12 Common Air Fryer Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Have you recently bought a new air fryer and feel a bit nervous about using it? You’re in the right place. Today, I’m sharing 12 common mistakes people often make when using an air fryer. My name is Kathy Yoder, and I empower air fryer owners to save time and money by sharing air fryer tips, tricks, and recipes. Ready to power up your air frying game? Let’s go!

1. Leaving Your Air Fryer in the Box One of the biggest mistakes is not using the air fryer at all. Get it out of the box and find a spot on your counter to store it. Trust me, once you start using it, you’ll find it deserves that counter space. When using it, pull it out from the wall to allow room for circulation.

2. Misusing Oil While air fryers are marketed as a healthy option, you often still need to use a little oil. Never use store-bought cooking sprays as they contain chemicals that can damage your air fryer. Instead, use a pure oil sprayer with oils like avocado oil, which has a high smoke point ideal for air frying.

3. Overcrowding the Basket Overcrowding can prevent your food from cooking evenly. Spread your food out or fill the basket no more than halfway. Some foods, like chicken wings, shrink as they cook, allowing more room for crispiness.

4. Not Rotating or Stirring Food To ensure even cooking, shake the basket or stir the food halfway through the cooking process. If you have an oven-style air fryer, rotate the racks.

5. Using Oven Directions for Air Frying Air fryers cook faster than traditional ovens. Reduce the oven recipe temperature by 10-25°F and cut the cook time in half. Adjust as needed.

6. Not Using an Instant Read Meat Thermometer Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure your food reaches the right internal temperature. This is essential for perfect texture and taste. Download my free internal temperature chart at internaltemperaturechart.com.

7. Improper Cleaning Cleaning your air fryer is simple. Let the basket cool, wipe out food debris, spray with a cleaner like Dawn Powerwash, let sit, then rinse. For deeper cleaning, use soft cloths.

8. Not Using Parchment Paper Use air fryer parchment paper to prevent messes, especially with messy foods like cheese or eggs. Never preheat with parchment paper inside the air fryer, as it can blow into the burner.

9. Limiting Yourself to Just French Fries and Nuggets Air fryers can cook a variety of foods, from bacon and chicken to veggies and grilled cheese. You can even reheat leftovers, which will taste much better than using a microwave.

10. Using the Wrong Tools Avoid metal utensils that can scratch your air fryer. Use silicone tongs and spatulas. Anything oven-safe, like metal or glass dishes, can be used in your air fryer.

11. Cooking Fatty Foods Incorrectly When cooking fatty foods, place a slice of bread under the tray to absorb drippings and prevent smoke. This trick can save you from setting off your smoke alarm.

12. Air Frying Wet Foods Pat foods dry before air frying for crispy results. Avoid wet batters as they won’t cook well in the air fryer.

Ready to start air frying? Check out these recipes perfect for new air fryer owners. If you’re still nervous, watch my Air Fryer 101 video linked at the end of this article. For more tips and tools, visit the links in the description. Thank you for reading, and happy air frying!