How To Use An Air Fryer | Some Best Pro Tips For Air Fryer Beginners In 2023

I am sure you own an air fryer recently, very congratulations on your new device. If you are an air fryer beginner and afraid of How to use an air fryer? How to set up for the first time? How to clean and maintain after use? many more questions related to air fryers are revolving around your mind. Don’t worry!

You are not only one facing these problems but everyone who cooks food for the first time with these small convection fryers. This article is going to be very much informative, I have listed the best tips for you. After reading this article you can easily use your air fryer and increase your cooking techniques. Using an air fryer is not rocket science, just follow these 10 steps.

how to use an air fryer

I am not an air fryer expert but can guide you with my own experience with the basic rules and research on the internet past 2 years.

It is an experimental own experience process, how much you give time to your device and how much experience you will gain. So nobody can fully teach everything about an air fryer uses but you will learn yourself after using some days. Before we start discussing tips we should know what is an air fryer?

What is an air fryer?

Over the last decade, our cooking style and eating habits have changed. We are improving with new cooking technology, Everybody is in a hurry in their busy life. So he needs convenient cooking appliances, which should be fast and healthy, small. in my opinion, an air fryer may be the answer. they are small, fast, healthy, and less worried about cleanliness. It offers 80% less oil than a deep oil fryer, so it is a healthy choice for many like mine!

The air fryer is bigger than a regular toaster oven. Made up of food-grade high-quality plastic. Available in round, and oval shapes, and large and small sizes, We can call it a small countertop convection oven that works on rapid hot air technology. A powerful fan fitted on the top of the inner side blows hot air to the food placed inside the basket.

Hot Air Fryer Rapid Air Technology

We can take the example of your hairdryer. The dryer has a fan and heating elements. When you turn it on, the fan sucks air, passing through the heating element and exhausting hot air. In some minutes all your hair dries giving you a shiny color.

Your air fryer also works on the same process, but in a bigger size, the basket design is also made in this way, hot air can circulate your food. Due to hot air circulation quickly, a milliard reaction occurs in your food, which makes your food crisper and tastier.


What are the major components of an air fryer?

Using any product, if you know all components then that product will be much easier to use. If you already know this or searching for these questions, then you are a smart buyer,

Every air fryer has three major components the whole body, the cooking basket, and the controlling panel or knob.

1. The air fryer’s outer body

Best compact air fryer under $50 – Dash DCAF150

Most of the air fryer body shapes may be round, oval shape, or slightly square, and also the size varies ( 2 QT – 7 QT), I think your air fryer shape is one of them. These are made up of high food-grade plastic. All major components are fitted in the body like the Hot air mechanism, basket, control panel, circuit board, etc. The design does not impact cooking, it is just for looking more attractive.

2. Cooking basket

removable non stick basket for use an air fryer

The basket is the removable part of every air fryer, there are two baskets attached. One is the cooking basket and the other one is the bottom basket.

The baskets are made of metal and plastic. These are coated with a thin layer of ceramic, Teflon which prevents the food from sticking in the basket and provides easy cleanup. Your food cooks in the inner basket and it has holes, hot air passes easily. The outer basket collects extra oil, and fats, and helps to maintain hygenic and cleanliness.

When you press the basket release button the two baskets will de be attached. After cooking you can pour the extra fat and oil. Almost every air fryer basket is dishwasher safe, so no worry to clean.

3. Control system

AIR FRYER CONTROL PANEL TO USE

The Control panel is the heart of every air fryer, here you adjust every single command to your fryer. In a digital air fryer, there are many buttons like the power button, timer, temperature, preset button, and an LCD. While in the analog air fryer, you will find only two knobs of time and temperature. less button than a digital fryer. But you can cook all items the same in two fryers, but smaller, less expensive ones take more time than big and expensive ones. I prefer analog because I like to control everything manually not digital.


How to use an air fryer with some basic tips

Setting up before first using an (air fryer instructions)

If your air fryer is fully new, then setting it up for first use is so very important. Without the best setting, there are some chances of an accident. Here are the best tips for you for first use, step by step.

  • Unpack your new air fryer, from plastic or box, including the removable or temporary sticker.
  • Place your air fryer on a stable, horizontal plane, and heat-resistant surface. Because the air fryer is more than 10 to 15 pounds. so you need to place it in a stable place.
  • Keep a 1-foot distance from your wall, because of the exhaust fan. Let’s press the handle button and remove the basket.
  • Then press the basket button to release the inner basket from the outer basket.
  • Then wash the basket using a dishwasher or non-abrasive sponge.
  • Wipe the inside and outside using a slightly moist towel or cloth.
  • After doing all this then put the basket again inside the basket place.

A test run will make you more comfortable with your air fryer

A test run will help to become more familiar with your air fryer. I have told you in the above paragraph, that this is a trial-error process. At the first use, you will know your air fryer well. make sure it’s working correctly. This is the stage if you found some difficulty to run your device or work not properly, or have some damaged parts. You can return the product.

  • Make sure your air fryer basket should empty, and clean, and the plug connector with your kitchen electric switchboard is correct.
  • Pre heats your air fryer at (350/400 F) for 5 minutes, if you have a digital air fryer there will be a preheat option button on the display. If you have an analog one, then set it to 350F F for 5 minutes using the radial.
  • After doing all these processes, then press the start button. In a complete 5 minutes, your air fryer will beep and stop.
  • Pull the basket and cool it aside for 20 minutes.

Should you preheat or not your air fryer?

I bought a cosori air fryer for my mom two years ago, after hearing about the health benefits, I think it is best to sell the air fryer on Amazon. My mom was very happy, so she made french fries for us. But the result was not happy, the fries were not crispy as a deep fryer. We got very disappointed. But one of my mom’s friends advises preheating your air fryer at 350F for 5 minutes before any recipes. After that, it is very helpful fully to get crisp fries. and great tips for the air fryer. So I seriously recommend you should preheat your fryer before using your fryer.

What happened when you preheat your fryer?

  • Before using your air fryer, you should preheat it. But why? This we can better understand in our science book, higher temperatures always transfer to lower temperatures and vice versa. If you do not preheat your air fryer and add food ingredients it needs more time to reach the cooking heat point and your food may be undercooked. So you should preheat your air fryer always before cooking any recipe to get the best result.
  • The air fryer works on hot air circulation around your food, it crisps the outer side and moist inside. While you put your food inside the basket in the air fryer. The food ingredients need more time to heat, which is a very time-consuming process and your food may not cook evenly or be undercooked.
  • There are a lot of choices in the market, but all are not the same. The latest air fryer model price is above 200$. They are full of the latest technology while some air fryer models are less than 100$. While Philips digital twin-turbo star cooks your fries in 6-7 minutes, at that time NuWave Brio needs 10 -12 minutes.

How do preheat to use an air fryer? step by step

  • Press the power button to turn on your air fryer, I think you should press some seconds and it will on with a beep sound.
  • If you have a digital air fryer model like cosori 5.8 qt, instant vortex, or Ninja 4 qt digital you will get a preheat option on the display. Press the button, it will automatically set at 350F for 5 minutes. These are the best digital air fryer in today’s market.
  • If you have an analog air fryer like Secura 4.2 qt, chefman turbo 2 qt, or OMORC Habor Air Fryer, you can manually set using the temperature and time radial. These are the best analog air fryer found in my Facebook survey. You can also join my Facebook page and group by clicking on it.
  • Use a button or radial to adjust the temperature and press the start button, after 5 minutes, your air fryer will automatically stop.

What should you remember before air frying?

  • Remember your air fryer is not a hot deep oil fryer, it never uses oil of more than 1-2 tbsp. It uses hot air instead of oil, so never fill its basket with oil, frying fat, or any liquid. Otherwise, you may get the worst result and damage the mechanism of your fryer.
  • Do not place any object on the top of your air fryer, it has a fan fitted on top of the inner side, which sucks air, and passes through the heating element. So if you put any object, the fan can not deliver hot air to your food ingredients. You will get undercooked food.
  • When taking out your food after cooking, try to use its handle for safety. Be careful with hot steam and never press the basket release button, otherwise hot outer basket will release and get in contact with your body and all food gets in touch with the floor.

Should I use oil in my air fryer?

oil spray to use an air fryer
olive oil spray to use an air fryer for cooking

Your device name is ‘Air fryer‘, fry with air. It is one type of convection oven, and manufacturers claim and offer you 80% less oil than traditional deep oil frying. You can cook your favorite snacks, and meals without so much oil, so this is one of the best healthy choices. This is the reason you buy this oven.

But I feel that air frying food is not much crispier and tastier as compared to oil frying. Without oil food will not get the best taste, so you need only 1-2 Tbsp oil, that’s enough for the air fryer. You can use olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or your home common oil, Misto Brushed Aluminum Oil Sprayer is the best-selling air fryer oil spray.

What foods can you cook using your air fryer?

Frozen foods are best for the fryer, frozen chicken tenders, french fries, chicken wings, etc. Just take it from the fridge or market, prepare it with your best seasoning, preheat your air fryer, place it inside the basket for 15 minutes, and serves it with your favorite sauce. Very simple.

Goods that can be baked using an oven, same process but you need some extra air fryer-safe pan accessories. To bake bread, cake, muffin cake, pie, or any food with filling or batter. Just put it in the heat-safe silicone container before placing it in the basket.

You may face some white smoke from the air fryer exhaust smoke, because when you cook high-fat ingredients like whole chicken, meat, turkey, or beef. The excess fat will be dripping down to the outer basket and be collected there. When hot air gets in contact with these fats makes some white smoke. It is normal, to avoid this problem pouring down in the middle of cooking.


How to clean after using an air fryer

For normal cleaning

  • Turn off your air fryer or unplug it, and make sure it cools completely before cleaning. Pull out the basket for faster cleaning.
  • Wipe out the outside of the basket, if there is any food stain or grease stain available.
  • There is so many dishwasher-safe air fryer on the market, so you easily clean them with your dishwasher. If your air fryer is not dishwasher safe, use soapy or detergent water and a non-abrasive sponge to clean it.

For food stains or grease stain

  • Separate your inner and outer basket after cooking, then add some water to the basket for 10 minutes. Do not immerse the basket in the water.
  • Then take a bowl add 2 tbsp of baking soda and 20 ml water and mix well, making a paste.
  • Use a non-abrasive sponge to spread all over the basket, and let it for 15 minutes before rinsing.
  • Wash the basket with soap and water, take a moist cloth and dry completely inside of your fryer before preparing for the next cook.
  • If needed clean the heating coil and dry well.

Note 1 – Always clean the air fryer basket and interior after every use.

Note 2 – Using good quality parchment paper or silicon mold, may make clean-up easier.

Note 3 – Your air fryer basket is coated with ceramic or non-stick, so never use any metal utensils or abrasive cleaning. Otherwise, they can make damage your basket.

Note 4 – Make sure your air fryer heating coil is completely dry before turning on your air fryer.


Some trouble you may face while cooking with your air fryer

1. My air fryer is not turned on

  • Make sure your air fryer is plugged correctly into an electric outlet.
  • Push the basket securely into the right place, unless your air fryer will not start.

2. Foods are not cooked evenly

  • If you stake your food ingredients too close to each other or make them bulky inside the basket. The hot air will not be blown properly, You should shake them during cooking to get the best result.

3. Foods are not completely cooked

  • If your basket is overstuffed, then your food will be undercooked. So you should cook them in smaller batches. and never overstuffed.
  • After doing all the things and you will not get the best result, then you should increase the temperature and time. Because all company air fryer is not the same. Some are brands that provide the best quality as well as they are expensive and some are inexpensive and lower quality.
  • So good brands like Philips, cosori, gourami, etc, provide the best result in little time. So you should use a good quality air fryer to get the best result.

4. Foods are not crispy after air frying

  • You all know air fryer uses 80% less oil than traditional deep oil frying, But in my opinion air frying food is not tastier than deep oil frying. It just bakes not frying. So you will never get crispy fries as oil frying.
  • But you can brush a little oil with the help of a brush or spray some olive or avocado oil on it, you will get the almost same result as a deep oil fryer.

5. White smoke is coming out of my air fryer

  • Your air fryer may produce some white smoke while cooking for the first time. Don’t worry it is normal.
  • Make sure the basket and the inner side of your air fryer are cleaned properly, no external material should leave inside the fryer, like (polythene, thermocol, or sticker).
  • Cooking greasy food like chicken, meat, and beef may produce some fat or grease. This may produce smoke because the basket is hot while cooking, that time grease oil gets in contact with the hot surface. That time white smoke produces.

6. Black smoke is coming out of my air fryer

  • Immediately unplug your air fryer or switch it off, dark smoke means, your food may be overcooked and burned. Don’t pull your air fryer basket and wait to clear the smoke.
  • If your food is not overcooked or burned, there may be some circuit problem, so never use it till your fryer is repaired. Immediately get in contact with your air fryer service provider.

7. My air fryer has a plastic smell

  • Any air fryer may have a plastic smell from the manufacturing process, this is normal.
  • Follow the test run process before cooking your first recipe. After the process, if your air fryer smells plastic then you should call your air fryer company provider.

Conclusion

Using an air fryer is not a difficult task, if you follow all the above 10 steps you will learn in 3-4 days. But you have to spend some time and continue doing experiments that will make you an air fryer expert.

Thank you, if you like my how-to use an air fryer guide, please comment below or ask any questions, I will try to help you at my best.


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