5 Common Mistakes with Air Fryers and How to Avoid Them

Fried foods are delicious, but they can also be calorie bombs. Air fryers give you the best of both worlds: crispy and chewy food with 80% fewer calories!

The benefits of air fryers are endless. They’re easy to use, require little upkeep, and have so many delicious recipes. But for all their benefits, air fryer features can be a bit confusing.

Here are five common mistakes with air fryers and how to avoid them.

1. Not Preheating Air Fryers

Preheating allows the machine to heat more evenly, which helps to remove moisture from food faster so it can crisp up in less time. If you skip this step, your food will cook unevenly or take longer than expected.

Always preheat for about 5 minutes before cooking with air fryers.

2. Too Much Oil

You should only use a small amount of oil when cooking with your air fryer. Too much oil will cause splattering and smoke, which is not only messy but can also be dangerous.

Avoid using non-stick sprays in your air fryer as well. Spraying the basket of an air fryer with a nonstick spray can damage it and make it unsafe for use.

3. Cleaning With Harsh Chemicals

The best way to clean an air fryer is with a soft cloth and dish soap. Make sure the soap is mild and doesn’t have any harsh chemicals. Soaps from Dawn or Joy are good choices.

Using harsh cleaners and abrasives, such as bleach or scouring pads, will damage your unit and cause it to smoke while it’s running.

4. Cooking Anything

Some foods simply don’t work well in air fryers. For example, you can’t cook eggs or pancakes in an air fryer because they will splatter all over the interior of the machine. Also, if you try to make oatmeal in one of these devices, the results won’t be pretty and they may not taste very good either.

Seek recipes that use dry foods. If you’re looking for something fast and delicious, search “sweet potato recipes air fryer” or “air fryer chicken recipes.”

5. Not Turning Off the Power

If you plug in an air fryer with the power on, it will damage the outlet and create a fire hazard. Also, if you don’t turn off your air fryer before unplugging it, you could damage the machine. Always turn off the power before unplugging!

Avoid These Mistakes With Air Fryers

Making mistakes with air fryers is common for new home cooks, so don’t be ashamed if you’re guilty of a few of the things on this list. The important thing is that you learn from your mistakes so you can avoid them in the future. Cleaning your air fryer properly and using the right methods to power it down will help preserve your appliance for many years.

If you’re experimenting with new tools in the kitchen, check out our technology section to see which models are worth buying!

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