The air fryer has grown in popularity over recent years due to its ease of use and ability to produce a number of delicious dishes. Read on for some of our air fryer hacks to get the best possible use out of this handy appliance.

Try preheating

Preheating the air fryer like you would an oven can help ensure that your food is evenly cooked all the way through.

Use non-stick spray

Most air fryers have a built-in non-stick coating, but using a cooking spray can help this coating last longer and provide an extra layer to ensure your food won’t stick.

kitchen

Jason Briscoe vis Unsplash

Use it instead of your microwave

For many dishes that you have historically made in the microwave, the air fryer can be a great alternative. Using the air fryer is often quicker and results in a crispier or fresher-tasting meal.

Make boiled eggs

Don’t feel like waiting for a pot to boil or having dishes to clean up? You can make boiled eggs in the air fryer!

Give pudding a try

On top of traditionally fried or microwaved goods, you can also make all sorts of baked goods in the air fryer, like this recipe for muffins.

Kaitlyn Chow vis Unsplash

Reduce crumbs and drips

Love using your air fryer but tired of the constant clean-up? Make your life easier by layering the bottom of the basket with foil or a silicon air fryer liner, which will catch any crumbs or oil and make cleaning a breeze.

Don’t dishwash

While the dishwasher is a handy way to help keep the kitchen clean, it should not be used to wash the individual components of your air fryer. Rather, use a damp cloth to wipe down the inside of the machine.

Shake the basket during cooking

One of the most common problems with air fryers is that they don’t always evenly cook food. An easy hack to fix this problem is by periodically shaking the basket throughout the cooking time, which will move the food around and ensure a more even cooking process.

Don’t overfill the basket

Since air fryer baskets are often on the small side, it can be tempting to fill them to the brim when cooking. In order to get the best results, try cooking in batches and always leave a little space between individual items like burger patties.

Lisa Fotios via Pexels

Clean after each use

Leftover oils and other residue can quickly build up, meaning your air fryer may start to emit smoke with each use. Giving it a quick clean between each use can help to prevent this.

Written for Food&Home

Featured Image: Clark Douglas via Unsplash