Philips Viva Collection Airfryer TurboStar HD9628/96 review

The Philips Viva Collection HD9628/96 is an earlier black, single-basket air fryer whose strongest documented distinction is its accessory package: the exact Philips sheet lists both a baking pan and a grill pan. They let you change how food sits in the same drawer, but do not make this a dual-basket or two-zone appliance. Philips lists a 0.8 kg food load, analogue time and temperature controls, a 30-minute timer, and 1,425 W at 120 V / 60 Hz. Philips marks the exact listing discontinued, so this assessment is for comparison or identifying an existing unit, not evidence of current stock or a default purchase recommendation.

One cooking area, with a different kit

The exact HD9628/96 technical sheet calls out a 0.8 kg basket, while the support-linked Viva family manual describes one pan, one basket and a removable mesh bottom. That is a food-weight figure, not a quart volume, measured cooking area or serving count. The manual gives frozen fries as 200–800 g, but recommends home-cut fries in portions up to 500 g for an even result, with soaking, drying and shaking during cooking. The maximum marked load is not a rule that every food should be packed to that level.

The inclusion list is more specific than the general "fry, bake, grill and roast" language. Philips lists a baking tray, grill pan and recipe booklet with this suffix. Its linked manual names the baking pan and non-stick grill pan for HD9628, while the two-layer rack is identified for HD9622 only. The baking pan sits inside the basket; the grill pan replaces it for a different cooking surface. Both use the same drawer and one control setting at a time—not extra zones. If the attachments are not useful, they add parts to store and clean. For a used unit, check that the exact model and pieces match the seller's listing.

Physical dials instead of menus

The family manual's diagram identifies a temperature-control knob and a timer/power-on knob. It describes no touchscreen, saved food presets or appliance Wi-Fi connection for HD9628. The product material promotes a free recipe app, but recipe access is not evidence of remote appliance monitoring or control. This straightforward interface may suit someone who prefers turning a control rather than navigating a menu. The tradeoff is that the appliance does not document an automatic program that can make decisions for a particular food or adjust itself from an app.

Philips lists a timer up to 30 minutes. The manual's troubleshooting section says a setting shorter than five minutes may prevent start-up. It also says preheating is not necessary, which is not the same as a dedicated preheat mode. The exact sheet does not state minimum or maximum dial temperatures. Manual food-table examples—350°F for fries, 400°F for some frozen snacks—are recipes, not a published setting range or a promise for every batch.

What the operating plan asks of you

Plan one batch around one temperature and timer. The manual allows two ingredients together only when their recommended settings match; fries and drumsticks are its example. You cannot give each side a separate finish time. For that need, compare a documented dual-basket model such as the Philips NA555/00. For a manufacturer-stated quart figure, see a volume-labeled option such as the COSORI Pro LE rather than converting this 0.8 kg food weight into volume.

Cleaning, coating and counter fit

Philips describes the drawer and removable basket mesh as non-stick and dishwasher-safe. The family manual says to unplug the fryer, let hot parts cool completely, and avoid metal utensils and abrasive cleaning on its coated pan and basket. It also recommends removing oil and fat from the drawer after use to reduce smoke from residues. The exact record does not identify the coating chemistry or say that the food-contact surfaces are PFAS-free. The separate baking and grill accessories are listed as included, but the evidence reviewed here does not establish a dishwasher-care claim for those two pieces; follow their own care instructions rather than extending the basket claim to every accessory.

The exact sheet lists a plastic body, 365 × 266 × 292 mm dimensions, 5.3 kg weight and a 0.8 m cord. Leave room to pull out the drawer and keep air openings clear. Baking and grilling still happen inside that same drawer; hot parts require heat-resistant handling.

Who this model suits—and when to skip it

The HD9628/96 is most relevant to someone who already owns this exact model, or is carefully comparing an earlier listed unit, and values the maker-documented choice between a basket, baking pan and grill pan. One-zone operation, physical dials, the 30-minute timer, a modest 0.8 kg mass capacity and dishwasher-cleanable basket parts describe the practical routine more clearly than the TurboStar name. Its 120 V / 60 Hz / 1,425 W specification is explicit in the exact sheet, unlike some related suffix records, but that electrical fact does not make the discontinued listing a current buying offer.

Look elsewhere if two independently controlled foods, a digital display, connected monitoring, a clear basket window, a specific quart minimum, a published temperature extreme or an explicit PFAS-free statement is essential. Those details are not established for this exact configuration. Philips does not make the extra baking and grill surfaces a reason to assume two cooking zones, and the recipe app is not a smart-control feature. Since the product is marked discontinued, check the physical suffix, condition, included pieces and rating label before considering any particular second-hand unit; no current price, retailer or used-package contents are inferred here.