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12 Things people often get wrong when it comes to using an air fryer
These tips can save your air fryer and cook tastier meals.
William Maldonado
01.21.21

If you own an air fryer, then you might be ruining your investment

Busy parents are always looking for easier ways to make delicious meals. That’s why air fryers have become so popular for busy working parents that want to enjoy healthier crispy foods.

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But there are several ways that people misuse air fryers that can either ruin great tasting recipes or outright destroy your air fryer. A recent video put out by Fabulessly Frugal talks about some of the most common mistakes and how you can solve them.

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But what are air fryers

If you’ve never owned or used an air fryer, the idea is simple. It’s a countertop appliance that works like a convection oven. It uses hot air to cook food so that you don’t have to dunk food in oil like you would with a deep-fryer. It leaves you with food that tastes great, has that fried crispy crunch, and lacks the extra fatty oil.

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Whether you own an air fryer or are curious about how you can make your appliance last, then read on about some of the big mistakes new air fryer owners might make.

Don’t overcrowd the basket

Air fryer ads always show baskets full of great tasting food, but the fact is that’s not the way to go. When you overload your basket it limits the cooking power of the fryer which can lead to undercooked meals. Cathy from Fabulessly Frugal advises that you “fill your basket no more than halfway full”. The only exception is with frozen chicken wings.

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If you need to cook more, then consider buying a larger air fryer.

“Wet foods” don’t belong in your air fryer

Freshly fried veggies can be an excellent addition to any meal. But make sure that you pat dry your veggies before tossing them in the basket. If you don’t, you’ll just end up steaming the veggies instead and that will ruin the crispy crunch you want.

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Don’t forget to clean your air dryer

Cleaning is never the highlight of your day, we know that. So many air fryer owners neglect to clean their air fryers, sometimes even leaving crumbs and food pieces in the basket. Don’t do that! Because extra food and crumbs will burn up during the next use which can lead to smoke, which ruins the taste of food and makes cleaning even harder.

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But don’t worry, cleaning air fryer baskets is easy. Just soak them in hot soapy water and rinse wash them right after use. This also keeps the protective coating intact to prevent sticky food.

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If you have oil to deal with, then either dump it in an appropriate container or wait till it dries and scoop it up with a hand towel or paper towels before rinse washing.

Make sure you do the oil right

Cathy says that:

“As a general rule of thumb, you only need one to two teaspoons of oil for breaded foods like fries if you want a crispy finish. Just a light coating will do, and you can always add more oil at the end of the cooking cycle if you want more crispiness on your food.” – Cathy

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Because air frying doesn’t need as much oil as a deep-fryer, a lot of air-fry chefs either use too much or too little oil. You need oil since it helps spices stick to foods like chicken breasts. But some foods, like bacon or chicken wings, don’t need oil at all.

Just remember, it’s easier to add more later than it is to take away. So if you aren’t sure about your oil, try a light coating and see how it looks and tastes.

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Want to know more tips on managing your air fryer? Then check out the video below.

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