So you’ve finally joined the herd and bought an air fryer, but you’re having trouble getting your food perfect and wondering if you wasted your money.

Don’t give up just yet. There is a bit of a learning curve with some air fryers, so you may have to tinker before you get good recipes.

Read our tips and avoid these common complaints related to cooking with an air fryer.

Haven’t bought one yet? Our overview of best air fryers reveals which models impressed in our test lab.

My chips are undercooked

This is a very common mistake, especially if you are not used to air fryers. Cooking perfect golden chips may take a few tries, as the time and temperature depend on factors like the power, size, and type of your air fryer.

Undercooking or overcooking the chips the first few times is normal, but if it continues, here are a few things to try.

Do not overfill the basket or tray

Make sure the food can fit comfortably in the air fryer with enough room to cook evenly.

The capacity of air fryers is usually measured in liters. Retailers or manufacturers indicate how many liters of liquid the basket can hold.

We show this as a gram measurement in each of our air fryer reviews because it’s more useful.

However, this measurement is not always the optimal capacity for best cooking results. Our tests show that the optimal cooking amount is usually significantly less than manufacturers claim.

To find the optimal capacity for your air fryer, consult the instruction manual or take the time to experiment.

Shake or stir the basket or tray often while cooking

Instructions often say that you should only shake or stir the chips quickly, but we’ve found that doing it more regularly while cooking gives the best results.

If your air fryer does not have a viewing window, you will need to open it while cooking. This will let out some hot air, so you should avoid doing this too frequently. But at least a few times during cooking should result in a more even color and tastier chips.

OUR Air Fryer vs Oven This comparison will help you choose the best appliance for your kitchen work.

My air fryer is giving off smoke and an unpleasant odor

This usually happens if you cook without cleaning it first.

Every time you use your air fryer, grease, crumbs, and small pieces of food accumulate at the bottom of the basket. If you don’t clean them before using them again, they will burn and cause unpleasant odors or smoke. If you continue to cook, it may even change the taste of your food.

Clean your air fryer after each use.

Some removable parts of the air fryer are dishwasher safe, but most will need to be washed by hand.

The longer you leave food in the fryer, the harder it is to clean it, so we recommend doing so immediately.

Luckily, almost all air fryer baskets or trays come with a non-stick coating, making them quick and easy to clean.

The easiest way to clean the hardest-to-remove bits is to submerge the tray or basket in hot, soapy water and let it soak to soften and loosen the food. Then simply rinse it and let the basket or tray air dry.

For more tips, see how to clean an air fryer.

My chicken comes out hard and dry

There can be several reasons for this, but one of the most common is cooking for too long or at the wrong temperature.

If you use manual temperature settings, remember that oven cooking instructions do not automatically translate to cooking in the air fryer.

Adapt the cooking time and temperature according to the instructions for your appliance

Preset programs can be helpful, although you’ll still want to check your food from time to time to make sure it’s cooking properly. Alternatively, you can also experiment with time and temperature.

If you’re not sure how to tell when your chicken is done, consider getting a meat thermometer. They make it easy to check the internal temperature of the chicken while it cooks. The temperature inside a piece of cooked chicken should be around 75ºC.

Add a small amount of oil

Some experts also recommend drying your chicken before putting it in the fryer or adding a small amount of oil.

As with any food cooked in the air fryer, stir or rotate your chicken while cooking to ensure all sides cook evenly.

Let it sit

As with traditional baking, letting chicken and other meats rest for a short time after cooking will allow juices to settle into the meat.

Want an air fryer you can trust? Check out our guide to reliable air fryer brands.

My dough is leaking everywhere and making a mess

Air fryers are not the most suitable appliance for cooking food with wet batter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook cakes, pancakes, or onion rings. You just have to do it correctly.

Basket air fryers may look similar to deep fryers, but they work very differently. You should never attempt to pour wet batter directly into the basket. Air fryers blow hot air around their baskets, so important heating elements could become covered and prevent the appliance from working properly.

Coat beaten foods with crumbs

If you’re making foods like onion rings, fish, or chicken nuggets, try making the batter thicker, then dry-coat it with breadcrumbs or cornmeal before baking. This will prevent the dough from leaking all over the basket.

Using a baking dish or rack that fits inside the basket will also help prevent messes.

Use a mold for cakes and desserts

Do not pour cake batter directly into the tray of your air fryer. If you’re making a cake or other dessert that requires moist batter, use a silicone mold, ovenproof glass bowl, cupcake pan, or mold. This will ensure that your food cooks properly, without creating too much mess.

Air Fryer Liners Tested: Silicone vs Paper vs Reusable Sheets

What not to put in your air fryer

You can cook almost anything in an air fryer, but some foods will cause a lot more mess than necessary or could even pose a safety risk.

• Popcorn – Cooking popcorn may not even work because most air fryers don’t reach a high enough temperature to pop the kernels. The microwave will do a much better job.
• Pasta and pasta sauce – You can’t use an air fryer to cook raw pasta, because you have to put it in boiling water. Cooking pasta sauces isn’t impossible, but it’s messy, so it’s probably not worth it. You can use an air fryer to reheat already cooked pastas and sauces, but microwaving is a more efficient way to do it.
• Grill – Not impossible, but the results may be disappointing compared to toast made in the toaster. The air fryer can dry out the bread and crumbs can get stuck at the bottom of the basket when the toast is blown during cooking. You will also need to flip it halfway. It’s just not worth it.
• Rice – Like pasta, cooking rice requires water. An air fryer isn’t a go-to appliance for boiling and steaming – you’re better off sticking to a slow cooker or a pot on the stovetop.

Want a device that does more than just air fry? Consult our guide to best multicookers.

Air Fryers We’ve Tested Recently

Read reviews of some air fryers we’ve tested recently and see if any models earned our Best Buy or Great Value recommendation.

• Breville Halo Flexi VDF130 Air Fryer£188
• Duronique AF34£151
• Haier HAF5TWA3 Shopping Cart£157
• ClearCook Instant Vortex 140-4101-01-UK£113
• Land of Lakes 27537£80
• Ninja AF500UK£239
• Philips Series 3000 NA352/00£168
• Tefal Easy Fry EY905D double air fryer and grill£169
• Tower T17117£67
• Zwilling 1025057£130

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