Air fryer owners are making one big mistake — and it’s got nothing to do with cooking

With an ever-increasing number of households owning one of the best air fryers, there’s clear evidence that air frying isn’t just a fad, and it’s found a permanent place in our kitchens. I, for one, use my air fryer every day, while my electric range rarely gets a look in.

However, while we are accustomed to cleaning our ovens and finding tips to keep our ovens cleaner for longer, air fryers are often forgotten. In fact, a study by HelloFresh discovered that 47% of people don’t clean their air fryer after each use.

While it’s rare to clean your oven every time you cook a casserole or bake a cake, cooking in an air fryer presents a slightly different scenario, and more cleaning is required.

The nature of air frying involves a fan that blasts heat around the air fryer’s food compartment, and it does this much faster than air is circulated around an oven. This is why food and grease build up more quickly in an air fryer, making it essential to clean it after every use. It also relates to the type of food that is more likely to cook in an air fryer, as it tends to have a higher fat content and crispy coatings.

The danger of not cleaning your air fryer

If you ditch cleaning your air fryer, you could be putting your household at risk, as a buildup of grease and food residue can become a fire hazard.

But this isn’t the only risk that you are taking. Neglecting to clean your air fryer increases the risk of food contamination. “There’s a general misconception that the heat in your air fryer will kill any bacteria, but this isn’t always the case,” says Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Development Manager, at HelloFresh.

“The likes of Salmonella, E. coli might actually be able to grow and can be a hazard to your health. That’s why cleaning your air fryer after every use is recommended,” she adds.

Apart from the health risks associated with a dirty air fryer, it can also compromise the flavor and taste of your meals.

If baked-on grease and food residue are left in the air fryer basket, they will start to smell. Not only is this unpleasant, but the odor will transfer to any subsequent cooked food. And that leftover residue can smoke and burn each time the air fryer is turned on for another cook.

Grease and food residue can also hamper the airflow within your appliance, as they block the vents, leading to unevenly cooked food that takes longer to cook and lacks the crispiness we associate with air fry cooking.

How to clean your air fryer — for tastier food and safer cooking

I’d definitely be in Morley’s good books, as I clean my air fryer after every use. And as I give it a regular clean, the job is never too tough to handle, as grease and food debris don’t get a chance to stick. Even when I’m roasting a chicken, which spits out fat at all angles, I usually find a hot soak in washing detergent and a quick scrub is all it needs.

But if you’re not sure of the best way to clean an air fryer, Morley recommends following these five simple steps.

Five steps to a cleaner air fryer

1. Unplug and let your air fryer cool.

2. Remove and wash the basket and tray — use a soft plastic scourer to remove any dirt with hot, soapy water.

3. Wipe down the interior and heating element, and make sure all grease is cleared.

4. Clean exterior and controls with a cloth and a non-abrasive antibacterial spray.

5. Reassemble and store when all elements are completely dry.

Then, after every few uses, Morley recommends giving your air fryer a deeper clean. She suggests soaking the basket in boiling water, vinegar, and a splash of washing-up liquid to remove tough marks.

And, don’t forget about cleaning your air fryer’s heating element. Even though it’s out of sight, it’s the hidden hero behind your crispy food, and if it’s dirty, it can underperform and cause a potential fire hazard.

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