If you’ve been researching air fryers, you probably know a few things by now. They cook using an overhead heating element and a powerful fan, and you usually need to shake the drawer to get an even cook.
But what if there was an air fryer where no shaking is required because it has not one but two heating elements, one above and one below? In this review, I test out the Cosori Dual Blaze to find out if it really does cook differently or whether that bottom heating element is a little bit of a gimmick.
Table of Contents
What Is the Cosori Dual Blaze?
The Cosori Dual Blaze is a single drawer 6.4L smart air fryer that works with an app. However, if smart features do not appeal to you, you can also use it without ever connecting it to Wi-Fi, just like a standard air fryer. If you do want to use it as a smart air fryer, when you first get it you will need to download the VeSync app, choose add a device, and then press and hold the power button on your air fryer so it can connect to your phone.
From the app, you can choose from a range of recipes and set the air fryer up with the correct time and temperature directly from your phone. You can then keep an eye on the progress of your cooking in the app while you are off doing something else elsewhere in the house.
Design and Appearance
My sister’s kid ended up nicknaming this one the Minecraft air fryer because it is so square and boxy. I personally quite like its minimal appearance, but it does look a little bit like a letterbox, and I realize that will not appeal to everyone.
The air inlet on this model is on the top at the rear and the outlet is on the back. There are also additional vents on the bottom of this air fryer because of that lower heating element, so the standard advice about pulling it out from the wall while cooking still applies.
The crisper plate on this has a slightly unusual design, which I think makes it look like it is permanently smiling at you. However, those big holes can be a little bit of a pain, as even quite large things like prawns can slip through while you are cooking. You may then find yourself having to lift a hot crisper plate to retrieve them.
Cooking Functions and Settings
The Cosori Dual Blaze has 12 cooking functions. The six on the left of the display offer different types of food presets, while the six on the right are different cooking settings. Starting on the right, the cooking settings use the top and bottom heating elements in slightly different ways.
Air Fry uses full power on both the top and bottom elements. Reheat uses full power on top with low heat below. Roast uses medium power on top and full power on the bottom. Keep Warm uses medium heat above and below. Bake uses low power on top and full power on the bottom. Broil uses full power on the top and no heat below, and this setting is particularly recommended when cooking oily food to reduce smoke.
On the left hand side, the food specific presets are designed for particular types of food, including chicken, steak, seafood, veggies, fries, and frozen. I did some research but could not find out which heating elements those food specific presets use, so if you want more control over where your heat is coming from, you are probably better off sticking with the cooking settings on the right side of the display.
You may also notice that there is no dehydrate setting on the Dual Blaze. That is because the lowest temperature on this model is 80 degrees Celsius, with a maximum of 205 degrees Celsius. You can alter the time and temperature while the program is running, and there is a separate button for turning on and off and for starting the cooking program.
The basket and crisper plates are both non-stick and dishwasher safe. As you would expect, cooking pauses automatically when you pull the drawer out and resumes when you put it back in.
Also Read : Cosori Dual Basket Air Fryer Review
Does the Second Heating Element Make a Difference?
The thing I was most interested in finding out was whether that lower heating element actually makes any real difference in a real kitchen scenario. Given that the heat it produces cannot really circulate because it is trapped by the drawer, I wanted to put it to the test. As well as cooking a variety of regular meals over the last couple of weeks, I also did three side by side tests with the Cosori Dual Blaze next to my Cosori Dual Basket.
Test 1: Chocolate Cake
The first test was a chocolate cake. I made a batch of batter and divided it exactly in half into two identical tins and cooked both cakes at 160 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes on the bake setting. The two finished cakes were pretty much identical, with the Dual Basket on the left and the Dual Blaze on the right. There was no difference in the rise or in the speed that they cooked.
Test 2: Pastry and Quiche
Next, I wanted to try pastry to see if the bottom heating element made a noticeable difference to the base of a quiche. I made two identical spinach, feta, and tomato tarts and cooked both at 160 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Looking at the bottoms of both quiches after cooking, they were just the same. The bottom heating element had not made any difference to how well cooked the pastry was.
Test 3: Homemade Fries (No Shake Test)
The final test was homemade fries, because the Cosori Dual Blaze sells itself as a no shake air fryer. I cooked two batches of chips, one in the Dual Blaze and one in the Dual Basket. I soaked them in cold water for 15 minutes to remove the starch, then cooked them on the fry setting at 195 degrees Celsius.
In the last 5 minutes, I cranked the temperature up to 205 degrees on both air fryers. The Dual Basket got a couple of shakes during cooking, while the Dual Blaze did not. The results were really interesting. There was a noticeable difference with the Dual Blaze, and the chips were definitely browned on the bottom despite the lack of shaking.
- No shaking required thanks to dual heating elements
- Smart app control makes remote cooking convenient
- Dishwasher safe basket and crisper plate for easy cleaning
- Multiple cooking settings give good control over heat distribution
Specification Table
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 6.4 Litres |
| Heating Elements | Two (Top and Bottom) |
| Minimum Temperature | 80 degrees Celsius |
| Maximum Temperature | 205 degrees Celsius |
| Cooking Functions | 12 (6 food presets, 6 cooking settings) |
| Smart App | VeSync App (Wi-Fi connectivity) |
| Basket and Crisper Plate | Non-stick, dishwasher safe |
| Air Inlet Location | Top rear |
| Air Outlet Location | Back |
| Drawer Auto Pause | Yes |
| Dehydrate Function | No |
| Type | Single Drawer Smart Air Fryer |
Final Verdict
If you are looking for a model where you can simply place the food in, control the cooking through an app, and walk away without having to shake the basket or adjust the temperature manually, then the Cosori Dual Blaze is the air fryer for you. However, it is important to say that it is not a miracle worker. For most dishes, the difference was barely noticeable. So if you are considering this as an upgrade, it probably is not worth trading in your existing air fryer purely to get one with two heating elements rather than one.
Read More: Tower Vortx Dual Basket Review
