Select A Program To Preheat
Select the programs you wish to use from the display. For fries, we are using the air fryer function. Choose a temperature and time from the display – for reference, we used 200C for 20 mins.
Next press the start button to heat the air fryer. Its likely that your air fryer will come with a booklet containing suggested cooking temperatures and times, however, as a general rule we would advise cooking 10C less than the pack or recipe suggests for the same amount of time.
Most air fryer models have the following cooking methods and programs:
- Air fry: For replicating deep-fried foods, but using much less oil. Some air fryers come with a crisper basket or cooking tray: use them when using this function so the air can circulate in the machine to make the food crispy.
- Roast: Most similar to an oven and good for meat, fish, and vegetables.
- Bake: This setting is ideal for cakes. You can use any oven-proof case that will fit in the air fryer. We suggest covering bakes with foil to prevent the top from overcooking.
- Dehydrate: This function cooks at a low temperature for an extended time to remove the moisture from fruits and vegetables.
- Reheat: Great for warming leftovers, woman& home food director Jen Bedloe loves this function for reviving day-old pizza.
- Grill: Replicates grilling without the smoke. If your air fryer includes an extra grill plate, use this when using this function.
How Do You Remove Sticky Residue From An Air Fryer
For the toughest, stuck-on messes in the interior of your fryer, you can use a half-cup or so of baking soda and a bit of water to make a thick paste. Cover the sticky patches with the paste and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing off with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Wipe down the inside of the fryer with a wet cloth, then follow up with a dry cloth.
Get Rid Of Lingering Odors
When youre cooking, the amazing smells that fill your home can build anticipation and excitement for your meal. After the meal is finished, however, the lingering smells are anything but appetizing. Prevent lingering smells by soaking your basket in warm soapy water. You can also try cutting a lemon in half, rubbing it in the basket, and letting it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before washing your air fryer basket. You can also consider using a mild vinegar solution to alleviate foul smells.
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Update A New Way To Clean The Air Fryer Using The Air Fryer
I cant take the credit for this tip! I watched a video on Instagram and it was life-changing. Yup, you can use your air fryer to clean the air fryer. As always, this method will work best if you do it immediately after using your air fryer. I did test this method on day-old built up grease and residue, and it still works, but it required a little more physical cleaning on my part, and I would rather just have the air fryer do most of it.
So heres what you do! After you use the air fryer, it will often look like this, especially if you air fried meat.
After you have used it add one cup of water to the air fryer along with a couple of squirts of dish soap. Use whatever you like.
Place the basket with the water and soap back into the air fryer. Air fry for 5 minutes on 350 degrees.
From there rinse out the air fryer and wipe it down.
Viola! Very minimal effort and I didnt need to do any scrubbing. This worked better than my dishwasher in my opinion. If you try this, be sure to leave a comment below with your thoughs.
Tips For Cleaning An Air Fryer
- Add water – Sarah says, “You can also try adding a cup of water to the air fryer basket, turning it on and leaving it to heat for a few minutes. The heat of the water will lift stubborn grease, allowing you to wipe down with ease – no need to scrub!”
- Try baking soda – “If youre dealing with extra awkward patches, mix some baking soda with a little water to create a paste. Apply the paste to any difficult areas and leave to soak for a few minutes before lightly scrubbing.”
- Use a toothbrush – “If youre struggling to get to some hard to reach areas, try using an old toothbrush to lightly scrub.”
- Invest in liners – “Its also possible to get your hands on some air fryer liners, which can drastically cut down cleaning time! Before using an air fryer liner, ensure you consult the manual to check compatibility.”
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How To Clean Your Air Fryer In 4 Easy Steps5 Min Read
Air fryers are popular because they can help you whip up a tasty snack quickly while still helping you eat more healthily. The heated air produced in air fryers replaces the need to use oil for cooking, but these handy appliances can still get pretty grimy. And while using an air fryer can be much more convenient than a toaster oven, cleaning one can be a challenge if you dont know the proper steps for how to clean an air fryer.
Like your other kitchen appliances, air fryers should be wiped down often to remove dirt and dust. But over time, that air fryer will get dirtier and eventually need a deep cleaning. Keep in mind that the longer you wait, the harder cleaning an air fryer will be. Read on to learn how to clean an air fryer, how often to clean it, and how to keep it cleaner longer.
The Only 4 Air Fryer Cleaning Tips You Need
If you use your air fryer often, wipe down your air fryer after every use and give it a good cleaning each month. The good news is you can learn how to clean your air fryer inside and out with only four steps and some everyday household items. Thats rightit turns out the best way to clean an air fryer is also the easiest!
Always unplug your air fryer before you clean it and ensure its free of food debris. After cleaning grease trays, fry baskets, and other components, ensure they are completely dry before you reassemble the air fryer. All you need to clean your air fryer is a soft brush, microfiber cloths, dish soap, and baking soda.
Heres how to clean your air fryer:
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Nifty Air Fryer Cleaning Hacks To Try
Check out these nifty hacks to clean your air fryer in a jiffy without too much elbow grease:
- Hack #1: To get rid of unwanted odours, cut a lemon in half, rub it all over the basket and turn your air fryer on low for five minutes to imprint the smell inside the cooking cavity, and then rinse.
- Hack #2: Another nifty hack is to put a bit of dish soap and water into the basket and turn your appliance on low for three minutes. Then you can pour the water out, give the removable parts a quick rinse and you are good to go! Just make sure the water doesnt get near the mechanics of the machine, which could cause some damage. So, if youre going to try this one out, make sure to check the manufacturers advice first!
- Hack #3: Last but not least, you can use baking soda and water mixed together to form a paste to clean out crumbs or baked-on grease from your air fryer. Just give the inside a good scrub with something like an old toothbrush, never with something containing metal. Then give it a good wipe down with a cloth to remove any residue and your air fryer will be sparkling in no time!
Is There Anything You Should Avoid When Cooking With An Air Fryer
Its important to take special care of the nonstick coating inside your air fryer, West says. In addition to using nonabrasive cleaning tools, its also important to avoid using metal utensils inside of the air fryer while prepping or cooking. Once the coating is damaged, food will stick to the components even more, so its best to be careful. She also points out that each air fryer works a little differently and that you should always use a recipe as a guide for timing and temperature. Doing so will help you avoid burnt-on messes that require a deep clean.
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Baked On Grease And Stuck
Baked on grease and residue can be hard to get off. The first thing you want to do is soak the basket in warm water with dish soap for at least 10 minutes. This will loosen up the residue and make it easier to scrub off using a brush.
If the residue is still difficult to remove, combine baking soda with water to form a paste. Use the paste on trouble areas. Let it sit for 15 minutes and work on the removing the reside again.
Removing stuck-on food from the sides of the air fryer is usually the hardest. Food can easily get trapped there! Using the baking soda paste along with a bristle brush and microfiber cloths will work wonders for cleaning the sides of the basket.
How I Tested The Methods To Clean A Dirty Air Fryer Basket
Of the number of ways to clean an air fryer basket, I narrowed it down to five methods using most of the same ingredients: Dawn dish soap, Dawn Powerwash, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide. For the methods that required steam, I used an oven-safe ceramic ramekin.
To properly test each methods effectiveness, I decided to try the various cleaning methods over the course of a week-and-a-half, using my air fryer to heat up all kinds of yummy dishes, such as a very garlicky slice of pizza, my favorite pastries, greasy bacon, and an everything bagel.
The ratings: I rated each method on a scale of 1 to 5 . I considered factors such as simplicity , time , and ability to get rid of stuck-on food, grease, and grime with and without actually scrubbing the air fryer basket.
Note: Be sure to always check your manufacturers instructions before cleaning your air fryer. Spot test if you are unsure.
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First Let’s Review Air Fryer Anatomy
Air fryers are countertop electric appliances. They are typically 12 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 14 inches wide. Inside the unit is a heating element and a powerful fan that circulates heat. Food is placed in a suspended basket outfitted with holes that allow the hot air to circulate and cook from all sides. This setup is awesome for quick and even cooking crispy fries are downright dreamy but this design also means there are several places for food particles to drip and drop into a bottom pan that you really want to keep clean.
How To Clean Your Air Fryer Step By Step
PRO TIP: Make sure the two air fryer baskets and the inside of your air fryer unit are completely dry before putting it back together for storage.
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Unplug Your Air Fryer
Before you get started, make sure you unplug your air fryer to cut off the electricity supply. Most air fryers have a removable tray that simply pulls out of the machine, but some have a different design that allows you to lift out the pan inserts from the top of the machine. Regardless of what your specific air fryer may be, switching it off before starting the cleaning process is a safe and smart move.
How Do I Remove Sticky Oil From An Air Fryer
If you have cooked something greasy, Chaperon and Shilalie say, make sure you soak it right away. Weve seen quite a few hacks on TikTok and Instagram, but we have found a sponge and dish soap with hot water works best.
Chan and Kudler agree that soaking is the best method for cleaning more stubborn air fryer messes, and share what they call an enhanced version of the let it soak method:
- Mix dish soap and about an inch of water in the basket.
- Put it back into the slot and turn to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once its finished, dump out the water and wipe clean.
Chan and Kudler also offer a tip to prevent sticky oil residue buildup on an air fryer. Sticky oil often happens when the temperature gets too high youll end up with that sticky residue, they explain. To avoid this, they recommend using cooking oils with higher smoke points like avocado oil.
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How Often To Clean An Air Fryer
Since the air fryer is filled with raw food, the components that come in direct contact with the food should be cleaned after every use. The interior should also be cleaned to make sure there are no food particles blocking the grid to diminish air circulation.
Depending on how often you use the appliance, the exterior will need cleaning at least after several uses as well as the heating coils.
How To Clean Air Fryer
Wash the basket or tray right away.
This will make sure the food doesnt have time to sit around and stick to the air fryer basket, Consumer Reports writes. Some air fryers also have a base drawer the basket fits into. Youll want to clean all removable parts food touches. Use the soft side of a sponge to remove any food or grease while washing with soap and warm water. Dont use anything abrasive, which could remove the nonstick material.
Some air fryers have metal racks instead of baskets. Real Simple recommends using a stainless steel brush for scrubbing food off.
Soak the removable parts either in the sink or a large bucket with warm water and soap if there is food stuck to the air fryer. Make sure not to submerge the entire appliance. Only soak the removable parts that arent electric.
Clean the heating element
The heating element of an air fryer doesnt need to be cleaned every time, but it can collect food and grease over time. Every once in a while, take a stab at cleaning the inside of your air fryer. Waiting until the heating element is completely cool, take a cloth and dampen it with warm soapy water. Turn the air fryer upside down to reach the heating element if needed, KitchenSnitches recommends. Wipe the heating element with the damp cloth or use a soft sponge to gently remove any build up. Give the rest of the interior a wipe down if necessary.
Clean the exterior
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Want To Learn More About How To Deep Clean Air Fryers
Our handy hints and tips will make sure you never have headaches when its time to get your air fryer looking as good as new:
- You can clean an air fryer with vinegar and baking soda to save money on expensive cleaning products, plus there wont be any artificial scents in your kitchen either
- Baked on grease can take some serious scrubbing but it doesnt have to. Leave it to soak for half an hour in warm soapy water and itll peel straight off
- Lining your air fryer with a sheet of cooking foil will keep the mess at bay and keep the cleanup thats required to an absolute minimum
Now youve heard some of the best cleaning hacks, its time we got specific about the key things you need to focus on. Starting with
