A COOKING pro has lifted the lid on the nine most common mistakes she knows people are making when using their Air Fryer. 

Foodie website Mashed.com created a helpful guide to run through the errors, as well as how people can make sure that they’re a thing of the past. 

In a YouTube video recorded for their channel, a cooking whizz explained that while the increasingly popular kitchen gadget is a hero product, it doesn’t come without its issues.

She said: “Air Fryers are basically magic, but a couple of common mistakes can spell a culinary catastrophe in your kitchen.”

The keen cook then began by pinpointing cleaning the Air Fryer after use as one of the most debated subjects. 

After asking Mashed.com’s subscribers how often they thought the chore needed to be done, she continued that it’s not always as often as people think.

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She said: “Reputable sources, like Food Network, state that it’s not entirely necessary to deep clean your cooker after every fry session.

“It really depends on how much build-up or food debris is hanging out inside.”

Although she did say that other brands recommended that you do it sooner rather than later, just so that it’s easier to remove the grime. 

She concluded: “Just like any appliance, maintenance and cleaning is key.”

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The video then went on to the second common mistake – people not preheating their Air Fryer, which means things aren’t cooking thoroughly or evenly. 

She said: “It may seem like a no-brainer but it’s pretty important to spend an extra few minutes pre-heating your Air Fryer.”

She added: “Would you toss a frozen pizza into a cold oven?

“The same goes for any food – frozen or fresh – that you’re tossing into your Air Fryer.”

This leads nicely onto the third error, which is home cooks setting their appliance to the wrong temperature.

The expert explained that’s because cooking instructions are often not geared towards Air Fryers. 

So, instead, some clever calculations are needed. She went on: “The fact that no two Air Fryers are the same makes it even trickier to determine how to prepare your favourite foods.

“Temperature settings and capacity are two major variables that will greatly affect your success rate.”

Would you toss a frozen pizza into a cold oven?

Mashed then said that it’s a good idea to check your user manual and – if you’ve misplaced it – head to Google. 

However, she added: “The general rule of thumb is to start cooking at 350 degrees Celsius. When in doubt, also look at the online oven to Air Fryer calculator converters.”

The fourth problem is also closely linked, as it’s to do with the duration you’re cooking for.

Again, this varies food item to food item, and so the guide is once again your go-to. 

Plus, she suggests “investing in a food thermometer” to “eliminate uncertainty and prevent a bad case of sour stomach.”

Meanwhile, the fifth common error is people using the totally wrong oil.

She said: “First, you’re going to want to use an oil that has a neutral flavour, but you’re also going to want to make sure that it has a high smoke point, also known as the burning point.

“These types of oils hold up well for high heat cooking and won’t easily burn.

“Refined avocado oils, light or refined olive oil or soybean oil are all good options to use in Air Fryers and for cooking frozen foods.”

She also warned home cooks that they may be using “too much” oil (more than a couple of tablespoons) and that you should be mindful of this, especially as some foods already contain it.

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The sixth problem to eradicate is overfilling or overcrowding the appliance – common when making a whole meal in the Air Fryer. 

She said: “Unfortunately, adding too much to the Air Fryer at once causes your food to cook inconsistently.

“For best results, fry your food in batches, not in bulk.” 

She then moved onto her seventh point – treating all vegetable items as the same.

Instead, it’s important to focus on each one individually and how it needs to be cooked.

For instance, things like zucchini can come out great after being cooked in the Air Fryer, while others, like spinach and kale, fail to deliver the same great results and go flying around the appliance. 

She added that broccoli is very prone to burning, so you should use larger pieces and avoid putting too many in. 

For best results, fry your food in batches, not in bulk

The penultimate mistake people make is defrosting frozen food – like vegetables – before placing it in the Air Fryer, which is simply not needed. 

The Mashed host went on to say you just need to up the cooking time by up to 50% and make sure that certain foods reach certain temperatures before being served, which can be found online. 

But some foods should obviously not be cooked from frozen whatever the circumstances.

So the ninth error is to totally avoid cooking frozen steak, seafood that isn’t battered, or hamburgers in your Air Fryer. 

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She concluded: “Keep it simple and just don’t attempt to cook a frozen hamburger in your fryer. 

“If you’re craving a juicy hamburger, take the time to do it right and stick to grilling, pan frying, or boiling it.”

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