Technology

Cooking with the Airfryer: 5 mistakes you make

Published

5 days ago

June 26, 2024

An air fryer turned upside down, with cleaning spray and a cloth in front of it

Air fryers are brilliant at cooking everything from chips to chicken and much more – but even though they’re easy to use, the results can be mediocre. Common problems include burnt or dry food, overcooked or overcooked food, or uneven results. With a few of these types of meals you may wonder whether an air fryer is worth it.

Fortunately, the solution is usually just as simple, and a few small changes to your routine can make all the difference. Make sure you don’t make these common mistakes so your air fryer becomes your favorite appliance for every meal, from breakfast to dinner.

1. You are not using the correct settings

The most common problem with food not cooking properly in your air fryer usually has to do with the settings: often the temperature is too high or too low, or the food is not cooked long enough – or too long. This can result in soggy frozen food, chips that aren’t crispy enough, or meat and fish that are cooked but dry.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

If your food is crispy on the outside and undercooked on the inside, or if your pies have a crust and don’t rise, the temperature is too high. If your food dries out, the cooking time is too long. But for other cooking problems, you may need to experiment a bit.

Your machine is a good starting point in figuring out which settings to use: often there are special food presets that you can use as a guide and that can be adjusted to suit the quantity.

Also check your air fryer’s instructions: there may be a table showing the times and temperatures for different foods. You may find that a combination of cooking temperatures works best for different types of food, with a low and slow setting to cook the food through, followed by a higher setting to crisp it up.

Quick Tip: If you are trying to prepare an oven recipe in an air fryer, don’t forget to convert the time and temperature. As a guideline: reduce the time by approximately 20-25% and reduce the temperature by 20 °C.

Useful buying: Use a meat thermometer for foods such as steak, cuts of meat, poultry and fish. You can buy one from Amazon in the US for $16.99, or from Amazon UK for £9.99.

2. You overfill the basket

Air fryers work by circulating hot air around your food. This means that if you overfill the basket, the air will not circulate properly and the food will not cook evenly. It may seem efficient to cook in large quantities, but in the end you only add a few minutes and you can still end up with a soggy or pale result.

If your fries are not getting crispy and you have tried adjusting the cooking time and temperature, the problem may be that you are overfilling the cooking basket.

It is best to distribute the food in one layer on the vegetable plate and reduce the total amount.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

If this proves to be difficult on a regular basis, this may be a sign that you need a more spacious model or an air fryer with two drawers and a larger interior surface. Check out our reviews of the best dual tray air fryers and the best air fryer ovens for our top recommendations.

3. You forget to turn or shake the food

Even if you spread your food out so air can circulate, there are some dishes that need a helping hand to achieve maximum crispiness. Shaking the basket or tray often, or turning the food halfway through with silicone-tipped tongs, allows the hot air to reach every part of the food, resulting in more even cooking and browning.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

For example, homemade chips should be shaken at least twice during cooking. Some air fryers even have a shaking alarm to remind you. However, it is best to check all food as it cooks to ensure it does not burn or cook unevenly.

4. You’ve neglected cleaning

Your air fryer needs a cleaning after every use, even if only a few residues and crumbs remain. Leaving this behind can not only lead to an unappealing grease buildup, it can also result in smoke the next time you use the air fryer, potentially contaminating whatever you cook.

Pour away any oil or grease in the container and then wash the tray and sharpener plate or basket – by hand or in the dishwasher. The first ensures that your non-stick coating lasts longer.

But even if the tray looks spotless, you may still notice a lingering odor. These are often caused by cooking greasy foods, such as bacon, sausages and hamburgers, which spit when air-fried. You will need to clean your air fryer more thoroughly to remove splatter around the oven cavity.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Make sure the air fryer is unplugged, but try to suck out the fat while it is still a little warm. Use warm soapy water and a cloth to wipe the interior and air filter, or you can use a degreaser: most are sprayed on, left to sit for a few minutes and then wiped off with the grease.

For more stubborn grease, use a paste of baking soda and water with an old toothbrush before rinsing it away. Don’t be tempted to use oven cleaner: it is too aggressive and can remove the non-stick coating from your air fryer.

Useful buying: You can get a special air fryer cleaning spray from Amazon US for $14.28 or from Amazon UK for £8.39.

5. You use too much oil

Although it may be called a deep fryer, air fryers do not require as much oil as the amount of oil you would use if you were pan frying or roasting. A tablespoon of oil, tossed in, should be enough for a batch of homemade chips, while some foods require just a small drizzle to create a crispy, browned exterior. Fatty foods, such as sausages and burgers, don’t need oil at all, and the same goes for poultry cooked in its skin.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Useful purchase: An oil spray bottle allows you to spritz food, rather than soaking it in oil. It is also not expensive. A cleverly designed glass bottle that you can set to pour or squirt oil will cost you just $6.99 at Amazon US. The same model is available from Amazon UK for £7.99.

Finally, always check the instructions in your air fryer manual to ensure that the device works best when it is preheated. It usually only takes a few minutes and can produce better results than putting the food in the basket cold.

If you’re looking to upgrade your current model, check out our overview of the best air fryers of all brands and types. If you already know you want a Ninja, check out our roundup of the best Ninja air fryers and countertop cookers.