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In 2006, Dutch engineer Fred van der Weij invented a kitchen device that changed the way many of us cook today: the air fryer.

Fred’s first prototype was nearly as big as a dog kennel and made of wood and aluminium, with a chicken wire basket. It was only a partial success.

But Fred was certain he could make the machine work thanks to an idea he patented called rapid air technology.

Four years later, and after several more prototypes, Fred took his invention to the electronics company, Philips, and signed a deal.

Today, there are many other air fryer brands and models, and by the end of 2024, it’s estimated 80 million will have been sold around the world.

Fred died of cancer in 2022 but his daughter Suus van der Weij witnessed the development of his invention. She told Jane Wilkinson about the family’s pride in her father.

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(Photo: Fred van der Weij with his prototypes. Credit: van der Weij family)