enough, but if you’re roasting a whole chicken or baking in batches, look for air fryers with a 60-minute timer and temperatures reaching 200 degrees Celsius or more.
Another handy feature is the shake reminder, which beeps when it’s time to toss your fries mid-cook. On the CrispMaxx, this appears as a glowing icon accompanied by a friendly (but assertive) beep.
Like in a traditional oven (left), you can see what's cooking inside the basket of the air fryer
When it comes to controls, digital trumps analogue these days. They look sleek, are more precise. App connectivity is also available on some other models, though frankly, you don’t need to start your chips while you’re on the Calcutta Metro. The CrispMaxx also includes a transparent viewing window, which is surprisingly satisfying.
Cooking experience
Now for the fun part: The food. Frozen French fries are the gold-standard test for any air fryer. How evenly do they cook? How crisp do they get? And do they taste like the real deal? In short: yes, yes, and absolutely yes. Unlike many air fryers that sound like a jet taking off, the Bosch runs quietly enough to hold a conversation over. The fries came out evenly cooked, crisp, golden and properly addictive — noticeably better than those made in Xiaomi’s air fryer. The texture, in particular, was spot on: crunchy outside, fluffy inside.
Chicken wings were next. With a generous 7.2-litre basket, there’s room for a good batch in one go. Turn the heat up a touch, and you’ll get wings that are beautifully crisp on the outside while staying juicy within.
A pinch of perspective
To understand the air fryer’s limits, you must first accept what it isn’t. Last weekend, I attempted to bake biscotti — a twice-baked Italian biscuit that demands space between dough slabs. For such recipes, a traditional oven remains your best mate. Similarly, a stuffed chicken dinner for a large, hungry family is better handled by your oven unless you enjoy cooking in three separate shifts.
However, for everyday snacking or smaller meals, the air fryer shines. When my daughter’s friends descend, demanding fries, McCain Smiles and veggie fingers, the CrispMaxx can handle the chaos effortlessly — with minimal oil and even less mess. It’s not a license to overindulge, but it does make comfort food slightly less guilty.
The air fryer shouldn’t replace your oven but rather complement it. Think of them as partners in culinary crime — each excelling in its own territory. The CrispMaxx, with its transparent viewing window and responsive touch controls, nails the details that make everyday cooking genuinely convenient.
At a glance
Device: Bosch CrispMaxx Air Fryer
Price: ₹12,785, currently on discount on Amazon at ₹7,699
High notes
Even cooking
Stylish looks
Comes with a large basket
Ability to see cooking in progress
Small storage footprint
Muffled note
Reflective surface; can gather smudges